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

[Robo]

1. Thanks very much for all the helpful information. I have another question:
2. How do you save tickets from the Free Dining package
3. to be used at a later date with the new ticket structure?

1. Happy to help!
2. After you arrive on the "Free Dining" trip, before you go to any park...
go to any Guest Relations and have the CM set the ticket that you want to use NEXT (in your case, your AP) to the HIGHEST PRIORITY in your MDE file.
That ticket (AP) will be used until it is used up... or until you have another ticket's priority set higher.
-OR-
After you arrive on the "Free Dining" trip, before you go to any park...
go into your MDX account and create a "fake person" in the MDX account.
Then, TRANSFER the "Free Dining" into that "fake person's" account.
Since that "person" will not be going into a park (obviously,) those tickets will not be used.
3. I didn't say that you would USE those saved tickets at a later date.
I suggested to save them and use their value (amount paid for them) in the future to help pay for NEW tickets or APs
at a time when you want to return to WDW.
(Or use their value to help pay for a renewal of a then-current AP.)

 

[ksromack]

We aren't going until May 2020 - from what I understand, if I buy now, my year expiration countdown won't start until I activate AP at the park when we go in May 2020? Or do I need to wait until this May to purchase for next May?

Yes, buy your AP now and activate it when you need to do so...so in your case, May 2020

If I buy now and there is an increase before we go, do we pay the increase? Thinking of buying before Galaxy's Edge comes into play.

I think you are good....you have already purchased your AP at that point and you are just waiting to activate it when you go in 2020.

We already have room only booked for May 2020, if we purchase AP and a discount comes out, can we use the discount for room even though we haven't officially activated the AP?

thanks all, APs are new to us! We are not Florida residents.

I think once your AP is linked in your MDE you are qualified to see AP discounts when searching on the Disney website. You just have to prove you are an AP holder at some point during your trip. I purchased my AP long before we went in October 2018 and was able to book resort with an AP discount. We checked in on a Tuesday and I didn't even activate my AP until later that day. I just had to go to the front desk at some point during the trip to show that I did, indeed, have an AP.

 

[Farro]

Thank you @ksromack !!!

 

[Patrick N]

I have one question. I've read these boards in the past including this particular thread. But it was a while ago, and I hope you forgive me for being unwilling to read all 332 pages again!

From reading here, I think I understand a lot about buying an Annual Pass. I know that if you buy it online you get a voucher and that voucher will not be activated until you present it at the gate for the first park you want to use it at. I also remember reading that these vouchers have no real expiration date, although they're coded to expire in 2030.

That's my only question. Do I understand this all correctly? I ask because I am unable to use an Annual Pass right now, but I will be retiring in 2 or 3 years and I will be traveling a lot then. My thought is to buy an AP now, and activate it then when I will be able to travel to Florida 2 or 3 times per year, and when I would expect the AP price to be a lot higher (based on the recent year increases).

I don't expect any guarantees, but I would very much value the wisdom of the crowd, based on their experience and on Disney past practices.

Would it be unwise to get an AP voucher now, if I don't plan to use it until 3 years from now?

 

[vacationer1954]

We bought our AP voucher in January 2018, right before the February 11 AP price increases. There was another AP price increase on October 14. By the time we activated the voucher, Disney was charging a lot more than we paid, giving us a good return on investment for the 11 months. I don't think purchasing months ahead of time always pays off that much, and spread over a number of years, I think we can rely on some good years for our investment and some not so good years. I don't see any reason to believe that Disney will continue increasing AP prices as much and as frequently as they have been leading up to the opening of Toy Story Land and Galaxy's Edge, and leading up to the other improvements they're doing for the 50th anniversary. (In other words, I think buying AP vouchers long in advance will go back to just being a good investment, not a great investment as it was for those of us who purchased in January 2018.)

 

[JJ2017]

I have heard from three people whose APs expire one day more than a full calendar year. One activated 1/1/2019 and it expires 1/2/2020. One activated 2/18/2018 and it expires 2/19/2019 and one more like this. Is this correct? My two trips planned with one year run:

11/7/2019-11/11/2019
11/4/2020-11/8/2020

With a summer trip planned in between.

If I activate the AP on 11/7/2019 will it def expire 11/8/2020?

Thanks!

