Use Passes Within 14 Days?

[nicolebridget22]

We are staying 15 days/14 nights and I read that passes must be used within 14 days. We had planned to visit a park on day 1 as well as day 15...how will this work?

 

[nacho113]

We are staying 15 days/14 nights and I read that passes must be used within 14 days. We had planned to visit a park on day 1 as well as day 15...how will this work?

It looks like you will have to forgo either day 1 or day 15.

Tickets and any options purchased must be used within 14 days of first use

Personally we don't try to visit a Park on either of our travel days.
At best our inbound flight doesn't arrive until late afternoon so we just settle for a grocery stop and a relaxing evening around the pool.
Then Rope Drop the next morning and our vacation is ON.

We always feel we want to visit a Park on day 1, but the reality of the 3-4AM start from home starts to hit us around supper time

Our return flights are usually morning flights so visiting a Park isn't do-able anyway.

Your going to have to pick which makes the most sense for you and your family.
If you really, REALLY have to have that extra day you may want to consider purchasing a 1 day ticket or upgrading your tickets to an Annual Pass.

 

[Alesia]

Your options are to buy a separate 1-day ticket or change your plans. I would go for option 2.

 

[ArielSRL]

Just my two cents...we went to MK on our travel/arrival day this year and I'll try to avoid this from here on out. As long as it is possible, I will, from now on, plan a resort/Disney Springs day on arrival. Get well rested so we can hit rope drop the next morning.

It wasn't a waste of a ticket, per say, but comparing that this year we spent about 5 hours in the park on day 1 verses next year when we will be there at rope drop, obviously next year we would get more value out of that day's ticket.

We also stayed too late that first night and it just had a domino effect on our entire trip.

Obviously some people go on their arrival day and enjoy it just fine. But I just wanted to share my experience since not going on arrival day may be an option you'll have to consider.

 

[bryanb]

That's so awesome that you're getting such a long vacation! I've never been in a dilemma of being at Disney World for more than 5 days, but it must feel awesome to settle in and basically live there for a couple of weeks.

Just a question to OP, for my curiosity, how many days of admission did you buy and what are you planning to do on your off-days?

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Oh my.... A 15 day trip and need to do parks on both travel days??

MG

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

When I went last time in 2011 we did MK on arrival day. We still had about 9ish hrs in the park but I just felt so rushed to get there and spend time in the park. I decided that when we go next September to just do Disney Springs on our arrival day (flight would likely be getting in around the 11:30-11:45am range)

The amount of days spent at Disney will still stay at 5 (with another 3 days at Universal) we'll just be adding 1 more day to our vacation and start it on a Friday rather than a Saturday. I personally never do a park on departure day or anything really tiresome on any vacation on departure day;most times my flight is early in the morning anyways.

 

[DekrRini]

I'm curious. At what point day-wise does it make sense to upgrade to an annual pass? I tried to look on the website but it only goes up to 10 days. I go twice a year so an annual pass is more cost effective for me, but I was curious.

I don't go to the parks on the last day because I always try to get a morning flight. I've gone on arrival day, but I'm usually at the resort by noon and my room isn't ready. I don't stay very late, and I prefer RD over late nights anyway so it's all good. But whatever you decide, have a magical trip.

 

[Mikie]

I'm curious. At what point day-wise does it make sense to upgrade to an annual pass? I tried to look on the website but it only goes up to 10 days. I go twice a year so an annual pass is more cost effective for me, but I was curious.

Starting at about 13 days of main park tickets, you're better off with an AP. 10 days is the longest ticket you can buy (for Americans) and you'd have to buy a 10 plus a 3 to achieve more days. At that point, AP becomes a better deal. BUT if you buy a 10 day ticket with water parks & more, you can spend a 14 day vacation with 10 in the parks and 4 days doing only water parks to stretch out your purchase over 14 days. (non-AP tickets have to be used within 14 days of first park entry). This ticket is far cheaper than an AP if the number of days you're looking for is right around 14 and you like the water parks. Spreading the visits over different weeks or needing more than 14 days total is what really pushes you to the AP choice.

