Upgrading hopper to AP?

[*Susan*]

We want to purchase a Deluxe AP for our October trip, but would also like to have an early entry day. I was thinking of buying the 3 day hopper on disneyland.com for $139, using the early entry, then upgrading it on our last day to an AP.

Any problems with this approach? Thanks!

 

[disneychrista]

Nope this is the best way to do it, especially if you are going when there will be a block out day. Use your Early Entry, get your $10 ESPN Zone card then upgrade.

This is what we have done in the past and what we were going to do this last trip but we didn't end up upgrading.

 

[boosmom96]

We're planning to upgrade the 3 day park hoppers that came with our AAA package. I would like to do it (to at least one) at the beginning to take advantage of the AP discounts on food etc. My questions has to do with the AAA Unlimited Fastpass perk. I know we will really want to take advantage of this and if I upgrade at the beginning, do I lose this perk on that ticket? I've heard both yes & no. I'd love to know if anyone has actually done this.

 

[disneychrista]

Yes, once you upgrade you loose the unlimited FP. The U-FP is linked to the hopper, and you loose the hopper once you upgrade.

 

[CalGal]

We're planning to upgrade the 3 day park hoppers that came with our AAA package. I would like to do it (to at least one) at the beginning to take advantage of the AP discounts on food etc. My questions has to do with the AAA Unlimited Fastpass perk. I know we will really want to take advantage of this and if I upgrade at the beginning, do I lose this perk on that ticket? I've heard both yes & no. I'd love to know if anyone has actually done this.

With your AAA card, you do get 10% off on food and beveraged at Goofy's Kitchen, PCH Grill, Plaza Inn, Ariel's Grotto, and Wine Country Trattoria ("during applicable times, restrictions apply")

 

[disneychrista]

Also if you happen to have a Disney Visa, you can get additional discounts at Rancho, Red Rocketts, and a few others. Visit the chase.com/disney website for more info.

 

[dcfromva]

I know we will really want to take advantage of this and if I upgrade at the beginning, do I lose this perk on that ticket? I've heard both yes & no. I'd love to know if anyone has actually done this.

As disneychrista said, you loose this perk when you upgrade. I just upgraded DH and DS's park hopper passes tonight. Keep in mind they take the old passes (and keep them) and replace them with the picture APes.

-DC

 

[DVC Daisy]

As disneychrista said, you loose this perk when you upgrade. I just upgraded DH and DS's park hopper passes tonight. Keep in mind they take the old passes (and keep them) and replace them with the picture APes.

-DC

Question - when you upgraded your hopper pass, what amount did they credit you with from your hopper pass? The orig amount that you paid or the amount left on the hopper?

Thanks!

 

[disneychrista]

You are credit with teh amount you paid for the pass, whether you have use all days or just one.

 

[DVC Daisy]

THANKS!

Makes perfect sense. I was hoping that was your answer

 

[dcfromva]

Question - when you upgraded your hopper pass, what amount did they credit you with from your hopper pass? The orig amount that you paid or the amount left on the hopper?

Yes- what disneychrista said

We purchased the passes on-line with an advance purchase price of $169.00 and we received a credit of $169.00 for each pass. We also have a DVC membership, so they took $20.00 off the price of the deluxe AP. So, for an additional $20.00 each, DH and DS now have deluxe APes. (The start date of the APes goes back to the first day the hopper was used.) What an awesome deal!

-DC

 

[DVC Daisy]

Yes- what disneychrista said

We purchased the passes on-line with an advance purchase price of $169.00 and we received a credit of $169.00 for each pass. We also have a DVC membership, so they took $20.00 off the price of the deluxe AP. So, for an additional $20.00 each, DH and DS now have deluxe APes. (The start date of the APes goes back to the first day the hopper was used.) What an awesome deal!

-DC

YEAH! Thanks for the first hand info! That is EXACTLY what I want to do. You did what I was thinking when I saw the DVC discount - $20.00 more is a great deal! How can you NOT upgrade if that is what the cost is? Plus, then we HAVE to go back! And with points reduced for DLH it is a slam dunk!

Any other DVC discount/perks that you used during your stay? Did you talk to any of the guides at the booths? Could you feel the DVC presence? I am just crossing my fingers on a DVC in CA!

 

[challada]

Also know that whatever your purchase price was on the ticket is encoded in the hopper ticket...therefore that will be what credit you get towards your AP...so if you buy a discount hopper at AAA, you will not get full price value for it but actual price value.

 

[dcfromva]

Any other DVC discount/perks that you used during your stay? Did you talk to any of the guides at the booths? Could you feel the DVC presence? I am just crossing my fingers on a DVC in CA!

Yes, we did use several other discounts. If you plan to use any of the discounts, print out the supporting documentation and bring it with you for reference. We used the DVC discount at AMC and Naples restaurant. Neither had heard of the discount, but did honor it when I showed them the paper I had printed out from the DVC web site. I also had to show the paper to the CMs who upgraded the passes--we upgraded on two different occasions. (I upgraded my Park Hopper to a premium on our first day so we could get the discounts and DH and DS were upgrades to Deluxes on our last day).
I had also made an inquiry at Guest Services outside the park regarding the DVC AP discount and the CM I spoke to didn't know anything about it. (BTW, the upgrades have to be done at the Bank inside DL. )

I did talk briefly to the DVC rep at the GC. He said they were going to print up little quick reference cards for the perks similar to what they have at WDW to help with the lack of familiarity with the discounts being offered.

We also tried a couple of the Disney Visa discounts. First for the 20% off the Welcome to Disneyland Tour. I was told that the Disney Visa discount was only about a buck off and that the AAA discount was much better (20% off). Well, since we had AAA anyway, it was easier to apply discount. ( But, it should have been the same discount. )

The other Visa perk we used was the free picture with the characters. The CMs at guest services were not familiar with it, but the folks at Ariel's Grotto were very familiar with it and was very easy to do once we arrived there. (They gave us a voucher for the free photo at Ariels when we had the photo taken)

-DC

 

[DVC Daisy]

Great info! THANKS for the reply