Annual pass or 3 day fix?

[kkbrig]

The 4 kids and I are tagging along with the husband for a meeting in West Palm Beach next week, and I have finagled a stop at Universal along the way! This will be our first trip to Universal.

My dilemma is whether to buy 3 day hopper tickets (the cheapest I've found is from Undercover tourist) and pay the regular hotel rate (I have reserved a suite at Portofino Bay) OR buy annual passes (I've only seen them at Universal website) and pay the discounted hotel rate. These two options cost the same amount! So I either pay $800 more for the room, or for annual tickets. Yes, we could then use those tickets again sometime before Dec 31, but the reality is that with 4 kids, there really are not a lot of chances to get away, and so it is unlikely we will be able to return in the next 5 months.

I am tempted to pay for tickets, because at least there's the option to use them again, but husband thinks I'm nuts buying annual passes! I'm wondering if there are other places I might either have fees or would save with either option to swing it one way or the other. Or anything else you can think of to reduce the price? This 3 day vacation is already costing $3300 and that's just tickets and room!

Thanks for the help!

 

[sz9144]

The 4 kids and I are tagging along with the husband for a meeting in West Palm Beach next week, and I have finagled a stop at Universal along the way! This will be our first trip to Universal.

My dilemma is whether to buy 3 day hopper tickets (the cheapest I've found is from Undercover tourist) and pay the regular hotel rate (I have reserved a suite at Portofino Bay) OR buy annual passes (I've only seen them at Universal website) and pay the discounted hotel rate. These two options cost the same amount! So I either pay $800 more for the room, or for annual tickets. Yes, we could then use those tickets again sometime before Dec 31, but the reality is that with 4 kids, there really are not a lot of chances to get away, and so it is unlikely we will be able to return in the next 5 months.

I am tempted to pay for tickets, because at least there's the option to use them again, but husband thinks I'm nuts buying annual passes! I'm wondering if there are other places I might either have fees or would save with either option to swing it one way or the other. Or anything else you can think of to reduce the price? This 3 day vacation is already costing $3300 and that's just tickets and room!

Thanks for the help!

Keep in mind annual passes are good for a year from first use, so if you went next week, the passes would be good until July, 2014. You would need to purchase regular passes (not power passes) as the power passes are blocked out (for at least one of the parks) for use all of this July and next year from mid June to mid August.
You may want to consider just buying one preferred pass and regular tickets for everyone else, so you can use the discount for the hotel, parking, etc.

I found that the savings for my family more than made up for it, but I only purchased one regular pass and one power pass, as we were not traveling during blockout dates. I saved at least $250 off my 3 night stay in may, which basically paid the one regular pass. I will be going again in sept so the passes will pay for themselves that way also.

 

[Metro West]

If you know you aren't coming back within the year and keep in mind HP2 should be open sometime next summer, just get the park tickets instead of the APs.

Also...you might want to look offsite for rooms to save money. You won't get the perks of staying onsite but you will save a lot on room costs.

 

[housemouse]

If it's the same cost either way I'd probably go on and pick up the Annual passes. If you do decide to come back before next July, you already have tickets. If you don't come back before then, you're not out any extra money. Why limit your options?


But like a PP said, if it's power passes you're looking at they have black out dates and they don't qualify you for the hotel discounts either. But you only need one preferred pass for the discounts.

 

[kkbrig]

Thank you all!

-For some reason I thought I had seen that the annual passes expire Dec 31. Thanks for clearing that up! Another 7 months of eligibility definitely does make it more possible for a return.

-It is the preferred annual pass that I was looking at since, as you pointed out, the power pass has my dates blacked out

-I was thinking the same as you guys- if they cost the same, why not get the annual passes and have the possibility with a free return (well, free tix at least). I just thought there must be something I'm missing here...

-And thanks for the idea of one of us getting an annual pass and the others getting the 3 day. On this idea- is there any reason this would be a problem? (all of us not having annual passes) When I priced this option out, it saves me $680.

Again, thanks for the help!

 

[sz9144]

Thank you all!

-For some reason I thought I had seen that the annual passes expire Dec 31. Thanks for clearing that up! Another 7 months of eligibility definitely does make it more possible for a return.

-It is the preferred annual pass that I was looking at since, as you pointed out, the power pass has my dates blacked out

-I was thinking the same as you guys- if they cost the same, why not get the annual passes and have the possibility with a free return (well, free tix at least). I just thought there must be something I'm missing here...

-And thanks for the idea of one of us getting an annual pass and the others getting the 3 day. On this idea- is there any reason this would be a problem? (all of us not having annual passes) When I priced this option out, it saves me $680.

Again, thanks for the help!

There's no issue with having different passes or tickets. Whenever you buy something (food or merchandise) at a store or restaurant just present the one annual pass to get your discount. They don't give discounts at the food carts though. at the hotel, make the reservation in the name on the annual pass.

 

[bumbershoot]

If it's the same cost either way I'd probably go on and pick up the Annual passes. If you do decide to come back before next July, you already have tickets. If you don't come back before then, you're not out any extra money. Why limit your options?

And you get the added discounts on most food and merchandise with the AP, and I know from personal experience that the discounts can add up.

-And thanks for the idea of one of us getting an annual pass and the others getting the 3 day. On this idea- is there any reason this would be a problem? (all of us not having annual passes) When I priced this option out, it saves me $680.

Again, thanks for the help!

The only problem would be is if you didn't budget for *possible* upgrades and everyone ends up loving it SO MUCH that they want to go back inside of a year. That's a problem because just one of you has the AP. So, maybe...don't spend that extra money on anything, just keep it in reserve...just in case.