Annual Pass Changes???

[Flounder89]

I was actually waiting to see what the new options are before buying my first AP at Universal. Now I'm wondering if I should have done the old prices cause I don't see a mention of Volcano Bay? We were hoping for a pass including that park...

 

[cmarsh31]

Well, we were considering upgrading our 4 sets of UT tickets to 4 APs in Oct when we get there (and maybe sneak in another visit when we're at WDW in Feb). Now, I'll just get one seasonal AP to keep the hotel discounts I have booked, I think. Feb break days aren't blocked out but for a maybe, it was one thing at $40 and another at $120. Oh well. $30 is still much more than we're saving on the 3 nights of hotels.

 

[keishashadow]

Damo thanks for posting!

Noticed that parking is only 50% covered for the power pass, is that new?

I am seriously questioning the wisdom of all passes being eligible for the APH hotel pricing as there are only X # of rooms available per night with the promo.

Rarely make it to EE hours when staying onsite but have to agree with other posters, with such a large pool of people being eligible to attend the perk may be devalued. Might be tough sell to promote it to those booking CB or SF as to justifying rates.

I don't think Universal passes are a deal. They aren't outrageous like Disney is now, but they are pretty expensive. Florida resident speaking here. Annual passes (and one day ticket) prices for Disney and Universal have increased a lot over the past decade.

We have flexpay. Do those rates go up to the current pricing once your initial contract is over?

Depend on your usage re APs having value. Prices for multi day tix have been creeping upwards, doesn't take much to hit the break even point

I was actually waiting to see what the new options are before buying my first AP at Universal. Now I'm wondering if I should have done the old prices cause I don't see a mention of Volcano Bay? We were hoping for a pass including that park...

I am very curious as to how they will handle it for those who will have a current pass when the WP opens.

 

[pigletto]

I already have UT tickets, and had planned to upgrade them to power passes. I'm not sure on my best course of action now. IF we get another trip out of our tickets, it will be a few days in late August of next year. So the seasonal pass would be just fine for us.

What's the cost to add days to our tickets? We have 3 day tickets. Ideally we would have 5 day tickets for this trip. Can you even buy a five day ticket? I'd like to compare the prices between upgrading our 3 day passes to 5 days vs. getting us all seasonal passes.

 

[pauladrn]

I just called to renew my ap and downgrade to power from preferred. The man I spoke with said the system is down currently. I asked him the prices for renewal to the power pass and he said it would be 198.08 taxes included. And the renewal for preferred would be 276.89. I asked if prices were going up and he said they are for new passes but, currently renewal prices would stay the same. He said to call back later. I hope he had the right info.

 

[RAPstar]

I agree with you, Janet. With the upper passes now including EE, I'm seriously consider finding something either near by or in between Disney and Universal to save money and then just upgrading. I mean the boat will be nice at SF, but currently basically all the rooms are sold out except the hospitality suite, so how crowded are the boats gonna be? And with me now doing Disney for 2 nights, I'd only really get 2 days of early entry I can do. Idk.

 

[Starshine]

I just called to renew my ap and downgrade to power from preferred. The man I spoke with said the system is down currently. I asked him the prices for renewal to the power pass and he said it would be 198.08 taxes included. And the renewal for preferred would be 276.89. I asked if prices were going up and he said they are for new passes but, currently renewal prices would stay the same. He said to call back later. I hope he had the right info.

The prices he quoted match what we just paid to renew our Power passes online this morning, which is $10 more than we paid last year.

 

[tinkerone]

ETA- I think it is giving me Florida Resident rates. Forget this and Sorry.

 

[Mom2Stitch]

So, so happy I got my passes yesterday! Saved $180 on 2 power passes.

 

[cam757]

What's the cost to add days to our tickets? We have 3 day tickets. Ideally we would have 5 day tickets for this trip. Can you even buy a five day ticket? I'd like to compare the prices between upgrading our 3 day passes to 5 days vs. getting us all seasonal passes.

Pigletto, No, they do not have a 5 day ticket that I am aware of but UT is currently running a promo buy 2 days park to park and get 2 free, which is a great deal. They also have a 3 park unlimited ticket that I think is good at the 3 Universal parks for a 14 period. We bought (3) 2 day +1 free day Park to Park passes from UT. I went to the ticket counter at RPR and gave the rep my 3 e-ticket printouts and she printed me 3 card size tickets to fit in a lanyard. The tickets she printed were 3 day tickets and did say Undercover Tourist on them. On the last day our ticket was valid, I went to the Guest Services counter at Universal Studios and they upgraded all three tickets to Power Passes. I think I paid $33 total to upgrade all 3 passes to Power Passes. It is a great deal.

 

[tinkerone]

Yes, the difference in my preferred tickets that I bought yesterday from today, for 2, is $85. That's a billion and a half savings in Canadian dollars........okay, almost.
So glad I jumped on it yesterday. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[cmarsh31]

Pigletto, we bought (3) 2 day +1 free day Park to Park passes from UT. I went to the ticket counter at RPR and gave the rep my 3 e-ticket printouts and she printed me 3 card size tickets to fit in a lanyard. The tickets she printed were 3 day tickets and did say Undercover Tourist on them. On the last day our ticket was valid, I went to the Guest Services counter at Universal Studios and they upgraded all three tickets to Power Passes. I think I paid $33 total to upgrade all 3 passes to Power Passes. It is a great deal.

