Advice on FL Annual Passes

marciemi

DIS Veteran
Joined
Dec 29, 1999
Messages
4,842
If we're new locals, should we buy preferred or premier passes? Only real benefit for us would be the express passes after 4 - are they worth $125 each? Thanks!
 
By local I figure you mean with in an hour drive?

Yes, I would buy the premier pass. $125 more seems like a lot, but when you think over a year it is only $10 extra a month. If you only go once a month (if local you will probably go lots more) it would definitely be worth $10 for express.

I wish I was local.
 
What about the fact that the premier passes also include a non-peak ticket to HHN....that might also help justify the extra cost. If you are local, it should be easy for you to get there during that special event, I would think.
 
If you're local enough that you think you'll be doing a lot of last minute trips in the evenings (like within 30 minutes or so), I would definitely go with a Premier pass. We're about 2 hours away, so deciding at noon that we want to go that evening doesn't work so well for us. We have the power pass with black out dates now, but if we lived in Deland or Kissimmee, Winter Park, etc we'd get the Premier pass.
 

Haven't been there yet but maps say it's about 30 minutes from here so within an hour. :thumbsup2 I didn't list the HHN because I'm a total wuss and there's no way I'd ever consider going to one of those! :blush: Maybe sometime I'll get up the nerve to go to MNSSHP but that's about it.

We did already splurge for the Premium passes for Disney, but have made the most of them with 3 college-aged kids here over the summer (we were in corporate housing in Davenport right near the parks then) so we did a lot of the golf and water parks and DQ, etc. I think when we renew next year we'd stick with the regular (4 park) Disney passes then.

But to answer the question, we could go over at least on weekend evenings (my husband works evenings so during the week would be out unless I went alone). Does anyone know if there actually is a big benefit to the express passes then? Does it cut the line a lot? I know it's not good for HP stuff but everything else? We haven't been to Uni since 2007 so I think there's a lot we haven't seen but we could go in the mornings sometime at Rope Drop - would that be more beneficial than the express passes after 4? Thanks for all your help!
 
Does anyone know if there actually is a big benefit to the express passes then? Does it cut the line a lot? I know it's not good for HP stuff but everything else?


First, oh my goodness look at the current ages of that awesome picture of your then-little boys. OH sniffle sniffle.


The lines I hear about clearing out towards closing are things like Forbidden Journey. I don't hear about other rides clearing out, but I could be wrong.

The attractions that EP doesn't work for are:

Forbidden Journey
Gringott's
Hogwarts Express
Ollivanders
Pteranodon Flyers (unless you're traveling with kids that meet the height restrictions/requirements for that, you don't get to ride it anyway)


It does work for Dragon Challenge and Flight of the Hippogriff, and everything else. So it really could be worth it.


Unless the plan is to pay in installments, what if you started off with a ticket or a lower pass, then bump up the levels if you find it useful. The reason I mention installments is because my cousins bought the Power Pass on the payment plan, and when they realized that they LOVED Universal they went to move it to Preferred to get parking paid for, and found out that they would have to pay it ALL off at that time. You can't just add to your payment plan.
 
First, oh my goodness look at the current ages of that awesome picture of your then-little boys. OH sniffle sniffle.

Yep, this is what they look like now (at my oldest son's AF commissioning in May):

Anyway, thanks so much for the help - we'll definitely just pay it off vs. the payment plan so I was considering just starting with the lower level and seeing what we thought but wondering if then on our first couple times there we'll regret not just having paid for the premier one. I feel so lost on all the new stuff there and am not a huge HP fan (but am a coaster fan) so thinking we really might like the passes for the non-HP stuff. Thanks!
 
Oh I'm going to cry at that picture. My dude's 10 so he's jumping towards adulthood by leaps and bounds.

I was considering just starting with the lower level and seeing what we thought but wondering if then on our first couple times there we'll regret not just having paid for the premier one

Start lower and upgrade by the end of the first day, if you like. :) It's just like Disney; they let you upgrade them. No pro-rating, just like Disney.
 
Oh, you're in Clermont! I would do the Premiere Pass, definitely. Parking is now $17 a day, so going just 10 times and you've nearly broken even. When Mardi Gras gets geared up, you might find yourself going nearly every weekend if you like most of the bands.
 
If we're new locals, should we buy preferred or premier passes? Only real benefit for us would be the express passes after 4 - are they worth $125 each? Thanks!
I think the Preferred AP would be sufficient for you...that's what I have and will not change.

Premier is fine but unless you are going to utilize the free Express after 4pm and all the free water you get...not to mention the HHN ticket, stick with the Preferred AP.
 












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