14 day ultimate to AP

[DisneyBelle_x]

Anyone upgraded recently? looking to hear what you've paid, as I currently have 2 free dining trips booked for next year but considering cancelling the 2nd and upgrading ticket on the first just trying to decide if it's worth it for the sake of saving about £2/300 not including any AP discounts on purchases

 

[Pluto80]

We've done our last 4 trips with an AP, but our next 2 are booked with free dining. We decided to move away from the AP for the simple reason that it's just not the value it used to be. A major factor in that is the exchange rate. Even with the discounts it just doesn't work out as well anymore. The room discounts were OK, but again, with the exchange rate, they weren't as good.
Weighing it all up, it works out better to get the UK offers now. This is just our opinion though. We're both teachers so are limited to school holidays, I don't know if it'd be different at other times of the year.

 

[Flossbolna]

I recently (December 11) upgraded my 14-day ultimate park hopper ticket to an AP. I got a Gold AP since I am a DVC member. I was shocked that they only charged me 68$ to upgrade the ticket. The ticket was originally 299 GBP (I purchased just the ticket since we were there for 11 days and I am a DVC member, so I only needed the ticket). The Gold AP DVC price is 584 $ (including tax). I have no idea, what exchange rate they used to determine the 68$, but I did not complain. The current exchange rate on December 11 would have meant that the 299 GBP would have been 368 $, so the upgrade would have been over 200$. I cannot even find a recent exchange rate that gives me 516 $ for 299 GBP. Of course with the 2017 tickets the upgrade price could be different.

For whatever reason, the AP also came out as valid from December 11 on (intead of from December 3 which was the first day I used the 14 day ticket).

All in all, I was totally excited about the great deal I got. Because of the current promotion I even got an AP that is valid for 13 months and I was able to get the discounts on merchandise and food.

Of course once you are looking at package deals, those might be better than the AP. And a Platinum AP is also less of a deal than the Gold AP that Florida residents and DVC member can get. So, it might be less of an advantage for you. Just wanted to report my experience because I was thrilled by how well it worked out.

 

[DisneyBelle_x]

I recently (December 11) upgraded my 14-day ultimate park hopper ticket to an AP. I got a Gold AP since I am a DVC member. I was shocked that they only charged me 68$ to upgrade the ticket. The ticket was originally 299 GBP (I purchased just the ticket since we were there for 11 days and I am a DVC member, so I only needed the ticket). The Gold AP DVC price is 584 $ (including tax). I have no idea, what exchange rate they used to determine the 68$, but I did not complain. The current exchange rate on December 11 would have meant that the 299 GBP would have been 368 $, so the upgrade would have been over 200$. I cannot even find a recent exchange rate that gives me 516 $ for 299 GBP. Of course with the 2017 tickets the upgrade price could be different.

For whatever reason, the AP also came out as valid from December 11 on (intead of from December 3 which was the first day I used the 14 day ticket).

All in all, I was totally excited about the great deal I got. Because of the current promotion I even got an AP that is valid for 13 months and I was able to get the discounts on merchandise and food.

Of course once you are looking at package deals, those might be better than the AP. And a Platinum AP is also less of a deal than the Gold AP that Florida residents and DVC member can get. So, it might be less of an advantage for you. Just wanted to report my experience because I was thrilled by how well it worked out.

Thank you for the helpful reply, that's a brilliant price, lowest I think I've seen someone say for the DVC AP, do you mind me asking where you did the upgrade?
I think if I was a family, and there was 2 or 3 or more of us going then the free dining package would work out much more better but as I'm a single person and doing 2 or 3 trips in the next year and only the first being sharing the costs with someone, it definitely works out a cheaper deal for me to upgrade to an AP, as long as the price is right anyway

 

[Flossbolna]

Thank you for the helpful reply, that's a brilliant price, lowest I think I've seen someone say for the DVC AP, do you mind me asking where you did the upgrade?
I think if I was a family, and there was 2 or 3 or more of us going then the free dining package would work out much more better but as I'm a single person and doing 2 or 3 trips in the next year and only the first being sharing the costs with someone, it definitely works out a cheaper deal for me to upgrade to an AP, as long as the price is right anyway

At guest services at the Intèrnational Gateway before entering Epcot. I just asked what the cost would be and when I heard that price it was a done deal. I understand your thinking, for a solo traveller it would make more sense! Good luck!

 

[UKDisneyJoe]

Hope you dont mind me asking a question here about the AP. I know you get discounts on rooms but if I was to upgrade my pass to AP in December 2017 and the booked a trip for 2019 during the year I had my AP would I get the discount even though my AP would expire prior to my trip starting. I hope that makes sense as really thinking about getting the AP as hopefully to go back in 2018 but if things dont pan out was hoping that the discount would at least help us out for 2019.
Thanks

 

[DisneyBelle_x]

Hope you dont mind me asking a question here about the AP. I know you get discounts on rooms but if I was to upgrade my pass to AP in December 2017 and the booked a trip for 2019 during the year I had my AP would I get the discount even though my AP would expire prior to my trip starting. I hope that makes sense as really thinking about getting the AP as hopefully to go back in 2018 but if things dont pan out was hoping that the discount would at least help us out for 2019.
Thanks

No you can't, the AP has to be valued during the stay but to be honest I've often looked at the US room prices and even with AP discount it still works out cheaper to book in £GBP

 

[UKDisneyJoe]

Thanks DisneyBelle. Will have to try and get in 2 trips in the year then. What a shame

 

[zavandor]

I recently (December 11) upgraded my 14-day ultimate park hopper ticket to an AP. I got a Gold AP since I am a DVC member. I was shocked that they only charged me 68$ to upgrade the ticket.

