Tickets and Annual Pass Questions - Please add your ticket questions to this thread

[princessekrus]

Ok, I have a situation I have never had before, and am not sure if I'm reading the ticket rules correctly. I did a search, and read a bunch of posts, but couldn't find the answer, so I'm sorry if it's been asked before.

My kids and I have AP's that we purchased back in November. We are taking a "bonus" trip this February, and my husband is going to meet us on the front and back end of the trip - I'm trying to figure out what ticket to get him - looking at 3-day park hopper. My kids and I are staying on-site Monday 2/18-Sun 2/24. My husband wants to join us for 3 days - on Monday 2/18, and then the following weekend 2/23-24. He is on the room reservation. HOWEVER, when I look to get him a 3-day park hopper ticket, with a start date of 2/18, it says the 3 days must be used anytime from 2/18-2/22. This is very different than how I remember it working. I thought there was a 14 day window where you could use your ticket once activated? There is fine print that says:
"For multi-day tickets, all days must be used during the valid ticket dates shown above. For multi-day Flexible Date Tickets, the first day of use must be on or before December 31, 2019, and the tickets and any other options purchased must be used within 14 days of first use, except for Florida Resident 3-Day and 4-Day Flexible Date Tickets"

So am I correct in assuming there is no longer a 14 day use period for multi-day tickets? We really only have 5 days to use them, even though I have a hotel stay for longer? Also - I don't see anywhere to buy these "flexible date tickets" on the website. What am I missing?

Thanks in advance!

 

[siren0119]

Ok, I have a situation I have never had before, and am not sure if I'm reading the ticket rules correctly. I did a search, and read a bunch of posts, but couldn't find the answer, so I'm sorry if it's been asked before.

My kids and I have AP's that we purchased back in November. We are taking a "bonus" trip this February, and my husband is going to meet us on the front and back end of the trip - I'm trying to figure out what ticket to get him - looking at 3-day park hopper. My kids and I are staying on-site Monday 2/18-Sun 2/24. My husband wants to join us for 3 days - on Monday 2/18, and then the following weekend 2/23-24. He is on the room reservation. HOWEVER, when I look to get him a 3-day park hopper ticket, with a start date of 2/18, it says the 3 days must be used anytime from 2/18-2/22. This is very different than how I remember it working. I thought there was a 14 day window where you could use your ticket once activated? There is fine print that says:
"For multi-day tickets, all days must be used during the valid ticket dates shown above. For multi-day Flexible Date Tickets, the first day of use must be on or before December 31, 2019, and the tickets and any other options purchased must be used within 14 days of first use, except for Florida Resident 3-Day and 4-Day Flexible Date Tickets"

So am I correct in assuming there is no longer a 14 day use period for multi-day tickets? We really only have 5 days to use them, even though I have a hotel stay for longer? Also - I don't see anywhere to buy these "flexible date tickets" on the website. What am I missing?

Thanks in advance!

In October 2018 Disney changed their ticket structure. You can pay extra to have "Flexible" tickets (it's an add-on cost kind of like parkhoppers), but yes the tickets are limited now and also date-based. You choose your start date, and they are valid for a certain number of days based on how many days of park visits you are buying.

 

[princessekrus]

In October 2018 Disney changed their ticket structure. You can pay extra to have "Flexible" tickets (it's an add-on cost kind of like parkhoppers), but yes the tickets are limited now and also date-based. You choose your start date, and they are valid for a certain number of days based on how many days of park visits you are buying.

Ugh. That's what I figured. I did finally find the "flexible" extension - I didn't click all the way through the purchase the first time. Thanks for the help!

 

[Dis5150]

I have a question that is probably answered somewhere in here but I can't find it! If I buy a 4 day get one free from Undercover Tourist and want to upgrade it to an AP in April, how much would my upgrade cost me? What price do they base it off of? We are going back for 7-8 days in January so I already know it will be a savings for me to upgrade. Thanks!

 

[Robo]

I have a question that is probably answered somewhere in here but I can't find it! If I buy a 4 day get one free from Undercover Tourist and want to upgrade it to an AP in April, how much would my upgrade cost me? What price do they base it off of? We are going back for 7-8 days in January so I already know it will be a savings for me to upgrade. Thanks!

