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Abigail's Uncle
08-14-2007, 12:11 PM
I am looking to buy my first AP, but I'm very thick-skulled and a bit confused by the discussions about upgrades.

I know that I'd ultimately like a Deluxe AP, but I'm wondering if there's a way to start by purchasing a SoCal AP and then upgrade to a Deluxe without paying the full difference in price (if that's the only way, that's okay too).

I've seen some discussion which involved something like using an AP to buy a one-day discounted pass and then applying that purchase toward a new AP. But this is when I get confused and my eyes glaze over and all I hear is Charlie Brown's teacher in my head.

Malcon10t
08-14-2007, 02:51 PM
I am looking to buy my first AP, but I'm very thick-skulled and a bit confused by the discussions about upgrades.

I know that I'd ultimately like a Deluxe AP, but I'm wondering if there's a way to start by purchasing a SoCal AP and then upgrade to a Deluxe without paying the full difference in price (if that's the only way, that's okay too).

I've seen some discussion which involved something like using an AP to buy a one-day discounted pass and then applying that purchase toward a new AP. But this is when I get confused and my eyes glaze over and all I hear is Charlie Brown's teacher in my head.In July, my son bought his GF a SoCal 1 day park hopper. He later upgraded it to a 2 day park hopper so she could come a second day (during black outs.) On her second day, he upgraded her to a SoCal Select. Saturday, they went to Disneyland and he bought a block out ticket and upgraded to a SOCal regular AP. In Oct, he will upgrade her to a Deluxe, and in Dec to a PAP. He will pay the full price, they only allow you the price you paid as upgrade value.

Quinten27
08-14-2007, 03:15 PM
So I'm curious, if your son does go through with the plan you stated, is the PAP good one year from when he upgrades to it, or from when the first SoCal AP is bought?

Darkbeer
08-14-2007, 03:18 PM
So I'm curious, if your son does go through with the plan you stated, is the PAP good one year from when he upgrades to it, or from when the first SoCal AP is bought?

The AP will expire in July of 2008, when it was first activated.

And for each upgrade, you pay the diffeence between what you have already paid for the AP, and the current price of the AP you want to upgrade to.

So if the Deluxe AP goes up in price prior to October, then Malcon10t son would have to pay the higher price.

Malcon10t
08-14-2007, 03:22 PM
Right, the PAP will expire in July 2008 (the date of her first visit.) I just consider it a "pay as you go" way to pay for a PAP so you don't pay it all upfront.

Quinten27
08-14-2007, 03:30 PM
OK, that makes sense........I was thinking maybe his process of slowly upgrading was a sneaky way of extending the life of an AP...........I shoulda known Disney wouldn't be that nice about it. :D

Abigail's Uncle
08-14-2007, 03:35 PM
Got it. So there's really no way at all to reduce the overall cost of any AP, only a way to stagger the payments via upgrades?

Revised and slightly weaselly question: what if one were to buy a multi-day park hopper at a discount. Can the full cost of the hoppers be applied toward an AP? Or do they only apply the cost of a single day of that hopper?

Malcon10t
08-14-2007, 03:40 PM
Got it. So there's really no way at all to reduce the overall cost of any AP, only a way to stagger the payments via upgrades?

Revised and slightly weaselly question: what if one were to buy a multi-day park hopper at a discount. Can the full cost of the hoppers be applied toward an AP? Or do they only apply the cost of a single day of that hopper?It really depends on the ticket. They will credit you with the value printed on the ticket. If you buy a 5 day hopper online for the discounted price of $189, $189 will be printed on the ticket. You will be credited with $189 when you upgrade.

Now if you are purchasing discounted tickets from work or something like that, you will be credited with the amount printed on the ticket. As an example, I can purchase 3 day tickets from my credit union for $144. When I upgrade, I am credited with $159, so I can pass my $15 savings on to my AP.

Seashellmama
08-14-2007, 06:34 PM
The other thing the upgrade-game can get you, if you don't ultimate upgraded to the top level AP, is that when you enter on a blockout day and upgrade using the blockout fee, it doesn't have to be NOT a blockout day for the level you're upgrading to. So, for example, if you bought a socal select in May, and paid for a blockout day on August 4, you could apply that $30 blockout ticket cost to a regular socal pass, even though that pass is also blocked out on August 5.

Abigail's Uncle
08-14-2007, 08:16 PM
Seashell, you lost me there. See, told you I was dense. Can you try explaining that point about the blockout advantage again?

Malcon10t
08-14-2007, 08:40 PM
Seashell, you lost me there. See, told you I was dense. Can you try explaining that point about the blockout advantage again?As an example, my son upgraded his GF's ticket to a SoCal Select July 19th, which was a block out day for SoCal passes. But even though it was a blockout, she got to be there for that day. Last Sat was a block out day for SoCal Select and SoCal passes. They went, got a block out ticket for $30. They upgraded her pass from a SoCal Select to SoCal for the block out pass cost. So she got to enter the park, even though she was blocked out, AND she got a better pass.

Abigail's Uncle
08-15-2007, 06:19 PM
I do believe I understand! Okay, last question on the topic, I swear. Let's say I buy an AP and then I pay for a ticket on a blackout day, but the cost of the ticket is not enough to actually move to a higher level of AP, can I just "apply" the cost toward an AP? If so, how would they keep track of that? Is there an account that shows my current credit toward a higher level AP?

Malcon10t
08-15-2007, 06:57 PM
I do believe I understand! Okay, last question on the topic, I swear. Let's say I buy an AP and then I pay for a ticket on a blackout day, but the cost of the ticket is not enough to actually move to a higher level of AP, can I just "apply" the cost toward an AP? If so, how would they keep track of that? Is there an account that shows my current credit toward a higher level AP?OK, the SoCal AP is $154. The Deluxe AP is $239. When my son upgrades his friends AP in Oct, they will buy a block out for $30, then take it in and upgrade and pay the additional $55. (Unless prices go up...) If it isn't a black out day, he will just upgrade at the Guest Relations window.

You have to upgrade that day. You can't just add them up.

JamesDL
08-15-2007, 10:12 PM
Whoops double post

JamesDL
08-15-2007, 10:15 PM
I saved $50 on each AP x 4 SoCal APs (Saved $200 on my four APs).

I paid $104 for each $154 SoCal AP.

Here's what I did...

Bought partially used parkhopper tickets on eBay. I think they were 3 day hoppers with $129 value. I paid $75 each for them. So when I went to the ticket counter I upgraded those tickets to my soCal AP for $25 more.

$75 (price per ticket on ebay)
$25 (price to upgrade to $154 AP)
___________________
$100 for a $154 value
x 4 (family of 4)
________________
$400 for a $600 value.


Here is an example...

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-1751-2978-71/1?AID=5463217&PID=2544553&mpre=http%3A%2F%2Fcgi.ebay.com%2F2A-1C-Disneyland-3-day-Park-Hopper-Tickets-9-9-9-16_W0QQitemZ160147577946

This is a REALLY GOOD DEAL!

Sold for $325, but had a FACE value of $597 upgrade. Means you would have saved $272 on 3 passes. They would have to be the Deluxe or Premium because you can't buy something less than the value of each ticket.

If anyone needs any help with this, let me know. I did it for all my friends and we all have AP's now and saved tons of money.

JamesDL
08-16-2007, 10:33 PM
Oh and I forgot to mention. They usually have to be used within 1 week. Also if you buy one that is worth $179 face value, you can use it for the $154 socal ONLY if you buy the 1 year parking.