What do I do with partially used park hoppers?

[LauraR]

I bought 7 day park hopper passes with 4 plusses for my husband myself and two children back in 2004. We used 4 days and 2 plusses. Now we're going back in December. I haven't contended with the finger scans before, and I don't know if I can still get in using the park hoppers or if I have to trade them in for different tickets. I don't want to upgrade, since we will probably only be going for 3 days and maybe using one plus. How does this work when we get to the parks? Also, one of my sons is now 10, will his child's ticket still be valid? I've read that it should be on other posts, but not sure if that holds if we have to turn in the ticket. Sorry if this question has been asked many times before---I did a search, but still wasn't clear on what we'll have to do. Thanks in advance!

 

[miss missy]

sorry, I am not sure either. I have 2 tix with one day left from 1 year ago too.

 

[raven69david]

I asked the same question as i have 2 hoppers with 2 days left. The older tickets do not have an expiration date and are not subject to the hand scan. They are still honoring the partially used tickets.

 

[LauraR]

I asked the same question as i have 2 hoppers with 2 days left. The older tickets do not have an expiration date and are not subject to the hand scan. They are still honoring the partially used tickets.

So you can get in at the gate with the partially used park hoppers? Boy that would be nice not to have to go to guest services!

 

[safetymom]

You can use your partially used tickets at the turnstiles. All adult tickets require the finger scan now. They will upgrade a childs ticket to an adult ticket for free.

 

[threeboysmom]

Yes, you can still use your old park hopper tickets. My sister used hers just last month. She just bypassed the finger scan and stuck her ticket in through the turnstyle, just like "old times" and was able to go through each time without any problem.

Just the new tickets require the finger scan, not the old park hoppers....

 

[AJKMOM]

From what I have learned here; your tickets are usable as is, but you will need to have your fingers bio-scanned, so the tickets can be linked to one person each.

 

[safetymom]

All adult tickets require the finger scan now. This changed in June. If someones fingers were not scanned it may have been at a busy time when the scanning is turned off.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/tickets.htm#base

 

[raven69david]

How do the old tickets link up with the BNX system? I thought only the new tickets had the ability to store the finger scan from the BNX system? Someone correct me if i'm wrong, but i believe the old tickets do not have the ability to store the finger scan....or does the magnetic strip on the old ticket merge with a BNX finger scan? Very interesting subject.

 

[Cbarr]

I asked this same question just a few days ago, including the part about a 10 year old

I was told the tickets are still valid, and DS's ticket will be upgraded to an adult ticket at no charge.

 

[NHDisneyKid]

Finger scans are not required on ALL adult tickets now. Myself, DH, mother and father (very clearly all adults) were at the world last week and had 3-day park hopper tickets, not one of us scanned fingers ONCE. And it definitely wasn't busy, ever.

I think people get worried when they read that all tickets require scans, and then for some reason they didn't have to scan...or worse, when they get there, the little finger lights don't light up and then they think something's wrong, then the line doesn't move...

ANYWAY, just wanted to correct, all tickets DO NOT require finger scans. And no, we weren't using "old" tickets. They were purchased 3 weeks ago as part of a package for a sporting competition.

sarah

 

[djh96]

Well, we were there over the weekend & used old park hoppers & new convention tickets & they required us to do the finger scan. Now maybe it wasn't really scanning on the old tickets I don't know, but they did make us try.

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

We just had to do finger scanning for the first time. I wish they would only make adults do it as my kids can never seem to get their fingers in the right way and it takes longer to get through the turnstile. During the same visit we took DS's child ticket to Guest Services @ Downtown Disney and had it changed to an adult ticket @ no extra charge. I think it is wonderful that they will do that!

 

[GoldenOldie]

How do the old tickets link up with the BNX system? I thought only the new tickets had the ability to store the finger scan from the BNX system? Someone correct me if i'm wrong, but i believe the old tickets do not have the ability to store the finger scan....or does the magnetic strip on the old ticket merge with a BNX finger scan? Very interesting subject.

The storing of finger scan information is done by and on the ATS computer system, not on the magnetic strip of the ticket. The turnstile ticket reader will get the ticket number when you insert your ticket and compare the finger scan information associated with that ticket number in the database to compare it to the scan actually being done at the moment. If no scan is on file for that particular ticket number, the current scan will become the baseline scan associated with that ticket for future use. All WDW tickets that have the magnetic strip (1996 and on) can have finger scans associated with them in the database. This is not something that is restricted to current tickets.

 

[seashoreCM]

Adding finger scans to old tickets was a no-brainer for the software imagineers once all the bugs (kinks) were worked out with the finger scans for the annual passes and new (magic your way) tickets.

The entire usage history* has been recorded in data banks for every magnetic stripe ticket ever used. Perhaps once a ticket was determined to be fully consumed, the history was erased and only the serial number kept and flagged as fully consumed.

*Apparently for one particular day when a hurricane struck, the entire usage history for that day was intentionally erased causing all tickets used that day to be considered not used that day.

Best use for partially used tickets of any vintage is when you have accumulated enough of them that you don't need to buy new tickets.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/dispass.htm

 

[CDSTapisRouge]

ANYWAY, just wanted to correct, all tickets DO NOT require finger scans. And no, we weren't using "old" tickets.

All tickets are "supposed" to be attached to a finger scan... New or old, used or not. If they did not do it when you were there, then you got lucky (or a CM that was new and unaware). The new policy is ALL adult tickets will be ticket tagged. Golden Oldies explination is the best I have seen so far. It is not the ticket, it is the turnstile that is memorizing the "tag". Just as easily as the tag is placed on your ticket, it can be removed (one button stroke by the CM at the turnstile) in a situation where maybe mom tagged dad's ticket by mistake or something... But yes in fact the new policy is that ALL tickets are to be tagged.

 

[NHDisneyKid]

Then I guess we really DID get lucky! Not once were any of us required to insert fingers, no little pretty flashing lights, nothing, and we never all went through the same turnstyle, so I'm not sure I'd blame inexperienced CMs either...The only thing we did do, was insert our tickets upside down every time and we went right through. I've been twice since the new policy was instituted and haven't scanned yet. I'm wondering how long my streak will last!
Sorry to have misinformed, I think we were truly just lucky!

 

[MrShiny]

Yes, I can confirm they scanned us using old tickets - HOWEVER, it seems like this might be a formality at this point - others used the same tickets on different days and still made it through the scan!

You can also trade in tickets for new ones (you get the prorated amount that you paid for the ticket).

Another option is that you can use unused WDW days for DL admisson.

 

[mbolton]

When I was there in June I purposely traded our old hoppers among our family each time we entered the different park one day. It let us through without a problem every time. Looks to me like they just make everyone do it, but it doesn't really apply to old hoppers. Just my guess.

 

[jultomzach]

Which hurricane was "intentionally" removed from usage days? (My sister and neice were in the parks the afternoon after Wilma)