Issues with 3rd Party Tickets

[RSoxNo1]

I have an authorized 3rd party ticket dealer that I have used previously to save money on tickets. For the first time in a while I'm looking at getting a park hopper for length of stay instead of an annual pass. However, it's possible that things would change by the time the trip happens.

Here's the time frame:

• Late July: But a 7 day hopper this month from authorized 3rd party site
• Mid August: Make Fastpass+ reservations linking 7 day hopper to MDE account
• Mid September: Trip, and potential upgrade to annual pass

I had read that Disney will no longer allow guests to upgrade tickets purchased from a 3rd party site? I believe @lentesta had this information. Is this true? Is it that they won't let you upgrade at all, or you will have to pay the discounted amount as well making it a net savings of $0?

I also assume that if we upgrade to an AP while we're there that we would both get gray magic bands (This is fine, I don't see myself wearing one).

 

[Tom]

I have an authorized 3rd party ticket dealer that I have used previously to save money on tickets. For the first time in a while I'm looking at getting a park hopper for length of stay instead of an annual pass. However, it's possible that things would change by the time the trip happens.

Here's the time frame:

• Late July: But a 7 day hopper this month from authorized 3rd party site
• Mid August: Make Fastpass+ reservations linking 7 day hopper to MDE account
• Mid September: Trip, and potential upgrade to annual pass

I had read that Disney will no longer allow guests to upgrade tickets purchased from a 3rd party site? I believe @lentesta had this information. Is this true? Is it that they won't let you upgrade at all, or you will have to pay the discounted amount as well making it a net savings of $0?

I also assume that if we upgrade to an AP while we're there that we would both get gray magic bands (This is fine, I don't see myself wearing one).

First, I also recall Len talking about something like that on a recent podcast. But I can't remember if it was as you suggested, where you lose the discount. Regardless, I have not heard anything that says you can't upgrade a 3rd party ticket, since they ARE real tickets, just sold through wholesalers.

As for the MBs, you'll get the pair you customize in August. And then, when you convert to the APs you will likely get gray bands with the AP gizmo on it. But you'll have the originals, which still tie to your MDE account and should also tie to your AP credentials.

 

[cw1982]

I thought I had read on another thread that you could still upgrade, but that you wouldn't get full credit for the amount you paid, only the amount that the third party had paid to Disney, which would mean you'd end up paying more for the AP than you would have if you just bought it outright.

Edit: @roj2323 seems to have provided a link to what I was thinking about here, and it's not quite the way I said it above. Scroll to the bottom of the link two posts down for clarification about the pricing.

As far as the band thing, people have said on other threads that you'll go online and customize those and they will be shipped to you as well. You won't automatically get gray ones the day you upgrade. I'll search and see if I can find the thread where I read all that...

 

[cw1982]

Here's the thread where I read about the process of getting AP magic bands after upgrading... that wasn't the focus of the discussion, but it's not super long so you should find what I was talking about pretty easily:

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/so-let-me-get-this-straight.885932/

 

[roj2323]

couple of things.

• Save your recites If you have any issues with the tickets not being activated or cross-linked you need the recites for proof of purchase.

• WDW was having major issues with cross linked 3rd party tickets. In some cases entire groups of tickets showed up on the iPads/iPods as the same ticket. This is getting sorted out now but it is a possibility.

• For the love of all things magical please read the back of the cards to see which ones are for the kids. The cards should say (3-9) in the lower center of the card or (Adult). Once you have the cards sorted write names on the back. The cards will be tied to your finger so only you can use it after your first entry so putting names on the cards is important.

• Take a picture of the back of each card with your cell phone. This will help you get a replacement card if you loose one. Make sure you can read the number on the card in the photo.

• When you use your media for the first time make sure you place your finger all the way in and flat on the biometric reader and do not push down. 90% or better of the failed readings are because people push down too hard. Relax you're on vacation. Adults should use their right index finger and kids (if they need it - they usually don't) should use their thumb as it reads better.

• Bonus info - You can scan both your finger and your media at the same time. Doing this will save you time and keep you from confusing which finger you should use. Do not cross your arms as it only confuses the biometric readers. If doing both at the same time is not possible for you touch your media to Mickey until the white light start spinning faster then switch to the finger reader.

As for upgrading tickets

touringplans . com has some info on upgrading 3rd party tickets at the bottom of this page: http://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/ticket-calculator#

 

[MissingDisney]

I have used 3rd party tickets several times with no issues in linking them or making FP+ plans. No problem with finger scans or sorting out tickets. In the past we've added a day or 2 for a very small fee and it was no problem. I don't know about upgrading to an AP but this last time we were going to add 1 day to our 8 day tickets. I inquired at the desk at Contemporary but was told since they were 3rd party tickets I had to go to Guest Services at a park. Followed up and found out I would be required to pay the discount difference per ticket and then pay full price for the added day per diem. It would have cost us about $100 to add one single day. They said the change was recent (this was in April). So, if you aren't sure of how many days...buy a ticket a day or two longer. It'll save you in the long run if you decide to do it.

