Upgrading to Premiere Pass

[GenGen22]

I have a question. I know that you can upgrade your AP but my question is if you have a premium AP and you want to upgrade to a Premiere AP can you upgrade by using WDW park hoppers? The reason I am asking is I'm thinking of upgrading my Premium AP to a Premiere AP when we go to WDW next year but in order to get free dining we have to purchase park hoppers as part of the package. So, I was thinking maybe they would let you apply the PH's to your upgrade. Has anyone done this or know if it's possible to do?

 

[SuzanneSLO]

I asked about doing the same years ago when the Premier was first available. I was told that the standard rule prohibiting a guest from combining the value of 2 tickets applies to this ticket as well. We paid cash for the upgrade and are finally going to WDW next month to use the MYW ticket we had already purchased. -- Suzanne

 

[GenGen22]

Ok thanks, it was worth a try.☺

 

[starry_solo]

Just have WDW physically provide you with hard tickets instead of attaching to the magic band. Then you can use it for another trip

 

[GenGen22]

Just have WDW physically provide you with hard tickets instead of attaching to the magic band. Then you can use it for another trip

I would but FL is so far away as I live in CA. I was trying to be able to pump together & save on my 2 up coming trips to DL & WDW & be able to get AP discounts while on my trip. It's ok I'm not going to get an AP. No big deal as I already planned to pay regular price.

 

[bumbershoot]

Was it going to be a savings, though? Also, the ap discounts at WDW are nothing like you get at DLR.

 

[GenGen22]

Was it going to be a savings, though? Also, the ap discounts at WDW are nothing like you get at DLR.

Well it would have cost me $667.99 per person for park hopper tickets for DL for 3 days & 4 days for WDW so, for $431.01 more I could have paid the difference and planned another trip to DL after Dec 2016. So, it would have been worth it. I'm not sure what you mean about the discounts because I read it was 15% off dining & 20% off merchandise. So, that's the same. I wouldn't be staying on-site for the DL trips so, I don't need a discount there and I use AAA when booking at WDW to get their rate plus free dining.

 

[OKW Lover]

Not quite sure what dates the OP is planning for their trips to each coast's parks, but the Premier pass has one "gotcha". If you upgrade an existing AP (either coast) to a Premier the expiration date stays the same as the original AP. Plus, they do no pro-rate the difference. So, depending on what trips you have planned, it may be better to just get separate annual passes to each coast.

 

[GenGen22]

Not quite sure what dates the OP is planning for their trips to each coast's parks, but the Premier pass has one "gotcha". If you upgrade an existing AP (either coast) to a Premier the expiration date stays the same as the original AP. Plus, they do no pro-rate the difference. So, depending on what trips you have planned, it may be better to just get separate annual passes to each coast.

I do understand that the original expiration date stays the same. This was thought out in planning of my trips. What do you mean by pro-rating the difference? The cost of the premiere is $1099 so, my assumption is that is what my total cost would be.

 

[south park]

Yes you can do this.
I upgraded my Disneyland AP at WDW using a 3 day parkhopper. I went to guest services to the right of the main entrance at Epcot. I used the parkhopper to enter the park that day and then upgraded. The parkhopper a were part of my free dining package. You should not have a problem.

 

[taniahappy]

This is interesting... posting so I can follow any updates as I am lloking into a WDW trip later next year

 

[GenGen22]

Yes you can do this.
I upgraded my Disneyland AP at WDW using a 3 day parkhopper. I went to guest services to the right of the main entrance at Epcot. I used the parkhopper to enter the park that day and then upgraded. The parkhopper a were part of my free dining package. You should not have a problem.

thank you for posting this. How long ago was this. I just wanted to make sure it wasn't a long time ago & things haven't changed.

 

[GenGen22]

This is interesting... posting so I can follow any updates as I am lloking into a WDW trip later next year

Have you looked on mousesavers at the historical discounts offered? This may help with your trip planning to get an idea of when they have the best deals. I used it when planning my last trip & got free dining. I'm trying the same for my upcoming trip. http://www.mousesavers.com/historical-information-on-walt-disney-world-resort-discounts/

 

[south park]

thank you for posting this. How long ago was this. I just wanted to make sure it wasn't a long time ago & things haven't changed.

I have not done it this year but did it in January the two prior years.

 

[GenGen22]

I have not done it this year but did it in January the two prior years.

I am so doing this

 

[bumbershoot]

I'm thinking of upgrading my Premium AP to a Premiere AP when we go to WDW next year

This is what you said. You said you will already have a Premium AP for the WDW trip.

(though in re-re-reading I think you're saying you'll have a Premium DLR AP, which is opposite from what I thought you meant, though I'm not sure it makes a difference)

(problems when posting from your phone, since you can't see signatures)

Well it would have cost me $667.99 per person for park hopper tickets for DL for 3 days & 4 days for WDW so, for $431.01 more I could have paid the difference and planned another trip to DL after Dec 2016.

If you already have a Premium AP, then you want to look at the cost of DLR tickets ONLY (or WDW tickets, depending on which park you'll already have the AP at), to see if the Premier is worth it.

And you didn't mention that you would want another trip to DLR. I was posting from my mobile, with no signatures.

Regardless, if you'll already have a Premium to one of them, you just want to look at the tickets you'd buy to the other park, to see if the Premier would be worth it.

I'm not sure what you mean about the discounts because I read it was 15% off dining & 20% off merchandise.

At which park? They are better at DL. I wanted to make sure you understood that they aren't equal.

Specific AP discounts at WDW restaurants here: http://allears.net/pl/disc_dining.pdf Very limited, compared to DLR.

