Okay, so I have a question that I've really tried searching for and even calling WDW and I've gotten conflicting information.

I have a Weekday Annual Pass for my girlfriend which expires on 2/15/18. I am interested in upgrading it to the Platinum Plus Pass 60 days before her renewal date, which would be 12/18/17, since I know I can upgrade online. Here is my question:

If I upgrade her to the Platinum Plus pass on 12/18/17, would we be able to use the new Platinum Plus benefits starting on the 18th, or would we still be subject to the same blackout dates from the weekday pass until the original pass expires on the 15th of February?

I have had one CM tell me that I could go during Christmas time if I upgrade her pass when I renew, and another tell me her new pass benefits won't kick in until after my anniversary date. I suspect it's the latter but I want to double check.

Thanks everyone!
 
Do AP holders get a discount on the campsites or is it just on the resort hotels?

That's actually a "resort" question rather than a ticket question.

I can tell you that getting an AP discount on any resort is a "sometimes" thing.
It is only available at select times during the year (which can vary every year) and the amount of the discount
will vary with the price of the resort.

Buying an AP with the express desire to be able to book at an "AP rate" is a chancy thing.
It might happen when you are ready to make a WDW trip, and it might not.
If it DOES work out that you can get an AP rate, I'd consider it "gravy."
 
Okay, so I have a question that I've really tried searching for and even calling WDW and I've gotten conflicting information.

I have a Weekday Annual Pass for my girlfriend which expires on 2/15/18. I am interested in upgrading it to the Platinum Plus Pass 60 days before her renewal date, which would be 12/18/17, since I know I can upgrade online. Here is my question:

If I upgrade her to the Platinum Plus pass on 12/18/17, would we be able to use the new Platinum Plus benefits starting on the 18th, or would we still be subject to the same blackout dates from the weekday pass until the original pass expires on the 15th of February?

I have had one CM tell me that I could go during Christmas time if I upgrade her pass when I renew, and another tell me her new pass benefits won't kick in until after my anniversary date. I suspect it's the latter but I want to double check.

Thanks everyone!

When you upgrade to a higher level AP at renewal time, you will get the full benefits of the "new" AP starting on the day that the new AP "takes over..."
after the end-date of the original AP.

So, yes, her new pass benefits won't kick in until after her current anniversary date.
(Otherwise, the new AP would not be valid for a full year after its actual start-date.)
 
That's actually a "resort" question rather than a ticket question.

I can tell you that getting an AP discount on any resort is a "sometimes" thing.
It is only available at select times during the year (which can vary every year) and the amount of the discount
will vary with the price of the resort.

Buying an AP with the express desire to be able to book at an "AP rate" is a chancy thing.
It might happen when you are ready to make a WDW trip, and it might not.
If it DOES work out that you can get an AP rate, I'd consider it "gravy."
Thanks robo. I'm just trying to come up with reasons to convince the wife to let me upgrade our tickets to APs. To upgrade all 3 of our tickets (if I math'd correctly) will cost roughly the same as a 7 day ticket for one Disney adult.

And since I bought a camper this year, we can actually afford to make multiple trips with or with out the AP discount.. If I can convince her to go to the Fort
 


And since I bought a camper this year, we can actually afford to make multiple trips with or with out the AP discount.. If I can convince her to go to the Fort

Ft. Wilderness Campground is traditionally one of the (if not THE) highest-rated camper destinations in the country.
Many "snowbirds" spend the better part of the winter months at FtW in their campers.
 
Update:

Just left GR at Epcot. They refused to change anything, saying that the first CM had done it correctly. He said it looked like the first CM hadn’t brought it to gate price and asked another CM how to do that. She said they no longer bring the ticket value to gate pricing for annual pass renewals and that this is a new policy since February. Is this correct? Per my understanding through this thread, no, but is there any point in pursuing this further? It’s a fair amount of money ($150+) that I wasn’t expecting to pay, but this is the second time I’ve been blocked and find it odd.

