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AVP
10-03-2015, 11:28 PM
Honest savings on Disneyland admission

If last night's price hike on Disneyland Resort annual passports caught you by surprise, don't panic—there may be ways you can still save on your next pass.

I'm only listing legitimate discounts and options below—we don't condone ticket "sharing" here, so if that's the type of advice you're seeking, you'll have to look elsewhere. If you know of another offer, please let us know so we can share it with other readers.



Annual Passports


If your pass expires in October, you can still renew (some passes) at the lower price.

Passholders with October expiration dates can probably renew at the lower price provided you renew no later than 60 days after your pass expires. If you've already received your renewal paperwork by mail, you can just send that in or renew in person, or renew online.

If you haven't yet received your paperwork but your pass expires in October, you should still be able to renew - call Disney's Annual Passholder hotline at (714) 781-7277 to ask about your specific situation.

However, we have confirmed that Disney WILL NOT allow premium passholders to renew that pass. The pass is now considered a "Legacy" product, and is not eligible for new purchases or renewals. Premium passholders receive the "renewal" pricing on the Signature or Southern California Select passes.




Check your local grocery store or Disney store
If your local grocery store or Disney store usually sells Disneyland annual passes, check with them to see if they have any at the old prices. It seems that they don't all get the memo the pull the old ticket stock the second Disneyland changes their prices, so you may have a one- or two-day window to hunt down a deal.


Check with your local travel agent or AAA office, credit union, employee benefits office, school, etc.
In the past, travel agencies and ticket resellers could quietly continue to sell their remaining tickets at the old prices after a price change, while inventory lasted. If you work with a travel agent or AAA office that usually stocks Disneyland tickets, check with them. If you have a credit union, benefits office or student union, check with them to see if they have any offers for you. It often takes several days for the prices to update on the websites, so check as soon as possible.

olegc
10-04-2015, 06:10 AM
how many of those travel agent or supermarket tickets would have expiration dates to 12/31/15? Would some go beyond that? My pass renews in March and I am concerned about getting a voucher or supermarket card and having it expire early and I am stuck.

I wonder if there is even a benefit to getting one to renew a Premium if that sucker doesn't exist anymore.

fairestoneofall
10-04-2015, 08:07 AM
Here's a question. We renew in November so we could theoretically buy a voucher from the supermarket. But if we do that and then upgrade to Premier in February, before our WDW trip we would still have to pay the difference in the amount that we paid for the voucher and the new Premier price, correct? There would be no benefit in buying the voucher at the supermarket right now, would there?

GrumpyGoofyGuy
10-04-2015, 08:28 AM
I'm pretty sure the supermarket vouchers have to be redeemed by the end of this year, correct?

bielski
10-04-2015, 10:32 AM
My SoCal passes expire on 10/12. I'm at DL today and saw the increases. I was able to renew online at the old price with the $20 discount per pass.

Malcon10t
10-04-2015, 10:43 AM
Here's a question. We renew in November so we could theoretically buy a voucher from the supermarket. But if we do that and then upgrade to Premier in February, before our WDW trip we would still have to pay the difference in the amount that we paid for the voucher and the new Premier price, correct? There would be no benefit in buying the voucher at the supermarket right now, would there?Nope. You would pay the difference between what you paid (the cheaper price) and the full Premier price. I am surprised that there is no renewal discount for the Premier.

fairestoneofall
10-04-2015, 11:16 AM
Nope. You would pay the difference between what you paid (the cheaper price) and the full Premier price. I am surprised that there is no renewal discount for the Premier.

That's what I thought.

Drince88
10-04-2015, 12:39 PM
I am surprised that there is no renewal discount for the Premier.

There never has been. You also have to purchase it at a park.
Fairest, you'd also want to get the Premier Passes before your FP+ date, so you could do that before your trip, too.

fairestoneofall
10-04-2015, 01:27 PM
There never has been. You also have to purchase it at a park.
Fairest, you'd also want to get the Premier Passes before your FP+ date, so you could do that before your trip, too.

Yes, I have several dates and variables to consider for the coming year.

Malcon10t
10-04-2015, 02:06 PM
The expiration date on the Premium APs at my local DIsney store is 12/31/2016. She did warn they could be told to pull them at any time. Probably by the end of the week.

tea4two
10-04-2015, 02:26 PM
With the new prices, is the $60 renewal discount still in place for premiums going to either signature level?

olegc
10-04-2015, 02:46 PM
With the new prices, is the $60 renewal discount still in place for premiums going to either signature level?
It looks like the sig has a 50 discount for renewing but I can't see them giving a discount for renewing from premium when the renewal price for sig is higher than list for premium.

tea4two
10-04-2015, 03:27 PM
The Disney Store at Main Place mall in Santa Ana has vouchers at the old price.

