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

[champagne&disney]

It was my understanding that from January 9th, an AP holder will be able to park-hop at any time of day, the only restriction being that you would have to enter your reserved park first before hopping (assuming it wasn't a good-to-go day). And that the 2 pm restriction for entry to a hopped park would apply only if the AP holder has no park reservation. Although the Saturday and Sunday MK AP restrictions would still apply. Have I misunderstood this? Or perhaps gotten my info from an unreliable source?

I wrote to WDW a couple months ago, pointing out that an Incredi-Pass holder staying on-site is tantamount to a date-based ticket holder. That is, Disney knows when you'll be there. It's not like you're showing up unexpectedly. I thought they'd change the rules, but, alas, they have only slightly amended them.

I'll be interested to see how making G+ selections at a non-reserved park will work for AP holders after January 9th.

From the source: https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...pper-access-coming-back-to-walt-disney-world/

“On days when theme park reservations are required for Annual Passholders and certain non-dated tickets, Passholders and guests will be able to take advantage of the updates to Park Hopper access after visiting their first park.* For example, if a Passholder has a reservation at EPCOT and enters the park at 9 a.m. for a quick ride or two, they can then head to another park right after.

And there is even more news for Passholders! “Good-to-go days” will begin sometime in January! With “good-to-go days,” the theme park reservation calendar will be updated periodically and will show Passholders select days when they may visit a Disney World theme park without needing a theme park reservation (blockout dates will continue to apply like they do today).”

 

[lanejudy]

It was my understanding that from January 9th, an AP holder will be able to park-hop at any time of day, the only restriction being that you would have to enter your reserved park first before hopping (assuming it wasn't a good-to-go day). And that the 2 pm restriction for entry to a hopped park would apply only if the AP holder has no park reservation. Although the Saturday and Sunday MK AP restrictions would still apply. Have I misunderstood this? Or perhaps gotten my info from an unreliable source?

It is true that as of Jan. 9th the 2pm park-hopping restriction will be lifted. I have not seen any update to the theme park reservation rules, though. A theme park reservation has never been required for hopping from another park. The rules still require an AP to have a theme park reservation to enter a park prior to 2pm with exception of dates designated as "good to go." Whether that changes remains to be seen...

 

[Wood Nymph]

Can anyone confirm what the current rule is. I'd prefer not to have to go to Guest Relations if it isn't necessary, but I also don't want go directly to the park entrance and get denied entry.

Forth AP question... there will be 6 people in our traveling party with 5 out of the 6 having their own AP's. When we're at a table service restaurant can all 6 of us be put on one check and get the 10% discount? I read somewhere that an AP holder can only add 3 other people to their check for the 10% discount. But if we all have AP's can't we just put everyone on one check? Seems more of a pain for the Cast Member to split up the checks if it doesn't need to be.

Thanks! Any other tips for getting the most out of your AP would be appreciated!

1. My sister bought an Annual Pass earlier this year and used it for the 1st time in September. She was able to enter the parks without having to activate it. In fact, she went to Guest Services to get a plastic AP card but they said they weren't giving them out anymore.

4. The AP discount will be applied to the entire dining party if the AP holder is paying for the entire group. But if one of the diners doesn't have an AP and wants to pay separately, then they won't get the discount.

 

[Josh125]

For 2024? No dates have been released. I think I read last week a bunch were released for this month though.

Gotcha, thanks. Yes, I was looking at Feb 2024 but it sounds like they are being released nearly in real time so to speak.

 

[hes122]

I currently have a 4 day PH ticket that I'm using in November (attached to a package). There's a possibility that I may go with my sister's family in March and then with a friend in May when she's in Orlando for a conference. As long as there is still an active day on the November ticket I can upgrade it to an AP, correct? My quick math (price of a current AP - price of my current ticket) says it's $859.50 to upgrade (would not get the photo pass option).

Approximate total of November & May trips (priced separately) - $1100 (no sense in upgrading)
Approximate total of November & March trips (priced separately)- $1440 (iffy, but other associated discounts could make upgrading worth it)
Approximate total of all three trips (priced separately) - $1850 (definitely upgrade)

Am I missing anything here?

 

[lanejudy]

As long as there is still an active day on the November ticket I can upgrade it to an AP, correct?

...and it isn't past the expiration date. I can't tell from your post if you intend to upgrade the ticket during your November visit or thought you might hold 1 day unused and upgrade it later. You'll need to do the upgrade to AP in November (or prior) on or before the date you use the late entitlement (the last park entry). You have until park-close that day to upgrade.

