Upgrading to AP questions

[My3DisneyBoys]

We will be going to Disney for the week following Thanksgiving. We have purchased 6 day park-hoppers. I have a few questions about upgrading to the Deluxe APs!

1. Can we upgrade the last day of our park-hoppers? Some of the days we will be there are blocked on the Deluxe and also we want to use the magic morning later in our stay.

2. Does every member of our party need to be present to upgrade? We want to do this in "secret" and then give the kids the APs on Christmas morning as their christmas gift! Is it possible for me to sneak off and upgrade all the tickets by myself?

3. Where is the best place in the park to go to upgrade?

Thanks for your help!!

 

[Canyon girl]

1.yep
2.last time we had APs (1yr ago) pictures were required. No secret!
3.not sure about exactly where the ap center moved.

 

[mrsxsparrow]

We will be going to Disney for the week following Thanksgiving. We have purchased 6 day park-hoppers. I have a few questions about upgrading to the Deluxe APs!

1. Can we upgrade the last day of our park-hoppers? Some of the days we will be there are blocked on the Deluxe and also we want to use the magic morning later in our stay.

2. Does every member of our party need to be present to upgrade? We want to do this in "secret" and then give the kids the APs on Christmas morning as their christmas gift! Is it possible for me to sneak off and upgrade all the tickets by myself?

3. Where is the best place in the park to go to upgrade?

Thanks for your help!!

1. Yep. But your AP will expire a year from the first day you used your park hopper.

2. Yep... like the PP said, pics are required.

3. In DL, the AP processing center is the last building on your left, if you're walking down main street toward the castle. I forget what this used to be My advice, though, would be to upgrade in DCA, as it always seems less crowded IMO. In DCA, the processing center is in the Greetings from California store.

Hope you have a great trip

 

[skiingfast]

Perhaps if it could work this way, after the block out days and MM, you could gether everyones PH. Then go to a ticket booth where you can pay for the upgrades to APs. Then present that you are going to pick up your APs when you go into the parks.

 

[smile4stamps]

I'm trying to remember if it says in DCA Annual Pass Processing... If it doesn't you might go in yourself and have them start the processing and then just have the kids come in and get their photos taken and tell them its part of the photopass pictures or something. Only thing is it would have to be the LAST thing you do as you will not have your original tickets anymore after that point to use for park admission or fastpasses.

 

[FlameGirl]

OP, I hope it's ok that I piggyback onto your thread...I am also upgrading 6 day parkhoppers to the DAP.

My question is...the first three days of our trip, DAP's are blocked out. What happens if I upgrade our PHs on the third blockout day? Are we out of luck? Should I just wait until the next day?

Thanks!

 

[pixiewings71]

Kathy you can upgrade on the 3rd black out day and you will get full access to both parks that day without buying the black out passes. We have done that and it's NOT a problem at all.

OP you can upgrade any time, I suggest upgrading after you use the MM and after the black out days are over. Be aware that your APs will expire the first day that you used your hoppers, for instance we were there July 7th with park hoppers, we upgraded on July 11th (we had 4 day hoppers), our APs were good until July 7th of the following year.

You cannot upgrade without your party there, DL APs require photos be taken, you will have to have everyone with you to upgrade. I would simply present it as an early gift to the family for Christmas, I know my kids would have NO problems with that at all!!

Each park has it's own AP processing center, in DLR it's over by Coke Corner, the waits can vary based on the day and time you get your AP processed. We recommend doing it in the afternoon, we had less wait times when we did it that way. DCA, I've never done it there but I want to say it's in Greetings over CA, there are others who will know that answer better then me.

 

[FlameGirl]

Kathy you can upgrade on the 3rd black out day and you will get full access to both parks that day without buying the black out passes. We have done that and it's NOT a problem at all.

Perfect! Thank you!

Out of curiosity, how do they distinguish us from other DAP holders on a blackout day?

I appreciate the help.

 

[pixiewings71]

When we did the upgrade the system knew and we just used our DAPs for admission and FPs, when we bought black out passes we had to use the black out pass for admission and FPs.

 

[My3DisneyBoys]

Thanks for the answers! My kids are still pretty young....maybe I can trick them and tell them it's for something else like was suggested. The youngest 2 are pretty oblivious! : ) My older one might figure it out!

