very confused now!!! need help

[chrissy72]

well i just got off the phone with cro. i changed our stay at akl from 7 to 10 days in may.( couldn't resist at these rates anyway, i inquired about purchasing park passes ahead of time to save money. we don't want a 10 day pass. we want an 8 day ultimate park hopper, because we will not use the passes on the day we get there or the day we leave. so anyway, she told me that in order to do this, i would need 3 different reservations. the 8 day pass has to cover the dates i'm staying. so in other words, i need a ressie for the night we get there. then a different ressie for the 8 days the pass covers, then 1 more to cover the last night. and to top it off, it could require me checking in and out those 3 times and possibly having to switch rooms every time. WHAT THE HECK IS THAT ALL ABOUT!!!!?? it's almost like they trap you into getting a length of stay pass. i told her i'd call back, because it just doesn't seem right to me. so now, i turn to you all. it seems i always get a right answer on these boards!! what do i do now???

 

[freediverdude]

I have always been under the impression that if needed, CRO would take the first day and last day of the ultimate park hopper off of the ticket. Usually those are supposed to only be length of stay, but I've always heard that they would take off the first and last day if requested. Although I did call and make a reservation the other day for someone, and the cast member was quick to point out that they had to be for the same number of nights as the reservation, so maybe this policy has changed, and they are cracking down on not lopping off any days. Anyway, my advice would be to call back and talk to someone different, possibly even several times and talk to several different people, and see if any of them will give it to you. If not, then your options probably are: 1. Have the 3 different reservations like the cast member suggested 2. purchase the 10 day passes and have 1 reservation or 3. have one reservation and purchase a different type of pass, such as an annual pass, or park hoppers for the number of days you want (might even get a cheaper resort rate with an annual pass voucher, and could possibly come out cheaper, or around the same price)

 

[welovemickey]

Seems to me that CRO was the one that was confused. You can buy any day park hoppers you want. The CM at ressies probably thought you were talking about a length of stay pass. Just call back and order whatever tickets you want.

Have fun!

 

[kilee]

The rule of thumb on the length of stay passes is, in the past, you could dump the 1st or last day only. Not both. This was a courtesy they will usually extend at time of check in. Unfortunately for people checking in late and checking out early this isn't always the best option.

 

[Pienut]

Question. I booked a stay on a package (Spring something or other) with the Ultimate Park Hopper...I don't need it for day of arrival. Can I at Check in ask them to redeem that value since we won't use it? I didn't think to ask that when I reserved. The person I reserved with wasn't very helpful.

 

[Chuck S]

welovemivkey, the ULTIMATE Park Hopper is the LOS pass. It was re-named a year or two ago.

pienut, I doubt you can change your pass, as it is part of a package. Not completely sure, you can ask at check-in. On our very first trip, many years ago, we got a package and the packette was prepared and waiting at the desk, including the LOS passes. But htat was before electronic room key/pass combos.

 

[TRAPPED-PARENT]

I've always wondered about the expense of a LOS pass. How can someone possibly have the energy to get the full value from these passes? I've always found it less stressful to have a pool/water park day inbetween the park days just to have a chance to relax, etc.

I've never understood why someone would pay $50 for a park pass and then spend 2-3 hours of that to sit in a restaurant, etc.

Anyway, that's just me. If we can keep costs reasonable and still enjoy ourselves, then we can visit more often.

Bottom line - I'd check into the 7 day hopper plus.

 

[XStAnt]

I have heard that CMs will lop off the first or last day of an UPH when you get to check in. However, I don't think you still qualify for the advanced purchase discount. Financially, it might not make sense. You could be better with an AP or a Park Hopper Plus pass. Check out the prices. Also, unused PHP days never expire, and an AP may give you additional discounts at your resort and at some restaurants.

 

[CarolMN]

If you buy your UPH (Length of Stay) pass ahead of time from CRO or WDWTC to get the advance purchase discount, you must buy the pass for the entire length of your stay and for every member of your party. (The CM who said there would need to be 3 separate reservations to get the 7 night/8 day pass is correct. That is the only way around the policy that I am aware of).

If you want to drop the day of arrival or the day of departure (you usually are not allowed to do both, but it depends on the CM), you can only do that at check in. Thus you do not get the discount for advance purchase.

chrissy72 - As others have suggested, you may want to condsider a different kind of pass. It is very possible that the 7 day PHP pass (or even an annual pass) may meet your needs and be a less expensive option. It depends on how you plan to spend your days. Here's a link to ticket prices so you can do the math for your family:

Ticket Prices

10 days in WDW sounds wonderful! Good luck!

