Upgrading to AP Question

[kamikazecat]

Hi everyone. We originally purchased 10 day park hoppers through Disney. We have since decided to upgrade to the DVC discounted AP. We called member services and they told us we couldn't do it over the phone and had to do it in person, which is annoying because we can't book FP for the last 4 days of our trip. Can we upgrade these passes at Disney Springs or do we have to do it at a park?

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Hi everyone. We originally purchased 10 day park hoppers through Disney. We have since decided to upgrade to the DVC discounted AP. We called member services and they told us we couldn't do it over the phone and had to do it in person, which is annoying because we can't book FP for the last 4 days of our trip. Can we upgrade these passes at Disney Springs or do we have to do it at a park?

You can do it at the Disney Springs GS.

 

[Spartan86]

My favorite caveat be sure to check your new AP expiration dates before you get too far from GS. The system likes to tie your AP expiration date to the original purchase date of the hopper ticket. Easily fixed, but best to catch it early.

 

[supersnoop]

Call ticketing, not DVC. If you purchased the tickets separately and directly from Disney, then ticketing can likely make an exception and exchange the tickets for you.

 

[kamikazecat]

Thank you everyone so much. I will update when we call tomorrow.

 

[kamikazecat]

So I called ticketing and was told that we have to do the upgrade in person as Disney Springs because it involves a DVC member discount.

 

[supersnoop]

So I called ticketing and was told that we have to do the upgrade in person as Disney Springs because it involves a DVC member discount.

DVC discount on the new tickets, or on the tickets you are already holding? You might need to get a better informed CM on the phone. You're asking them to refund the original ticket and sell you the AP. Since you purchased from Disney, only the price you paid will be credited towards the upgrade. When there is "bridging" involved, the transaction must always be done in person, but that's not the case here.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

So I called ticketing and was told that we have to do the upgrade in person as Disney Springs because it involves a DVC member discount.

DVC discount on the new tickets, or on the tickets you are already holding? You might need to get a better informed CM on the phone. You're asking them to refund the original ticket and sell you the AP. Since you purchased from Disney, only the price you paid will be credited towards the upgrade. When there is "bridging" involved, the transaction must always be done in person, but that's not the case here.

And if they meant because it's a DVC AP that also doesn't matter as it still has to be activated before use and it's verified at that time if the person is qualified to buy it or not.

 

[CarolynFH]

So I called ticketing and was told that we have to do the upgrade in person as Disney Springs because it involves a DVC member discount.

You have to upgrade in person because you have to show your DVC Member card and your photo ID.

 

[supersnoop]

You have to upgrade in person because you have to show your DVC Member card and your photo ID.

Then why can you buy a DVC AP online? You show your member ID and photo ID when you activate the AP at the gate.

 

[CarolynFH]

Then why can you buy a DVC AP online? You show your member ID and photo ID when you activate the AP at the gate.

You can't upgrade a ticket online or over the phone. You have to do it in person. DVC MS can verify your membership over the phone and sell you an AP, but they can't upgrade a ticket you already bought.

 

[supersnoop]

You can't upgrade a ticket online or over the phone. You have to do it in person. DVC MS can verify your membership over the phone and sell you an AP, but they can't upgrade a ticket you already bought.

Right, but we're not talking about an upgrade here. The exception is in the refund and selling a new ticket. That can be done over the phone, but only in very limited and specific circumstances. The normal ticketing folks can sell you a gold pass.

 

[CarolynFH]

Hi everyone. We originally purchased 10 day park hoppers through Disney. We have since decided to upgrade to the DVC discounted AP. We called member services and they told us we couldn't do it over the phone and had to do it in person, which is annoying because we can't book FP for the last 4 days of our trip. Can we upgrade these passes at Disney Springs or do we have to do it at a park?

Right, but we're not talking about an upgrade here. The exception is in the refund and selling a new ticket. That can be done over the phone, but only in very limited and specific circumstances. The normal ticketing folks can sell you a gold pass.

Based on OP's initial post, I believe we are talking about an upgrade here. You may interpret it differently.

 

[BillPA]

Just remember that the DVC GOLD pass has black out dates.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Based on OP's initial post, I believe we are talking about an upgrade here. You may interpret it differently.

Yes, but only insomuch as they now wanted an AP instead of the 10 day ticket they have. The way to accomplish that ahead of time is to change it to a refund and repurchase. Terminology doesn't really matter as that is essentially what an upgrade is too.

I have seen a couple reports of Disney ticketing refunding and allowing a new purchase like this. You do have to get the right CM though. In these days of MDE it should not be a simple process but I think Disney hangs onto the past when the physical ticket meant more than it does now.

 

[supersnoop]

Based on OP's initial post, I believe we are talking about an upgrade here. You may interpret it differently.

What the OP called it and how it actually needs to be processed are two different things. It is possible as a refund/purchase, but if you call it an upgrade, it's impossible.

 

[CarolynFH]

Yes, but only insomuch as they now wanted an AP instead of the 10 day ticket they have. The way to accomplish that ahead of time is to change it to a refund and repurchase. Terminology doesn't really matter as that is essentially what an upgrade is too.

I have seen a couple reports of Disney ticketing refunding and allowing a new purchase like this. You do have to get the right CM though. In these days of MDE it should not be a simple process but I think Disney hangs onto the past when the physical ticket meant more than it does now.

What the OP called it and how it actually needs to be processed are two different things. It is possible as a refund/purchase, but if you call it an upgrade, it's impossible.

Sorry, this is new to me. I know from other threads that people upgrade from regular tickets to APs all the time, and I've done it myself but always in person at GR where I could show DVC member card & ID (to buy a Gold AP). This is the first time I've seen that refund/repurchase is possible. I assume it's only if the original tickets were bought directly from Disney? So is the problem here that DVC MS can't process the refund/repurchase, and Ticketing can't process the purchase of a DVC Gold over the phone - so it must be done in person?

 

[erionm]

So is the problem here that DVC MS can't process the refund/repurchase, and Ticketing can't process the purchase of a DVC Gold over the phone - so it must be done in person?

DVC MS has limited access to the ticketing system. Regular ticketing can sell DVC priced passes by phone, but DVC prefers that they don't.

 

[kamikazecat]

If I were to refund the tickets, would I lose the FP selections I currently have?

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

If I were to refund the tickets, would I lose the FP selections I currently have?

Actually, no, they would remain. It's rare that Disney ticketing will do a refund although by the few reports of it being done it apparently can be done if you get the right CM. You might call ticketing again and use the terminology that you bought the incorrect tickets and were wondering if you could get a refund for them applied to a Gold AP purchase instead. If the answer is no again then you'll just have to wait until you arrive.