worth it??

[PigletGurl]

were staying two weeks.and i found out if we buy the Deluxe AP we have three blackout dates during the whole trip. arrival day and departure day we dont have time because we come all the way from puerto rico, so that leaves 12 days in between minus the three blackout dates, leaves me with 9.
is it worth it to buy the ap and go 9 days? or should i buy a 5 day ticket and miss out four days of disney???

 

[PigletGurl]

bump

 

[bumbershoot]

Well, there are longer parkhoppers than just 5 days. I know b/c I once posted that 5 days was the limit and I was quickly told I was wrong. I don't know where you get them, but they exist! And they might be less costly than the APs (I think they are, otherwise why would you get one?), and they don't have blackout dates. If this is the only time you're going in a year, looking for the longer parkhoppers would likely be worth it to you!


editing to add...though thinking about it, I've only heard of 10 day parkhoppers, nothing longer...which would mean missing 2 days from the 12 full days? I think I'm reading correctly. Then again, with that many days there, you might very well need a day or two to just relax!

 

[PigletGurl]

i was looking for the 10day tickets and i only found them at the Disneyworld website. maybe it is only up to 5 days in CA?

 

[hlbtimes2]

Nine days should give you plenty of time in the parks. That would give you 3 other days to visit other local attractions: the beach, knotts berry farm, San Diego, Univeral Studios, etc.

Another thing to consider is when the black out dates are in your trip. If they are near the begining, you could get a park hopper then upgrade. Be sure to upgrade after you are past the black out dates. Will fireworks and F! be offered on the days you are there if you dont go on black out dates? I would check that! Another plus to getting a ticket and upgrading is that you would have a day of early entry.

 

[PigletGurl]

upgrading? what is that? paying the difference?? so ure saying i should buy a park hopper first to use on the blackout dates and the uprade to ap?

 

[hlbtimes2]

Yes, if you buy an hopper you can use your 5 days (or however many you purchase it for), then upgrade to an ap. They'll apply the full amount you paid for the hopper. Be sure you upgrade it before the end of the last day its valid (so if a 5 days, upgrade by the end of the 5th day). So, say you get theere on a Thrusday (travel day), you could use it for Fri, Sat, and Sun (likely blackout days). Then you could upgrade and get the dinning and tour discounts for the remaining days. Or you could use the hopper a couple more days. HOpe that makes sense.

 

[PigletGurl]

wow i didnt know that. thanks!! i think ill do that.

 

[PigletGurl]

ughh wait
are you sure that I can use 3 days and then upgrade to deluxe ap? they wont charge more, just the difference right?

 

[PigletGurl]

im thinking of printing a 5 day ticket and i just wanna pay the difference once the ticket is used and still valid

 

[hlbtimes2]

Yes, you can use any number of days off the hopper then upgrade it. I'm sure of it. As long as you do it while it is still valid you wont have a problem. YOu can even upgrade on a black out day and still get in that day. However, if you upgrade on a black out day be sure to keep your reciept on you. I was questioned at the gate when I hopped.

 

[bumbershoot]

I was just searching this forum, and while I couldn't find my old post where I was corrected (why, WHY can't we search by membername?), I did find mention from 11 months ago that getawaytoday.com has, at least, 8 day parkhoppers.

For some reason that site is causing my poor Mac issues and I can't go further into the system to see more about their tickets, but maybe that will help you.

However, the 5-day, then upgrade to an AP after a few days, is a good idea! But if you won't be back again, can get into getawaytoday and they have them, and the longer hoppers are still cheaper than the AP, that might be worth it too.

 

[Amy&Dan]

You can definitely upgrade a five day park hopper to an AP (deluxe or premium). They will take the face amount of your hopper, off the price of the AP, then charge you the difference. I have done this at least twice now. As Hlbtimes says, its a great way to start with a hopper to use over any blackout days, then upgrade to an AP. You can also buy a five day park hopper then upgrade that to an 8 day one. I like the AP's, a Deluxe AP gives you 10% off at most restaurants (counter and table service) at the parks and hotels and some of the ones in DTD. Those discounts can really add up. You can upgrade your hoppers at the ticket windows in the Espanlande area between the parks.

 

[CalGal]

I agree that buying a parkhopper and upgrading to an AP is a good idea. This will allow you to go to at least one of the blackout days, and the parkhopper will allow you to get an use an EE before you upgrade. After you upgrade, you can get some of the discounts available for AP holders. I purchased a 6 day parkhopper through AAA in the not too distant past and upgraded to an AP on out last day of use. But as hlbtimes2 did say, 9 days in the parks should be plenty and there are some other great things to do in Southern CA. Another thing to consider is that the blackout days are the busier days in the park, so you might want to consider doing something else on these days anyway.

 

[PigletGurl]

ok good, i understand the upgrading process. now, about paying the difference....i checked the price of a deluxe ap online and its says $235 i think, i was just wondering, if i upgrade it at the park is it the same price, because i know that online is cheaper. the 5 days ticket is 189 online,will paying the difference still be about $50?