Premier Pass upgrade on which coast?

[rockethouse]

So I am just trying to decide if it's better for me to upgrade my DLR Premium AP to a Premier Pass before I leave for WDW at the end July or if I should wait until I get there?

Details:
My DLR AP renews on June 4th, right now I have a deluxe but I'm renewing and upgrading to a premium . (My mom works for a company that gets a corporate discount, so I'll be doing it through their HR and not directly through the AP center.) Anyway, I'm at DLR all the time so stopping by the AP center to upgrade to the Premier would be convenient for me. And now I've seen that if I upgrade to the Premier my AP renewal date will be the same (still June 4th), is this correct?

So is there any benefit to me waiting until I get to WDW to do the upgrade or should I just do it while I'm at home?

 

[disEAR]

We just upgraded our WDW annual passes to the premier passport at WDW, when upgrading we were told that when we go to Disneyland we'd have to have our photos added to the passes. We contemplated waiting for when we got to Disneyland, but decided to just get it over with.

The premier pass is pretty much a premium annual pass to both parks, so there are no added benefits between which park you upgrade it at. But since you'll need to have the photo added to the passport(s) at Disneyland it might make sense to do it there first and it'll save you from having to make another trip to guest services later on.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

We just upgraded our WDW annual passes to the premier passport at WDW, when upgrading we were told that when we go to Disneyland we'd have to have our photos added to the passes. We contemplated waiting for when we got to Disneyland, but decided to just get it over with.

The premier pass is pretty much a premium annual pass to both parks, so there are no added benefits between which park you upgrade it at. But since you'll need to have the photo added to the passport(s) at Disneyland it might make sense to do it there first and it'll save you from having to make another trip to guest services later on.

Disneyland is doing away with photos on their APs.

ETA: Nevermind you'd still have to get a photo for it, they are just no longer putting them ON the AP.

 

[DisneylandForever]

^^^ Yeah I got my Premier Pass at DLR, and my photo isn't on it.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Pricing is the same regardless of where you buy the Premier Pass. What you may be best off doing is just wait until you have renewed your current pass (on or after June 4) and then do the upgrade to the Premier.

 

[SuzanneSLO]

We upgraded it at DL before flying out to WDW because we wanted to have our first entrance at the Epcot International Gateway. This is the only WDW park entrance at which you cannot upgrade to a Premier. You still need to visit Guest Relations (which can be done at the IG) for them to enter your passholder info before going through the turnstile. So if you are staying at one of the Epcot resorts, you might consider this. -- Suzanne

 

[M&C]

We upgraded in DL, but still had to activate the passes at Epcot before we could enter the park. I don't think it took that long though. If you're from SoCal and go to DL often, then you won't mind waiting to upgrade in DL. This way, you don't take too much time waiting in WDW. We bought TIW cards in the next booth right after we activated our passes.

 

[rockethouse]

I'll just take care of it out here then, one less thing to deal with on vacation. Thanks everyone!

 

[Smiling Cheshire Cat]

We upgraded DS' pass at DL with no problems. We got our passes at WDW but still had to have our picture taken unless you want to show photo ID everytime you enter the park at DL. They don't have the fingerscan at the turnstiles but when you scan your pass your pic shows up on the screen on the other side of the turnstile for CM to verify.

 

[Disneyluvr81]

We upgraded in DL, but still had to activate the passes at Epcot before we could enter the park. I don't think it took that long though. If you're from SoCal and go to DL often, then you won't mind waiting to upgrade in DL. This way, you don't take too much time waiting in WDW. We bought TIW cards in the next booth right after we activated our passes.

Did you have any issue registering your pass online for Disney World (if you tried before you went)?

We upgraded our premium passes at Disneyland on Saturday to the premier passes and I had no issue updating my pass number on Disneyland's site but every time I have tried to register the pass on the Disney World site it comes back as an "unexpected error". I have tried searching but haven't really found much on others having this issue.

We aren't going to WDW until September but we decided to come in day early and were hoping to be able to take advantage of AP rates for the first night we are there (if they are even offered) and I am wondering how that will work if the pass hasn't technically been activated yet on the WDW side.

Anyone have any experience with that? Thanks!

 

[SuzanneSLO]

Did you have any issue registering your pass online for Disney World (if you tried before you went)?

We upgraded our premium passes at Disneyland on Saturday to the premier passes and I had no issue updating my pass number on Disneyland's site but every time I have tried to register the pass on the Disney World site it comes back as an "unexpected error". I have tried searching but haven't really found much on others having this issue.

We aren't going to WDW until September but we decided to come in day early and were hoping to be able to take advantage of AP rates for the first night we are there (if they are even offered) and I am wondering how that will work if the pass hasn't technically been activated yet on the WDW side.

Anyone have any experience with that? Thanks!

We used an AP rate at BWV last December with a Premier AP that we had just upgraded the day before at DL. We were never asked for any AP when we checked in, but in the past, we have been allowed to show an AP after check-in to verify we are eligible for the rate. If you show your Premier at check-in, I'm not sure the front desk will even know that it has not yet been "activiated" at WDW. Best of luck -- Suzanne

 

[karmutt]

We upgraded our premium passes at Disneyland on Saturday to the premier passes and I had no issue updating my pass number on Disneyland's site but every time I have tried to register the pass on the Disney World site it comes back as an "unexpected error". I have tried searching but haven't really found much on others having this issue.

I had a problem when I first got my pass. I wrote about what I did about it here. I don't know if it came up in your search or not, so I'm offering it up... The solution was to use the middle 4 numbers of the Tr: # #####. I don't know if will work or not.

I'm having a heck of a time on the DL site. They're asking me to re-enter my number because they "upgraded" their site, but it won't accept mine. I'm getting a bit piqued.

 

[Disneyluvr81]

Karmutt, thank you so much for your advice. I didn't see your post when I searched for the premier pass on the forum so I am so happy you replied. Your recommendation worked!! Good luck with your Disneyland registration!

SuzanneSLO thank you also for your reply. Its good to know that you can make a reservation even if is hasn't been registered on the site!!!