1. Correct.
2. You didn't say from whom you bought the ticket.
In many cases, you must wait until you get to WDW in order to upgrade, but you can certainly call and "ask nicely."
3. Again, you didn't say from whom you bought the ticket.
In many cases, it doesn't matter how much you actually paid for the ticket. In other cases, it does matter.
4. Go to the "Cost to Upgrade" post in this Sticky (HERE.)
Carefully read the situations (as in, from whom and when, you bought the ticket.)
Then, do the math.

If you need more help, please post back with more information on your ticket.

2. The original 1-day non-hopper was bought in 2009 as part of a Free Dining Package from Disney.
4. If I understand correctly, I take the 2016 price of the 1-day ticket (anywhere from $103-$132 depending on season and park) and subtract from the 2018 4-day base ticket price. The difference is what I would pay to upgrade. Since the 2009 ticket didn't have a season or park specific option, is there a way to figure out the math?

Thanks again!
 
We are planning a big trip in late 2020 and booked a bounceback for Sept 2019 (APs would still be valid in 2019 and we would have saved the 2019 tickets for 2020) but I'm concerned about how the tickets would work in 2020. I guess I can hold on to the bounceback and see what happens to/with expired tickets in the coming months. As long as I canceled by late July 2019 I would still get my deposit back if the tickets won't work. Disney sure knows how to keep us in a tizzy.

Quoting myself because I had a thought about this. I'm DVC, could I use the package tickets to buy AP vouchers while I am at WDW for my bounceback? And that would them allow them to be good until approximately 2030, correct?
 
2. The original 1-day non-hopper was bought in 2009 as part of a Free Dining Package from Disney.
A. If I understand correctly, I take the 2016 price of the 1-day ticket (anywhere from $103-$132 depending on season and park) and subtract from the 2018 4-day base ticket price. The difference is what I would pay to upgrade.
B. Since the 2009 ticket didn't have a season or park specific option, is there a way to figure out the math?

A. Yup.
B. I don't know. Figure it a couple of ways.
Then, when you do the upgrade, if you are quoted a price close to these, you'll know that the CM
is doing the upgrade nearly correctly.

If you are quoted the HIGHER of the your figured prices, it would not hurt to "ASK NICELY" if you can be given a lower price. :angel:
 
I’ve read through pages and pages of this great post, thank you! Just to make sure I have it straight:


I bought MYW base tickets last April 2017 through an employer link to the Disney website (just like going on the Disney site but with discounted prices). I’m not sure if this is considered 3rd party, but I’m assuming it is. So these tickets will expire December 31, 2018. Our plans changed and now plan to go September 2019.

So if I read through this thread correctly:
  1. Since no one knows how it’ll work for sure yet, we can assume the tickets will retain the value when I renew for 2019.
  2. The price will be the difference between the gate price on 2017 vs the gate price in 2019.
  3. If I called Disney Ticketing and gave my ticket number, will they be able to tell if it’s considered wholesale or purchased direct from Disney?
  4. If it’s considered purchased direct from Disney, they can do the upgrade over the phone?
  5. If it’s considered wholesale, which I assume it is, and I want to add days, I can only do that in-person at WDW when we go in September 2019, correct?
  6. In this case, will I be able to book FP+ in advance with expired tickets that are linked in MDE prior to upgrading/renewing when I get there?
Thank you,
Marcus
 


I’ve read through pages and pages of this great post, thank you! Just to make sure I have it straight:


I bought MYW base tickets last April 2017 through an employer link to the Disney website (just like going on the Disney site but with discounted prices).

A. I’m not sure if this is considered 3rd party, but I’m assuming it is.
B. So these tickets will expire December 31, 2018. Our plans changed and now plan to go September 2019.

So if I read through this thread correctly:
  1. Since no one knows how it’ll work for sure yet, we can assume the tickets will retain the value when I renew for 2019.
  2. The price will be the difference between the gate price on 2017 vs the gate price in 2019.
  3. If I called Disney Ticketing and gave my ticket number, will they be able to tell if it’s considered wholesale or purchased direct from Disney?
  4. If it’s considered purchased direct from Disney, they can do the upgrade over the phone?
  5. If it’s considered wholesale, which I assume it is, and I want to add days, I can only do that in-person at WDW when we go in September 2019, correct?
  6. In this case, will I be able to book FP+ in advance with expired tickets that are linked in MDE prior to upgrading/renewing when I get there?
A. Should be.
B. OK.
1. That would be consistent with long-time policy.
2. Yes.
3. If you found the right CM on the phone, then yes. (But, that's always risky.)
4. It would very unlikely be considered "Disney direct." But...
You can ALWAYS "ask nicely" for anything you want.
5. That is generally correct. Exceptions to everything can be cited.
6. Nobody knows, yet. I'm GUESSING "no."
 
