Split stay ticket question

[StalCA]

I'm headed on a cruise out of PE during the Christmas holidays. We planned on doing Dec 26-28 in the parks beforehand and the cruise is Dec 29 to Jan 4. Because of crazy flight prices that weekend it worked out cheaper to pay for a hotel room and stay for 2 extra nights in Florida and flying in and out of MCO is cheaper for us than FLL or MIA. I'd like to head back to the parks again but the ticket prices are pretty crazy to get another 2 day ticket. It's a few hundred dollars cheaper to get an 8 day ticket with the original reservation but there will be 3 unused days. Are those days just lost or is there a way to carry that forward on a future ticket purchase? Any other suggestions on how to get a ticket in the most cost effective way? We may just have to make it a few resort days but we're such park people that being there without going in will be tough.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Those days will just be lost unfortunately.

 

[lanejudy]

Any unused days will expire as of the ticket expiration date. So yes those 3 days would be "lost." When date-based tickets first came out, I had heard DCL would have a ticket option that could work both pre- and post-cruise. I'll be honest that I don't know if that is accurate because I haven't heard of anyone doing that, but if it's available it must be purchased through DCL - which may mean a pre- and post-cruise package.

Starting in January, every resort reservation includes a waterpark entry on check-in day. That might give you something to do on the post-cruise days. And maybe plan a day at Disney Springs, or park-hopping or hanging at the resort pool. I hear you about the price of a 2-day ticket not being worth it. If the increase in price from the 3-day ticket pre-cruise to an 8-day that will last through post-cruise is more palatable, that's an option. Unfortunately, that is exactly the most expensive time of year for theme park tickets.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

It's awful how disney really penalizes short park visits; since the short ticket prices are so front loaded on cost. You're likely better off getting the 8 day and "losing" the cost of those 3 unused days. Once you start using those tickets, no unused days can be saved for later or carried over. If during the visit, you want to purchase an AP, you could use those unused days towards the purchase of a pass. Once you visit a park, the clock will start ticking, so for an 8 day ticket, you'll have 12 days before they'll expire.

You can always check Undercover Tourist for cheaper tix. Also check Costco/Sams/target for GC deals but those are usually a hassle depending on what denominations you can get them in, and logistically using them to buy tix is not always very streamlined if you have a lot of GC. And of course, that's barring not having any issues with the GC themselves from the store.