question about adding days to park tickets

[dyin tago]

wife and I booked 19-27 at pop for the free dining offer in september along with a 7 day hopper pass. we decided to arrive in florida on the 16th instead. if we can`t get a room at disney for the first 3 nights or decide not to,can we add 3 days onto the tickets to make them 10 days and pick them up 3 days before check in at pop?:mickey:

[TheRustyScupper]

Simple answer, no.

[dyin tago]

just got off the phone with disney and they have made the adjustment no problem.

goes to:mickey: show that even the "experts" can be wrong! thanks for responding though,maybe the rules have changed from what they were before.

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

There would be no problem if you wanted to add the extra days to the END of your package, but you can't get the tickets before you check-in to the resort.

[CleveRocks]

just got off the phone with disney and they have made the adjustment no problem.

goes to:mickey: show that even the "experts" can be wrong! thanks for responding though,maybe the rules have changed from what they were before.So you're saying that you changed your package from 7-day tickets to 10-day tickets, you paid $18 + tax (total) for the additional days (you had to pay the additional amount over the phone immediately, since you are within 45 days of your arrival), AND they said you could pick up the tickets 3 days before your check-in date? REALLY?

Please let us know how it went, after you return from your vacation.

[magicofdisney]

I'd be interested to see how this plays out, as well. I know the OP is trying to extend their free dining by a few days because they're coming in earlier than originally planned. That's the only way I would think this would work (assuming Disney will let them extend their free dining package).

[VWL Mom]

Wow! I'm really surprised they did this. I would think picking it up early would disassociate it from your package and that the free dining needed a one day ticket attached to it.

[gerald72]

I don't know if I am reading this correctly, but here is my scenario from 2 weeks ago.

I had reservations at Pop Century for 7 night, 8 days in the parks, and it included the dining plan.

I ended up arriving one day early, and wanted to stay that extra night.

They allowed me to put an extra night on my stay (charged me way too much), without adding another day to the dining plan, but I had to go back to the lobby on my second day (the original first day) to pick up new room keys with the park passes on them, and a new parking permit for the car.

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

That makes sense. You can always add a night, come in the day before, but you didn't get your park passes until you checked-in for your "package" stay.

I'm really surprised that the OP reports you can get park tickets BEFORE you check in at the resort for your package. I thought that the package was all tied together until the check-in date.

I hope it goes like the OP hopes!

[gerald72]

That makes sense. You can always add a night, come in the day before, but you didn't get your park passes until you checked-in for your "package" stay.

I'm really surprised that the OP reports you can get park tickets BEFORE you check in at the resort for your package. I thought that the package was all tied together until the check-in date.

I hope it goes like the OP hopes!

I'm thinking there was a miscomunication there somewhere.
If the park tickets are part of the room package, they can't be picked up ahead of time.
I couldn't do it one day early.
I'd like to know how this turns out.

[KAJUNKING]

I don't know if I am reading this correctly, but here is my scenario from 2 weeks ago.

I had reservations at Pop Century for 7 night, 8 days in the parks, and it included the dining plan.

I ended up arriving one day early, and wanted to stay that extra night.

They allowed me to put an extra night on my stay (charged me way too much), without adding another day to the dining plan, but I had to go back to the lobby on my second day (the original first day) to pick up new room keys with the park passes on them, and a new parking permit for the car.

we did the same thing 2 years ago and you are correct even though we 2 room only nights before our package started, we could not get our park tickets until we re-checked in for our package stay, which gave us some time to go check out downtown disney which we never find the time to do so it was nice

[magicofdisney]

So now I'm wondering if the OP will have 10 day tickets that he can't pick up until his package starts 3 days after they check-in.

[Marceline]

This is a tad confusing. Did the OP want to extend out his entire package...accommodations, dining, park tickets, the works...by 3 days. Or did the OP just want to tack 3 more days onto the park tickets?:confused:

OP....what were the adjustments?? Just out of sheer curiosity. :mickey:

[Aurora]

Also just to clarify:

The above posters know way more than I do when it comes to packages. I've always understood that any discounts/tickets/dining plans that come packaged together have to stay that way or your pay the rack rate.