Update #2:

Tried GR at AKL. The CM took a look and told me that the first CM had definitely done it correctly. Per her explanation, all of the training and instructions they’ve been given state that they must go with the “Pre-Arrival Price” in their system for that particular ticket, which she said (as did the others) is actually the value that Disney sold the ticket to the resellers for, whether those are UT, Parksavers, AAA/CAA, etc. Indeed, the value they assigned to my tickets was exactly what I paid to UT for them, so they do know.

She too said that this had been changed in February and that per their training, they are not allowed to bring these reseller tickets up to gate price anymore, and that their system recognizes discounted tickets based on the letters after the numbers and doesn’t allow them to add any value to them that is above what they were sold for originally.

I am confused and more than a bit frustrated, and not understanding why so many people have upgraded tickets to APs since February without a hitch, but all of the CMs I’ve dealt with are telling me the same thing?
 
Update #2:

Tried GR at AKL. The CM took a look and told me that the first CM had definitely done it correctly. Per her explanation, all of the training and instructions they’ve been given state that they must go with the “Pre-Arrival Price” in their system for that particular ticket,
1. which she said (as did the others) is actually the value that Disney sold the ticket to the resellers for, whether those are UT, Parksavers, AAA/CAA, etc. Indeed, the value they assigned to my tickets was exactly what I paid to UT for them, so they do know.

2. She too said that this had been changed in February and that per their training, they are not allowed to bring these reseller tickets up to gate price anymore, and that their system recognizes discounted tickets based on the letters after the numbers and doesn’t allow them to add any value to them that is above what they were sold for originally.

3. I am confused and more than a bit frustrated, and not understanding why so many people have upgraded tickets to APs since February without a hitch, but all of the CMs I’ve dealt with are telling me the same thing?

1. This is incorrect.
BUT, BUT, BUT... What YOU paid UT for your ticket is NOT the amount for which Disney sold the ticket to UT.
(Otherwise, UT would not be making any money.)

2. This is simply wrong.
And, since they all seem to say that this was changed in February, we KNOW its wrong.
Because in February, we KNOW how the system was changed... and what the CMs you have
encountered are saying... is NOT how the system was changed.

3. Yup. All I can do from out here is cyber space is to tell you to try again.
Sorry that you are having such an unusual streak of bad luck!
 
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Update #2:

Tried GR at AKL. The CM took a look and told me that the first CM had definitely done it correctly. Per her explanation, all of the training and instructions they’ve been given state that they must go with the “Pre-Arrival Price” in their system for that particular ticket, which she said (as did the others) is actually the value that Disney sold the ticket to the resellers for, whether those are UT, Parksavers, AAA/CAA, etc. Indeed, the value they assigned to my tickets was exactly what I paid to UT for them, so they do know.

She too said that this had been changed in February and that per their training, they are not allowed to bring these reseller tickets up to gate price anymore, and that their system recognizes discounted tickets based on the letters after the numbers and doesn’t allow them to add any value to them that is above what they were sold for originally.

I am confused and more than a bit frustrated, and not understanding why so many people have upgraded tickets to APs since February without a hitch, but all of the CMs I’ve dealt with are telling me the same thing?
So sorry that you are receiving such PATHETIC customer service from these CMs!
In post #2984, you said they were offering you a value that was less than you paid UT. (This proves they don't know what you actually paid UT, they only know what UT paid them.)
 
When I went in August I upgraded my 7 day hopper to an annual pass. I was on the fence about it as I wasn't even sure if I'd make another trip within a year but I thought with the food discounts and the Memory Maker included that if they did the bridge up to the current gate price that I'd go for it. The CM at the Epcot Guest Relations initially quoted me a $300 something price for the upgrade and I said I'd do it. Then she said she was wrong, that it was actually the higher price. I politely said I would decline then (I was okay with declining). Then, my girls and I were heading out the door and she physically came around and called out to me to come back and that the price would be the slightly more than $300 amount (fully credited for current gate price). I said that was awesome and I upgraded.

