Upgrading to Annual Pass

[lidiglass]

One more question for you experts as we're about to become DVC members... We have a trip planned for late January and will likely be closing on our first DVC purchase shortly beforehand. Can we buy regular park hoppers for that trip (so that we have them 60 days out for FP booking) and then upgrade to annual passes at a DVC discount once we get there? We won't be DVC yet when we buy the hoppers, but will be for the trip.

If there are better ways to approach this that I'm not thinking of, please let me know.

 

[Msmithmd]

Yes, I've done this when originally purchasing- had a business conference at BW Hotel that happened to occur a week after my points were loaded, and did grab the discount AP's when there.

However: you must be loaded as members and able to get your membership cards to do this. For us, the cards had not been sent to our home, but we were able to have cards printed at the SSR preview center at the beginning of our trip by having our membership number that we had been given by member accounting on the phone.

If you don't have a membership number established, then you won't be able to get the cards and thus the discounted passes. So it truly depends on how much or how little DVC decides to drag their feet on transferring the membership to you and setting up your new account. Good luck!

 

[thepops]

Yes that will work. And if you buy the original passes at a discount (like through Undercover Tourist) and have used them at least once, then you get the face value towards the pass, not the price you paid! (So you save a few more $ that way)

 

[disprincess2213]

Sorry guys! So we are in the same boat and were wondering the same thing! So if we buy tickets through Disney (5day base for 2 adults at 650.00), we pay that in full online and then what? When we get there, just upgrade and pay the difference? And does it matter if you originally purchased the hopper or not?

 

[lidiglass]

Sorry guys! So we are in the same boat and were wondering the same thing! So if we buy tickets through Disney (5day base for 2 adults at 650.00), we pay that in full online and then what? When we get there, just upgrade and pay the difference? And does it matter if you originally purchased the hopper or not?

I just bought 6 day hoppers and will upgrade whenever we close - either before our trip or while we're there. From what I gather, whatever you originally paid will be credited toward the purchase - so if you get something more expensive (more days, hoppers, etc.) it's just more credited at the time of upgrade. Hoping to have our membership cards in hand beforehand but I think if nothing else the office at Saratoga Springs can help you as long as you're in the system.

If I'm wrong about any of this, please let me know!

 

[vicki_c]

For discounted tickets, you need to use them first, then upgrade and you will get the face value (not what you paid) as credit towards your upgrade.

For Disney tickets, you will just receive the purchase price and there's no need to use them first.

In either case, your AP's start date will be the date you first used the ticket.

And don't buy anything that costs more (or has greater face value) than the AP. You won't get a refund.

 

[CailinFig]

We picked up our orbitz vouchers last May (3+1 PH). We turned them in this month and got credit for 4 days when I upgraded them to an AP...