Annual Pass Question

[VacaPlanner2012]

First off, thank you for all of the great info on these boards!

Quick back story, going on 2-week vaca (7/21 - 8/4/2012), me and DW, DS 8 years old, DD 5 years old, mother in law. Interested in 4 days at US/IoA with FOTL, and 2-3 days at Sea World, Aquatica.

Question - If I buy annual pass for myself and flex ticket for the other four, can I still get the free parking, discount on RPR/HRH (undecided), etc. In other words, can I just buy one AP and not 5 to get the discounts? Heck parking alone almost pays for one.

Thanks, many more questions to come.

Mike

 

[mesaboy2]

I believe so. Parking is not included on a Florida Resident Power Pass, but I believe it is included for all others. For these APs, it must be activated before you get the free parking.

You should still be able to get the discounts on hotels and merch as well.

FYI, I use a variation of this strategy. I have a Preferred AP, while the rest if my family has Power APs. I only need the Preferred to get the discounts.

The ticket experts on here will correct me if I'm wrong.

Happy planning!

 

[momnum1]

FYI, I use a variation of this strategy. I have a Preferred AP, while the rest if my family has Power APs. I only need the Preferred to get the discounts.

Can someone explain the block out dates for the Power Passes? I thought about purchasing two of these for my kids as I have a Preferred AP, but looking at the calendar for the blockout dates it hardly seems worth it... unless I'm misreading it somehow. It looks like the entire summer is blocked out (for one park) and then some weekends during the fall. We don't live in FL, but have managed to get down there at least once, sometimes twice a year, for the past several years now. I know it's cheaper than purchasing tickets twice, but I'm still concerned about those dates.

Also, what is the renewal cost on the Power Passes? TIA!!!

 

[Metro West]

Question - If I buy annual pass for myself and flex ticket for the other four, can I still get the free parking, discount on RPR/HRH (undecided), etc. In other words, can I just buy one AP and not 5 to get the discounts? Heck parking alone almost pays for one.

If you purchase an AP make sure you get either the Preferred or Premier. The Power Pass does not include any discounts except on multiple day tickets and does not include free parking. The Preferred AP will allow you free parking at the garage, discounts at the hotels and merchandise and food at the parks. You only need a single AP to get the discounts so you won't need everyone to have one. Remember...you need to have the pass activated at the gate before you can free parking so the first visit you will have to pay but afterwards it's free.

Can someone explain the block out dates for the Power Passes? I thought about purchasing two of these for my kids as I have a Preferred AP, but looking at the calendar for the blockout dates it hardly seems worth it... unless I'm misreading it somehow. It looks like the entire summer is blocked out (for one park) and then some weekends during the fall. We don't live in FL, but have managed to get down there at least once, sometimes twice a year, for the past several years now. I know it's cheaper than purchasing tickets twice, but I'm still concerned about those dates.

Also, what is the renewal cost on the Power Passes? TIA!!!

The Power Pass blockout dates are for the summer months at IOA and Christmas week at both parks. Here's the link:

http://www.universalorlando.com/Tickets/Annual_Passholders/2011blockoutdates.aspx

Power Passes are basically good for theme park admission only as no other discounts are available...which is what you're looking for but you would have to go during off peak times to use them.

Power Passes aren't renewed...you would have to purchase a new one every year.

 

[VacaPlanner2012]

Thank you for the quick reply.

The evolution of this started with 4 day VIP tickets for all. The benefit of this is that I can go any 3 days (after the first scheduled day) of my two weeks (so I could check weather and the like when I get down there).

Then it dawned on me from reading this board that if I booked an on-site room one night each week, I could still get 4 days of unlimited express and the other benefits for about $170 cheaper than if I buy the VIP tickets. Good thing I am a CPA to can set up multiple ticket option speadsheets and figure out the math. It can seem overwhelming! However, I am tied to two sets of back-to-back days, but I can do one night the first week at RPR and one night the second week at HRH.

Then, the annual pass tangent makes me think I can save even more money with the discounts on the room and parking. Again, I am not going until July, so a little time and many ticket options to still weed through.

Next question - on the Universal website, I am not able to see what the AP discount is for the hotels. I am assuming the bottom line 10% discount since it is the last two weeks of July, but the website keep saying up to 30%. Any thoughts? Also, I see with the premier AP, there is a room upgrade. What is this?