 

[AngiTN]

Starting at about 13 days of main park tickets, you're better off with an AP. 10 days is the longest ticket you can buy (for Americans) and you'd have to buy a 10 plus a 3 to achieve more days. At that point, AP becomes a better deal. BUT if you buy a 10 day ticket with water parks & more, you can spend a 14 day vacation with 10 in the parks and 4 days doing only water parks to stretch out your purchase over 14 days. (non-AP tickets have to be used within 14 days of first park entry). This ticket is far cheaper than an AP if the number of days you're looking for is right around 14 and you like the water parks. Spreading the visits over different weeks or needing more than 14 days total is what really pushes you to the AP choice.

If you usually buy hoppers it also changes the math a little.

 

[nicolebridget22]

Thank you everyone for the replies and suggestions. I think we're going to consider ditching day 15 because we have to catch the ME at our hotel at 4 anyway, and I don't like to feel rushed...too stressful. We'll be fine to visit MK on day 1 as we get in early and the following day will be a "sleep in" day for us. Our vacation style is a little unpopular I realize but it's not a vacation to us if we can't sleep in most days and take things slow...where possible, of course. Rope drop is not in my vocabulary.

bryanb - originally we bought a 9 day pass, and we were going to spend the other days at Universal (2 days), Discovery Cove (1 day), and have 3 days of R&R at out hotel (AKL). And yes, we feel very fortunate to be able to take such a long a Disney trip, our longest yet! I've been saving for almost a year now... It's our ten year anniversary trip so we're giving ourselves permission to splurge quite a bit!

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Thank you everyone for the replies and suggestions. I think we're going to consider ditching day 15 because we have to catch the ME at our hotel at 4 anyway, and I don't like to feel rushed...too stressful. We'll be fine to visit MK on day 1 as we get in early and the following day will be a "sleep in" day for us. Our vacation style is a little unpopular I realize but it's not a vacation to us if we can't sleep in most days and take things slow...where possible, of course.

bryanb - originally we bought a 9 day pass, and we were going to spend the other days at Universal (2 days), Discovery Cove (1 day), and have 3 days of R&R at out hotel (AKL). And yes, we feel very fortunate to be able to take such a long a Disney trip, our longest yet! I've been saving for almost a year now... It's our ten year anniversary trip so we're giving ourselves permission to splurge quite a bit!

We sleep in EVERY day of vaca. If we make it out of our room before 2 pm we consider it early.

MG

 

[Mikie]

We sleep in EVERY day of vaca. If we make it out of our room before 2 pm we consider it early.

MG

I'm gonna have to retjink my travel partners! My kids would sleep late at home, but Disney makes their eyes spring open & my sister is a slug at home but a minute asleep is a park minute wasted to her at WDW. . . I'd love to get a few "no alarm" days on a trip some day!!

 

[DekrRini]

Thank you everyone for the replies and suggestions. I think we're going to consider ditching day 15 because we have to catch the ME at our hotel at 4 anyway, and I don't like to feel rushed...too stressful. We'll be fine to visit MK on day 1 as we get in early and the following day will be a "sleep in" day for us. Our vacation style is a little unpopular I realize but it's not a vacation to us if we can't sleep in most days and take things slow...where possible, of course. Rope drop is not in my vocabulary.

bryanb - originally we bought a 9 day pass, and we were going to spend the other days at Universal (2 days), Discovery Cove (1 day), and have 3 days of R&R at out hotel (AKL). And yes, we feel very fortunate to be able to take such a long a Disney trip, our longest yet! I've been saving for almost a year now... It's our ten year anniversary trip so we're giving ourselves permission to splurge quite a bit!

There is no 'wrong' way to vacation. Everyone has their own style and preferences. I go early and take advantage of morning EMH for the most part, take my time in the parks, and head back to the resort in the early evening. I used to be a night owl, but not so much anymore. And the older I get, the harder it is to see in the dark so I just don't enjoy late nights in the parks. And comando touring is just not in my vocabulary.

Hope you have an extra magical ten year anniversary trip!

 

[kiford]

Our vacation style is a little unpopular I realize but it's not a vacation to us if we can't sleep in most days and take things slow...where possible, of course. Rope drop is not in my vocabulary.

