Hi all,
Can you still buy a day ticket and upgrade to an annual pass? I know you used to be able to buy a day ticket on a blackout day and keep it to upgrade to an annual pass either the same day or within 30 day? Technically if that was still the case I should be able to buy tickets on one blackout day then return the next day (also blackout) and buy my annual pass, gaining entry again on a blackout day. Thinking in advance for Christmas 2020 as they have pulled the blackout way back in December. Any thoughts if this is a possibility?
Yup, you still can. They heavily advertise it. :-)
Please note that packaged tickets (with hotel, etc) are not eligible (as they have a face value of 0 EUR).
I'm not an expert on annual passes but doesn't the terms change depending on the pass you get? So, an infinity pass doesn't have black out days and can be used from the day it's purchased, whereas the cheap one (can't remember the name) has a 3 day period between purchase and activation? I'm fairly sure there is a robust guide on DLPguide, so please check that and definition don't take my word for it
No, you are correct. There are several types of passes some have blockouts and one, the Infinity pass has none. I want to purchase a mid range magic plus option...can use it straight away but has some blockouts. Having had passes for many years now the trick was to purchase a day ticket on a blockout day then return the next day to upgrade your ticket to an annual pass. The old day tickets allowed an upgrade within 30 days of the date on the ticket. When you purchased an annual pass this way you were then able to enter the park on 2 blockout days, the day ticket day and the day you purchase your pass...particularly useful around Christmas! As the blockout dates for Christmas 2020 have changed from this year I had hoped to make use of this loophole!
I think you can still buy the tickets and use them for up to 30 days, I'd try buying the annual pass with them at the gates of Walt Disney Studios before you go into the park on the 2nd day.
I'm just back after being in France for 10 nights. I had previously had the old classic annual pass which was the entry level one I think it cost about €129 each in 2017, got 2017 and 2018 holidays out of it and it expired last August. Id bought that one over the phone in 2017 and got the paper tickets that get you into the park and then had to exchange for the actual annual passport office. It took an age in the passport office.
I went back this year without the annual pass and decided I'd buy them at the gate. It worked a treat. Went to the ticket desks at the entrance to Walt Disney Studios, furthest window to the right, nobody in the queue. Said I wanted 5 magic plus passes, gave the lady the passports, also had the old annual passes with me and gave her those. She used them to locate us on the system and asked was it ok to keep the same photos, I said yes and due to not having to get new photos taken we had the annual passes printed off quickly and it took just over 5 minutes in total. We were waiting outside the passport office for at least 15 minutes the last time and then were queuing for ages inside, so would recommend buying at the entrance to the Studios.
Also check the different discounts that apply to the Magic Flex and Magic Plus. The 10% restaurant discount, 20% off Buffalo Bills and the Magic hours only apply to the Magic Plus and Infinity so it might be worth the extra €40 if you use those discounts a lot when you are there. That would also cut down on your blackout days.