Using cost of tickets toward annual pass before trip?

[DisneyParkLover]

We are booked for a free dining package with 8 day park hoppers in November. We had been planning to upgrade to APs during the trip and using the paid cost of the tickets toward the passes (I have been told you can do this so stop me if that's wrong). But now my husband may have a short work trip to Orlando in Sept or Oct. If I pay off the November trip, can I still use the cost of those tickets towards APs in Sept? Or does it have to be done after the trip has begun? If I could do it early, would it mess up the free dining pkg in Nov or anything? Please let me know! Thanks in advance!

 

[DebbieB]

We are booked for a free dining package with 8 day park hoppers in November. We had been planning to upgrade to APs during the trip and using the paid cost of the tickets toward the passes (I have been told you can do this so stop me if that's wrong). But now my husband may have a short work trip to Orlando in Sept or Oct. If I pay off the November trip, can I still use the cost of those tickets towards APs in Sept? Or does it have to be done after the trip has begun? If I could do it early, would it mess up the free dining pkg in Nov or anything? Please let me know! Thanks in advance!

I think the max is 3 days early.

 

[POOHsie]

We are booked for a free dining package with 8 day park hoppers in November. We had been planning to upgrade to APs during the trip and using the paid cost of the tickets toward the passes (I have been told you can do this so stop me if that's wrong). That is correct. But now my husband may have a short work trip to Orlando in Sept or Oct. If I pay off the November trip, can I still use the cost of those tickets towards APs in Sept? Or does it have to be done after the trip has begun? If I could do it early, would it mess up the free dining pkg in Nov or anything? Please let me know! Thanks in advance!

As it stands, the 8-day tickets belong to your November FD package and must remain with that booking.

Would both you and DH be visiting in Sept or Oct during the work trip? An alternative could be: purchase APs during the work trip in Sept or Oct, and change your FD tickets to minimum 2-day tickets, which won't expire if unused. FD Plan requires at least purchasing minimum 2-day tickets for everyone in the room, and there's no workaround for that. But the 2-day tickets could be used towards an AP renewal in the future. Many AP-holders do this. Park Guest Relations CMs could remove the 2-day tickets from your MagicBands and put them on plastic ticket media to take home until you want to use them. You will have to consider the new, earlier expiration of your AP and how that might impact your plans for future WDW visits using that AP.