That ticket is actually a standard 5-day ticket.
Use the current "Disney price" (including tax) to figure its upgrade value.
(See Post#6 in this thread to see how to figure the upgrade cost.)

 

[Dis5150]

That ticket is actually a standard 5-day ticket.
Use the current "Disney price" (including tax) to figure its upgrade value.
(See Post#6 in this thread to see how to figure the upgrade cost.)

Thank you! I saw post 6 after I posted my question, but was unsure on how they counted that particular ticket!

 

[Dis5150]

That ticket is actually a standard 5-day ticket.
Use the current "Disney price" (including tax) to figure its upgrade value.
(See Post#6 in this thread to see how to figure the upgrade cost.)

One more question? My daughter works at Starbucks and they sell discounted tickets to their employees. Would those also be considered authorized ticket reseller as listed in Post 6?

 

[siren0119]

One more question? My daughter works at Starbucks and they sell discounted tickets to their employees. Would those also be considered authorized ticket reseller as listed in Post 6?

If it;s through an employee discount website like TicketsAtWork then yes it's an authorized reseller. Lots of corporations use TAW, EmployeePerks or something similar to provide discounted goods and services to their employees, but they are basically just authorized sellers that contract out to the big companies.

 

[Dis5150]

If it;s through an employee discount website like TicketsAtWork then yes it's an authorized reseller. Lots of corporations use TAW, EmployeePerks or something similar to provide discounted goods and services to their employees, but they are basically just authorized sellers that contract out to the big companies.

Thank you!

 

[ksromack]

If I currently have a Platinum AP that is due to expire in October and I have tickets with a package in December I already know I cant renew in time t ok use those December tickets. My question is, can I renew my AP within the correct time from by downgrading it to a Gold pass but paying a renewal fee for it or am I better off just letting my AP expire and buying a new Gold pass in December and try to use those December tickets to upgrade to the Gold?

 

[Robo]

If I currently have a Platinum AP that is due to expire in October and I have tickets with a package in December I already know I cant renew in time t ok use those December tickets. My question is,

1. can I renew my AP within the correct time from by downgrading it to a Gold pass but paying a renewal fee for it
2. or am I better off just letting my AP expire and buying a new Gold pass in December and try to use those December tickets to upgrade to the Gold?

1. If a Gold AP is what you want, yes, you can "renew" to that level and still pay at a Gold APs renewal cost.
2. In that case, your new AP will be valid for a full year from your Dec. date, (and not just to Oct. 2020 if you renew) so if the extra 2 months, or so, is of use to you, then the extra cost (full AP rate) may be worth it for you.

 

[jhoannam]

Do you all think AP prices will increase before the summer?

 

[Robo]

Do you all think AP prices will increase before the summer?

Maybe.

Regardless, if you buy a new AP certificate before there is an increase, you don't have to activate it until your actual next trip to WDW.

 

[HtomSirveaux]

Okay, so I read post 6 and unfortunately, it made me a little more confused since it didn't account for my tickets' dates.

I bought our tickets back in late June 2018 from UndercoverTourist. The tickets arrived with a sticker that says they expire on February 28th, 2019. It looks like the printed date on the ticket stock is 5/31/2018. MDX app says they are "Valid Through" 3/14/19 (perhaps first use has to be by 2/28, then 14 days after...?). I'm also not sure whether or not it matters, but I think these were purchased from UndercoverTourist as "4-Day Magic Your Way Ticket - with Extra Day." Both the tickets themselves and MDX only list them as "5-Day Magic Your Way Base Ticket".

Now that I explained about the tickets we currently have, here's the actual question: We are taking our trip at the end of January. Out of nowhere, DW has now mentioned about going again in November. Since that would be multiple trips in a 12-month period, that made me start thinking about APs. We are DVC members and would not have issues with the blackout dates on the Gold AP.

1. Is there any reason to think there is anything "special" about these tickets that would cause an issue bridging/upgrading for use 1 year from first use (first use would be at Epcot on 1/23)?
2. Is my math even remotely in the correct neighborhood (leaving tax out of all amounts)?
   • The linked Allears chart for 2018 Feb-Oct shows 5-Day Base tickets as being $395. The DVC Price for the Gold AP is $609. If these tickets are eligible to be bridged/upgraded in the first place, would the difference actually be $214 plus tax?
3. Lastly, is there any terminology to use/avoid when at Guest Relations for this (I thought at one point someone said to avoid using the term "bridging" as a guest).