GrumpyGoofyGuy
10-04-2015, 04:42 PM
If there are still Premium vouchers at grocery stores and other places and the activate by date is in fact the end of 2016, what would you be up against when you activate since there will no longer be a premium pass level?

tea4two
10-04-2015, 05:13 PM
You will still get a PAP (same as now, but no PP benefit) that will expire at the end of 2016 or in 2017. After these vouchers run out (by the end of the week?), there will be no other way to purchase a premium ap. People will be able to activate these vouchers until the end of 2016. Eventually, after this cycle of PAPs expires in 2017, there will be no PAPs out there, only Signature or Signature Plus.

currence
10-04-2015, 06:35 PM
Here's a question. We renew in November so we could theoretically buy a voucher from the supermarket. But if we do that and then upgrade to Premier in February, before our WDW trip we would still have to pay the difference in the amount that we paid for the voucher and the new Premier price, correct? There would be no benefit in buying the voucher at the supermarket right now, would there?

Here is my super complicated answer based on personal past experience:
1) The last time we upgraded AT WDW, they credited us with the current price of the DL annual pass that we were upgrading from. This seems consistent with most WDW upgrades, where as long as at least one day is used, you get credit for the current value. They did go to the back to make sure that it was a valid pass, so they could have checked to see the price but didn't. This may have changed, your mileage may vary, etc.
2) The last time we went to WDW, we had a voucher for a Premier pass that we couldn't activate during the window to make FP+ reservations. (our current DL Premium pass hadn't expired yet, we bought the voucher during the limited window that they were selling them to DVC members). It took a number of phone calls, but we were eventually able to get a "FP Planning Key Card" added to our accounts which allowed us to make the FP+ reservations even without having a currently valid pass. I don't know how easy or hard these are to get when you ask for them by name. It took me MANY phone calls before one was added. They kept trying to convince me to activate my vouchers, and I had to keep telling them that I couldn't/wouldn't until my current DL Premium pass expired.

GrumpyGoofyGuy
10-04-2015, 06:51 PM
Here is my super complicated answer based on personal past experience:
1) The last time we upgraded AT WDW, they credited us with the current price of the DL annual pass that we were upgrading from. This seems consistent with most WDW upgrades, where as long as at least one day is used, you get credit for the current value. They did go to the back to make sure that it was a valid pass, so they could have checked to see the price but didn't. This may have changed, your mileage may vary, etc.
2) The last time we went to WDW, we had a voucher for a Premier pass that we couldn't activate during the window to make FP+ reservations. (our current DL Premium pass hadn't expired yet, we bought the voucher during the limited window that they were selling them to DVC members). It took a number of phone calls, but we were eventually able to get a "FP Planning Key Card" added to our accounts which allowed us to make the FP+ reservations even without having a currently valid pass. I don't know how easy or hard these are to get when you ask for them by name. It took me MANY phone calls before one was added. They kept trying to convince me to activate my vouchers, and I had to keep telling them that I couldn't/wouldn't until my current DL Premium pass expired.

I didn't think there were vouchers for Premier passes. I thought you could only buy them in person at the parks and activate that day?

currence
10-04-2015, 07:20 PM
I didn't think there were vouchers for Premier passes. I thought you could only buy them in person at the parks and activate that day?

There was a 3 month window in 2014 that DVC members could buy a voucher. You still had to buy the voucher at DL or WDW, but you had until the end of 2014 to activate them.

Janis and Aaron
10-04-2015, 10:24 PM
I'll admit I'm confused. We have premium APs that expire in December. Could we track down a grocery store that still is selling the premium APs, buy them now, and renew in December? But there are "no renewals"?

tea4two
10-04-2015, 11:17 PM
I'm reading reports that grocery stores aren't carrying the vouchers. A Disney Store would be your best bet. If the voucher expiration date is 12/31/16, then you could use them to "renew" (actually, you might have to let your current AP expire for 24 hours before using the voucher -- depends on the CM at the ticket booth) and have Premium APs for one more year. When those expire, you will be forced to choose another pass level.

3Princesses1Prince
10-05-2015, 03:23 AM
I'll admit I'm confused. We have premium APs that expire in December. Could we track down a grocery store that still is selling the premium APs, buy them now, and renew in December? But there are "no renewals"?

It wouldn't technically be a renewal. It'd be a new pass.

olegc
10-05-2015, 07:20 AM
I have checked albertsons and Ralph's in Irvine and only 1 and 2 day ticket cards are on sale.

GrumpyGoofyGuy
10-05-2015, 09:12 AM
I have checked albertsons and Ralph's in Irvine and only 1 and 2 day ticket cards are on sale.

Same with the Von's here in Fresno.

Malcon10t
10-05-2015, 01:27 PM
Guess I need to check Safeway in Modesto.

I talked with the local Disney store manager. She stated they have been advised by Disney they will change their prices in store on Oct. 12th. As long as the have the stock, they will sell them at the old price thru the 11th.

tridj
10-05-2015, 02:29 PM
Well I didn't plan on spending $2300 today, at least we have one more year under $1000 apiece.