Upgrading ticket to gold AP—how aggravating?

[quandrea]

We will be visiting this Christmas during the gold AP blackout period. I’m been considering getting an 8 day base ticket and upgrading to the gold AP once the blackout period ends. How aggravating is that process? Would I ultimately be better just getting the Platinum from the start?

 

[CarolynFH]

The Ticket sticky on the Theme Parks board contains numerous posts reporting people doing just that. Just be sure to upgrade before park close on the last day your ticket is valid, if all 8 days will be used during the blackout period.

And don’t buy Memory Maker - the AP start date will be back dated to the first day you used the original ticket, and all your PhotoPass photos for the last year will be available for download.

 

[quandrea]

Thank you.

 

[Madame]

We will be visiting this Christmas during the gold AP blackout period. I’m been considering getting an 8 day base ticket and upgrading to the gold AP once the blackout period ends. How aggravating is that process? Would I ultimately be better just getting the Platinum from the start?

Just know exactly how much you should be charged going in. We upgraded from Gold to Platinum DVC pass on Dec 31 at MK last year and it went perfectly smoothly.

I had our ID and DVC card & explained that I needed to upgrade us and tacked on, “It should cost $xxx per person.”

I bought our tix at UCT quite a while ago before price hikes. Right before we go I’ll go on to MDE and go through the process of pricing out a 7 day hopper (our pass from UCT) all the way through to checkout so I know the exact cost after tax. My UCT pass will be bridged to current gate price.

Then I’ll go to the DVC site & get the price for a DVC gold pass and multiply by 1.065 so I get the post tax exact price. Subtract the current gate value from the Gold AP cost and I’ll have the exact amount per person.

 

[quandrea]

Just know exactly how much you should be charged going in. We upgraded from Gold to Platinum DVC pass on Dec 31 at MK last year and it went perfectly smoothly.

I had our ID and DVC card & explained that I needed to upgrade us and tacked on, “It should cost $xxx per person.”

I bought our tix at UCT quite a while ago before price hikes. Right before we go I’ll go on to MDE and go through the process of pricing out a 7 day hopper (our pass from UCT) all the way through to checkout so I know the exact cost after tax. My UCT pass will be bridged to current gate price.

Then I’ll go to the DVC site & get the price for a DVC gold pass and multiply by 1.065 so I get the post tax exact price. Subtract the current gate value from the Gold AP cost and I’ll have the exact amount per person.

Thanks. Will you need to go to a ticket window to activate those 7 day hoppers, or can you go straight through to the parks? I’m not interested in waiting in lines twice—once to get my regular tickets up and running and a second time to do the upgrade.

 

[Madame]

Thanks. Will you need to go to a ticket window to activate those 7 day hoppers, or can you go straight through to the parks? I’m not interested in waiting in lines twice—once to get my regular tickets up and running and a second time to do the upgrade.

Straight to the parks. They’ve already been added to my MDE.

 

[jerseyduke]

Should be zero issue, the issue is doing it when you arent at the parks!

Clever way to get your gold pass to cover the black out dates....I like it!

 

[CarolynFH]

Just know exactly how much you should be charged going in. We upgraded from Gold to Platinum DVC pass on Dec 31 at MK last year and it went perfectly smoothly.

I had our ID and DVC card & explained that I needed to upgrade us and tacked on, “It should cost $xxx per person.”

I bought our tix at UCT quite a while ago before price hikes. Right before we go I’ll go on to MDE and go through the process of pricing out a 7 day hopper (our pass from UCT) all the way through to checkout so I know the exact cost after tax. My UCT pass will be bridged to current gate price.

Then I’ll go to the DVC site & get the price for a DVC gold pass and multiply by 1.065 so I get the post tax exact price. Subtract the current gate value from the Gold AP cost and I’ll have the exact amount per person.

Just be aware that Disney’s transition to date-based tickets and ticket price increases have complicated this calculation somewhat. See the Ticket sticky for more details: https://www.disboards.com/threads/tickets-upgrades-prices-and-how-to.3570721/

 

[Madame]

Just be aware that Disney’s transition to date-based tickets and ticket price increases have complicated this calculation somewhat. See the Ticket sticky for more details: https://www.disboards.com/threads/tickets-upgrades-prices-and-how-to.3570721/

I was planning on pricing out the value on the WDW site which is date based. The UCT tix were date based tix as well.

