Best Way to get annual passes

[jay1010]

We have just booked a last minute trip in December and already have a trip booked for October 2019.
So question is, am I better to get annual passes for both disney and universal and if so will it be cheaper to buy UK tickets and upgrade when I get there or just buy annual passes straight off.?

Any advice would be appreciated

Jayne x

[claireyfairy8]

It makes no difference really. The AP upgrade cost is just the difference between what you have paid and the cost of the AP.

I don't think you can get AP's posted out to you, so if you wanted gate ready tickets, then you would be better to order those.

Some of the UK 3 park Universal 14 day tickets can be upgraded to a 2 park season pass (just do it before you go to VB) for about $5. Just watch the block out dates.

[SteveC]

As above the cost should be the same so I personally would order the annual passes online and collect them as soon as you arrive at the parks. We did this in January and it took a couple of minutes at the ticket offices where we just had to show our driving licences as ID. In the case of Disney we then went to another ticket office beside Hall of Presidents to collect and have our Magic Bands linked rather than them be posted to us.


Discounts from Day 1 and no need to mess with upgrading.

[disneypars]

The only downside is that you can only book 7 days fast pass in a 30 day period as a AP holder.

[wilma-bride]

Actually, certainly as far as Universal is concerned, it can be quite a saving upgrading there compared to buying outright.

As an example, I upgraded our 3 park 14-day Universal passes last month.

I paid £221 each for them through American Attractions.

It cost me $57.50 each to upgrade to a 3-park Seasonal Annual Pass. If you equate that to ££ (at a rate of $.130 to the £) it works out at roughly £44.

If I had bought the passes outright, they would have cost $408.95 (including tax), which would equate to a cost of £314 (at a rate of $1.30 to the £). So, essentially, I saved £49 per ticket, so for 3 of us a total of £147. Not to be sniffed at really.

[lizzie145]

current price for 2 park universal seasonal pass is $303 or £232

the cheapest i can find for a 3 park 14 day is £243 ( a 2 park is the same price currently) so i would be paying £11 more plus more to upgrade at the park.

[wilma-bride]

Originally Posted by lizzie145

current price for 2 park universal seasonal pass is $303 or £232

the cheapest i can find for a 3 park 14 day is £243 ( a 2 park is the same price currently) so i would be paying £11 more plus more to upgrade at the park.

See more...

My figures were based on upgrading to a 3-park seasonal pass, not a 2-park

[Hypnobabe]

Now I think this depends on the CM you get, I flashed the Disney annual passes I’d bought before we went on our first visit and he let us off the parking fee too! We were a bit shocked but it was worth a try

[mattyped]

We upgraded 2 14 day 3 park hoppers. To a prefered plus and a seasonal 3 park. Both came to $215 which includes free parking and big hotel discounts plus 6 months extra luckily enough.
This is a huge saving as we are going again well whithin the year. But beware all passes have VB blocked out the whole of july.

[gismo1554]

Originally Posted by lizzie145

current price for 2 park universal seasonal pass is $303 or £232

the cheapest i can find for a 3 park 14 day is £243 ( a 2 park is the same price currently) so i would be paying £11 more plus more to upgrade at the park.

See more...

Just to say, when we went in September we were also told the new policy is a 3 park has to go to a 3 park so you can't guarantee you can get the 2 park downgrade anyway