 

[hes122]

...and it isn't past the expiration date. I can't tell from your post if you intend to upgrade the ticket during your November visit or thought you might hold 1 day unused and upgrade it later. You'll need to do the upgrade to AP in November (or prior) on or before the date you use the late entitlement (the last park entry). You have until park-close that day to upgrade.

Yes, I should have clarified. I would upgrade it while I was there (and before I entered the park on our last park day).

 

[SquashBanana]

Just had several APs purchased through shades of green. Are they "gate ready" or do they have to be activated at a GS station before going to the gate?

 

[LuckyMamaInDE]

I just received an email reminding me that my annual pass would be expiring soon and to renew it. The problem is, I purchased the annual pass in April of this year and have not yet activated it! My MDE now shows an expiration date of Oct 28 2023.

Has this happened to anyone? I assume I'll need to call, but is there an AP-specific prompt somewhere in the phone heck that is Disney? Or do I just choose the ticketing option?

 

[CarolynFH]

I just received an email reminding me that my annual pass would be expiring soon and to renew it. The problem is, I purchased the annual pass in April of this year and have not yet activated it! My MDE now shows an expiration date of Oct 28 2023.

Has this happened to anyone? I assume I'll need to call, but is there an AP-specific prompt somewhere in the phone heck that is Disney? Or do I just choose the ticketing option?

The Passholder number is 407-939-7277. Good luck!

 

[LuckyMamaInDE]

The Passholder number is 407-939-7277. Good luck!

Thank you! Will call tomorrow

 

[gmi3804]

Just had several APs purchased through shades of green. Are they "gate ready" or do they have to be activated at a GS station before going to the gate?

They're gate ready, provided you don't have any other tickets linked to your name. If there are, you'll need to visit Guest Relations to have them prioritize which pass to use; you can't do this on your own.

 

[MinnieMSue]

1. My sister bought an Annual Pass earlier this year and used it for the 1st time in September. She was able to enter the parks without having to activate it. In fact, she went to Guest Services to get a plastic AP card but they said they weren't giving them out anymore.

Interesting as we purchased asses at Springs and they gave us the Passholder cards. Maybe they are stopping giving them out as each area runs out of them or something.

 

[gottalovepluto]

When they make you show your AP on a phone does the Magic Mobile AP work if you pick a passholder design?

(I find the whole show on your phone vs card thing hilarious. Like if someone is willing to loan out their AP for a discount they could just as easily log others into their MDE account.)

 

[SquashBanana]

They're gate ready, provided you don't have any other tickets linked to your name. If there are, you'll need to visit Guest Relations to have them prioritize which pass to use; you can't do this on your own.

Thanks. Just for my understanding, military exclusive promotions (i.e. the military salute tickets) are the ones where you must have the the military member present at a ticket window in order to activate -- but tickets and passes available to everyone but are purchased through SOG can be activated just as if you'd purchased them directly through Disney?

 

[gmi3804]

Interesting as we purchased asses at Springs...

Man, that Disney Springs is getting really sleazy!

 

[alohanole]

Thanks. Just for my understanding, military exclusive promotions (i.e. the military salute tickets) are the ones where you must have the the military member present at a ticket window in order to activate -- but tickets and passes available to everyone but are purchased through SOG can be activated just as if you'd purchased them directly through Disney?

The military salute tickets I’ve bought through SOG were activated and gate-ready. All I had to do was link them to MDE and hit the turnstiles!

 

[RebelScum]

Apologies if this has already been asked, but I searched and no results came back. . . We have had annual passes for many years and let them expire in January due to planning less frequent trips going forward. We are in the process of buying regular WDW park tickets for an upcoming trip. We are planning a 6 day trip. If we buy a 6 day park hopper ticket and only use 5 days, what happens to the last day? I get that the actual ticket expires after 10-days (or so) from when the first ticket was used, but do we retain the value of the difference in price between the 5-day and 6-day ticket for use on future ticket purchases?

 

[erionm]

Apologies if this has already been asked, but I searched and no results came back. . . We have had annual passes for many years and let them expire in January due to planning less frequent trips going forward. We are in the process of buying regular WDW park tickets for an upcoming trip. We are planning a 6 day trip. If we buy a 6 day park hopper ticket and only use 5 days, what happens to the last day? I get that the actual ticket expires after 10-days (or so) from when the first ticket was used, but do we retain the value of the difference in price between the 5-day and 6-day ticket for use on future ticket purchases?

After the ticket expires, any value based on unused days is lost.

 

[Mrs~Incredible]

3 quick clarifications-

1. If we purchase AP now, but don’t use/activate until April 1 2024, they are good for a year from April 1, 2024, yes?

2. Can we make park pass reservations before activating the AP?

3. If we instead purchase date based park tickets, they are still allowing you to upgrade to APs before the end of your last day, correct?

Thanks so much!!