 

[Lehuaann]

We are doing exactly this over Christmas/New Year. Our gold APs expire early December, so they’ll be up for renewal. We’ve been able to use tickets toward renewals in the past, so we’ll see how it goes this time.

Also, thank you to the pp who mentioned the backdated memory maker!

 

[badeacon]

I am planning on upgrading to Gold pass after using 5 day Park hopper 12/15-19. 12/19 is date starting black out for Gold and wanted to visit parks on 12/19 so bought park hopper and plan is to upgrade on 12/19 as leaving park.

 

[ttepsich]

I have a child age 3-9 7 day PH that I purchased from UTC a couple of years ago. I would like to use that ticket in Oct to purchase a Gold AP for my 3 year old. When I go on MDE, I only see the option of buying an age 10+ ticket. Where can I find what the current gate price is for a childs ticket? This whole new ticket system makes my head spin!!! In the past I have done what you did in knowing EXACTLY what the AP price vs my PH ticket bridged value was and what my price would be. The cast members all seem to have their "take" on what a ticket is worth and don't always want to give you the current gate price. It has helped to have it all written down and spelled out for them. I want to be prepared for this year but I just can't find the info.

 

[Madame]

I have a child age 3-9 7 day PH that I purchased from UTC a couple of years ago. I would like to use that ticket in Oct to purchase a Gold AP for my 3 year old. When I go on MDE, I only see the option of buying an age 10+ ticket. Where can I find what the current gate price is for a childs ticket? This whole new ticket system makes my head spin!!! In the past I have done what you did in knowing EXACTLY what the AP price vs my PH ticket bridged value was and what my price would be. The cast members all seem to have their "take" on what a ticket is worth and don't always want to give you the current gate price. It has helped to have it all written down and spelled out for them. I want to be prepared for this year but I just can't find the info.

Check out the Dis link in the post above. You need the gate value of when the ticket was printed and subtract that from the current price of a Gold AP (on the DVC site x 1.065 to get tax incl total). The historical lists of prices are in that post.

 

[ttepsich]

Check out the Dis link in the post above. You need the gate value of when the ticket was printed and subtract that from the current price of a Gold AP (on the DVC site x 1.065 to get tax incl total). The historical lists of prices are in that post.

So you are saying that they are not bridging today's price (like they have in the past) and only crediting you the price you paid for your ticket?

 

[Madame]

So you are saying that they are not bridging today's price (like they have in the past) and only crediting you the price you paid for your ticket?

That’s what I’m understanding. I was a bit confused as well. If you ask on that thread you’ll get an expert answer.

 

[erionm]

So you are saying that they are not bridging today's price (like they have in the past) and only crediting you the price you paid for your ticket?

They are bridging to the gate price in effect at the time the actual ticket was created in Disney's ticketing system.

You should check out this thread for more details: TICKETS & Upgrades - Prices and "How to"

 

[Matty B13]

With all the complications of bridging tickets now with the date specific tickets, it's probably better to just buy discounted gift cards and buy the exact ticket you want.

 

[ttepsich]

They are bridging to the gate price in effect at the time the actual ticket was created in Disney's ticketing system.

You should check out this thread for more details: TICKETS & Upgrades - Prices and "How to"

Thanks. I checked out the TICKETS & Upgrades but the info only goes back to 2016. I have two tickets that have a 10/28/2015 printed on the back. I can't seem to find those gate price dates. Any suggestions?

 

[Madame]

Thanks. I checked out the TICKETS & Upgrades but the info only goes back to 2016. I have two tickets that have a 10/28/2015 printed on the back. I can't seem to find those gate price dates. Any suggestions?

How many days? I found the info on All Ears.
Scroll down to 2015...
http://allears.net/walt-disney-world/wdw-planning/2010s-walt-disney-world-tickets/

 

[erionm]

Thanks. I checked out the TICKETS & Upgrades but the info only goes back to 2016. I have two tickets that have a 10/28/2015 printed on the back. I can't seem to find those gate price dates. Any suggestions?

Since tickets created back in 2015 didn't have an use by date (aka expiration date), they will be price bridged to 2016 prices.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/tickets-upgrades-prices-and-how-to.3570721/#post-56958173