A. It does account for your tickets. Your tickets are simply regular 5-day base tickets.
B. That means they are actually regular 5-day tickets.
D. That would be correct.
C. Excellent plan.
1. Nope.
2a. Yes.
2b. I'll take your word for that.
2c. Again, there is nothing "unusual" about your tickets.
3. Don't worry about what you do or don't say in your terminology.
Just know the exact correct amount you should be charged, and nicely speak up if you are quoted
the wrong amount.
If the first CM is a problem, nicely decline the offer and try the upgrade elsewhere.

Have a great trip, and please post back to report about your upgrade.

Back. When I first arrived at my first park (Epcot), I looked in the app and though it did offer the choice to upgrade, it does not give the option for the DVC-level passes. I went to Guest Relations and told them I wanted to upgrade. They gave me a total somewhere around $260 even though I knew the total should have been $227 and change. I asked how they arrived at that total and they said their system was not giving the same value for the ticket I had and that they "can't" do the same things as the website and app show. He went into the back room, then came back out saying he was going to try one more thing, then he came back with the exact $227 amount I was expecting. The key phrase he said was that it needed to be brought up to the pre-arrival price whatever that means, and the system hadn't been automatically doing it.

A few days later my wife decided to do the same upgrade, and I mentioned at the very beginning about the pre-arrival price. The CM nodded saying that's what she was in the process of doing, then came back with the right amount right off the bat. Perhaps "pre-arrival" is the same thing as bridging...?

 

[Robo]

The key phrase he said was that it needed to be brought up to the pre-arrival price whatever that means...

It means the regular full price listed on the ticketing website.
That listing is for ordering tickets BEFORE you arrive.

AFTER you arrive (the "non-pre-arrival" price) is higher because it includes an uncharge for buying at the gate (or Guest Relations or ticket booth.)

Therefore, the price list that the CMs at WDW have in their locations is the up-charged "non-pre-arrival" price.

My calculations in post #6 are based on the pre-arrival price, as most guests wanting to upgrade have already ordered their tickets before arrival.

If a guest buys a ticket while AT Disney World, and wants to upgrade that ticket, the upgrade cost should be figured based on the "in-person" (after arrival "non-pre-arrival") price.

 

[Robo]

A few days later my wife decided to do the same upgrade, and I mentioned at the very beginning about the pre-arrival price. The CM nodded saying that's what she was in the process of doing, then came back with the right amount right off the bat. Perhaps "pre-arrival" is the same thing as bridging...?

Nope.
"Pre-arrival" is not the same thing as "bridging."
However, the reason the CM was using the correct numbers ("pre-arrival" price) for the upgrade is that
CM was doing the upgrade procedure correctly.
A guest should not have to know or use the terms, "pre-arrival price" or "price bridging."
The ticket CMs with proper training will know to do these things automatically.

 

[Michigan_Minnie]

Question. We have a reservation for March. I went to add tickets and in my cart along with my room reservation is an 8 day ticket I did not add. It won’t let me edit that or delete it. In fact, there is an asterisk in my cart at the top of the page. Any ideas???

 

[Robo]

Question. We have a reservation for March. I went to add tickets and in my cart along with my room reservation is an 8 day ticket I did not add. It won’t let me edit that or delete it. In fact, there is an asterisk in my cart at the top of the page. Any ideas???

I'm lost.
Do you not want the 8-day ticket?
If not, what kind of ticket (and how many) do you actually want?
Is your reservation for a package that requires some sort of "minimum ticket" to get a reduced room price?

 

[Dominic Pellittieri]

What is the cheapest way to purchase tickets to the park?

 

[Robo]

What is the cheapest way to purchase tickets to the park?

That depends on how many "days" you want to spend.

If you want 3 or more days at the theme parks,
you can order tickets via one of the many "authorized WDW ticket discounters."

UndercoverTourist.com
Parksavers.com
MapleLeafTickets.com

are just three of the choices.
Compare their prices to make the best choice for the number of days and options you want.

If you want just a one-day or two-day ticket. You must buy those directly from Disney.
Ordering the tickets in advance will be cheaper than buying them at the parks.