 

[eeyore0062]

I wouldn't do the Length of stay pass... they aren't economically a good value.

Your best bet would be to get the 7 day hopper plus ticket, which if used correctly can get you 11 days in parks (7 in main parks, and 4 in water parks, World of Sports, PI).

If you are not interested in doing the water parks, etc, the best value would be the AP... which works out to be best if you are staying 8 days or more, and/or are planning another trip within a year of activating it.

You may prepurchase your hopper tickets at any Disney Store, or at DisneyWorld.com. If you wait to get them when you get there, they will be more expensive. The price of the AP makes no difference whether you prepurchase or not.

Have a great trip!

 

[jfulcer]

I agree with the suggestion of getting an AP. After 8 days, an AP would pay for itself and if you go again in a year, you won't have the expense of park passes.

 

[NLK]

I'm with getting a AP. You get discounts on food and hotels. It's also is fun to just go to the parks for a few hours and hit your favorite rides without burning yourself out. Have a great trip

 

[chrissy72]

i just don't get it...... why can't i just get a pass for as many days as i THE VACTIONER wants??? if i am going for 10 days but only want to get a 7 or 8 day pass, whay can't i without facing the possibility of having my room moved and having 3 different ressies? makes no sense to me!! my mom and i want to be able to have unlimited access to all parks for 8 days, not 10. i know i won't be going again within a year so a 500 or plus so annual pass isn't right for us. what is?

 

[becka]

I looked at the rates and if you just want unlimited access to the main 4 parks then you can get an AP for $392.99 which is cheaper than a 10-day UPH for $418.55 (with advance purchase discount). The 8 day UPH you want is $365.30 (with advance purchase).

For less than $30 extra you can get extra perks with the annual pass and you may even be able to get an AP rate on your room which will more than make up for the cost of the pass.

If you want access to water parks as well then you would have to go with a PAP or get the AP and pay separate admission to the water parks, PI, etc. This would probably be a cheaper way to go if you know you are just going to visit these park on just one day. If you do go with a PAP it will cost $520.99 but you can also use that to get room discounts that will probably more than offset the extra cost of the ticket.

 

[Kreid001]

Chrissy, look into a Park Hopper Plus pass. I think it might meet your needs. That's what we did. We're going in April for 10 days and staying at the Polynesian. We got 6 day Park Hopper Plus passes. We're spending 1 day at Discovery Cove and 1 day at Sea World, so for us it works out perfectly.

Hope this helps.

 

[WDWorBUST]

It's silly that they won't let you do ultimate hoppers for a different length than the actual time that you are there. So to get the discount you have to do it in advance - but you can't without 3 different reservations. What we do is we stay offsite that first and last night. You can get to your hotel bright and early the day you will start your pass and they will store your luggage and have it in your room for you when you get there. Then the last day you just check out and stow the luggage in the rental car (which is necessary with this plan of action) and stay in the parks until midnight that night - if anything is open. It's not as inconvenient to me as it would be if I was in the same hotel checking in and out and moving and it saves me money. Last time I got a room for under $60 with taxes and everything for those two offsite nights and it was fine. (that's for BOTH nights). BUT as others have said the park hoppers might be your best deal. We just like the ultimate hoppers because we have the flexibility to go anywhere at anytime during our stay. I mean we could go to all 4 parks, BB, TL, PI and DisneyQuest all in the same day if you could physically do it. So it's really what you want. As far as moving hotels....we pack a carryon with out first days change of clothes so it's not big deal just to take that one in and not worry about the rest....then we just pack up a day early and pack our last days stuff in a carryon again. It works for us. Just figure out your touring style and what works for you. I have to say part of the reason I stay offsite those two days is because teh way they do the Ultimate Hopper Passes....I'm not paying for 2 days I can't use...and I'm not paying 3 deposits to them....and I'm not moving rooms within the same hotel.....so until they can make it where I can select my number of days on my ultimate hopper pass I will not give them the extra money for a little convenience.

 

[MrsPiglet]

Most likely you will not have to change rooms. We did this on our first trip and they tied all three reservations together. It was easy enought first and last morning we just went my the front desk and they took care of the switch. We did remind them of our three reservations and check in and requested not to have to change rooms. Saves quite a bit of money to have the three reservations.

Last trip we went at the end of peak season that changed into value season , so to get the lower rates for the reminder of the trip we hac two reservations and didn't have to change rooms that time either. That trip we did annual passes, so we were not trying to buy the length of stay passes.

 

[dahess]

We are also getting the 6 day PHP for our June trip. We are buying these before we leave.