Upgrade from FL Seasonal Pass to FL Annual Pass and where to do it

[randster]

We are currently Florida Seasonal Passholders and have a trip planned to Disney this summer, during our blackout dates. A rep on the phone said it's less money for us to simply upgrade our pass to a regular AP and then we don't have blackout dates, instead of buying a 2 or 3 day ticket to the parks.

My questions:
1) I can only upgrade at a park or Downtown Disney. Where would be the shortest line?
2) The only disadvantage to this is I cannot book any Fast Pass experiences ahead of time until we do this upgrade (I will only get to WDW one day before we go into any parks). Is it very difficult to get FP for rides if selecting one day in advance?

Thanks!!

 

[mesaboy2]

We are currently Florida Seasonal Passholders and have a trip planned to Disney this summer, during our blackout dates. A rep on the phone said it's less money for us to simply upgrade our pass to a regular AP and then we don't have blackout dates, instead of buying a 2 or 3 day ticket to the parks.

My questions:
1) I can only upgrade at a park or Downtown Disney. Where would be the shortest line?
2) The only disadvantage to this is I cannot book any Fast Pass experiences ahead of time until we do this upgrade (I will only get to WDW one day before we go into any parks). Is it very difficult to get FP for rides if selecting one day in advance?

Thanks!!

1. Downtown Disney. But I wouldn't go there if only to upgrade your pass because of the extra time involved getting there, parking, etc. If you already have other plans at DTD, then by all means do the upgrade there though.
2. Most things should still be available. I would not count on Anna/Elsa M&G or the new 7DMT attraction being available that late though.

 

[PrincessV]

Are you on the monthly payment plan? If so, absolutely make the trek to DTD - I just did this upgrade at AK a couple weeks ago and it took well over an hour. The CM was awesome and relentless in his pursuit of getting ti done right, but the system is not set up to make it easy; it kept trying to charge me the difference in price as a new AP, not renewal, and kept trying to reset my expiration dates to the day I first purchased, not the day the last renewals were activated (which was a big honking deal, since I've been renewing at various AP levels for almost 20 years...)

It did get done, but when I asked about a similar issue a friend of mine needed to handle, the nice CM who helped me suggested that my friend go to DTD; apparently they're the resident experts and that's who my CM called to get my APs fixed.

Also note that if you are on the monthly payment plan, you can't add the additional cost to your payments; you'll have to pay the difference when you upgrade and the monthly payments will continue in the same amount they've been.

Good luck!

 

[randster]

Not on the monthly plan we paid in full. And other than mine train my kids don't care about anna/elsa so we should be fine.

Thx for advice everyone!!

 

[randster]

Thx for advice and not on monthly payment plan!

 

[CAS239]

I would head up a day earlier if possible and do it at DTD guest service. That's where I went to get my annual pass and it was a very quick process. So I imagine upgrading won't be any different

 

[rlovew]

Upgrading only takes a few minutes. The only thing you have to do is give them your tickets, pay the difference between the passes, and then they print the new passes. They will expire at the same time as your current passes are scheduled to right now. If you have to pay for parking at the park you are upgrading at bring your parking ticket and you will be refunded the money once you pay the upgrade fee.

 

[T-rox]

can you upgrade from seasonal to premium mid stream? and is it prorated?(florida resident)

 

[erionm]

can you upgrade from seasonal to premium mid stream?

Yes

and is it prorated?(florida resident)

No

 

[T-rox]

thanks

 

[rustyfla]

We are currently Florida Seasonal Passholders and have a trip planned to Disney this summer, during our blackout dates. A rep on the phone said it's less money for us to simply upgrade our pass to a regular AP and then we don't have blackout dates, instead of buying a 2 or 3 day ticket to the parks.

My questions:
1) I can only upgrade at a park or Downtown Disney. Where would be the shortest line?
2) The only disadvantage to this is I cannot book any Fast Pass experiences ahead of time until we do this upgrade (I will only get to WDW one day before we go into any parks). Is it very difficult to get FP for rides if selecting one day in advance?

Thanks!!

We just upgraded our Seasonal to Annual Pass.

We called disney and paid in full over the phone. They sent us Exchange Certificates, which we added to our MDE. We were able to make FP's then.

When we arrived at the TTC, we went to guest services and they gave us our Annual Passes and made sure they were linked to our magic bands. Took about 5 minutes.

 

[Kevin1986]

We just upgraded our Seasonal to Annual Pass.

We called disney and paid in full over the phone. They sent us Exchange Certificates, which we added to our MDE. We were able to make FP's then.

When we arrived at the TTC, we went to guest services and they gave us our Annual Passes and made sure they were linked to our magic bands. Took about 5 minutes.

How did you get this done over the phone? I have a fla resident seasonal pass and want to upgrade to annual pass because I am going Christmas week which is blocked out. I called Disney and they said there was nothing they could do, I was willing to pay in full the difference over the phone. They said I would have to wait until I get there. I told then I wouldn't be able to get my fastpasses and that is a high volume week and the CM's response on the phone was, "I guess you won't get them." So now I have to buy a 4 day ticket for that week.

 

[MEGADAN]

My brother has the same situation. He is Florida seasonal but wants to go April 3,2015. He needs to upgrade to Florida AP. Being able to do it over the phone would be great.