A. Should be.
B. OK.
1. That would be consistent with long-time policy.
2. Yes.
3. If you found the right CM on the phone, then yes. (But, that's always risky.)
4. It would very unlikely be considered "Disney direct." But...
You can ALWAYS "ask nicely" for anything you want.
5. That is generally correct. Exceptions to everything can be cited.
6. Nobody knows, yet. I'm GUESSING "no."

Thank you Robo. The last one is a bummer, I plan to arrive and upgrade my tickets the day before I plan to enter the parks. But to not be able to schedule FP until I get there is a stinker. May have to hope for a EMM to both MK and DHS in the days I’m there!
 


If I purchased my AP last year on 12/21, is it still valid this year on 12/21?
When you PURCHASED an AP does not necessarily mean anything in regard to it's year of validity.

If you ACTIVATED an AP on 12/21/18, then it will be valid through the end of the day on 12/21/19.
 
Great. Now how do I prioritize the use of that over a park ticket I have in MDE. My FP date is coming up. I would like to use my AP for day one. Then rely on the six day ticket for the other days. Thanks.
 
I’m not sure if anyone can help me or even perhaps speculate, but I am planning a 2019 trip to Disney. We are looking to buy annual passes but I’m curious should I just buy the annual passes now before any potential price increase to the annual pass or I could buy an 8 day with hopper ticket now on UT before the changes on 16th and upgrade when I get there? Would it even work the same to upgrade to ap after these changes?
Thanks in advance for any thoughts!

Best GUESS...
Buy the AP now.

I read through all 272 pages, at first for information (I understand the info in the sticky pages are the most valuable) but then for reassurance of other's personal experiences as they upgraded their pre-purchased tickets to AP and finally, because I'm crazy. :tongue:

1. I'm in almost the same exact situation as @Jlynn619, we are going for 8 days in January and 6 days in December 2019. I had every intention of buying 8 day PH passes from an authorized retailer and then upgrading to AP in January. As I understood, prior to the announcement about post-October 16th tickets, this was the cheapest way to buy an AP?
2. Even though I had no intention of spending $2700+ on 3 AP at this time, I should just get my AP before October 16th because we have no idea what is coming?
3. Does anyone think AP will not be going up in price on October 16th?
 
Great. Now how do I prioritize the use of that over a park ticket I have in MDE. My FP date is coming up. I would like to use my AP for day one. Then rely on the six day ticket for the other days. Thanks.

If the ticket that you DON'T want to use is new (never been used,) you can create a "fake profile" (like "John Smith") in your MDX account and transfer that ticket
to that "fake person."
Then, the ticket won't be used until you re-transfer it back to your real name when you ARE ready to use it.

The alternative is to just go to any Guest Relations window BEFORE you go to the park gate
on your first day, and have your AP set to the "highest priority" in your MDX account.
The AP will then be used at the first park.
Then, the next day (after your AP expires) your multi-day ticket
will automatically start being used when you go to enter a park.
 
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So I have a trip booked in December (free dining package) that includes 5 ticket days plus the park hopper and memory maker, as well as a ticket to MVMCP. I also plan to go back for another trip in November 2019 that will include 5 or 6 park days, park hopper and memory maker. How do I even go about determining whether it makes financial sense to upgrade to an annual pass? How do I determine how much $$ from my package is going towards my actual park tickets to figure out how much it would cost me out of pocket to upgrade? What are the benefits of upgrading before my trip vs. upgrading on the last day? If I were to upgrade before my trip, do I lose the free dining? I am so lost!
 
So I have a trip booked in December (free dining package) that includes 5 ticket days plus the park hopper and memory maker, as well as a ticket to MVMCP. I also plan to go back for another trip in November 2019 that will include 5 or 6 park days, park hopper and memory maker.
1. How do I even go about determining whether it makes financial sense to upgrade to an annual pass?
2. How do I determine how much $$ from my package is going towards my actual park tickets to figure out how much it would cost me out of pocket to upgrade?
3. What are the benefits of upgrading before my trip vs. upgrading on the last day?
4. If I were to upgrade before my trip, do I lose the free dining? I am so lost!