It was kind of weird. I really didn't expect to be bridged to current gate. I expected to be bridged to pre-February gate. It probably worked out well for Disney, though as I probably won't go back until the day my AP expires. She was really pleasant, though.
 
Update #3:

Was told at Disney Springs that the value assigned in the system is the highest value they can assign to tickets and that they are not supposed to assign gate price to upgrade to annual passes.

I am so frustrated.

Edit- Update #4:

Still at DS, asked politely to speak to a team leader to see if there might be something odd about how our tickets were upgraded. She looked through and after some digging, decided that they would honour the gate price for the upgrades.

THANK YOU, ROBO!!!! I felt like pushing a bit here at DS was definitely the right advice and you saved us a LOT of money and frustration with your kind and helpful replies :flower3:
 
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Update #3:

Was told at Disney Springs that the value assigned in the system is the highest value they can assign to tickets and that they are not supposed to assign gate price to upgrade to annual passes.

I am so frustrated.

Edit- Update #4:

Still at DS, asked politely to speak to a team leader to see if there might be something odd about how our tickets were upgraded. She looked through and after some digging, decided that they would honour the gate price for the upgrades.

THANK YOU, ROBO!!!! I felt like pushing a bit here at DS was definitely the right advice and you saved us a LOT of money and frustration with your kind and helpful replies :flower3:
Hurray!
So glad you were persistent!
 
Got a question not sure if it's been asked here before. I have a water park only pass. I was chatting with a cm on the Disney website and they told me I could upgrade my water park annual pass to get a discount on a regular annual pass. Does anyone know how much of a discount that would be or has anyone ever done that before?
 
Got a question not sure if it's been asked here before. I have a water park only pass. I was chatting with a cm on the Disney website and they told me I could upgrade my water park annual pass to get a discount on a regular annual pass. Does anyone know how much of a discount that would be or has anyone ever done that before?

If they will do that, and if you have used any of your current WP pass, you would need to upgrade to the AP that includes the Water Parks option.
Subtract what you originally paid (including tax) for the WP pass from the full cost of the Annual Pass (including tax.)
You would pay that difference price for the AP.

If you have used any of your current WP pass, the new AP would be back-dated to the
date that you first used the WP pass.
 
Thank you so much for this thread. I didn't even realize that bridging tickets was possible. I believe that I have the numbers correct but if someone could verify, that would be wonderful.

5 day base ticket when purchased 12/30/15 $335.48 ***Purchased from Disney Store and not reseller if that matters
5 day base ticket prior to 2/12/17 $362.10
5 day base current price $370.00

If I upgrade to a season pass which currently costs $779.00, my 5 day ticket should be valued at $362.10 and I would pay the difference in the ticket prices (Plus tax on the difference). Is this correct?
 
Thank you so much for this thread. I didn't even realize that bridging tickets was possible. I believe that I have the numbers correct but if someone could verify, that would be wonderful.

5 day base ticket when purchased 12/30/15 $335.48 ***Purchased from Disney Store and not reseller if that matters
5 day base ticket prior to 2/12/17 $362.10
5 day base current price $370.00

If I upgrade to a season pass which currently costs $779.00, my 5 day ticket should be valued at $362.10 and I would pay the difference in the ticket prices (Plus tax on the difference). Is this correct?

Correct!
Actually,
$829.64 AP, with tax.
$362.10 AP, with tax

$467.54 Upgrade price, with tax.
 
Can you buy the DVC Platinum Plus pass on-site, or do you have to buy via MS or the Disney site?

If yes to question 1, can you use a partially used non-expiring hopper ticket to upgrade?

Thanks
 
Can you buy the DVC Platinum Plus pass on-site, or do you have to buy via MS or the Disney site?

If yes to question 1, can you use a partially used non-expiring hopper ticket to upgrade?
A ticket cannot be upgraded if it has been over 14 days from its first use, even if it is non-expiring.
 

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