Upgrading to Season Passes

[khaoskat]

Ok, so, if we purchase our tickets (around $1800), and we later decide to upgrade to an Annual Pass because we will come back within a year, do they apply your current ticket purchase price or just the price of a ticket for one day admission to your purchase?

 

[dr&momto2boys]

If you have not used the tickets, they apply the amount you paid for them.

If you have used the tickets at least once, they apply the current value (which may be more than you paid) and should be the best way to do it.

When we know we want to buy APs, we always purchase the biggest discounted ticket (less than the cost of an AP minus our DVC discount) on undercovertourist.com linked from a mousesavers newsletter for the best deal. Then we enter the park and upgrade it to an AP.
Even if you're not sure you want to upgrade, you may get the best deal on the tickets you want from that website (use mousesavers link though for best deals.)

 

[mickeymaker2003]

They will give you the full gate price as credit towards your annual pass as long as you use them once, you are still within the 14 days of first use and they still have at least one day left on them. You cannot use the tickets and take them home with you and then go on the next trip and upgrade those tickets.

Your annual pass will be dated one year from the day you first used the tickets, so it doesn't matter if you do the upgrade the first day at the park or later in the week, your annual pass will still expire at the same time either way.

If you are sure you want to upgrade, I would do it the first day. That way, if you lose your pass you will be able to get them replaced. Also, you can get the Annual Passholders discounts for your whole visit.

 

[Marionnette]

Ok, so, if we purchase our tickets (around $1800), and we later decide to upgrade to an Annual Pass because we will come back within a year, do they apply your current ticket purchase price or just the price of a ticket for one day admission to your purchase?

If you have not used the tickets, they apply the amount you paid for them.

If you have used the tickets at least once, they apply the current value (which may be more than you paid) and should be the best way to do it.

When we know we want to buy APs, we always purchase the biggest discounted ticket (less than the cost of an AP minus our DVC discount) on undercovertourist.com linked from a mousesavers newsletter for the best deal. Then we enter the park and upgrade it to an AP.
Even if you're not sure you want to upgrade, you may get the best deal on the tickets you want from that website (use mousesavers link though for best deals.)

Just be aware that any upgrades must be done within 14 days of the first day of use. It doesn't matter if your ticket is no-expiry.

And some tickets cannot be upgraded at all, so make sure that you know whether the tickets you are buying come with any kind of restrictions like that. Cheshire Figment's sticky at the top of the TPAS forum is an excellent resource for ticket questions. You may want to check it out.

 

[photos_101]

Ohh Thanks for this thread OP.
We are going in May and have bought 5 day tkts with our resort package. We will be going again in Aug to move DD down for the college program. So will be needing at least 7day tkts for that. Then when we go back in Jan to move her back we will probably do at least a week then too. I think we may be good candidates for AP's. Maybe just for me, DH and DS. Then let my DD get in the parks on her CM pass?
Sounds like alot of money upfront OOP but if it saves in the long run it would be worth it, right? Going to check out that sticky post now!!

 

[photos_101]

Ok so I have paid for a package which includes 2-5day MYW adult tickets. From my figures present gate price is $94.79 per tkt. So each would be worth $473.95. I looked up AP prices and they are $611.31. I must be missing something here cause that is not much of a difference? Basically for $137 each we could upgrade our MYW tkts to AP's?? Amazing if that is the case!

 

[Marionnette]

Ok so I have paid for a package which includes 2-5day MYW adult tickets. From my figures present gate price is $94.79 per tkt. So each would be worth $473.95. I looked up AP prices and they are $611.31. I must be missing something here cause that is not much of a difference? Basically for $137 each we could upgrade our MYW tkts to AP's?? Amazing if that is the case!

The current gate price of an adult's 5-day MYW base ticket is $285.42 with tax. You do not get a "per day" value for each day of admission that the ticket has.

 

[GoofyMomInOhio]

Ok so I have paid for a package which includes 2-5day MYW adult tickets. From my figures present gate price is $94.79 per tkt. So each would be worth $473.95. I looked up AP prices and they are $611.31. I must be missing something here cause that is not much of a difference? Basically for $137 each we could upgrade our MYW tkts to AP's?? Amazing if that is the case!

A 5 day base MYW ticket is worth $268 ($285.42 with tax). I'm confused where you are getting $473.95.

 

[photos_101]

Oh OK! I get it! I knew that was too good to be true. whew! Still I am sure it would be worth it to go AP since we have to go so many times this year. Now to just figure out the extra cost. Assuming I can pay with disney giftcards? or is it Cash only?

 

[Marionnette]

A 5 day base MYW ticket is worth $268 ($285.42 with tax). I'm confused where you are getting $473.95.

She's taking the cost of a 1-day ticket ($94.79 w/tax) and multiplying it by the number of days in the MYW base tickets that she bought in her package (5 X $94.79 = $473.95).

 

[Marionnette]

Oh OK! I get it! I knew that was too good to be true. whew! Still I am sure it would be worth it to go AP since we have to go so many times this year. Now to just figure out the extra cost. Assuming I can pay with disney giftcards? or is it Cash only?

Subtract the gate value of the 5-day MYW base pass from the cost of an AP. That's your cost to upgrade. You can pay with gift cards or charge it back to your room and pay all of your room charges off with gift cards. Personally, I'd rather go to the front desk and take care of it instead of lugging a bunch of GCs with me into the parks. So, I just charge back to my room with my KTTW card and then stop by the front desk to settle up later during my trip.

