Upgrading to Premier AP

[disfan07]

I have a premium AP that I activated on June 30th. We just made plans to go to WDW in december and we need 5 (or 6) day PH tickets. The cost of a WDW ticket for me is basically the same cost as the difference between the Premium AP and the Premier AP. And with the Premier AP I would be able to get restaurant discounts which is big because we have 5 or 6 TS ADRs for our trip.

But at this point, would it be possible to upgrade my AP? I wouldnt upgrade it until right before we leave (so probably around december 15th or so) which is about 6 months after I activated it. Can you do an upgrade that far after activating an AP?

This is my first time being an AP holder and also my firts time trying to upgrade so I'm a little confused on how I would do this (or even if I can do it(

 

[ArchOwl]

I have a premium AP that I activated on June 30th. We just made plans to go to WDW in december and we need 5 (or 6) day PH tickets. The cost of a WDW ticket for me is basically the same cost as the difference between the Premium AP and the Premier AP. And with the Premier AP I would be able to get restaurant discounts which is big because we have 5 or 6 TS ADRs for our trip.

But at this point, would it be possible to upgrade my AP? I wouldnt upgrade it until right before we leave (so probably around december 15th or so) which is about 6 months after I activated it. Can you do an upgrade that far after activating an AP?

This is my first time being an AP holder and also my firts time trying to upgrade so I'm a little confused on how I would do this (or even if I can do it(

Yes you can upgrade right before you go, just be aware that it doesn't change your expiration date on your AP.

I am not sure if there is an advantage to upgrading at DL, so unless you will already be at the DLR, you can just upgrade at WDW.

 

[disfan07]

Yes you can upgrade right before you go, just be aware that it doesn't change your expiration date on your AP.

I am not sure if there is an advantage to upgrading at DL, so unless you will already be at the DLR, you can just upgrade at WDW.

okay thanks! On the 15th I will actually be heading home form school in Irvine straight up the 5 so I was thinking about just upgrading it that day!

Also, we are not going to get to our resort until around 11PM and we are thinking that we probably dont want to waste time upgrading the next morning since it has to be upgraded at guest services

 

[ArchOwl]

okay thanks! On the 15th I will actually be heading home form school in Irvine straight up the 5 so I was thinking about just upgrading it that day!

Also, we are not going to get to our resort until around 11PM and we are thinking that we probably dont want to waste time upgrading the next morning since it has to be upgraded at guest services

Makes sense, just didn't want you to make a special trip for no reason.

 

[elaw]

okay thanks! On the 15th I will actually be heading home form school in Irvine straight up the 5 so I was thinking about just upgrading it that day!

Also, we are not going to get to our resort until around 11PM and we are thinking that we probably dont want to waste time upgrading the next morning since it has to be upgraded at guest services

I think upgrading before is best ... especially if its not really out of your way. That way you can hit the ground running the next morning at WDW

 

[Flynn_Rider]

Upgrading prior has the advantage of getting an AP discount on the WDW resorts. If you go to check in, you need to have the AP in hand. However, you'll still need to go to guest services the first day to get your table in wonderland card so you can get dinning discounts.

 

[yoyoyo]

Keep in mind that if you upgrade at WDW, when you go to use them at DL, you'll have to go to the booth first to activate them or they won't work at the entrance. The systems are separate.

 

[SuzanneSLO]

Upgrading prior has the advantage of getting an AP discount on the WDW resorts. If you go to check in, you need to have the AP in hand. However, you'll still need to go to guest services the first day to get your table in wonderland card so you can get dinning discounts.

We upgraded tp a Premier at DL and had to go to guest service to activate it for use at WDW. -- Suzanne

 

[elaw]

We upgraded tp a Premier at DL and had to go to guest service to activate it for use at WDW. -- Suzanne

That's interesting .... we didn't. We just went thru the turnstyles like everyone else (finger scan) and had no issues

 

[starry_solo]

BTW, there are very few restaurant discounts at WDW with the AP. You get discounts on merchandise (and free parking with the Premier AP if you're staying off-property). But very very few discounts.

