Upgrading from a PH to an Annual Pass -- is value of PH "bridged" to full gate price?

[JudyS]

My husband and I bought discounted Park Hoppers, hoping that the full gate price of the Park Hoppers could be applied to Annual Passes.

Today, we used our discounted Park Hoppers to enter Epcot, and then went to Guest Relations inside Epcot to do the upgrade.

First, we asked if the Park Hoppers could be applied to the cost of an Annual Pass renewal. We were told that tickets could not be used at all towards an Annual Pass renewal. However, the Cast Member said she could refund the price we paid for the Park Hoppers, since they had only been used for today, and apply the refund to the cost of an Annual Pass renewal. We said no thanks.

Instead, we asked to upgrade the Park Hoppers to new Annual Passes. The Cast Member said sure. But, the price she quoted us for the upgrade was the difference between the discounted price we paid and the cost of APs, rather than the full gate value of the Park Hoppers and the cost of APs. I asked if the value of the discounted Park Hoppers could "be bridged" to the gate price when calculating the cost of the upgrade. The Cast Member said no, only the "pre-arrival price" could be given as a credit when calculating the cost of the new APs. She said "bridging" was only done for adding additional days to a ticket, not when upgrading to an AP.

In the past, we were always given the full gate value when upgrading discounted Park Hoppers to APs. We did this last just last year -- March 2017. Is there a new policy about this, with only the discounted price being applied to Park Hoppers? Or, was this cast member misinformed and we should try again somewhere else?

TIA! (I checked the sticky on tickets, but couldn't find the answer to my question.)

 

[supersnoop]

Where did you buy the original tickets?

 

[Robo]

1. My husband and I bought discounted Park Hoppers, hoping that the full gate price of the Park Hoppers could be applied to Annual Passes.

Today, we used our discounted Park Hoppers to enter Epcot, and then went to Guest Relations inside Epcot to do the upgrade.

First, we asked if the Park Hoppers could be applied to the cost of an Annual Pass renewal.
2. We were told that tickets could not be used at all towards an Annual Pass renewal. However,
3. the Cast Member said she could refund the price we paid for the Park Hoppers, since they had only been used for today, and apply the refund to the cost of an Annual Pass renewal. We said no thanks.

Instead, we asked to upgrade the Park Hoppers to new Annual Passes. The Cast Member said sure.
4. But, the price she quoted us for the upgrade was the difference between the discounted price we paid and the cost of APs,
5. rather than the full gate value of the Park Hoppers and the cost of APs.
6. I asked if the value of the discounted Park Hoppers could "be bridged" to the gate price when calculating the cost of the upgrade.
7. The Cast Member said no, only the "pre-arrival price" could be given as a credit when calculating the cost of the new APs.
8. She said "bridging" was only done for adding additional days to a ticket, not when upgrading to an AP.

9. In the past, we were always given the full gate value when upgrading discounted Park Hoppers to APs. We did this last just last year -- March 2017.
10. Is there a new policy about this, with only the discounted price being applied to Park Hoppers?
11. Or, was this cast member misinformed
12. and we should try again somewhere else?
TIA!
13. (I checked the sticky on tickets, but couldn't find the answer to my question.)

1. When and from whom did you buy the discounted tickets?
2. Odd.
3. How would the CM know how much you paid for your discounted tickets?
4. How would the CM know how much you paid for your discounted tickets?
5. It is important to know when and from whom you bought the discounted tickets.
6. That's not always the way it works since Feb. 12 of 2017.
7. Hmmm.
8. Hmmm.
9. Things changed since Feb. 12 of 2017.
10. Not specifically in that regard.
11. Let's say "confused."
12. Yes. But, you need tp know how much value to expect from your tickets before you try to upgrade.
13. The ticket sticky has a section (HERE) about upgrading and cost.

 

[Robo]

Where did you buy the original tickets?

And... WHEN?

 

[sjlogghe]

Doesn't seem very odd to me ... they're using the price you paid. If they "bridged" and used the non-discounted price, they'd essentially be giving you part of the annual pass for free. Or am I missing something??

If I buy something at discounted price, go to return or exchange it, they don't give me the full price back - they give me the actual amount I paid for it back.