That said, if it's just park hoppers we're talking about, not attached to a package, you can always add more days even if you have only 1 day left on your pass. In other words, if I have a 7-day park hopper pass, even if I then use 6 days of it, I can always add on 3 more days for the 10-day hopper price difference.

[CleveRocks]

you can always add more days even if you have only 1 day left on your pass. In other words, if I have a 7-day park hopper pass, even if I then use 6 days of it, I can always add on 3 more days for the 10-day hopper price difference.
It's even a little better than that. Even if your park ticket is COMPLETELY used up, with NO entitlements left on it, you can still add days to it. The only thing that matters is that the ticket can't have had its first use longer than 14 days earlier.

And it doesn't matter if the tickets were bought "independently" or as part of a resort package ... adding to or upgrading a ticket is done exactly the same way ... no difference in the rules or procedures.


I've always understood that any discounts/tickets/dining plans that come packaged together have to stay that way or your pay the rack rate.That's not accurate. Or rather, it's accurate only until the moment of resort check-in. As soon as you receive those tickets (on the key To The World cards) upon checking-in, the package is said to be, in Disney-speak, "exploded." Once the package is exploded, each individual can add to or upgrade his/her own ticket any way he/she sees fit. Those tickets are no longer part of the package, they are exploded from the package. In other words, one person can add No Expiration to his/her own ticket, one person can add a few more days to his/her own ticket, another person can add the Water Park Fun & More option to his/her own ticket, and so on.

But yes, when you book the package, all parts of the package must be identical for each person. But after check-in, it's every man for himself, so to speak.

EDITED TO ADD: As far as the Disney Dining Plan goes, the DDP cannot be added to a package later than about 5 days before the trip. In other words, no one can add the DDP at check-in or at any time after that. So, by definition, the DDP must be added WAY BEFORE the package is exploded at check-in, and thus you can't have just one person in a room decide to add the DDP just for themselves.

But, surprisingly, it doesn't work the same in reverse. We know that if you book the DDP, it has to be for everyone on that reservation. BUT, if someone joins your group after the check-in day (that is, you go to the front desk a day or two later and tell them that another person will be staying in your room), that person doesn't have to have the DDP or the same park tickets. Of course, if that person is a 3rd (or 4th) adult in the room they'd have to pay the extra adult per night fee, and of course the addition of this person can't bring the room above the allowable occupancy. Confusing, right???!!!

[Aurora]

Wow!! Thanks for all the explanations!!

[dyin tago]

since I am the one who started this all I guess I should jump in and clarify exactly what I did.

we originally had pop reserved with free dining from sept 19-27th and 7 night park hopper and waterparks passes.

I called to try to arrive on 16th and extend free dining and start passes on 16th rather than 19

could not get free dining but got 16-19 at sports for $69.00 per night room only and then move to pop for 19-27 for original booking.

they said normally they do not allow extending the passes before the package date but made an exception:mickey: we have to go to guest relations on 16th and show our ressie for 19th and they will confirm with resort and issue us our tickets on the 16th. I guess being extra nice and having a nice cm helps.

[magicofdisney]

they said normally they do not allow extending the passes before the package date but made an exception:mickey: we have to go to guest relations on 16th and show our ressie for 19th and they will confirm with resort and issue us our tickets on the 16th. I guess being extra nice and having a nice cm helps.
Whatever the reasoning, I've NEVER heard of this happening, so congratulations to you. :mickey:

[TheVBs]

So glad it worked out for you! :mickey:

I'm confused though... why wouldn't they want to extend the park passes if you're arriving earlier? :confused: They only stand to benefit!