I was really hoping that the pictures could wait until the next time we come as this is the only gift they will be getting from us for Christmas (they will get a few things from Santa). I wanted it to be a surprise under the tree! Think there is any way they would give us a voucher or something to get the pictures done next time we go??

 

[FlameGirl]

When we did the upgrade the system knew and we just used our DAPs for admission and FPs, when we bought black out passes we had to use the black out pass for admission and FPs.

Thanks Kerri!

 

[Disney Dreams]

Hmmmm..... question for those who have upgraded to an AP, to help the OP.

I thought that you can upgrade to an AP, but have pictures taken the first time the AP is actually used. I know you can do that when buying an AP from nothing. Is this not possible when upgrading?

- Dreams

 

[DahliaRW]

I would go into the AP center and tell the CMs what your'e trying to do. I bet they'll work with you to keep it a secret (especially if not busy).

 

[skiingfast]

Hmmmm..... question for those who have upgraded to an AP, to help the OP.

I thought that you can upgrade to an AP, but have pictures taken the first time the AP is actually used. I know you can do that when buying an AP from nothing. Is this not possible when upgrading?

- Dreams

I don't think so. Since you go into the AP center in DL or DCA with your ticket to upgrade. Then at the counter of the AP center you pay the difference to upgrade and they take your picture and print the pass.

Does this answer your question or were you thinking something else?

 

[Disney Dreams]

...Does this answer your question or were you thinking something else?

Nope, doesn't address my thought.

When my DH upgraded his AP, we did it at the Guest Relations booth OUTSIDE the Parks. His photo was on file so they created his AP right there without needing to take him picture.

Soooo.... my thought for the OP is, I'm wonder if she could purchase the upgrade to the APs at the Guest Relations booth and not actually go into the park to get the actual AP until later when she returns with her kids. That way, she could upgrade within the required time, surprise the kids, and get the actual physical passes (and photos) later.

My3DisneyBoys, I would call DL (714-781-4000) and ask. Your surprise could be very do-able.

- Dreams

 

[woody73]

We upgraded today to APs. Photos were required.

Woody

 

[pixiewings71]

Thanks for the answers! My kids are still pretty young....maybe I can trick them and tell them it's for something else like was suggested. The youngest 2 are pretty oblivious! : ) My older one might figure it out!

I was really hoping that the pictures could wait until the next time we come as this is the only gift they will be getting from us for Christmas (they will get a few things from Santa). I wanted it to be a surprise under the tree! Think there is any way they would give us a voucher or something to get the pictures done next time we go??

I totally get that...maybe you can tell the younger 2 that you were picked for a survey of some sort and they want pictures to share with other park guests? Maybe the older one would buy that as well.......good luck!! Another thought is you can do the upgrade and get them each a lanyard and a pin or two to wear on the lanyard for return trips, give those to the kids for Christmas?

Thanks Kerri!

No problem

Hmmmm..... question for those who have upgraded to an AP, to help the OP.

I thought that you can upgrade to an AP, but have pictures taken the first time the AP is actually used. I know you can do that when buying an AP from nothing. Is this not possible when upgrading?

- Dreams

You know, you may be right......but I don't know how long the voucher would be good for....I'm remembering when we did our first upgrade (july 07) and the girls were with their Father that day, DBF and I went to the parks just the 2 of us and upgraded all 4 passes......DBF and I went into the parks that day (black out Saturday but we got in no problems so we could process our APs) and we took the girls back on Sunday and surprised them with the APs. I'm trying to remember if the CM said there were restrictions to that, I know we told her we were bringing them back the next day and she said that was find but I can't remember if she told us we had a certain number of days to do that.........

 

[My3DisneyBoys]

Thanks for all the advice! I did call Disney and the CM I spoke to said it would be fine to upgrade and I didn't need to have everyone there. She said "People do it all the time" and the will just give me paperwork that I will need to bring back the next time I come!!!

 

[pixiewings71]

Thanks for all the advice! I did call Disney and the CM I spoke to said it would be fine to upgrade and I didn't need to have everyone there. She said "People do it all the time" and the will just give me paperwork that I will need to bring back the next time I come!!!