 

[RSoxNo1]

As an added point of clarification we are not staying on site, so we would not be customizing Magic Bands unless we get an annual pass before we leave. Thank you for the info regarding linking them. We haven't had issues with this provider (it's a discount program through my former/wife's current employer). However, I have every intention of taking screen grabs / print outs in the event that we struggle day 1. On the touring plans site, I believe this is what I was looking at with my original post:

Upgrading Third-Party Tickets After A Disney Price Hike

In March, 2014, Disney changed its policy for upgrading third-party tickets purchased prior to a Disney price increase. If, after Disney raises its ticket prices, you want to upgrade a ticket purchased before the, you must first pay the difference between what you paid for your ticket and Disney's current price for that same ticket. Once you do that, you'll pay the current price for whatever upgrade you want.

Example You buy a 5-day base ticket from the Official Ticket Center for $290, saving around $30 off Disney's gate price of $320. After you buy it, Disney raises its price for that ticket another $20, to $340. If you later want to upgrade your 5-day ticket to a 7-day ticket, you'll first pay $50 - the difference between what you paid Official Ticket Center for the ticket ($290) and Disney's current price for the ticket ($340). Then on top of that you'll also pay whatever is the current incremental difference between the 5- and 7-day tickets at Disney's gate prices.

It's unclear whether Disney will apply this logic to their own tickets. So far we've only heard it applies to third-party tickets purchased before a price increase.

Disney seems to be aiming this policy at people who buy third-party tickets of 4-6 days with the No Expiration option, who then upgrade to 8,9, or 10 days on their next trip. This is a small fraction Disney guests.

 

[dadddio]

TouringPlans' website is incorrect. You can still price bridge discounted tickets. All you have to do is use the ticket once and get a CM who actually knows how to do it. Posters on a different forum have reported that this has worked as recently as a few weeks ago.

 

[Wngo905]

TouringPlans' website is incorrect. You can still price bridge discounted tickets. All you have to do is use the ticket once and get a CM who actually knows how to do it. Posters on a different forum have reported that this has worked as recently as a few weeks ago.

That is what I was told also by another, well posted, member and plan to do this in December. In other words, I use my discounted ticket to go through the gate (this will activate it at the current day rate), then I go back outside the park and to the ticket window, tell them I want to bridge the ticket to an AP. I should receive the credit of the full cost of a seven day ticket towards the AP and I pay them the difference. If I get a ticket both CM that does not know about bridging the ticket, I am to ask for a CM supervisor. After that, I go back in the park and go to City Hall and buy my TiW card using my newly purchased AP

 

[RSoxNo1]

TouringPlans' website is incorrect. You can still price bridge discounted tickets. All you have to do is use the ticket once and get a CM who actually knows how to do it. Posters on a different forum have reported that this has worked as recently as a few weeks ago.

Thank you for the tip. I would have tried to do it prior to use, so that's good to know.

 

[Disvillain63]

That is what I was told also by another, wel posted, member and plan to do this in December. In other words, I use my discounted ticket to go through the gate (this will activate it at the current day rate), then I go back outside the park and to the ticket window, tell them I want to bridge the ticket to an AP. I should receive the credit of the full cost of a seven day ticket towards the AP and I pay them the difference. If I get a ticket both CM that does not know about bridging the ticket, I am to ask for a CM supervisor. After that, I go back in the park and go to City Hall and buy my TiW card using my newly purchased AP

You do not have to go back to the ticket window to upgrade. You can go to guest services insidevthe park.

 

[Wngo905]

You do not have to go back to the ticket window to upgrade. You can go to guest services insidevthe park.

So City Hall "all in one shop" and I still get the credit on the discounted ticket? Sounds good to me

Does anyone know if this can be done at Guest Relations at Epcot's International Gateway and are they open till park close?

 

[dadddio]

Guest relations in any of the parks or DTD should be able to do this for you.

 

[sienk1mh]

I can also state that I had success after the alleged policy change. We bought 3rd party tickets before most recent price increase, used the tickets once, and then attempted an upgrade to an annual pass. I was first quoted several hundred dollars to high. I knew the exact amount an upgrade should cost and corrected the CM. He said that I was correct and after several minutes got the correct price to the penny. I was given credit for the gate price of the ticket on the day of my upgrade plus tax. The upgrade was in April 2014. When I got home there was a link in MDE to customize and order magic bands. You will be fine, just no what the correct price should be and be firm if they do it incorrectly.

 

[Disvillain63]

So City Hall "all in one shop" and I still get the credit on the discounted ticket? Sounds good to me

Does anyone know if this can be done at Guest Relations at Epcot's International Gateway and are they open till park close?

I used Guest Relations at Epcot.