 

[Robo]

From reading here, I think I understand a lot about buying an Annual Pass. I know that if you
1. buy it online you get a voucher and that voucher will not be activated until you present it
2. at the gate for the first park you want to use it at.
3. I also remember reading that these vouchers have no real expiration date, although they're coded to expire in 2030.
4. My thought is to buy an AP now, and activate it then when I will be able to travel to Florida 2 or 3 times per year, and when I would expect the AP price to be a lot higher (based on the recent year increases).

I don't expect any guarantees, but I would very much value the wisdom of the crowd, based on their experience and on Disney past practices.

Would it be unwise to get an AP voucher now, if I don't plan to use it until 3 years from now?

1. Yes.
2. Not at the gate, but guests must activate the AP at any guest relations or ticket booth, then they can enter a park gate using the AP.
3. Correct.
4. That will work with the current rules.

 

[Robo]

I have heard from three people whose APs expire one day more than a full calendar year. One activated 1/1/2019 and it expires 1/2/2020. One activated 2/18/2018 and it expires 2/19/2019 and one more like this.
1. Is this correct?
My two trips planned with one year run:
11/7/2019-11/11/2019
11/4/2020-11/8/2020 With a summer trip planned in between.
2. If I activate the AP on 11/7/2019 will it def expire 11/8/2020?

1. That may have happened, (I know that it HAS happened) but it was an ERROR when the CM input the date.
2. An AP activated (used) on 11/7/2019 will expire at the end of the day on 11/7/2020.
It will not be valid for use on 11/8/2020.
The dates are now determined by the WDW computer when a park is entered, so mistaken dates are much more rare than in the past.

BTW, APs do expire one day more than a full calendar year.
But, you need to note that if first use is on, say, 3/7/2015 -and- last use on 3/7/2016
would be 366 days, which IS one day more than a full calendar year.
Leap years even offer one extra day.

 

[JJ2017]

1. That may have happened, (I know that it HAS happened) but it was an ERROR when the CM input the date.
2. An AP activated (used) on 11/7/2019 will expire at the end of the day on 11/7/2020.
It will not be valid for use on 11/8/2020.
The dates are now determined by the WDW computer when a park is entered, so mistaken dates are much more rare than in the past.

BTW, APs do expire one day more than a full calendar year.
But, you need to note that if first use is on, say, 3/7/2015 -and- last use on 3/7/2016
would be 366 days, which IS one day more than a full calendar year.
Leap years even offer one extra day.

Thank you. I knew I shouldn’t have gotten excited!!!

 

[goofy78]

I’m getting ready to purchase my tickets for our trip in May. Can someone confirm I am ok with what I’m going to purchase? Trip dates are May 22-27 2019. Park days are 23, 24, 25 and 26. Flying in very late on the 22 so no park and flying home early the 27 so no park. In choosing the start date of May 20 for a four day park hopper it comes out to 475.01 a ticket. States ticket is valid any four days from May 20- 26. I’ll be able to USE it on the 26 correct?

 

[ton80]

Hello, we are going in June 2019 and have 6 day PH. Being DVC members can we upgrade to GOLD AP anytime during the 6 day use of the PH and get the difference between the AP and the full 6 day PH?

 

[Robo]

Hello, we are going in June 2019 and have 6 day PH. Being DVC members can we upgrade to GOLD AP anytime during the 6 day use of the PH and get the difference between the AP and the full 6 day PH?

Yes.

You can upgrade anytime from before you use the ticket...
up until close-of-business ON the day that you use the last "day" on the ticket.
No difference in upgrade value.

 

[Robo]

I’m getting ready to purchase my tickets for our trip in May. Can someone confirm I am ok with what I’m going to purchase? Trip dates are May 22-27 2019. Park days are 23, 24, 25 and 26. Flying in very late on the 22 so no park and flying home early the 27 so no park. In choosing the start date of May 20 for a four day park hopper it comes out to 475.01 a ticket.

States ticket is valid any four days from May 20- 26.
I’ll be able to USE it on the 26 correct?

Correct.

 

[goofy78]

Correct.

Thank you

 

[DisneyaHolic23]

I tried to read the sticky before posting, but I don't THINK my question was answered in the sticky.
I am attending one of the Disney Summits in June, and buying a multi-day convention ticket. I would love to upgrade to an annual pass IF that is allowed, and if I am able to bridge the tickets.
Here is the part of the sticky that I found that seemed to be applicable; it says one-day passes can't be upgraded, but it does not say if multi-day convention tickets can be upgraded:
Convention tickets
These are only available to people who are attending conventions held on WDW.
Normally purchase is via a web link provided by Disney through the convention's web site for pre-purchase,
or sometimes at the convention itself.
Which version(s) of the Convention Tickets are available for which convention(s) can vary.
Verification of convention attendance may be required.