Unfortunately with the new pricing... it won't be that nice next month

 

[martin33]

does anyone know if I can book discounted hotel rates for March 2017 now if I buy an AP today?
thx!

 

[pigletto]

Pigletto, No, they do not have a 5 day ticket that I am aware of but UT is currently running a promo buy 2 days park to park and get 2 free, which is a great deal. They also have a 3 park unlimited ticket that I think is good at the 3 Universal parks for a 14 period. We bought (3) 2 day +1 free day Park to Park passes from UT. I went to the ticket counter at RPR and gave the rep my 3 e-ticket printouts and she printed me 3 card size tickets to fit in a lanyard. The tickets she printed were 3 day tickets and did say Undercover Tourist on them. On the last day our ticket was valid, I went to the Guest Services counter at Universal Studios and they upgraded all three tickets to Power Passes. I think I paid $33 total to upgrade all 3 passes to Power Passes. It is a great deal.

Thank you for your response .
That's what we did last time too, and what I had planned to do this time. But the difference with the price increases is that it's going to cost me $55 per ticket to upgrade to the Seasonal Pass now, which is over $200 that I didn't have budgeted for (and like the previous poster mentioned .. will cost about $270 Canadian).

So it looks like we may have to stick with four day tickets and limit our park days? I may still pay to upgrade but the Canadian exchange rate is awful right now and the travel budget is stretched thin. I'll have to think on it for a bit.

 

[tinkerone]

does anyone know if I can book discounted hotel rates for March 2017 now if I buy an AP today?
thx!

I'm waiting for AP rates for November and they are not out yet so I would think not. Probably closer to Jan to book for March.

 

[Gillbob316]

This is really putting my shorts in a wad in the middle of my trip planning...

Earlier this year (Feb) I bought a 3 Day Ticket at a Discount and bridged it to a Power Pass.
Last week I advised my friend (who didn't join me in Feb) to buy a 2+1 day ticket from Undercover Tourist and similarly bridge it to a Power Pass on our HHN trip in Sept, for what would have been roughly $10.

Now it's looking like she'd have to bridge it to a Seasonal Pass, rather than a Power Pass, for more money and less perks.

Does anyone have the new math on what this should cost? Has she now gone from a $10 bridge to a $35+ bridge?

I don't look forward to having to explain this to her. Nor explain why my pass is purple and has more perks than hers. And what's worse is, I think the cost is going to be comparable if not MORE now than it would have been had she just bought a Power Pass direct from Universal at yesterdays rates!

And god forbid we decide to go back in February (a real possibility), and we happen to hit on a Mardi Gras concert date. *Facepalm*

They could have at least waited until 2017! *Shakes Fist*

 

[gmadvm]

Bummer! One day late. I tried to get the power pass online last night but it kept refusing my credit card. called the CC company to see if it was their side and they said that there hadn't been any declines. Now I see the price jump. That's what I get for waiting. Should have done it Monday when I thought of it. Cost me $60 extra for my tardiness. Just got the seasonal pass. We never have a car and the extra blackout days in June July and August don't affect us. You would have to drug me to go to florida in the summer.

 

[tinkerone]

Thank you for your response .
That's what we did last time too, and what I had planned to do this time. But the difference with the price increases is that it's going to cost me $55 per ticket to upgrade to the Seasonal Pass now, which is over $200 that I didn't have budgeted for (and like the previous poster mentioned .. will cost about $270 Canadian).

So it looks like we may have to stick with four day tickets and limit our park days? I may still pay to upgrade but the Canadian exchange rate is awful right now and the travel budget is stretched thin. I'll have to think on it for a bit.

ETA--I think I'm getting lost here, ignore my response.

 

[martin33]

Ok thanks- that makes a difference- I will likely but UT 4 day for cost of two day tickets ($228 each), pay full price at Portofino- but get access to express pass as on site guests- you win some you lose some- ironically I'm still on hold (40 min and counting ) with Universal to ask the same question....hanging up now

 

[winstoda]

This is really putting my shorts in a wad in the middle of my trip planning...

Earlier this year (Feb) I bought a 3 Day Ticket at a Discount and bridged it to a Power Pass.
Last week I advised my friend (who didn't join me in Feb) to buy a 2+1 day ticket from Undercover Tourist and similarly bridge it to a Power Pass on our HHN trip in Sept, for what would have been roughly $10.

Now it's looking like she'd have to bridge it to a Seasonal Pass, rather than a Power Pass, for more money and less perks.

Does anyone have the new math on what this should cost? Has she now gone from a $10 bridge to a $35+ bridge?

I don't look forward to having to explain this to her. Nor explain why my pass is purple and has more perks than hers. And what's worse is, I think the cost is going to be comparable if not MORE now than it would have been had she just bought a Power Pass direct from Universal at yesterdays rates!

And god forbid we decide to go back in February (a real possibility), and we happen to hit on a Mardi Gras concert date. *Facepalm*

They could have at least waited until 2017! *Shakes Fist*

My fuzzy math shows about $37 per adult with tax.