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

[lanejudy]

I bought a discounted ticket through UC, and then upgraded to an AP after I started using that ticket. Doing that again would save me a small amount, but I'm concerned that I would then need to make park reservations last minute while on that first trip.

Were you planning to use any of the AP discounts on the Sept. visit? If not, you can upgrade at the end of your trip -- on the day you use the last park entry -- without needing to deal with theme park reservations for that trip. But if you want to use the discounts or perks of the AP, your options are 1) buy direct from WDW and make the theme park reservations in advance, or 2) buy a regular ticket from UT to upgrade on arrival and make the theme park reservations immediately (usually the ticket agent will offer to help with that).

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Hi everyone! Here's a situation I'd love some insight on.

I was in Disney this past February. We went to the parks with base tickets and first entered the parks on February 18, 2024. On the last day of our trip, we decided we may upgrade to Annual Passes (Sorcerers Passes as we are Disney Vacation Club members). Guest Relations was having MANY problems, as their ticketing system kept going down. The Cast Member seemed a bit frazzled because of this, but was also maybe not super knowledgeable about the Annual Pass system too when it came to the Disney Vacation Club side of things (which is important to this story).

We were initially asking questions about pricing and dates for upgrading our passes prior to deciding whether or not we would do so. I asked the Cast Member when our passes would expire, assuming she would say February 17, 2025. Instead, she said that they would expire on February 18, 2025. I clarified and said, "Do you mean they stop working on February 18, 2025, since we first used our initial tickets on February 18, 2024?" She said, "No, you can enter the parks on February 18, 2025 for the last time." I mentioned how that was weird, but it was kind of like an "extra bonus day" because based on what she was saying, you got the passes for one year + one day. This ultimately convinced us to buy the pass, because my birthday is February 18th and we figured we could get into the parks on February 18, 2025 for another birthday trip (this past year on my birthday, it POURED from park open to park close, so I was hoping for a redo).

Well, I just booked flights yesterday and happened to go into my My Disney Experience app. I took a look at my tickets...and they expire February 17, 2025. I am feeling frustrated because I wouldn't have booked my trip for the dates I did (and maybe wouldn't have even upgraded to an Annual Pass) if I was told they expired on February 17, 2025. I know that the one day difference seems trivial, but my parents also booked their flights to go down and spend my actual birthday in Disney with me....and now it looks like I don't have passes to get into the parks to even be able to do that.

I chatted with someone on the Disney website, but they said I will need to call the Annual Passholder help desk. I won't be able to call until after work and am panicking a bit.

What do you think my chances are of them extending my passes an extra day in this situation?

You can try calling and explain the situation as you did here. They might be able to help.

 

[DisMomNCM]

You can try calling and explain the situation as you did here. They might be able to help.

I did call, and they did help!

 

[Turn the Page]

Hello all. I am still confused as to the ticket expiration dates. Theme park tickets are no longer valid for the length of your resort stay, correct? So, if I am staying for 6 days and purchase 2 day park tickets starting on 8/27 they will only be valid until 8/30 even if I have a water park entry left on them?

 

[lanejudy]

Hello all. I am still confused as to the ticket expiration dates. Theme park tickets are no longer valid for the length of your resort stay, correct? So, if I am staying for 6 days and purchase 2 day park tickets starting on 8/27 they will only be valid until 8/30 even if I have a water park entry left on them?

Did you book a package? If so, your 2-day ticket can be used any time during the length of stay.

If purchased separately from the resort booking, 2-day base or PH tickets have a 4-day use window so starting 8/27 must be used on or before 8/30. Adding the water parks or PH+ option extends that 1 more day, so through 8/31.

 

[Turn the Page]

Did you book a package? If so, your 2-day ticket can be used any time during the length of stay.

If purchased separately from the resort booking, 2-day base or PH tickets have a 4-day use window so starting 8/27 must be used on or before 8/30. Adding the water parks or PH+ option extends that 1 more day, so through 8/31.

We are DVC members staying on points so no, it wasn't a package.

Adding PH+ extends the expiration date by a day? I did not realize that but if so then that solves our problem.

Thank you for the info.

 

[mickeymom629]

I know you were told this last fall. However, I'm not sure that it's accurate, which is really unfortunate because I know you activated vouchers before you were ready to do so. I still believe Gold AP vouchers are eligible to be activated. I recently found this calendar of block-out dates for various older APs, and there would be no reason for this to be updated into May 2025 if the older vouchers are not eligible to be activated and WDW was forcing all of those to be upgraded to new APs.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/passes/calendar/gold-annual-pass/

Thanks for this. I will be calling Disney and DVC to see why I was told I needed to activate my vouchers last year.

However, I did go to Epcot GR at International Gateway on our October 2023 trip and that is where the cm changed the vouchers into APs. It was a complicated ordeal for her. If they didn't need to be changed to Sorcerer's pass, you would have thought she would know that. She was not the first cm to tell me that. I had been on the phone with DVC 2 or 3 times with different castmembers before our trip.

 

[mickeymom629]

I know you were told this last fall. However, I'm not sure that it's accurate, which is really unfortunate because I know you activated vouchers before you were ready to do so. I still believe Gold AP vouchers are eligible to be activated. I recently found this calendar of block-out dates for various older APs, and there would be no reason for this to be updated into May 2025 if the older vouchers are not eligible to be activated and WDW was forcing all of those to be upgraded to new APs.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/passes/calendar/gold-annual-pass/

So, I called DVC. They told me to call Disney ticketing who transfered me to Passholder line who transferred me to ticketing guest services team... All told me that anyone who has a voucher for a legacy pass will have to pay the difference to get it for an AP that is currently available. None of them knew why that legacy calendar was on the website.

