Upgrade existing ticket to annual pass renewal

[jerseyduke]

My annual pass expires 2/28.

I have an unused 6 day park hopper parked in my MDE account.

I wanted to use that toward the renewal of my annual pass. Called, and was told that that can only be done in person!

Anyone know any differently?

Next trip is not until the end of April, so I would be passed my renewal window. (I was thinking of using the 6 day park hopper so I could make fast passes for that trip 60 days out, then do the upgrade on site, but I would have to buy a NEW pass)

I would rather not have to use it for my 2018 pass.

TIA

 

[BillPA]

If you re-new, and not go until April you will only have a 10 month AP. With part of April in the blackout window, if you are looking at a gold pass. Depending on your plans for future trips, I would just use the 6 day hopper, and get a new AP before the 6th day is used if that fits into your plans.

 

[supersnoop]

Called, and was told that that can only be done in person!

Unfortunately, the phone rep was correct.

 

[cvjw]

It is only around a $75 difference between a new gold ap and a gold renewal (before the price increase), but you would get a full year of visits.

You can only upgrade a ticket in person, so that sounds like it will be your only option.

 

[Dean]

Can you upgrade a ticket and get the renewal price at the same time?

 

[Friendlyadvice2]

Can you upgrade a ticket and get the renewal price at the same time?

Yes, in person at Disney. Many do this with tickets purchased from the discounted ticket retailers so that the upgraded ticket is bridged to current pricing and then that amount is applied as a credit toward the discount renewal price of the AP or a renewal voucher. With the recent price increase in tickets many have been purchasing the "old tickets" from the resellers at the previous prices with the intent of bridging them to the current increased prices. As an example, the 4 day hopper with 3 extra days (making it a 7 day hopper) yielded about $100 in savings per ticket when upgraded (rounding down, buy for $400 and get $500 credit toward the discounted AP renewal price). The Guest Services locations at the International Gateway at Epcot and at DHS have worked flawlessly for me in the past. Keep in mind that tickets purchased directly from Disney would not be eligible for price bridging since they know what you actually paid for the ticket.

 

[supersnoop]

I wouldn't say "many" do this. Upgrading to a renewal is a tricky process. You have to be at Disney during the renewal period, for one. The process is not straight forward for the CM's, and I'd venture to guess that most wouldn't know how to process a ticket upgrade to AP renewal transaction.

 

[Bronte]

I thought if you want to upgrade a ticket you have to be upgrading to a new pass and not toward renewal

 

[supersnoop]

I thought if you want to upgrade a ticket you have to be upgrading to a new pass and not toward renewal

Nope. It's possible to upgrade to a renewal. It's just very rare and only possible in a short timeframe. Back when we believed you had to use a ticket first, it only made sense in the 30 days after your AP expired. Now that you don't have to use the ticket first, you have, in theory, a 90 day window to apply a ticket towards an upgrade when you're on site.

 

[Bronte]

That stinks I didn't not know that ...
I just used a seven day ticket we bought for our DD so that she could get into Epcot on New Years Eve and then the next day "upgraded" it to a Florida silver pass. She was in her 30 day window for renewal but the cast member never even suggested that ... I could have saved even more money bridging it to a renewal (UGGGGG)

 

[bumbershoot]

Since you can't use the ticket to upgrade until you are there, I would just embrace the fact that you'll get a new pass that starts with this April trip, not a ten month AP.

 

[jerseyduke]

I can not upgrade my ticket to a renewal, because the first chance I get to do this in person will be outside of my renewal "window". I can upgrade it to a full new pass.

Nope. It's possible to upgrade to a renewal. It's just very rare and only possible in a short timeframe. Back when we believed you had to use a ticket first, it only made sense in the 30 days after your AP expired. Now that you don't have to use the ticket first, you have, in theory, a 90 day window to apply a ticket towards an upgrade when you're on site.

I am not sure that I understand this....My AP expires at the end of Feb. I am under the impression that I have until the end of March to "renew" it. I will not be onsite until the end of April..with your 90 day comment, is that to say that I can upgrade it then - Outside of the 30 day renewal window?

The 10 month AP statement does not work for me as far as the math goes. Buying one at the end of April to get a "full 12 month" AP, would never save me any money (for the foreseeable future anyway)


Another question is, can I take my 6 day park hopper pass and upgrade it (on site) to an 8 day, then not use it at that time (just leave it assigned to someone in my MDE account)? I can assign it to a family member that is going later in the year that way, but needs an 8 day one.

 

[supersnoop]

I will not be onsite until the end of April..with your 90 day comment, is that to say that I can upgrade it then - Outside of the 30 day renewal window?

No. You have 60 days before expiration and 30 days afterwards to renew your annual pass; hence, 90 days.

 

[BillPA]

That 6 day hopper with the new prices is worth $495.23 if you upgrade to an AP. The new price for a gold NEW AP w/tax is $584.69
Since you missed the renewal rate of $475 + tax, $505.88 you're out $78.81, but the hopper is worth more than you paid if done before the increase.
I think the multiday pass are up $40 + tax, or $42.60 So you're only out about $36.21 for 2 extra months, not so bad.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Why would it be a 10 month AP if the 6 day ticket is unused?

MG

 

[BillPA]

Check the OP, wanted to renew his/her Feb AP

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Check the OP, wanted to renew his/her Feb AP

Renew being the key word....
Got it. Thanks.

MG

 

[jerseyduke]

No. You have 60 days before expiration and 30 days afterwards to renew your annual pass; hence, 90 days.

Thanks, that makes sense.

That 6 day hopper with the new prices is worth $495.23 if you upgrade to an AP. The new price for a gold NEW AP w/tax is $584.69
Since you missed the renewal rate of $475 + tax, $505.88 you're out $78.81, but the hopper is worth more than you paid if done before the increase.
I think the multiday pass are up $40 + tax, or $42.60 So you're only out about $36.21 for 2 extra months, not so bad.

I get what you are saying, but in my situation, I would not realize the extra 2 months any time in the foreseeable future, so the fact that it is only a "10 month AP" does not cost me anything. Unless you go in the last month of your AP, it is never really a 12 month AP.

I can buy a new "12 month" one in April for 584 out of pocket this year...then I could wait until Sept of 2018 to buy my next new one, which means 584 out of pocket in 2018. Then I need to renew every Sept since I go every Sept for 505, so 505 out of pocket in 2019, 2020, etc...

If i just keep renewing it is only 505 out of pocket in 2017 and 2018 and well as 2019 going forward. That means I pay 160$ LESS over the next two years by getting the "10 month AP". If I could keep pushing back then I got my AP, then your thoughts would be right on

It is not the end of the world by any means, but the lower out of pocket is better in my particular situation.

 

[n2mm]

If you re-new, and not go until April you will only have a 10 month AP. With part of April in the blackout window, if you are looking at a gold pass. Depending on your plans for future trips, I would just use the 6 day hopper, and get a new AP before the 6th day is used if that fits into your plans.

Actually they would have 11 months. If you renew by oct 2017 you get the 13 month deal. I didn't realize this had changed until my daughter pointed it out. So their new expiration would be march 28, 2018

 

[BillPA]

Good to know, I thought you had to buy/renew by Jan 3rd 2017 to get the 13 months.