Upgrading Free Dining 2-Day Park Hopper to 3-Day+ Base Ticket?

[robinb]

Hi there! "Free" dining dropped today and there are a lot of people looking at booking a package but they don't want to pay for park hoppers. I know that I have upgraded my FD tickets to APs in the past with no problem. I've also upgraded passes with plus features to regular APs.

Does anyone know if there is a restriction on being able to upgrade a 2-Day park hopper from a package to a LONGER base ticket once at WDW? My gut says that it's fine as long as you don't hop with the pass before upgrading.

 

[mom2rtk]

I've wondered about that myself.

The down side of course would be that you couldn't schedule your additional days of FP until you had actually made the upgrade.

 

[robinb]

I've wondered about that myself.

The down side of course would be that you couldn't schedule your additional days of FP until you had actually made the upgrade.

Good point . I guess it would be best to book FD with the longest PH pass that is still less than the base pass you really want. For instance, a 3-Day PH is just a couple $$ less than a 4-Day Base and then the person could book FP+ for 3 out of 4 days at the 60-day window.

 

[kaybird]

In the past, you can only upgrade; the base ticket, even though it is longer, would be considered a downgrade. You could add a day, but not take off the hopper.

 

[robinb]

In the past, you can only upgrade; the base ticket, even though it is longer, would be considered a downgrade. You could add a day, but not take off the hopper.

Even if you didn't use the hopper portion?

I thought that was the rule. You could upgrade to a more expensive base pass as long as you didn't use any of the other "features".

 

[kaybird]

Even if you didn't use the hopper portion?

I thought that was the rule. You could upgrade to a more expensive base pass as long as you didn't use any of the other "features".

Yes. They have set the 2 day hopper as the minimum. You could find a kind hearted cast member, but the requirement for that package is a hopper. It is kind of like renewing an annual pass. If you have the waterparks and more, that is what you have to renew. If you don't want it, you don't get the advantage of a renewal. Kind of apples and oranges, but it was my best example. They don't care if you use the hopper, they just use that as the ticket required for that package.

ETA: I guess it is still worth a try. It might be a matter of turning it in, but would depend on the kindness of the ticketing CM.

 

[robinb]

Yes. They have set the 2 day hopper as the minimum. You could find a kind hearted cast member, but the requirement for that package is a hopper. It is kind of like renewing an annual pass. If you have the waterparks and more, that is what you have to renew. If you don't want it, you don't get the advantage of a renewal. Kind of apples and oranges, but it was my best example. They don't care if you use the hopper, they just use that as the ticket required for that package.

ETA: I guess it is still worth a try. It might be a matter of turning it in, but would depend on the kindness of the ticketing CM.

Well ... I have upgraded a 6-Day PH with WP&M to a regular AP. I have also renewed a PAP to a regular AP. So, I would say that I've done all the examples that you say I can't, LOL.

The requirement is to PURCHASE a 2-Day PH which they would. It's my understanding that any any pass that requires the guest to pay more is considered an "upgrade" (again, as long as the special features are not used). I don't think it's a matter of a CM being "kind" or not.

 

[supersnoop]

In the past, you can only upgrade; the base ticket, even though it is longer, would be considered a downgrade. You could add a day, but not take off the hopper.

That's not my understanding. As long as you upgrade before hopping, you should be able to change the ticket type. It's not really an "upgrade," but rather an "exchange." As long as the new ticket costs more than the old one, they'll let you do it. If the new ticket costs less, they may still allow you to exchange, but they won't give you any refund.

 

[ravenclawtrekkie]

Ticketing CMs don't know or care that your ticket was from a free dining package when we look at it. We can tell it's part of a package, but the vast majority of us don't even know when the free dining promotions are.

Here's the difference between an "upgrade" and a "downgrade" - $$$$

If you're giving Disney more money, it's an upgrade. We can remove options from tickets as long as the option hasn't been used. So, if you've only been to 1 park per day, we can remove a park hopper option as long as the added days are worth more money than the option is.

 

[robinb]

Ticketing CMs don't know or care that your ticket was from a free dining package when we look at it. We can tell it's part of a package, but the vast majority of us don't even know when the free dining promotions are.

Here's the difference between an "upgrade" and a "downgrade" - $$$$

If you're giving Disney more money, it's an upgrade. We can remove options from tickets as long as the option hasn't been used. So, if you've only been to 1 park per day, we can remove a park hopper option as long as the added days are worth more money than the option is.

Thank you!

 

[Christi Rose]

Where would you go to upgrade a ticket? Can you do that before entering a park?

 

[kaybird]

Glad it is all worked out. I stand corrected.

 

[Robo]

1. Where would you go to upgrade a ticket?
2. Can you do that before entering a park?

1. Any ticket booth or Guest Relations.
2. You can. Booths are outside all park gates. Booths will be open well before the park opens.
Also a Guest Relations ("Welcome Center") at Disney Springs.

 

[Accident]

1. Any ticket booth or Guest Relations.
2. You can. Booths are outside all park gates. Booths will be open well before the park opens.
Also a Guest Relations ("Welcome Center") at Disney Springs.

Just to add there is a new ticketing office next to hall of presidents under where the muppets perform if your first park is MK. it's usually empty in there and faster than guest relations.

 

[Christi Rose]

I'm really tempted to try this. But if for some reason they don't allow it, that would really backfire since I assume we'd end up having to pay an extra $100 to upgrade the tickets ($20 increase/ticket for gate price; 5 tickets total) to desired number of days and still be stuck with PH.

 

[kaytieeldr]

So a two day Parker Hopper is $275.84
A three day base ticket is $307.79 - so while it might be necessary to request a supervisor if the CM can't or won't process the exchange, it should be doable.