WOW!
WOW!
WOW!
That's a great upgrade price. I'll be in WDW in 10 days and I wasn't planning to even ask about upgrading it, because I was planning to return to WDW in September 2018, not January 2018. But If I can get such a good deal, I'd change my plans and take the AP and use it again in Janauary 2018 to check out Pandora earlier. Water parks will have to wait, cannot pass on almost free park passes. I'll certainly enquire about it. Should I upgrade as last thing? I have no high hopes that it will be warm enough to go to a water park in January, but you never know. If I upgrade to an AP, would I loose the extras the Ultimate ticket give?
Also, is it still valid for Disney Quest and minigolf rounds in 2017?

 

[Flossbolna]

WOW!
WOW!
WOW!
That's a great upgrade price. I'll be in WDW in 10 days and I wasn't planning to even ask about upgrading it, because I was planning to return to WDW in September 2018, not January 2018. But If I can get such a good deal, I'd change my plans and take the AP and use it again in Janauary 2018 to check out Pandora earlier. Water parks will have to wait, cannot pass on almost free park passes. I'll certainly enquire about it. Should I upgrade as last thing? I have no high hopes that it will be warm enough to go to a water park in January, but you never know. If I upgrade to an AP, would I loose the extras the Ultimate ticket give?
Also, is it still valid for Disney Quest and minigolf rounds in 2017?

Remember, the Gold AP is only available to DVC members and Florida residents. The normal (Platinum) AP is more expensive, so the upgrade would certainly be more.

I had not used any of the extras on my ticket (no water park, no Disney Quest, no mini-golf). From what I understand, if you use them, then you would have to upgrade to the Platinum Plus I think that is the name) which includes these features. And yes, once you upgrade, you will use the ability to use them (again unless you choose the even pricier Platinum Plus).

It seems that there are other reports of people ugrading and the new pass being valid from the day of the upgrade on, not the day of the first use of the pass. So, upgrading later seems to make sense.

Also, it is possible that the 2017 tickets will be coded differently, so there is no guarantee that it will be the same price.

But good luck! Hope you get a good deal!

 

[zavandor]

Yes thanks, I am a DVC member as well. Not being able to use the extras is a bit of a bummer, as I wanted to go to Disney Quest since it's going to be closed, but that's not a big loss anyway. The ticket for 2017 costs a bit more than 2016, if they use the same exchange rate I might even get it for less.

 

[Flossbolna]

Yes thanks, I am a DVC member as well. Not being able to use the extras is a bit of a bummer, as I wanted to go to Disney Quest since it's going to be closed, but that's not a big loss anyway. The ticket for 2017 costs a bit more than 2016, if they use the same exchange rate I might even get it for less.

Good luck and it would be great if you could report back how it went!

 

[zavandor]

I certainly will. I'm thinking also I might upgrade my 3 days ticket for Universal Studios to the seasonal pass, it should be just a few $ too, but I'm not sure if it's open to everyone or only to Florida Residents.

 

[zavandor]

I have been quoted $170 for the upgrade. Probably because tickets now have a promotion for £299 so they applied that instead of how much I paid. The dealbreker however was that the 13 months promotion has just ended, so I couldn't be able to use it next January anyway.

 

[california37]

Zavandor- where were you quoted that price for and AP upgrade? Which park/booth?! We're there in 5 weeks and was going to upgrade one pass to an AP-thinking at least it will save us on parking as we are staying off site this time. We're trying to price it up but finding it hard! We've got the 14 day ultimate ticket and bought from a third party retailer rather than direct from disney!

TIA

Hope you're having a lovely trip!

 

[zavandor]

I asked to the Guest Relations window at Animal Kingdom, but I think any Guest Services could do that. There should be one in Disney Springs, where you could go the evening before your first visit to a park to do the upgrade. Note: that is how much I was asked for an upgrade to a Gold AP, available only to DVC members and Florida residents. If you aren't either, you'd have to upgrade to a Platinum Pass which is much more expensive.

 

[Flossbolna]

I have been quoted $170 for the upgrade. Probably because tickets now have a promotion for £299 so they applied that instead of how much I paid. The dealbreker however was that the 13 months promotion has just ended, so I couldn't be able to use it next January anyway.

Sorry that it did not work out for you! I only paid 299 GBP for my pass, so maybe when I upgraded they were not running that promotion and I lucked out because of that? The 170 $ was about what I expected to be quoted for my upgrade.

 

[california37]

Ohh thanks for the responses! We are DVC members so getting the DVC Gold AP is what we are looking for

We are going to Disney springs on our first full day so will ask there-if they quote $170 then I will try at another guest services just to see if we get lucky and a cheaper rate... We've been toying with going to Epcot on that day too with the festival of the arts going on...

Just a thought-does it get marked in the system if you have enquired about an AP and how much they quoted you for the upgrade?!

We got our tickets for £289 so slightly cheaper than direct with Disney - I believe an adult 14 day ultimate ticket in December was £319 so not much of a price difference!

Thanks again