Upgrading from PH to AP?

[Tiffer]

If I purchased a 5 day PH, can I upgrade to an AP at the park? TIA

 

[kastoney]

Yes, just go to guest services at any park and they apply the cost of your park hopper to the annual pass. Just need to go before your last day of the park hopper tickets

 

[elizabethswan]

Yes, just go to guest services at any park and they apply the cost of your park hopper to the annual pass. Just need to go before your last day of the park hopper tickets

this is exactly true. i just did it last week! i think you can actually do it on your last day because i did that one time , but you must do it at guest relations at the park.

 

[POOHsie]

If I purchased a 5 day PH, can I upgrade to an AP at the park? TIA

If you bought your tickets from Disney online or mail order, it doesn't matter if you upgrade before or after entering a park. You'll only get credit for what you paid for your tickets, even if there's a price increase after you bought the tickets.

But if you bought your tickets from a third party reseller like UCT or AA, or if they're Disiney resort package tickets, make sure to use your tickets to enter a theme park first before upgrading. That way, you'll receive that day's full gate price credit (including any price increase) for the entire ticket.

If you wait until the last day of your PH tickets to upgrade, your new AP will still be dated from the first date you used your PH tickets. So don't wait until the final day because you'll lose out on AP discounts.

 

[disndatworld]

If you bought your tickets from Disney online or mail order, it doesn't matter if you upgrade before or after entering a park. You'll only get credit for what you paid for your tickets, even if there's a price increase after you bought the tickets.

But if you bought your tickets from a third party reseller like UCT or AA, or if they're Disiney resort package tickets, make sure to use your tickets to enter a theme park first before upgrading. That way, you'll receive that day's full gate price credit (including any price increase) for the entire ticket.

If you wait until the last day of your PH tickets to upgrade, your new AP will still be dated from the first date you used your PH tickets. So don't wait until the final day because you'll lose out on AP discounts.

I'm missing the idea behind the statement "That way, you'll receive that day's full gate price credit (including any price increase) for the entire ticket." - can you explain that? Thank you, and to the OP... I hope you don't mind my gleaning from your question and answers that are provided as I have exactly the same question!

 

[Robo]

I'm missing the idea behind the statement "That way, you'll receive that day's full gate price credit (including any price increase) for the entire ticket." - can you explain that? Thank you, and to the OP... I hope you don't mind my gleaning from your question and answers that are provided as I have exactly the same question!

It's a "Disney thing."

The "use a day before you upgrade" is important if
there is a difference between what you originally paid
for your current ticket (if you paid LESS) and what
that same ticket costs at the gate the day you
upgrade.

This would be in the case of a ticket that you bought
as part of a Disney Resort Package, or under a special promotion, or a ticket that you bought from an authorized Disney ticket discounter.
(It will not work if you purchased your tickets directly from
a Disney Park ticket booth.)

BEFORE you use a new ticket, and try to upgrade, that ticket is considered to be a "trade-in."
So Disney will check to see what you paid for the ticket (or even WORSE, what the ticket reseller paid WHOLESALE for that ticket)
and charge you the difference from THAT price to the gate price of the upgraded ticket.

AFTER you use any part of a new ticket, and then do the upgrade, that ticket is considered to be a normal "upgrade."
So Disney will only charge you the difference price as if you had just purchased your current ticket at the gate and only charge the difference between that value and the upgraded ticket.

And, it's so easy to use the ticket first, anyway.
Then, at some later point in your trip (same day, the next day, etc.) when you take a couple of minutes' break, do the upgrade.

NOTE: You must do all upgrading only as late as the same day that you use your last ticket asset. Meaning that if you are using your LAST "park day" on the ticket, you need to do any upgrades -at least- by the end of that day.

Otherwise, all upgrades must be done within 14 days of when the ticket was fist used.

Guests are supposed to get full gate value for the ticket in an upgrade, if they use the ticket at least once to go into a Theme Park before upgrading.

If the CM at the ticket booth or Guest Relations does not do it that way, then that CM is incorrect, and you should ask to speak to a manager.
IF still no joy, politely decline the transaction, and take back your ticket, and go to another ticket location and attempt to do the transaction with another CM who may know the proper procedure.

 

[kastoney]

I'm missing the idea behind the statement "That way, you'll receive that day's full gate price credit (including any price increase) for the entire ticket." - can you explain that? Thank you, and to the OP... I hope you don't mind my gleaning from your question and answers that are provided as I have exactly the same question!

If you purchased through undercover tourist or someone else with a discount you will be credited the full disney price toward your annual pass purchase.

 

[roadtripper]

Not trying to hijack, but I am trying to understand this using real numbers. So if I purchased a 7 day base ticket from UCT at 335, then used a day and upgraded to an AP with a DVC discount, which is 485, how much of the 7 day base would apply to the cost of the AP ? TIA!

 

[Robo]

Not trying to hijack, but I am trying to understand this using real numbers.

So if I purchased a 7 day base ticket from UCT at 335, then used a day and upgraded to an AP with a DVC discount, which is 485,
how much of the 7 day base would apply to the cost of the AP ? TIA!

