Won comp tickets in auction, not upgradable - now what?

[jbish]

We won four one-day park hopper passes in a silent auction for a school fundraiser. We have an upcoming trip and I figured we would get these passes and add more days to make them five-day hoppers. I tried calling Disney Ticketing ahead of the auction (while DH was there and actively bidding on them) to find out as much as I could about adding on days. There was no disclosure at the auction. When we won the tickets, we found out there were blackout dates, an expiration date, and also no ability to "upgrade" the tickets. I figured that might mean that I can't add on water parks or other features - but, sadly, that also means no additional days. Interestingly, on the letter that accompanies the tickets, it says that they have "no cash value" but also says they are equivalent of value of $155 per ticket.

So I emailed Disney Ticketing and was told that days can't be added to these tickets because they have no cash value. I really tried emphasizing that I did not have enough information at the time we were bidding but the guy was pretty unsympathetic to my plight (I know, first world problems). I don't want to cast blame on the auction organizers for not providing all of the disclosure information. (Separately, I'm trying to find out who was the next highest bidder to see if they're still interested in these tickets.)

Any advice for what I can do? Should I keep at Disney and see if they eventually allow me to pay the difference between a one-day ticket and a five-day ticket? What are my options? Any advice you can give me would be appreciated.

Anyone want four one-day park hoppers??? LOL

 

[Disneylover99]

We won four one-day park hopper passes in a silent auction for a school fundraiser. We have an upcoming trip and I figured we would get these passes and add more days to make them five-day hoppers. I tried calling Disney Ticketing ahead of the auction (while DH was there and actively bidding on them) to find out as much as I could about adding on days. There was no disclosure at the auction. When we won the tickets, we found out there were blackout dates, an expiration date, and also no ability to "upgrade" the tickets. I figured that might mean that I can't add on water parks or other features - but, sadly, that also means no additional days. Interestingly, on the letter that accompanies the tickets, it says that they have "no cash value" but also says they are equivalent of value of $155 per ticket.

So I emailed Disney Ticketing and was told that days can't be added to these tickets because they have no cash value. I really tried emphasizing that I did not have enough information at the time we were bidding but the guy was pretty unsympathetic to my plight (I know, first world problems). I don't want to cast blame on the auction organizers for not providing all of the disclosure information. (Separately, I'm trying to find out who was the next highest bidder to see if they're still interested in these tickets.)

Any advice for what I can do? Should I keep at Disney and see if they eventually allow me to pay the difference between a one-day ticket and a five-day ticket? What are my options? Any advice you can give me would be appreciated.

Anyone want four one-day park hoppers??? LOL

How much did you end up paying for them?

 

[DisDadDVC]

I would just go to the park 4 days instead of 5. I highly doubt Disney will accommodate you in this situation. I realize buying a 1 day ticket is way more than adding on a day, but did you win the auction cheap enough so that it isn't a big hit? If so, just pay the $ and chalk it up as a learning experience.

 

[Gracie09]

That sounds about right. Comp tickets are not upgradable. That's why i never bid on them at these type of fundraisers. I would suggest just adding them to your magic bands and purchasing the additional days you need as a separate ticket or saving them for another trip.

 

[Lynne G]

I would just use them, and buy another ticket for the number of days, in the kind you want. They do have no value, but I guess you can try to sell them, but depending on what you paid, it may not be worth the effort, and just consider it a price of your vacation.

 

[Alesia]

Comp tickets are not upgradable in any way. You can keep calling Disney until you're blue in the face, but that won't change. I would mention to the organizer of the auction that they should disclose that in the future. But, also, it's not exactly secret information. Had you asked about it here before bidding, you would have found out pretty quickly.

What I would do with them depends on how much you paid for them.

Just out of curiosity, if you can sell them to the next highest bidder, will you disclose that they aren't upgradable?

 

[Nancyg56]

I would just go fo the time the tix are good for. I would not try to get Disney to make an exception for you because you did not look at the terms and conditions before you bid.

 

[jbish]

How much did you end up paying for them?

$425

 

[laceyinwonderland]

How close are you to DW? Do you ever do long weekend trips? If it were me, I would just buy a new set of tickets for however many days you need on your next trip, and hang on to the 1 days. Then I would plan another trip near a MNSSHP or MVMCP, and do a long weekend with 1 park day, and 1 party day!!! I think that would be a nice way to maximize the value of the tickets!!

 

[jbish]

I would just go to the park 4 days instead of 5. I highly doubt Disney will accommodate you in this situation. I realize buying a 1 day ticket is way more than adding on a day, but did you win the auction cheap enough so that it isn't a big hit? If so, just pay the $ and chalk it up as a learning experience.

I won four one-day tickets - not one four-day ticket. I need to get the rest of my family into the parks for five days - I thought I'd be able to add four days to each of those tickets. I did get a "deal" on them since I paid, on average, $106.25 per one-day ticket. But I wouldn't call that a steal, either.

