Upgrading to Gold AP with ticket used during block-out days

ray3127

Life goal = Quarterly vacation
Joined
Aug 2, 2018
I know this has been alluded to in several posts here and there, but I want to confirm that this still works.

If we are traveling during the block-out period in December 2020, can we buy an 'x'-day ticket (say a 10-day), then on our last day upgrade it to a Gold AP?

If so, what exactly does "last day" mean? I assume I'd have to do it from outside the parks, and we won't be able to get back in until the block-out period ends. So we would need to do it AFTER leaving the parks for the last time, but before the ticket itself expires (i.e. not the morning after we've used up all the days).

Or have they cut this out? Frankly, I can't believe it ever worked.
 
Still is being reported to be working. You just need to upgrade before the ticket expires (park close on the last eligible day or last usage day) or upgrade the morning of the first non-blocked out date of your trip (so you can use any AP discounts). Essentially the upgrade here applies the same timeline as extending the ticket to more days.

I will say many of the ticket CMs know about this "loophole" and I've personally seen them suggest it (actually was just suggested to me by a CM this past Christmas season).
 
Still is being reported to be working. You just need to upgrade before the ticket expires (park close on the last eligible day or last usage day) or upgrade the morning of the first non-blocked out date of your trip (so you can use any AP discounts). Essentially the upgrade here applies the same timeline as extending the ticket to more days.

I will say many of the ticket CMs know about this "loophole" and I've personally seen them suggest it (actually was just suggested to me by a CM this past Christmas season).
That is awesome, thank you. Interesting to note that many CMs know about it and suggest it.

So if we are leaving on Dec. 31 or Jan. 1, we would still be IN the block-out period. In that case it sounds like we would need to hit a ticket counter after leaving on our last park day. But if we leave once the block-out is lifted and still have days left on our ticket, then we can wait until the non-block-out days to do it.

Thanks so much!
 
I just did this on the 26th of December. We upgraded my wife's 6 day ticket to a Gold AP on the 26th at Disney Springs. The did have to get 'approval' since we were in a block out period but there wasn't any issue getting that done. They also used the upgrade price as she had an expired Plat AP.

I also took my 6 day ticket and get it applied as a refund to my plat AP that I had renewed the past September since we bought the Christmas package and couldn't pull them out until we arrived and checked in.
 


Just did this last Friday. Worked like a charm and took mere seconds at HS. We had also purchased our tickets from a discount ticket seller and were able to save about $250 over five tickets that way.
 
I assume I'd have to do it from outside the parks, and we won't be able to get back in until the block-out period ends. So we would need to do it AFTER leaving the parks for the last time, but before the ticket itself expires (i.e. not the morning after we've used up all the days).
There is a guest relations location INSIDE of all four theme parks which can do the upgrade, so no need to leave the park.
 
Just did this last Friday. Worked like a charm and took mere seconds at HS. We had also purchased our tickets from a discount ticket seller and were able to save about $250 over five tickets that way.

I did the same thing on January 3rd. It was pretty cool because I kept getting noticed in my app about upgrading my tickets so I knew exactly what I was getting back.
 


You have all just made me so happy reading this thread. We plan on going Dec 18-23 this year on a friend group trip, and I was lamenting at having to spend the extra for a Platinum AP rather than a Gold. I am absolutely going to use this trick!
 
The black out dates for next year are much different than this year.
Looks like a week before Christmas through Jan. 2-ish, then the week before/after Easter.

Since Easter moves, those block-out days move. But that's how it works, right?
 
Looks like a week before Christmas through Jan. 2-ish, then the week before/after Easter.

Since Easter moves, those block-out days move. But that's how it works, right?

I just looked it up on website, and I do not see any of Dec 2020 blocked out. Just Jan 1 and 2 for 2021.

It shows the dates for Dec 2019, then around Easter 2020, and then not again until that Jan 2021 dates.
 

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I just looked it up on website, and I do not see any of Dec 2020 blocked out. Just Jan 1 and 2 for 2021.

It shows the dates for Dec 2019, then around Easter 2020, and then not again until that Jan 2021 dates.
I remember seeing that page, but somebody dropped the ball there and didn't include the right dates. Here is the block-out calendar posted on Disney's site. It shows the next 12 months.
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/passes/blockout-dates/gold-annual-pass/
Gold is blocked out December 18, 2020 - January 2, 2021. Then I'm sure the week before/after Easter.
 
Where do you find the black-out dates for 2021?

Use the link above. I talked to MS today and they said whatever is on the Walt Disney World site should be used, not the inforrmation on the DVC website. I told her that they should get that fixed as it is misleading
 
I see the info on the WDW site showing 2020. disney junky said in post #8 the dates for next year are very different from this year. I would like to know how to see the black out dates for Dec 2021.
 
I see the info on the WDW site showing 2020. disney junky said in post #8 the dates for next year are very different from this year. I would like to know how to see the black out dates for Dec 2021.
December 2021 blackouts won’t be released until December 2020. They are usually released 12 months in advance to cover the period that any sold APs are valid.
 
December 2021 blackouts won’t be released until December 2020. They are usually released 12 months in advance to cover the period that any sold APs are valid.
So the statement about next year's black out dates are very different from this year has no basis, or inside info? Thanks for the reply.
 
December 2021 blackouts won’t be released until December 2020. They are usually released 12 months in advance to cover the period that any sold APs are valid.
Correct me if I'm wrong; the Gold AP is usually the weeks before and after Easter & Christmas, +/- a couple days, right? I'm new to the AP game, but that is what I've gathered.
 
Correct me if I'm wrong; the Gold AP is usually the weeks before and after Easter & Christmas, +/- a couple days, right? I'm new to the AP game, but that is what I've gathered.
As far as I can remember it’s been that way.
 

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