My attempt at explaining to DH what "rope drop" is after our 7th WDW trip when he heard me referring to it:

Him: "Rope drop" - what's that?
Me: it's when you get to the park when it opens.
Him: what's the rope got to do with it?
Me: it's largely historical, they used to have this rope (see DH's eyes glazing)....look - it's when the park opens
Him: is it early?
Me: earlier than when we get up on vacation
Him: OK. Never going to see that.

We did actually accidently see it at MK last year. Park opened at 9 am and we got there 8:45-ish for a 9:15 breakfast ADR at BOG. It was nice. Unfortunately, although he caught the opening ceremonies on his phone, his phone got fried before our last day so he lost the video. I suggested that maybe we could try it this year so he can revideo it. He said maybe - without conviction. I can't say I argued.

 

[halssister]

I LOVE that there are people out there who like to sleep in on vacation and never do rope drop!! In my family, "sleeping in" is 7 a.m., even on vacation! So we do rope drop and get to enjoy the parks before they get too crowded - and then, when the night owls are enjoying their late nights at the park, we are already in bed sleeping and helping keep the crowds lower for them It would be terrible if everyone followed the same schedule!

 

[hakepb]

Starting at about 13 days of main park tickets, you're better off with an AP. 10 days is the longest ticket you can buy (for Americans) and you'd have to buy a 10 plus a 3 to achieve more days. At that point, AP becomes a better deal. BUT if you buy a 10 day ticket with water parks & more, you can spend a 14 day vacation with 10 in the parks and 4 days doing only water parks to stretch out your purchase over 14 days. (non-AP tickets have to be used within 14 days of first park entry). This ticket is far cheaper than an AP if the number of days you're looking for is right around 14 and you like the water parks. Spreading the visits over different weeks or needing more than 14 days total is what really pushes you to the AP choice.

Earlier this year, our ticketing CM said that on-site guests can add on additional says up to 14 (I think it was called a guest recovery function)
But they still expire in 14 days

 

[glassslippergirl]

We did actually accidently see it at MK last year. Park opened at 9 am and we got there 8:45-ish for a 9:15 breakfast ADR at BOG. It was nice. Unfortunately, although he caught the opening ceremonies on his phone, his phone got fried before our last day so he lost the video. I suggested that maybe we could try it this year so he can revideo it. He said maybe - without conviction. I can't say I argued.

This made me laugh because the 1 time we made RD was a total accident, too. Fall time change happened overnight, and we forgot to change the hotel clock. We didn't even realize we were early until we got to the park and couldn't get in.

He promised we'd try for RD on our upcoming trip. A friend who is an imagineer in CA told him FEA was worth the mad dash. We'll see-- something always seems to get in the way of RD.

 

[ArielSRL]

Starting at about 13 days of main park tickets, you're better off with an AP. 10 days is the longest ticket you can buy (for Americans) and you'd have to buy a 10 plus a 3 to achieve more days. At that point, AP becomes a better deal. BUT if you buy a 10 day ticket with water parks & more, you can spend a 14 day vacation with 10 in the parks and 4 days doing only water parks to stretch out your purchase over 14 days. (non-AP tickets have to be used within 14 days of first park entry). This ticket is far cheaper than an AP if the number of days you're looking for is right around 14 and you like the water parks. Spreading the visits over different weeks or needing more than 14 days total is what really pushes you to the AP choice.

Earlier this year, our ticketing CM said that on-site guests can add on additional says up to 14 (I think it was called a guest recovery function)
But they still expire in 14 days

I have read about this, as well.

 

[ArielSRL]

I'm gonna have to retjink my travel partners! My kids would sleep late at home, but Disney makes their eyes spring open & my sister is a slug at home but a minute asleep is a park minute wasted to her at WDW. . . I'd love to get a few "no alarm" days on a trip some day!!

You need to go with my dad then! He dragged his butt every day of our vaca. I had planned RD almost every day and we never, not once, made it. I eventually had to accept it or be pissed the entire trip. But I will say, it had a total domino effect on our trip and we were always running behind/rushing. So it really wasn't as relaxing as it sounds to get there late. At least not for us.