 

[eeyoresmom]

Not the OP but I bought a slightly discounted myw for DS from UT. We will upgrade it to an AP once there since he has a September trip booked now as well. We purchased the UT ticket last month. Will this ticket be bridged? As DVC members we have done this several times throughout the year, just making sure nothing has changed recently.

Doesn't seem very odd to me ... they're using the price you paid. If they "bridged" and used the non-discounted price, they'd essentially be giving you part of the annual pass for free. Or am I missing something??

If I buy something at discounted price, go to return or exchange it, they don't give me the full price back - they give me the actual amount I paid for it back.

This bridging is (was?) done in the past after a ticket was used and a guest wanted to upgrade it to a longer or more expensive pass. Hopefully it still is.

 

[JudyS]

Thanks very much for all the replies.

We bought the tickets two days ago from Undercover Tourist.

Doesn't seem very odd to me ... they're using the price you paid. If they "bridged" and used the non-discounted price, they'd essentially be giving you part of the annual pass for free. Or am I missing something??

If I buy something at discounted price, go to return or exchange it, they don't give me the full price back - they give me the actual amount I paid for it back.

I agree that "bridging" is an unusual, and generous, policy. In the past, though, this was Disney policy, and had been for a long time. I'm just not sure what the policy is now.

What changes were made on Feb. 12. 2017? The last time we were able to get a discounted ticket "bridged" was after that -- March 2017. Maybe when we upgraded, Disney applied the older policy as a one-time courtesy? Is there a thread here with information on the Feb. 12. 2017 changes?

Thanks!

 

[subtchr]

I'm just curious about the renewal vs. new AP for you -- do you have a current AP that is up for renewal? If so, why would you buy a new one?

 

[mousestruck]

We did this upgrade in November 2017. I bought non-expiring PHs before last year’s ticket increase and was expecting the tickets to be bridged to the pre-increase gate price, according to the updated policy. I was pleasantly surprised when the CM bridged the tickets to current gate price.

However, upgrading is hit or miss. We’ve done this several times and have a different experience each time. This forum is usually on target with updated policy. I recommend doing the math ahead of time and waiting for a CM who honors it. If necessary, ask for a manager or go to another Guest Services.

Good luck!

 

[disneyvoice]

I'm super confused.

If you already have APs (hence asking about applying a previously purchased ticket to a renewal) why did you buy Park Hoppers? As far as I can see Park Hopping is included in all APs. Likewise if you already have APs why would you purchase new APs just because you can't apply the cost of the Park Hoppers toward the renewal? Won't the additional cost of the new APs, even with the "credit" for the Park Hoppers still be more expensive than the cost of renewing?

Am I missing something or did you specifically purchase Park Hoppers that you don't need solely as a means of trying to get a "discounted price" to your AP renewal?

 

[jsmla]

I almost always have an unused park hopper (from Free Dining) that I put toward my AP renewal. Those tickets are purchased through Disney though. I last did this in August '17.

 

[Miffy]

I don't know all the particulars of your situation, but it's possible you've experienced something similar to what happened to me last month. I had an UT PH that I upgraded to an AP at Guest Services in DAK. Later, I looked at the price I paid and it just seemed wrong. So I went to GS in MK the next day and asked and they assured me the price I paid was correct.

Still not sure they were right, I posted on the ticket thread here and got a TON of assistance from Robo (thank you again, Robo!) and I was able to calculate the correct price--which was about $60 less than what I'd been charged.

Armed with the particulars, I went back to GS at DAK and asked very nicely if I could get a refund for the overage I'd paid. I was told that their computer system was infallible, and even after the CM went "into the back" and supposedly discussed this with a higher-up, I was still told that, no, they were right and I was wrong. The amount they'd charged me was correct.

Except . . . it wasn't. Robo gave me the telephone # of the ticket specialists at WDW and told me that many people have had a good experience with having the ticket price rectified after they've returned from their trip.

Here's the phone info:
WDW Ticketing at
(407) 566-4985 (option 5)
Hours: 8:30am-4:30pm ET Mon-Sat

So I called after we got home, and in fact, my calculations per Robo's instructions, were correct, the CM I spoke to on the phone knew this, and I was refunded the overcharge.