Every cast member I spoke with today (4) told me the same thing and the last cast member put me on hold for a long time while she checked with her manager. No Gold voucher is able to be activated as is and anyone who activates them will need to pay the difference.

There was one cast member along the way that thought the extension might be through 12/31/24 now, but she was the only one who said this. So, maybe some people will have luck activating their old voucher without cost through the end of this year if that was true.

 

[curcio]

If I purchase an annual pass for my daughter(9) who turns 10 during the duration of the pass, will I need to change/pay more at any point to convert it to an adult pass or does it remain a child's pass?

 

[lanejudy]

If I purchase an annual pass for my daughter(9) who turns 10 during the duration of the pass, will I need to change/pay more at any point to convert it to an adult pass or does it remain a child's pass?

She'll be fine. WDW only sells 1 priced AP for ages 3+. There is no discounted child's AP.

 

[bgula]

We've been AP holders for so long, I'm now not sure the answer to this question. I just bought 2-day PH tickets for my one son and my father as we're going for a short visit. They are linked into my MDE account, but how do they enter the park? Do we have to go to GS and get them a physical ticket to scan at entry?

 

[CarolynFH]

We've been AP holders for so long, I'm now not sure the answer to this question. I just bought 2-day PH tickets for my one son and my father as we're going for a short visit. They are linked into my MDE account, but how do they enter the park? Do we have to go to GS and get them a physical ticket to scan at entry?

If they have MBs they can simply tap at the park entrance. If they don't have MBs, they can get key cards at the Disney resort (if you're staying in one) or at the park entrance. Going to GR or to any ticket booth (including the ones at Disney Springs) before your first park entry will be courteous to other guests behind you in line at the tapstyles. If you get the cards at the first tapstyle, you'll have to show the ticket confirmations as printouts or on your cellphone.

Edited to clarify - if you're staying at a Disney resort and they don't have MBs, their room key cards will be Key to the World cards, serving as room keys and park tickets in one. They'll also work for entering LLs, etc. just like a MB.

 

[dnp]

Think I already know the answer to this but I’ll ask anyway. Heading down to Orlando this weekend for a few days and we plan to do two days at the parks (likely one day at MK and one day at Universal). I know that deals on one-day tickets are virtually non-existent, but what is my best bet to at least get the beat possible deal for 1-day tickets? Undercover Tourist?

 

[lanejudy]

what is my best bet to at least get the beat possible deal for 1-day tickets?

Direct from WDW, online. To my knowledge nobody offers discounted 1-day tickets, and the resellers may actually cost more.

 

[bgula]

If they have MBs they can simply tap at the park entrance. If they don't have MBs, they can get key cards at the Disney resort (if you're staying in one) or at the park entrance. Going to GR or to any ticket booth (including the ones at Disney Springs) before your first park entry will be courteous to other guests behind you in line at the tapstyles. If you get the cards at the first tapstyle, you'll have to show the ticket confirmations as printouts or on your cellphone.

Edited to clarify - if you're staying at a Disney resort and they don't have MBs, their room key cards will be Key to the World cards, serving as room keys and park tickets in one. They'll also work for entering LLs, etc. just like a MB.

Yeah, no MB's and not staying at a resort, so I guess we'll be stopping at ticket booth or GS. Thought there might be an easier way nowadays. Thanks for the info.

 

[dnp]

Direct from WDW, online. To my knowledge nobody offers discounted 1-day tickets, and the resellers may actually cost more.

Thank you! The cost for a 1-day ticket is insane, especially for a large family.

 

[Wood Nymph]

Yeah, no MB's and not staying at a resort, so I guess we'll be stopping at ticket booth or GS. Thought there might be an easier way nowadays. Thanks for the info.

You don't have to go to guest services or a ticket booth. If you can see their tickets on your MDE account, then you just have to scan to each ticket when you enter the park. The CM at the gate will load their tickets onto a card for them to use the rest of the trip. You can also take a screenshot of their tickets and send them the picture for park entry.

 

[lanejudy]

They are linked into my MDE account, but how do they enter the park? Do we have to go to GS and get them a physical ticket to scan at entry?

As PP suggests, since their tickets are linked to your MDE you can use the phone. I don't know if each of the visitors can use their own phones unless you want them to be logging in through your MDE account.

 

[CarolynFH]

You don't have to go to guest services or a ticket booth. If you can see their tickets on your MDE account, then you just have to scan to each ticket when you enter the park. The CM at the gate will load their tickets onto a card for them to use the rest of the trip. You can also take a screenshot of their tickets and send them the picture for park entry.

As PP suggests, since their tickets are linked to your MDE you can use the phone. I don't know if each of the visitors can use their own phones unless you want them to be logging in through your MDE account.

I suggested visiting GR or a ticket booth to get the cards as a courtesy to guests behind them in line, since issuing the cards for the two guests will take longer than scanning in with card or MB. IOW, getting cards at the tapstyle is an option, but so is visiting GR or a ticket booth.

 

[LKoslosky1109]

Ticket question - I have "6-day Magic Your Way Base Tickets" for our trip in October. Do I need park reservations for this type of park ticket?