This is the last vacation before both of our children will be in school, so I am planning/saving/splurging! Is club level worth looking into? Roughly $125 more a night for five people. Continental breakfast alone in the Club lounge almost covers it, am I missing something?

Mike

 

[Metro West]

I'm afraid I can't answer the hotel questions for you but someone will come along and fill you in.

 

[macraven]

First off, thank you for all of the great info on these boards!

Quick back story, going on 2-week vaca (7/21 - 8/4/2012), me and DW, DS 8 years old, DD 5 years old, mother in law. Interested in 4 days at US/IoA with FOTL, and 2-3 days at Sea World, Aquatica.

Question - If I buy annual pass for myself and flex ticket for the other four, can I still get the free parking, discount on RPR/HRH (undecided), etc. In other words, can I just buy one AP and not 5 to get the discounts? Heck parking alone almost pays for one.

Thanks, many more questions to come.

Mike

once your ap is activated, you get free parking at the garage.

there is a parking fee for each night you have a car at the onsite hotels.

parking overnight is considered having the car in their hotel lot once it is midnight.

staying onsite will have parking fees.



if you book your room at the onsite hotels, you can book with the ap for a room discount if rooms are available.

 

[macraven]

Thank you for the quick reply.



Then it dawned on me from reading this board that if I booked an on-site room one night each week, I could still get 4 days of unlimited express and the other benefits for about $170 cheaper than if I buy the VIP tickets. Good thing I am a CPA to can set up multiple ticket option speadsheets and figure out the math. It can seem overwhelming! However, I am tied to two sets of back-to-back days, but I can do one night the first week at RPR and one night the second week at HRH.

Then, the annual pass tangent makes me think I can save even more money with the discounts on the room and parking. Again, I am not going until July, so a little time and many ticket options to still weed through.

Next question - on the Universal website, I am not able to see what the AP discount is for the hotels. I am assuming the bottom line 10% discount since it is the last two weeks of July, but the website keep saying up to 30%. Any thoughts? Also, I see with the premier AP, there is a room upgrade. What is this?

This is the last vacation before both of our children will be in school, so I am planning/saving/splurging! Is club level worth looking into? Roughly $125 more a night for five people. Continental breakfast alone in the Club lounge almost covers it, am I missing something?

Mike

it depends on which hotel you choose if club is beneficial.
rph has a great food offerings in the lounge.

i have been reading this week of disappointment of club offerings at pbh.

hrh club does not hold a stick to rph offerings.
and, that club is small compared to the other 2.

for the $125 increase each day on your rate, i can't say if that is worth it over a non club room.
it really depends on how much you can eat or how frequent you will be using the club lounge for snacks, etc.
since the kids are 8 and 5, that would be a tough call for me to make.

you are looking for july 2012?
the ap rates will not be out yet for that month right now.

you would need to book the room at rack rates now and then call to modify to the ap rate once it is published.

what you are doing now is guaranteeing your room.

if you have the premier pass and want a free upgrade, you need to check out what is an upgraded room.

for example: at rph/hrh, if you book a standard room and press for the upgrade, it would be a water view.

 

[bumbershoot]

Next question - on the Universal website, I am not able to see what the AP discount is for the hotels. I am assuming the bottom line 10% discount since it is the last two weeks of July, but the website keep saying up to 30%. Any thoughts?

You do not *always* get a discount. You have to go to the Loews hotels website and put APH into the code box. If there are AP rates, they will show up. If no AP rates show up, there are none to be had at that time.

If that's your main reason for getting the AP, you might want to hold off on buying it until/unless there are Ap rates. In the meantime, if you KNOW you'll be staying onsite, book it if the normal/seasonal/staymoresavemore/etc rates are acceptable to you. You can change it later, if in your continued checking you find that an AP rate finally shows up.

And as was already stated...the free parkign with the AP is at the park's garages. You will still have to pay for parking at the resort parking lot. And I'm not sure it makes sense to leave the resort lot to go park (even if for free) at the park's garage, since it's an easy walk/boat ride from the hotels to the parks.

 

[macraven]

over night cars in the garage are towed away.
good reason to just park at the hotel and bite the bullet.


i never book on the websites.

i call and talk with a TM and usually can get info on promos on the horizon, so to speak...


i book months out and then deal with the room rate later when they come available.

my main concern is hotel, room type and dates...
money is not an issue for me when booking for HHN time period.
other times, maybe, but not a priority