As for merchandise, from the WDW AP site: "Passholders are eligible to receive a 10% discount on select merchandise purchases at Walt Disney World® Resort owned and operated Merchandise Locations." (with a LONG list of excluded stores)

I see 15% off the Rainforest Cafe and T-Rex stores, at Little Miss-Matched (kid's sock store)...everywhere else that's included is 10% at WDW.

I am so doing this

I hope you can. I wouldn't assume you can. It's been tried by others before and the policy is that you can't combine two admission media to upgrade to something. Pixie dust for one doesn't mean it'll happen to you. I just want you to be realistic, and be happily surprised if it works.

And really REALLY do the math. I've been trying to make a Premier AP work for me since they started. I can't do it. Doesn't help that we have DVC so we get the DVC AP price for WDW (when we want one), which makes it even less possible to make the math work. And we never *need* a Premium AP for either park LOL.

 

[GenGen22]

This is what you said. You said you will already have a Premium AP for the WDW trip.

(though in re-re-reading I think you're saying you'll have a Premium DLR AP, which is opposite from what I thought you meant, though I'm not sure it makes a difference)

(problems when posting from your phone, since you can't see signatures)



If you already have a Premium AP, then you want to look at the cost of DLR tickets ONLY (or WDW tickets, depending on which park you'll already have the AP at), to see if the Premier is worth it.

And you didn't mention that you would want another trip to DLR. I was posting from my mobile, with no signatures.

Regardless, if you'll already have a Premium to one of them, you just want to look at the tickets you'd buy to the other park, to see if the Premier would be worth it.



At which park? They are better at DL. I wanted to make sure you understood that they aren't equal.

Specific AP discounts at WDW restaurants here: http://allears.net/pl/disc_dining.pdf Very limited, compared to DLR.

As for merchandise, from the WDW AP site: "Passholders are eligible to receive a 10% discount on select merchandise purchases at Walt Disney World® Resort owned and operated Merchandise Locations." (with a LONG list of excluded stores)

I see 15% off the Rainforest Cafe and T-Rex stores, at Little Miss-Matched (kid's sock store)...everywhere else that's included is 10% at WDW.



I hope you can. I wouldn't assume you can. It's been tried by others before and the policy is that you can't combine two admission media to upgrade to something. Pixie dust for one doesn't mean it'll happen to you. I just want you to be realistic, and be happily surprised if it works.

And really REALLY do the math. I've been trying to make a Premier AP work for me since they started. I can't do it. Doesn't help that we have DVC so we get the DVC AP price for WDW (when we want one), which makes it even less possible to make the math work. And we never *need* a Premium AP for either park LOL.

So, I currently don't have an AP as it expired however, I was thinking of buying a DL premium AP when we go in March 2016 but I would only buy it if I could upgrade to a WDW premier AP as I won't be going to DL any other time in 2016 as I have a trip planned for WDW in Dec 2016. My plan for WDW is to go when they have the free dining promo which requires you to buy a Park hopper & stay at a WDW resort hotel. So, I was thinking if it was allowed if you had A DL Premium AP and had WDW park hoppers if you could use the PH's toward your upgrade of the WDW premier AP. That way I could plan one more trip to DL in early 2017 & get merchandise discounts while in WDW. I don't need dining discounts as I will have free dining. Also, I would get discounts at restaurants & merchandise at DL. Your right about the WDW discounts. I just read this page below but now that I click on the word merchandise it does say 10% discount not 20% discount like the page says. That's weak...https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/passes/premier-passport/

 

[OKW Lover]

What do you mean by pro-rating the difference? The cost of the premiere is $1099 so, my assumption is that is what my total cost would be.

Yes, that is correct. Just wanted to be sure you knew that.

 

[starry_solo]

So, I currently don't have an AP as it expired however, I was thinking of buying a DL premium AP when we go in March 2016 but I would only buy it if I could upgrade to a WDW premier AP as I won't be going to DL any other time in 2016 as I have a trip planned for WDW in Dec 2016. My plan for WDW is to go when they have the free dining promo which requires you to buy a Park hopper & stay at a WDW resort hotel. So, I was thinking if it was allowed if you had A DL Premium AP and had WDW park hoppers if you could use the PH's toward your upgrade of the WDW premier AP. That way I could plan one more trip to DL in early 2017 & get merchandise discounts while in WDW. I don't need dining discounts as I will have free dining. Also, I would get discounts at restaurants & merchandise at DL. Your right about the WDW discounts. I just read this page below but now that I click on the word merchandise it does say 10% discount not 20% discount like the page says. That's weak...https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/passes/premier-passport/

WDW AP discounts are only 10% for all passes for merchandise and dining, although as others have pointed out, you really don't get a discount on dining as there are so many exclusions. If you don't already have a DL AP, buying one would depend on how long you plan to stay as it looks like you are only doing one trip if you can't make the DL AP + WDW PH = DLR/WDW Premiere AP work.

 

[SuzanneSLO]

Well it would have cost me $667.99 per person for park hopper tickets for DL for 3 days & 4 days for WDW so, for $431.01 more I could have paid the difference and planned another trip to DL after Dec 2016. So, it would have been worth it. I'm not sure what you mean about the discounts because I read it was 15% off dining & 20% off merchandise. So, that's the same. I wouldn't be staying on-site for the DL trips so, I don't need a discount there and I use AAA when booking at WDW to get their rate plus free dining.

Even if you can combine a DL AP with a WDW day ticket to upgrade, by you own math, it only makes sense if your 2017 DL tickets and your discounts equal more than $431. Is that realistic?

A 5 day DL park hopper is $315. You would need to spend $680 on merchandise with a 20% discount to break even. And even if that is what you expect to spend, it is possible that not every member of your party would need the upgraded AP.

You may not need even a DL AP for your 2 DL trips. A more cost effective option might be a deluxe AP. - Suzanne