Annual Pass Question

[babyready]

Hello!

My family of six is hoping to go to Universal in August and I was planning to do Annual Passes so we could do another trip next summer. And maybe squeeze in an additional trip if we are able. We did this a few years ago and loved it.

The bummer is that my kids LOVE Volcano Bay and that is really the highlight for them but most of the summer is blacked out, until Aug 15. We have another small trip planned that following weekend near our home and then school starts for my oldest. So I thought we would squeeze in a trip, maybe getting one or two full days at Volcano Bay at the end. Even though the kids loved being able to just pop over there for a couple of hours whenever they felt like when we have been there previously with our APs.

Today, I had the brilliant idea that if I just bought 3 park, park to park tickets, we could go to Volcano Bay any time during our stay and we could just upgrade to APs at the end of the trip, instead of the beginning like we have in the past. Is this true? Am I overlooking a very important detail? This would be so great if we could make it work!

Thanks!

 

[mamapenguin]

As long as you know that a 3 park ticket used at Volcano Bay can only be upgraded to a 3 park AP then you are understanding correctly.

 

[zillayen]

As long as you know that a 3 park ticket used at Volcano Bay can only be upgraded to a 3 park AP then you are understanding correctly.

You also have to upgrade to a pass that would have been valid at the time your tickets were used. We just got back from a trip and had 5 day 2-park tickets that we used over Spring Break. We could only upgrade to a Preferred pass or higher because Seasonal/Power would have been blocked out that week. So if you use the tickets during VB August blackout dates, you can only upgrade to a pass that doesn't have the blackout dates, which I think would be the 3-park premier.

 

[babyready]

You also have to upgrade to a pass that would have been valid at the time your tickets were used. We just got back from a trip and had 5 day 2-park tickets that we used over Spring Break. We could only upgrade to a Preferred pass or higher because Seasonal/Power would have been blocked out that week. So if you use the tickets during VB August blackout dates, you can only upgrade to a pass that doesn't have the blackout dates, which I think would be the 3-park premier.

Oh man. Well, that would a big difference since we were just going to do season passes. Should have known it was too good to be true!

 

[georgina]

You also have to upgrade to a pass that would have been valid at the time your tickets were used. We just got back from a trip and had 5 day 2-park tickets that we used over Spring Break. We could only upgrade to a Preferred pass or higher because Seasonal/Power would have been blocked out that week. So if you use the tickets during VB August blackout dates, you can only upgrade to a pass that doesn't have the blackout dates, which I think would be the 3-park premier.

I wonder when they started doing that? Didn't used to be that way, at least for the US concert blockout dates and upgrading to a seasonal pass.

 

[zillayen]

I wonder when they started doing that? Didn't used to be that way, at least for the US concert blockout dates and upgrading to a seasonal pass.

I’m not sure. Here’s the chat I had with them and it was confirmed by guest services when my husband went to upgrade. They also said that it had to be done at Guest Services while the ticket is still active.

 

[georgina]

I believe you, just surprised, as we have in the past upgraded to a seasonal the day after going to US for the Manheim Steamroller concert on a 4 day ticket, when the seasonal would have been blocked out for the concert. I will probably never be in the position to try that again anyway.

 

[mamapenguin]

They are changing things. For example: no more AP discount for food at New Dutch Trading Co. - was told the change happened in February. Also - today we bought length of stay resort freestyle cups, but the length of stay button was supposedly gone from the screen that activates the cups?? So, now we get to go back in a few days to reactivate showing the original receipt. This is not how it was last July. I’m wondering if they are going to change how the hotel cups work. Time will tell. It’s the little things. I love Universal and it won’t change how we vacation, it’s just a sign of the times- like the change to upgrading APs or to APs.