At Earl of Sandwich in DTD, you get a better discount with a AAA card than with your Disney AP.

No AP discounts for Tusker House, Cinderella's Royal Table, Akershus, Tomorrowland Terrace Wishes Dessert Party, Hoop Dee Doo Revue - just to name a few - those are the ones we went to in May. NO discounts at counter service either.

 

[hulliechrisp]

Keep in mind that if you upgrade at WDW, when you go to use them at DL, you'll have to go to the booth first to activate them or they won't work at the entrance. The systems are separate.

this is correct! i live in orlando and we upgraded to the premier pass this year since we have 2 DL trips planned. when i got to DL, i had to go to a ticket window and they had to re-issue passes. i went to MK last week with my DL issued premier pass and had no problems.

 

[lilpooh108]

Does anyone know if WDW gives credit the current AP price if you bought your AP at pre-2012 increase prices?

I.E., does WDW "bridge" the prices for APs?

I'm thinking of upgrading to Premier when I go to WDW in December, but no one seems to know the answer. I have an unactivated SoCal AP that I don't wanna activate earlier than I have to.

TIA

 

[starry_solo]

Does anyone know if WDW gives credit the current AP price if you bought your AP at pre-2012 increase prices?

I.E., does WDW "bridge" the prices for APs?

I'm thinking of upgrading to Premier when I go to WDW in December, but no one seems to know the answer. I have an unactivated SoCal AP that I don't wanna activate earlier than I have to.

TIA

The only successful way I've heard that they bridge the price is when someone has used a WDW admission ticket (purchased at a discount retailer), gone inside a WDW park (activated the ticket) and then upgraded to an AP.

I don't see how WDW would let you use a SoCal AP (unactivated) as a partial payment. Or do you plan to activate the SoCal AP here at DLR and then go to WDW to upgrade it?

The systems aren't connected so they might. No one's given you an answer because probably no one has done it (they just get the premier at DLR and take it with them to WDW, where it then has to be activated for use there).

Will WDW call DLR to find out the price you paid or will they just go to the website to see what the value is of a SoCal AP? no one knows.

 

[starry_solo]

this is correct! i live in orlando and we upgraded to the premier pass this year since we have 2 DL trips planned. when i got to DL, i had to go to a ticket window and they had to re-issue passes. i went to MK last week with my DL issued premier pass and had no problems.

The re-issued them? Or did they just put the number into their system?

 

[lilpooh108]

Or do you plan to activate the SoCal AP here at DLR and then go to WDW to upgrade it?

Yes. This WDW trip was decided at the last minute. Was originally going to activate the AP around Christmas time....If I activate it earlier than it expires earlier...which may not be worth it just to upgrade to the Premier.

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[yoyoyo]

They just put the number in their system (in my case at least). We didn't get new tickets.

 

[starry_solo]

They just put the number in their system (in my case at least). We didn't get new tickets.

That's what they did for me (bought the premier at DLR and then went to WDW with it; wondered why it didn't work in the turnstiles and they said, oh, you have to activate it at guest services!)

 

[starry_solo]

Yes. This WDW trip was decided at the last minute. Was originally going to activate the AP around Christmas time....If I activate it earlier than it expires earlier...which may not be worth it just to upgrade to the Premier.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Hmm, have you thought about activing the SoCal AP the day before you leave for WDW? Then taking it to WDW to get the premier? If they don't let you do it, then you can always buy tickets there?

 

[AdventureIsOutThere]

I am a premier holder who purchased and first used my pass at WDW. When we went to DL we did not have a problem at the gates whatsoever, just had to show an ID for the first time since we didn't have photos on file like most DL passholders.

 

[hulliechrisp]

The re-issued them? Or did they just put the number into their system?

they gave both my wife and i brand new cards. the numbers stayed the same, but yes, they kept my tickets purchased and used several times at WDW, and gave us new passes. the new passes worked at WDW with no problem.