It doesn't matter what is the cost of a 7 day base ticket from UT.
It only matters what is the current cost of a 7 day base ticket from Disney.

Subtract the current cost of a 7 day base ticket from Disney ($345.06)
from the current cost of a DVC AP ($516.53)

Pay that amount ($171.47) for the upgrade.

(All of my prices include tax.)

 

[POOHsie]

Not trying to hijack, but I am trying to understand this using real numbers. So if I purchased a 7 day base ticket from UCT at 335, then used a day and upgraded to an AP with a DVC discount, which is 485, how much of the 7 day base would apply to the cost of the AP ? TIA!

What you paid for your ticket doesn't factor in the equation. If you used your ticket to enter a theme park first, you will get Disney's gate price credit. Looking up Disney's gate price for a 7-day base ticket, it's $345.06 including tax. If you upgraded to a DVC AP, that is the amount your original ticket would be credited. You get credit for your entire ticket, even the used days. The trade-off is that the new AP start date is the first day you used your original ticket.

 

[Tiffer]

Wow!! Thank you for the information. I truly appreciate it. I purchased my 3 day, plus 2 free PH from Orbitz under their current promotion. We are going back in December with a larger group (our kids who are mostly adults), so I am thinking it's worth it to get the AP (do they offer a room discount) and TIW. May be cheaper than Free Dining.

 

[POOHsie]

Wow!! Thank you for the information. I truly appreciate it. I purchased my 3 day, plus 2 free PH from Orbitz under their current promotion. We are going back in December with a larger group (our kids who are mostly adults), so I am thinking it's worth it to get the AP (do they offer a room discount) and TIW. May be cheaper than Free Dining.

You tickets are definitely discount tickets, and should be used first before upgrading, to get full Disney gate price credit. There are AP room discounts but I'm not sure if that's year-round or if there's blackout periods. (I don't have an AP.) From all I've read, TiW is definitely a money-saver. FD seems to work financially when you have kids who are age 3-9. Once 10+, dining plan cost vs what people eat per day is maybe break-even, especially since you have to pay rack rate for the hotel room.

 

[Tiffer]

You tickets are definitely discount tickets, and should be used first before upgrading, to get full Disney gate price credit. There are AP room discounts but I'm not sure if that's year-round or if there's blackout periods. (I don't have an AP.) From all I've read, TiW is definitely a money-saver. FD seems to work financially when you have kids who are age 3-9. Once 10+, dining plan cost vs what people eat per day is maybe break-even, especially since you have to pay rack rate for the hotel room.

I meant as opposed to the Free Dining Promotion, I wouldn't pay for it with such a large group.

But....That's exactly what I was thinking. We only have one under 10, and we often share and don't eat dessert. And... we drink, so the 20% off alcohol is appealing too. I like my wine with dinner!

Also, we would have to stay in a mod to get the DP, or pay the difference staying at a value to upgrade to the DP. (the QS plan doesn't appeal to us). So if I have the AP & TIW, and can find a discount on a value resort...that would be a score! Thanks again.

 

[jnfr2424]

I meant as opposed to the Free Dining Promotion, I wouldn't pay for it with such a large group.

But....That's exactly what I was thinking. We only have one under 10, and we often share and don't eat dessert. And... we drink, so the 20% off alcohol is appealing too. I like my wine with dinner!

Also, we would have to stay in a mod to get the DP, or pay the difference staying at a value to upgrade to the DP. (the QS plan doesn't appeal to us). So if I have the AP & TIW, and can find a discount on a value resort...that would be a score! Thanks again.

There are some blackout dates for the rooms with an AP discount (generally holidays) with an AP resort you can get a AP room discount with dining
Generally the AP room discounts are up to 35% for villas and deluxe hotels; up to 30% of mods and up to 25% for values.
As far as TIW its a 20% discount (food and alcohol)plus 18% gratuity. We use it all the time even when we have a dining plan.

 

[lustergirl]

Question?

So I have a package for the end of April using the current promo. Buy 4 days with your package and get the 5th day free. It makes sense that you would use your first day ticket for admission to get into that park to upgrade to an AP right?

 

[Robo]

Question?

So I have a package for the end of April using the current promo. Buy 4 days with your package and get the 5th day free. It makes sense that you would use your first day ticket for admission to get into that park to upgrade to an AP right?

Yes.

 

[POOHsie]

Question?

So I have a package for the end of April using the current promo. Buy 4 days with your package and get the 5th day free. It makes sense that you would use your first day ticket for admission to get into that park to upgrade to an AP right?

Yes, since you received a discount, you should use your tickets first and get full gate price credit for them. Your tickets will be considered 5-day tickets.

 

[Tiffer]

Can you use your first day and head directly to guest services for the upgrade and still get the "Disney" price instead of the "Orbitz" price, or does some time need to elapse?

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Use the 5 day ticket to enter the park first. Then go to Guest Services inside the park and upgrade.

 

[Robo]

Can you use your first day and head directly to guest services for the upgrade and still get the "Disney" price instead of the "Orbitz" price, or does some time need to elapse?

The act of using the ticket at the gate is all that's needed.
No additional time must pass.