 

[Nancyg56]

I won four one-day tickets - not one four-day ticket. I need to get the rest of my family into the parks for five days - I thought I'd be able to add four days to each of those tickets. I did get a "deal" on them since I paid, on average, $106.25 per one-day ticket. But I wouldn't call that a steal, either.

Yeah, that is o deal. I would chalk it up to a good cause.

 

[jbish]

Comp tickets are not upgradable in any way. You can keep calling Disney until you're blue in the face, but that won't change. I would mention to the organizer of the auction that they should disclose that in the future. But, also, it's not exactly secret information. Had you asked about it here before bidding, you would have found out pretty quickly.

What I would do with them depends on how much you paid for them.

Just out of curiosity, if you can sell them to the next highest bidder, will you disclose that they aren't upgradable?

Absolutely, I would disclose it. I couldn't, in good conscience, not tell them what they were getting into. I'm just hoping that they only wanted one day in the parks. I appreciate that you think that I would have been given good advice here beforehand - but I didn't know what kind of tickets they were until we were at the auction. By then, it was too late. We were never told these were "comp" tickets. I only knew that they were four one-day park hoppers. That's it. I didn't know Disney gave away these tickets.

 

[jbish]

How close are you to DW? Do you ever do long weekend trips? If it were me, I would just buy a new set of tickets for however many days you need on your next trip, and hang on to the 1 days. Then I would plan another trip near a MNSSHP or MVMCP, and do a long weekend with 1 park day, and 1 party day!!! I think that would be a nice way to maximize the value of the tickets!!

I live in Virginia - hardly a quick "day trip" away. I wish I could just zip down there for a fun weekend! I also wish I could "just buy a new set of tickets" - for my family, that's nearly $1,500!!! We aren't poor, but we aren't just rolling around in extra cash, either. LOL

 

[strat68]

I don't want to cast blame on the auction organizers for not providing all of the disclosure information.

Why not? They are responsible for the auction. Or maybe they were clueless?

 

[Disneylover99]

Can you use them on your trip with the blackout days?

 

[Alesia]

$425

Yikes!

You really have 4 options here:

1. Each person uses 1 ticket and you buy an additional 4-day ticket for each person. This is, by far the most expensive option - you'll be in the hole by about $350.
2. One person uses all 4 tickets and you buy new tickets for the rest of you. The drawback is that you can't book FP in advance for comp tickets.
3. Sell (or give) them to someone who is going for a one or two day trip.
4. Save them for a one or two day trip for yourselves.

 

[Gracie09]

I live in Virginia - hardly a quick "day trip" away. I wish I could just zip down there for a fun weekend! I also wish I could "just buy a new set of tickets" - for my family, that's nearly $1,500!!! We aren't poor, but we aren't just rolling around in extra cash, either. LOL

But weren't you already planning on buying tickets? It's not like you bought a set of five tickets and now have to buy another set of five

 

[jbish]

Why not? They are responsible for the auction. Or maybe they were clueless?

I guess I just don't want to cause them undue stress. Yes, they should have disclosed the limitations of these tickets. Perhaps they were clueless - I don't know. Certainly, they are probably not Disney insiders and realized the ramifications of those limitations. I mean, how do you not tell people that there are blackout dates? It was over Christmas - certainly that could have been the one time that a bidder was planning on going. And then to find out that they couldn't use it then? That would have been awful for them too.

I have reached out to the organizers. Don't know what they can do but waiting to see what they offer to us.

 

[Alesia]

Absolutely, I would disclose it. I couldn't, in good conscience, not tell them what they were getting into. I'm just hoping that they only wanted one day in the parks. I appreciate that you think that I would have been given good advice here beforehand - but I didn't know what kind of tickets they were until we were at the auction. By then, it was too late. We were never told these were "comp" tickets. I only knew that they were four one-day park hoppers. That's it. I didn't know Disney gave away these tickets.

For future reference, all tickets you see at fundraisers are comp tickets. I know it's not much help now, though.

 

[jbish]

But weren't you already planning on buying tickets? It's not like you bought a set of five tickets and now have to buy another set of five

Yes, I was planning on buying a set of tickets. A set of five-day tickets on UT is the same price as a four-day, so to me, buying a set of four-day tickets plus having already spent $425 on these one-day tickets is a total waste of money.

Yikes!

You really have 4 options here:

1. Each person uses 1 ticket and you buy an additional 4-day ticket for each person. This is, by far the most expensive option - you'll be in the hole by about $350.
2. One person uses all 4 tickets and you buy new tickets for the rest of you. The drawback is that you can't book FP in advance for comp tickets.
3. Sell (or give) them to someone who is going for a one or two day trip.
4. Save them for a one or two day trip for yourselves.

I'd love to find someone else to take these tickets that really only wanted one-day tickets. I'm not exactly in a position to just "give them away" though. We spent a lot of money on those tickets and now I'm in a much worse position than I was before this auction.