Universal AP - is it worth it for us?

orlandoamber · 10 Sep 18, 12:13 AM

We will probably not go to Orlando more than once next year, but from what I have been reading it might be worth one of us (out of me and DH) upgrading to a Universal Annual Pass. Can anyone help me make sense of this, please?

From what I've been seeing, our 14 day ticket price (3 park explorer) is approx. �265. The Preferred Annual Pass (where I believe you get both the hotel discounts and restaurant discounts) is $384.99 which works out to be just under �300. So could I just upgrade one 14 day ticket to an AP for around �35-�40 at the gate?

Why I think it will be worth it is:

We plan to stay at Universal onsite, possibly booking direct. If we book direct at the AP rate, I can see there are discounts up to 30-40%. Question - will I be OK checking in without an AP and going to the park later to upgrade my ticket and then showing the staff to lock in the rate? I've read somewhere else it should be fine, but was hoping someone else may have done this before!
We eat at CityWalk A LOT. So 10% discount on the restaurants will probably be at least $8 a day which will add up.

Thank you for any light you can shed!

Nimbus · 10 Sep 18, 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by orlandoamber

From what I've been seeing, our 14 day ticket price (3 park explorer) is approx. �265. The Preferred Annual Pass (where I believe you get both the hotel discounts and restaurant discounts) is $384.99 which works out to be just under �300. So could I just upgrade one 14 day ticket to an AP for around �35-�40 at the gate?

$384.99 (+tax. So $410 in total) is the current price of the 2-Park Preferred Annual Pass. The 3-Park version is currently $489.99 (+tax = $522). If you use the 3-Park Explorer to visit Volcano Bay, or you want to visit Volcano Bay with your Annual Pass, then you'll have to upgrade to the 3-Park Annual Pass.

Rather than upgrading, why not just buy the Preferred Annual Pass outright before you go? There's no real reason to buy the Explorer pass and then upgrade if you know beforehand that you'll upgrade.

Originally Posted by orlandoamber

We plan to stay at Universal onsite, possibly booking direct. If we book direct at the AP rate, I can see there are discounts up to 30-40%. Question - will I be OK checking in without an AP and going to the park later to upgrade my ticket and then showing the staff to lock in the rate? I've read somewhere else it should be fine, but was hoping someone else may have done this before!

If you want to use your AP discount when booking your Universal hotel room, you'll need to have an Annual Pass beforehand. You can't book and pay for your hotel at the standard rate beforehand, then get your AP, and then negotiate a discount on the rate you've already agreed to. So, unless you're thinking of booking the hotel only once you are in Orlando, you'll need to buy the Annual Pass before you go.

If you do get the 2-Park Preferred Pass, it's about $75 more than Explorer pass. So, if you are thinking of spending more than $750 on food and merchandise, then it's worth it. For the 3-Park version you'd have to spend about $1750 on food/merchandise to make it worth it. (I'm assuming the discount is 10%).

orlandoamber · 10 Sep 18, 11:28 PM

Originally Posted by Nimbus

$384.99 (+tax. So $410 in total) is the current price of the 2-Park Preferred Annual Pass. The 3-Park version is currently $489.99 (+tax = $522). If you use the 3-Park Explorer to visit Volcano Bay, or you want to visit Volcano Bay with your Annual Pass, then you'll have to upgrade to the 3-Park Annual Pass.

Rather than upgrading, why not just buy the Preferred Annual Pass outright before you go? There's no real reason to buy the Explorer pass and then upgrade if you know beforehand that you'll upgrade.

If you want to use your AP discount when booking your Universal hotel room, you'll need to have an Annual Pass beforehand. You can't book and pay for your hotel at the standard rate beforehand, then get your AP, and then negotiate a discount on the rate you've already agreed to. So, unless you're thinking of booking the hotel only once you are in Orlando, you'll need to buy the Annual Pass before you go.

If you do get the 2-Park Preferred Pass, it's about $75 more than Explorer pass. So, if you are thinking of spending more than $750 on food and merchandise, then it's worth it. For the 3-Park version you'd have to spend about $1750 on food/merchandise to make it worth it. (I'm assuming the discount is 10%).

Thank you for such a comprehensive response!

So it is around �400 including tax for the preferred pass if we want to go to VB (which we will)� interesting.