One Day-After 1PM - Convention ticket allows admission to one park after 1pm, one day.
These tickets may not be upgraded.

One Day-After 5PM - "Twilight Park" Convention ticket allows admission to one park after 5pm, one day.
These tickets may not be upgraded.

Multi-day MYW Convention Ticket is about a 10% savings from the regular MYW prices and includes one Water Park or "Fun" option visit.
** SO, my questions are:
1) Can a multi-day convention ticket be upgraded?
2) If so, is the cost of the upgrade based on what I actually paid for the convention ticket or what the ticket would be worth at full price?
Thank you for any information!!!!!

 

[mousestruck]

We're planning to upgrade our 5-Day park hoppers (the new date-based tickets), purchased from UT, to Gold DVC annual passes. Can someone please check my math?

Price of 5-Day park hoppers on Disney's website: $511 (including tax)
DVC Gold AP: $649 (including tax)
Cost to Upgrade: $138

I'm calculating the cost based on the price that Disney sells the ticket direct (as calculated on its website), not the price I paid UT. Is that correct? I know that the CM can see the price that UT paid for the ticket and may want to charge me the difference between that cost and the current ticket price - which would amount to a lot more money. I want to make sure I'm prepared with the right policy and information. The upgrade process can be so stressful!!!

 

[Connecticute]

I have a magic band/ticket question. We're going next month, staying at the Swan. We arrive on Monday and have park hopper tickets that we'll mix in with some non-park days. We're leaving on Saturday morning, and decided to try something different for our last night and we booked the Contemporary. I filled out the form to personalize our magic bands, so I know we're supposed to get them. My question is if they'll link our tickets to the bands, even though we're not technically staying on site until after our last day in the park. We have enough time until our trip that they'll mail our travel documents, will that include our magic bands? And will we be able to use the magic bands for our park days, even if we're not on site until after we're done in the park?

 

[Robo]

1) Can a multi-day convention ticket be upgraded?
2) If so, is the cost of the upgrade based on what I actually paid for the convention ticket or what the ticket would be worth at full price?
Thank you for any information!!!!!

1) Likely, but not always.
2) What you paid.
So, if you intend to upgrade, it might make sense to just buy the ticket that you ultimately want to begin-with.

 

[Robo]

We're planning to upgrade our 5-Day park hoppers (the new date-based tickets), purchased from UT, to Gold DVC annual passes. Can someone please check my math?

A. Price of 5-Day park hoppers on Disney's website: $511 (including tax)
B. DVC Gold AP: $649 (including tax)
C. Cost to Upgrade: $138

I'm calculating the cost based on the price that Disney sells the ticket direct (as calculated on its website), not the price I paid UT.
1. Is that correct?
2. I know that the CM can see the price that UT paid for the ticket and may want to charge me the difference between that cost and the current ticket price - which would amount to a lot more money.
3. I want to make sure I'm prepared with the right policy and information.
4. The upgrade process can be so stressful!!!

A. If that's the price quoted on the WDW site for YOUR date. (You didn't state your dates.)
B. If that's the price quoted on the WDW site.
C. Yes. (If the prices you quoted are correct.)

1. Correct.
2. Yup.
3. Good plan.
4. Sometimes, yes.

 

[Robo]

I have a magic band/ticket question. We're going next month, staying at the Swan. We arrive on Monday and have park hopper tickets that we'll mix in with some non-park days. We're leaving on Saturday morning, and decided to try something different for our last night and we booked the Contemporary. I filled out the form to personalize our magic bands, so I know we're supposed to get them. My question is if they'll link our tickets to the bands, even though we're not technically staying on site until after our last day in the park. We have enough time until our trip that they'll mail our travel documents, will that include our magic bands? And will we be able to use the magic bands for our park days, even if we're not on site until after we're done in the park?

MagicBands are sent separately.
Assuming that your tickets are stand-alone tickets (not bought as part of a resort package)
and are date-valid during your entire trip,
once your tickets are shown in your MDX account, they can be accessed using your MagicBands,
regardless of where you are staying.