Park tickets from Virgin

[Elaine Guidi]

We have booked 5-day hopper plus tickets and Flex tickets from Virgin at the same time as booking our holiday. We are staying off-site at the 4-points Sheraton Lakeside. We would prefer not to go to the Welcome meeting - waste too much precious time - but can anyone tell us will we receive our hoppers/flex tickets from Virgin prior to departure eg with our flight tickets etc or are we obliged to attend the Welcome Meeting purely to collect our tickets. TYIA

 

[Madjock]

Hi Elaine,

We booked the 5 day plus hopper from Virgin last year and we received a voucher before we got our tickets. You don't have to attend the rep meeting what you do is take your voucher to the guest relations window at one of the 4 main parks and they exchange it for hard tickets. Doesn't take a lot of time.

Annmarie

 

[Elaine Guidi]

Thanks, thats okay, I'm happy enough to do that as the idea was to go straight to a park first thing, so a voucher will be fine. I had this vision of us all (inc DD & DS) sitting through a whole welcome meeting and all the time wishing we could be already half way around MK or somewhere.

 

[Mrs Dazzle]

Someone may correct me here, but I'm sure I've read on the boards that you get proper tickets from Virgin now - they use Keith Prowse - unless that was just for the special 10 day tickets on offer a couple of months ago

 

[Paulab]

No, you do get a voucher to be excahnged. We did this 1 month ago, exchanging our vouchers at Guest Services at Typhoon Lagoon, where there were no queues. We did find that had we waited until we got there the tickets would have been slightly cheaper. But it is nice knowing they are already paid for when you go isn't it! Ps. We gave the welcome meeting a miss after recommendations from this site. The only thing you miss out on is the book of vouchers with reductions for attractions/restaurants etc, but our hotel provided an envelope of those anyway, and we usually found that unless we carried them on us all the time, eating venues were decided at the last minute anyway!

 

[pigby]

We haven't been to the Virgin welcome meeting in the last two years - didn't want to waste valuable park time. Of slight interest next year would be the Arabian Nights tickets that used to be on offer - are they still doing these for Welcome meeting attendees? Haven't managed to get a Virgin brochure for 2003 yet.

 

[Elaine Guidi]

Anyone tell me where Guest Services are, in particular MGM as I think that will be our first park. You don't actually need to go into the parks to get to Guest Services do you? I ask this because I was thinking we could exchange our vouchers for tickets on our first evening in preparation for the rest of the trip. Is it one voucher you get from Virgin for the 5-day-hoppers and therefore only one transfer. Does anyone know if the same applies for the Orlando Flex tickets. So many questions. TY

 

[GO2209]

I will be very dissapointed if Virgin send vouchers rather than tickets. According to their website statement available at http://www.virgintravelstore.com/keithprowse/9goodreasons.htm they issue tickets.

That was a key reason why I booked with them

 

[GO2209]

I was going to purchase tickets for Seaworld at the same time, but Virgin website asks for the date you will be visiting the park. As I am not sure which day I will be going, I decided against ordering with them.

Do the tickets have a date on them, or can I use them whenever I choose?

 

[Timmie Boy]

If you booked the tickets from the Virgin travelstore then you will definately get the hard tickets. And what ever you do don't pack them in your suitcases. We had ours nicked from the overnight twilight check in at Gatwick! Luckily Keith Prowse recorded the serial numbers and we got them reprinted at MGM guest relations ( which is just left of the main entrance to MGM. Just ask someone when you get there)

 

[Paulab]

Hi GO2009

It is Virgin Hols that send out vouchers, I think you do get the tickets actual with V Travelstore. All Disney/Universal Guest Relations booths are adjacent to the ticket booths, so yes you can go there without entering the park. If I were you I would wait to purchase seaworld tickets until you get there. When we went in July if you bought a 1day ticket on the day, you could upgrade to a 2-day ticket for $9.99! (and I would say it is worthy of 2 days, specially if you have children). If you plan to get a flex ticket these include SW anyway, don't forget they are valid for 14 days from the day you get them, unlike Disney's passes which are valid for life.

P

 

[GO2209]

I have bought the 5 day hopper plus. Probably will only use two or three days this time. Only in Orlando for 4 days. However, I intend to return after Easter and spend a bit more time in Orlando.

As for Seaworld - i doubt I will be able to take advantage of the second day for $10. No kids - just the GF. I am worse than a child anyway - I have a credit card!

Can you upgrade part used Disney tickets? Ie, if I have three days left can I upgrade to a 7day pass at Easter and get the equivalent discount?

 

[Jabba]

Buy your tickets at the WDW.

Virgin and the other ticket outlets are expensive.

For my first trip to disney I bought my tickets from a Disney shop. Big mistake 144 quid for 5 days, but at the gate they were only 180 dollars!!!