I only mentioned getting the pass while we are there as on a FB group I am a part of, many people say that you just secure the AP rate online, don't pay anything until you get there, show your AP at some point in your stay and then pay the AP rate when you check out. I am sure you can do it but just wondered if anyone had done so...

I think if we did book a room, and then AP rates made it A LOT cheaper, we would probably get the pass or upgrade if we already have tickets - this is where the most savings would be as we certainly won't quite eat that much haha!

Nimbus · 11 Sep 18, 10:27 AM

Originally Posted by orlandoamber

I only mentioned getting the pass while we are there as on a FB group I am a part of, many people say that you just secure the AP rate online, don't pay anything until you get there, show your AP at some point in your stay and then pay the AP rate when you check out. I am sure you can do it but just wondered if anyone had done so...

Ah, ok. I've never done it so I guess I can't comment.

myaquarium · 12 Sep 18, 08:08 PM

This is the first time for other 10 years we won't be renewing our annual pass. The prices have gone sky rocket. They use to be exceptional value but not sure anymore. Booking APH rates for hotels have got later and later and you struggle to get royal rooms. If going twice in a year it's a no brainier. You do get a discount to renew passes and this year they give you 15 months for 12 on renewals. probably to encourage renewals on the higher prices. The plus is definitlty free or cheaper parking. The negatives are the 14 day prices are better value for most Brits.

mykeyb · 12 Sep 18, 08:27 PM

Just to let you know that you can book a room at one of the Loews hotels and pay upfront at an annual pass holder rate. We did this this summer.
I booked direct on the Loews website using discount code APH, and paid upfront at point of booking. We stayed for a Sunday night and it cost $280.13 which was including tax for a pool view room at RPR.
As we were staying in a villa beforehand, we had already been to the parks and changed our 14 day tickets to Annual Passes a few days before. I was expecting to have to show the card, and offered it a check in, and the receptionist said it wasn't necessary.
We checked in just before 8am and the front of the line passes were well worth it.

linnite · 12 Sep 18, 10:57 PM

Originally Posted by myaquarium

This is the first time for other 10 years we won't be renewing our annual pass. The prices have gone sky rocket. They use to be exceptional value but not sure anymore. Booking APH rates for hotels have got later and later and you struggle to get royal rooms. If going twice in a year it's a no brainier. You do get a discount to renew passes and this year they give you 15 months for 12 on renewals. probably to encourage renewals on the higher prices. The plus is definitlty free or cheaper parking. The negatives are the 14 day prices are better value for most Brits.

We just renewed our 2 park seasonal passes for $227 plus tax = about �185 each. We are only going to be at Universal for one spell of 4 days during this renewal but that amount of cash would only get us a 2 day non hopper ticket otherwise, as far as I can tell. Plus we got 15 months which is useful for a future plan.

**swiper** · 13 Sep 18, 07:07 AM

The last time we had annual passes and booked lowes portofino using the ap discount we did not show our pass. The receptionist wasn�t interested!

Nimbus · 13 Sep 18, 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by myaquarium

The negatives are the 14 day prices are better value for most Brits.

The 2-Park Seasonal Annual Pass is actually cheaper than the 14 day tickets. Admittedly, you don't get free parking and discounts with this.

As mentioned earlier, the 2-Park Preferred Pass is only around �60 more than the 14-day ticket. If you're offsite and parking on more than 3 days, then it's cheaper to get the Preferred Pass than the 14 day ticket. Not to mention the other discounts you'll get.

12 Sep 18, 08:27 PM	#6
	12 Sep 18, 08:27 PM mykeyb Gone all Goofy
mykeyb Gone all Goofy Join Date: Jun 17	Just to let you know that you can book a room at one of the Loews hotels and pay upfront at an annual pass holder rate. We did this this summer. I booked direct on the Loews website using discount code APH, and paid upfront at point of booking. We stayed for a Sunday night and it cost $280.13 which was including tax for a pool view room at RPR. As we were staying in a villa beforehand, we had already been to the parks and changed our 14 day tickets to Annual Passes a few days before. I was expecting to have to show the card, and offered it a check in, and the receptionist said it wasn't necessary. We checked in just before 8am and the front of the line passes were well worth it.