 

[photos_101]

Yep, that is exactly what I did. Duh! I should have known better.
Ok so it would be $325.69 each to upgrade to AP for DH and I. Trip in Aug will be at least 7 day PH tkts. Guess I should go do some figuring.

 

[photos_101]

Subtract the gate value of the 5-day MYW base pass from the cost of an AP. That's your cost to upgrade. You can pay with gift cards or charge it back to your room and pay all of your room charges off with gift cards. Personally, I'd rather go to the front desk and take care of it instead of lugging a bunch of GCs with me into the parks. So, I just charge back to my room with my KTTW card and then stop by the front desk to settle up later during my trip.

Ok yep did that and came up with the price of $325.69each. So for $650 we can upgrade to AP's (which are park hoppers). The price I get for a 7day PH for our trip for Aug for 2adults is $734.86.
So basically, upgrade to AP's in May, which would give us PH options then (wanted but didn't want to pay the extra for short trip) and have the tickets needed for the Aug trip (at least 7days) and Dec/jan trip (unsure how long it will be).
Looks like just taking into consideration the PH option we will have for May $120value and the tickets for Augt trip, We will already have saved money by going AP's in just those 2 trips!

Ashamed to admit that we went 2 times last year. Once in May w/10day hoppers and once in Dec w/5day hoppers. We probably could have saved by doing AP's then also.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

You might want to look at the Everything About WDW Tickets locked sticky in the TPA&S Forum. Especially the items bolded in the list below.

Post and Contents

1. This Table of Contents
2. Magic Your Way (MYW) Ticket Basics Including Definitions
3. Annual Passes and Water Park Tickets
4. Tickets Available Only to Florida Residents
5. Tickets Not Available to the General Public
6. Upgrading MYW Tickets (Not to Annual Passes)
7. Upgrading Tickets to Annual Passes
8. Dealing With Tickets Issued Prior to 1 January 2005 (Pre-MYW)
9. Children and Adults
10. Special Events
11. Comprehensive MYW Ticket Example
12. Hotel Card (Key To The World (KTTW))
13. Lost Tickets
14. Finger Scans
15. Frequently Asked Ticket Questions.
15A. Hopping Rules
15B. WPF&M With No Expire
15C. No Expire Upgrades
15D. Upgrading an Unused Ticket
15E. Upgrading Special Tickets
15F. Checking on Old Tickets
15G. Renewing Annual Passes
15H. Upgrading a Completely Used Ticket
15I. Getting Park Tickets Before Package Start Date
15J. Upgrading After Departure

Page Two of the Sticky

16. 2012 MNSSHP and MVMCP Information
17. 2012/2013 Armed Forces Salute Tickets
18A. Prices Effective June 3, 2012
18B. Per Day Pricing for Ticket Combinations
18C. How to Save Money on Annual Pass Purchases
19A. "Free" Tickets and Special Promotions
19B. Special DVC Member Premium Annual Pass Promotion
20. Ticket Purchase/Upgrade Locations and Telephones
21. Florida Resident Installment Purchases of Annual Passes

To get there directly, follow the link in my signature. The ticket sticky is your friend!

 

[disneemama]

ok I have just read as much as I can on the ticket sticky. Still not sure if I can upgrade an unused 2 day myw (no ph/wp) ticket from a package bought 3 yrs ago.
I was wondering if anyone knows the answer. I am going to look again, great information on this board. Thank you Cheshire Figment.

 

[disneemama]

also should have stated that I am planning 2 7&8 day trips this summer (June and August)and since I have this 2 day pass thought I could upgrade days or purchase an AP.

 

[photos_101]

I am assuming that the ticket was a non-expire ticket? Otherwise it wouldn't be any good now, right?

This is all a new subject for me. I never thought I would need AP's but just so happens we will likely benefit from them this year.
I have read the sticky several times and hope that I have all the info right. If I have read it all correctly, We will be using our 5day pass on the first day then going over to upgrade it for AP's. It will cost us appx $650 more dollars.

Our next trip in Aug. the 7dayPH was going to cost us around $750 so definite savings!

BTW...Thanks Cheshire Figment for that sticky thread! So much great info.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

As long as the ticket is unused just be sure to use it first. Any unused MYW ticket may be upgraded within 14 days of date of first use. However, if the ticket was first used more than 14 days ago, even with the No Expire Option, it cannot be upgraded or modified in any way. Also, figure out in advance what the upgrade should cost as some people in windows don't do it right, especially with bridging older tickets.

The formula is (price of ticket upgrading from) subtracted from (price of ticket upgrading two) and then multiply the difference by 1.065 to include the tax. If the difference quoted to you is more than a few cents off, ask the person to re-check what they have done or stop the transaction and go to a different window.

 

[disneemama]

As long as the ticket is unused just be sure to use it first. Any unused MYW ticket may be upgraded within 14 days of date of first use. However, if the ticket was first used more than 14 days ago, even with the No Expire Option, it cannot be upgraded or modified in any way. Also, figure out in advance what the upgrade should cost as some people in windows don't do it right, especially with bridging older tickets.

The formula is (price of ticket upgrading from) subtracted from (price of ticket upgrading two) and then multiply the difference by 1.065 to include the tax. If the difference quoted to you is more than a few cents off, ask the person to re-check what they have done or stop the transaction and go to a different window.

The ticket was used for room and meals as it was a package but never at the parks. Thank you so much, you are the best! now to figure out the prices and which is a better value. Thanks for the headsup to use it for park entry first.