Annual Pass Premier and Free Parking on the first day

[braclark]

I bought the 2day 2parks + 2 days free tickets from UT, and I plan on upgrading to Premier Annual Pass when I get there. The passes say "free parking after first visit", but has anyone received free parking on day 1?

Could I have my wife drop me off at the drop off area, I go into the park and upgrade to premier, then come back out and get free parking? Is it worth it to save $20?

 

[Patch'sD]

Technically yes. Pass must be in hand for free parking. Since you have to walk to the park and then walk back, get in the car and drive back to the parking lot. 30 to 40 minutes for the whole process my guess. Your feet, Your time, I guess you can figure if it's worth it.

 

[RalphinSC]

Another method may be to go to an onsite hotel, park in the short term "check-in" parking area, get your passes from the hotel's ticket counter, and then go to the parking garage. This benefits from usually avoiding longer lines. But I believe the drawback that may apply to you is that I'm not sure if the ticket counters located in the hotels can price-bridge to an AP (never tried it myself)

 

[macraven]

Ap must be activated in order to get free parking


No exceptions


Have your wife drop you off at city walk
Have her go to the small shopping center near pbh and wait there

Call her once you upgrade your tickets to the ap and enter the park which will activate the ap

Call her as you are walking back to city walk to pick you up

Once in the car, go to the garage and you will have free parking

Can take time but it is the best way to handle this

I would just pay for parking as time would mean more to me than saving the 20

 

[RalphinSC]

I would just pay for parking as time would mean more to me than saving the 20

Same here. Wouldr ather pay than waste the better part of an hour getting the AP upgraded and activated.

 

[braclark]

Ok, thank you all for the great options. I'm justifying the cost of the Premier AP with the free parking @ $20/day comes out to 5 visits to break even and we only have 4 days scheduled as of now. If I have to pay on the first visit, then really it's 6 visits to break even, so it's only worth it if we come back. I guess I should start planning our return visit.

But yes, an hour of my whole family's time on vacation is far more valuable than $20. So unless I'm ready in the morning to go to the park an hour before the rest of them, it looks like I'll be paying to park on visit #1.

 

[macraven]

And the premier ap allows a 15% discount off of food and merch in the parks, hotel eateries and city walk