There are many different scenarios with ticket purchases and upgrades, and some of them depend on when you bought your ticket. Read the ticket thread carefully, run your numbers, and see what you come up with. Also, remember that not all CMs are specialists in ticket pricing. None of the 3 CMs I dealt with on my last trip knew what was instantly apparent to the ticket specialist CM I spoke with on the phone.

HTH! And good luck!

Note: The thread about tickets and upgrades is the second sticky post on the Theme Parks forum.

 

[Robo]

1. We bought the tickets two days ago from Undercover Tourist.
2. What changes were made on Feb. 12. 2017? The last time we were able to get a discounted ticket "bridged" was after that -- March 2017.
3. Maybe when we upgraded, Disney applied the older policy as a one-time courtesy?
4. Is there a thread here with information on the Feb. 12. 2017 changes?

1. OK. That pinpoints the upgrade value. (See #13 in my first reply.)
2. That info is in the ticket sticky and I gave you the link in my first reply (See #13.)
3. Quite possible.
4. I gave you that link in my first reply (See #13.)

 

[Robo]

Doesn't seem very odd to me ... they're using the price you paid. If they "bridged" and used the non-discounted price, they'd essentially be giving you part of the annual pass for free. Or am I missing something??

If I buy something at discounted price, go to return or exchange it, they don't give me the full price back - they give me the actual amount I paid for it back.

There are specific reasons that Disney created and uses "price bridging" in ticket upgrades.

The main one is because Disney does not know how much a guest has paid for discounted tickets if bought from an authorized ticket discounter/reseller.

 

[Robo]

Not the OP but I bought a slightly discounted myw for DS from UT. We will upgrade it to an AP once there since he has a September trip booked now as well. We purchased the UT ticket last month.
1. Will this ticket be bridged? As DVC members we have done this several times throughout the year,
2. just making sure nothing has changed recently.
3. This bridging is (was?) done in the past after a ticket was used and a guest wanted to upgrade it to a longer or more expensive pass.
4. Hopefully it still is.

1. Yes.
2. Nope.
3. No need to USE a ticket before upgrading. You CAN use it a bit before upgrading if you like,
but it won't affect the cost or ability to upgrade one way or the other.
4. Yup.

 

[Robo]

We did this upgrade in November 2017. I bought non-expiring PHs before last year’s ticket increase and was expecting the tickets to be bridged to the pre-increase gate price, according to the updated policy. I was pleasantly surprised when the CM bridged the tickets to current gate price.

However, upgrading is hit or miss. We’ve done this several times and have a different experience. This forum is usually on target with updated policy. I recommend doing the math ahead of time and waiting for a CM who honors it. If necessary, ask for a manager or go to another Guest Services.

Agreed.

 

[Robo]

I almost always have an unused park hopper (from Free Dining) that I put toward my AP renewal. Those tickets are purchased through Disney though. I last did this in August '17.

Doesn't matter from whom you bought the tickets.
They can be applied to APs and AP renewals.
That's why Disney created "price bridging."

 

[Robo]

I-Am I missing something or did you specifically purchase Park Hoppers that you don't need solely as a means of trying to get a "discounted price" to your AP renewal?

That would be a good way to save some money on APs or AP renewals.
As long as the timing was correct.

 

[Robo]

Note: The thread about tickets and upgrades is the second sticky post on the Theme Parks forum.

Just a note that while the the Sticky Posts are at the top of this forum, they change ORDER all the time.

 

[ravenclawtrekkie]

The distinction between gate price and prearrival price DOES matter when upgrading to an AP.

Prearrival rates for 3-10 day tickets are $21.30 less than the price at the gate (tax included), and it’s the price you’d pay for the ticket directly from Disney online or over the phone.

“Net rate” AKA 3rd party seller Tickets being upgraded to AP should only be bridged to the prearrival rate for the time period in which they were issued to the 3rd party seller, not to the gate price with the additional $21.30 added. That additional bridge to “gate” IS done when adding days or options (PH/PHP). The logic behind this is that the guest would have received the prearrival discount had they just bought more days/PH/PHP to begin with, so they get to preserve it, but since APs have no prearrival discount, that is not preserved in that kind of upgrade.

I’m on my phone so I’m sorry if I’ve not explained this super well.

Without seeing your exact ticket, I can’t say whether or not the CM was correct otherwise.