[CleveRocks]

So glad it worked out for you! :mickey:

I'm confused though... why wouldn't they want to extend the park passes if you're arriving earlier? :confused: They only stand to benefit!Because if they really wanted to hold strictly to the policy/procedure, Disney stands to benefit (financially) even more.

The OP already paid for a 7-day ticket. Adding 3 additional days costs only $9 + tax.

But if they didn't let her do it and she decided to buy a separate 3-day ticket, that ticket would cost $271. Disney would stand to benefit by $262 in comparison.

[KAJUNKING]

just got off the phone with disney and they have made the adjustment no problem.

goes to:mickey: show that even the "experts" can be wrong! thanks for responding though,maybe the rules have changed from what they were before.


since I am the one who started this all I guess I should jump in and clarify exactly what I did.

we originally had pop reserved with free dining from sept 19-27th and 7 night park hopper and waterparks passes.

I called to try to arrive on 16th and extend free dining and start passes on 16th rather than 19

could not get free dining but got 16-19 at sports for $69.00 per night room only and then move to pop for 19-27 for original booking.

they said normally they do not allow extending the passes before the package date but made an exception:mickey: we have to go to guest relations on 16th and show our ressie for 19th and they will confirm with resort and issue us our tickets on the 16th. I guess being extra nice and having a nice cm helps.

so the "experts" were right, but disney made an exception

[dyin tago]

actually kajunking the "experts" were not really right, I recall "simple answer, no"

not probably no.:D

[CleveRocks]

Going to Disney is all about fun, and getting your money's worth, so I truly truly hope it all works out great for you.

But I'll ask you to PLEASE bookmark this thread and then dig it up again once you get back, and post what actually happened with this situation. It would be great to know your actual experience.

I remain skeptical. The only reason I say this is because we've seen, unfortunately, many examples of call center cast members giving bad information and making promises that can't be kept by the cast members who will be the ones to actually carry-out the promised behavior.

So like I said, I hope it works out great ... I'm just not confident that it will. Either way, PLEASE let us know.

THANKS!

[Goofy4TheWorld]

Either way, PLEASE let us know.

THANKS!

Ditto!

[magicofdisney]

I'm curious to find out if this turned out the way it was described.

[It'sWDW4me]

I'm really not too surprised about this "exception".
Consider the current economy.
They've got this family in for three more days.
At rack rate.
OOP for meals.
Souvenirs.

Disney could possibly get that $200+ difference from the tickets back in other ways.

A happy family getting a deal will be apt to spend more.

OP - Good for you! You made the effort to call and ask (politely) and were rewarded for it. Have a fantastic trip!!

[CleveRocks]

I'll believe it when the OP comes back here and posts about it.

[dyin tago]

sorry for the loong delay in getting back.

wife got sick a week before we were to go so we had to cancel. they even refunded the non refundable $100.00 fee!

considering they did this I have full faith that they would have come thru with the ticket thing also.

[CleveRocks]

sorry for the loong delay in getting back.

wife got sick a week before we were to go so we had to cancel. they even refunded the non refundable $100.00 fee!

considering they did this I have full faith that they would have come thru with the ticket thing also.Sorry you didn't get to go.:ill: I hope she's better now.

You say that based upon the refund of the non-refundable fee, you are confident that they would've come through with the ticket thing, also. Unfortunately, you're comparing apples to oranges here.

The person you spoke about the fee is also the person who actually processes that transaction ... in other words, the person who told it to you is the same person who accomplishes the task. But with the ticket situation, the person who told you that info is NOT the person who is empowered to do that transaction for you. The point I'd been trying to make in this thread is that a cast member working at a resort front desk or at a park ticket booth must follow Disney's policies and procedures and wouldn't give a hoot about what a telephone call center CM told you if what they told you conflicts with the ticketing CM's set policies and procedures. The call center CM has no power to make such a promise, since the call center CM isn't the one actually doing that transaction for you.

I hate to beat a dead horse, but I also hate to have people get disappointed at the start of their vacation when they were promised something but then can't get it.