1. Just do the math.
I can tell you that you absolutely WILL come out ahead by upgrading to AP for your upcoming December trip.
2. Use the current WDW ticket price list for the same kind of tickets that you have in the package.
3. You left out one scenario.
Upgrading on the FIRST day of your Dec. trip (which is something you could do.)
4. I don't know if you can upgrade to AP and still keep your "free" dining, but if you can,
I'd say to go ahead and do so.
 
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1. Just do the math.
I can tell you that you absolutely WILL come out ahead by upgrading to AP for your upcoming December trip.
2. Use the current WDW ticket price list for the same kind of tickets that you have in the package.
3. You left out one scenario.
Upgrading on the FIRST day of your Dec. trip (which is something you could do.)
4. I don't know if you can upgrade to AP and still keep your "free" dining, but if you can,
I'd say to go ahead and do so.

Thanks for your response! What would make someone decide to upgrade before, first day or last day of the trip? If I call Disney directly, would they be able to walk be through my options?
 
Thanks for your response! What would make someone decide to upgrade before, first day or last day of the trip? If I call Disney directly, would they be able to walk be through my options?

Last year we bought our APs using the tickets we had associated with a free dining package. We plan to do that again with the renewal of our APs. For example, the ticket we have right now is $480. I figure renewal will be around $800 give or take. The price I'll pay is $800-$480=$320 plus taxes. If you wait until the last day to upgrade you existing ticket, the AP will become retroactive to the first day you used it. If you first used the ticket on 12/1, but waited until 12/6 to upgrade to an AP, your AP will have started on 12/1 not 12/6. Therefore, there is no benefit to waiting. We got to keep the free dining last year and will again this year. Once you arrive just go to a ticket window outside the park or guest relations inside the park. Tell them you would like to upgrade your package ticket to an AP. Easy peasy.
 
I did a search but couldn't find this answer. I bought tickets from Undercover Tourist back in mid February, I assume these are from 2017 stock so they expire then end of 2018. However, we plan to use these in January 2019.

  • What value will I get - price I paid to UT OR 2017 full value?
  • Is this the same amount I'll get if I try to upgrade
  • And is the upgrade process any different from typical bridging.
 
I did a search but couldn't find this answer. I bought tickets from Undercover Tourist back in mid February, I assume these are from 2017 stock so they expire then end of 2018. However, we plan to use these in January 2019.

  • A. What value will I get - price I paid to UT OR 2017 full value?
  • B. Is this the same amount I'll get if I try to upgrade
  • C. And is the upgrade process any different from typical bridging.
A. 2017 full value (if your tickets are, in fact, from 2017.)
B. Yes.
C. Nope.
 
Thanks for your response! What would make someone decide to upgrade before, first day or last day of the trip? If I call Disney directly, would they be able to walk be through my options?

If (IF that is possible) you can upgrade NOW (I mean before next week, or so) you will
be paying the CURRENT price for the AP.
If you wait until your arrival, you will be paying the NEW price for the AP.
And, it is very likely that the price will be higher.
 
If (IF that is possible) you can upgrade NOW (I mean before next week, or so) you will
be paying the CURRENT price for the AP.
If you wait until your arrival, you will be paying the NEW price for the AP.
And, it is very likely that the price will be higher.

If I were to upgrade now, would I then not activate the annual passes until I arrive?
 
Last year we bought our APs using the tickets we had associated with a free dining package. We plan to do that again with the renewal of our APs. For example, the ticket we have right now is $480. I figure renewal will be around $800 give or take. The price I'll pay is $800-$480=$320 plus taxes. If you wait until the last day to upgrade you existing ticket, the AP will become retroactive to the first day you used it. If you first used the ticket on 12/1, but waited until 12/6 to upgrade to an AP, your AP will have started on 12/1 not 12/6. Therefore, there is no benefit to waiting. We got to keep the free dining last year and will again this year. Once you arrive just go to a ticket window outside the park or guest relations inside the park. Tell them you would like to upgrade your package ticket to an AP. Easy peasy.

Thanks for this walk through! So helpful!

Question, if you already had an AP, why do you have tickets that you are using towards renewing your AP? Is there something saved by doing it that way?
 

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