Any advantage to getting Annual Pass?

[Jennifer_W]

We are coming to US/IofA for the first time President's Week & staying off-property. We will probably go to US/IofA for 3 or 4 days. Is there any advantage for 1 of us to get the Annual Pass vs. the 3 or 4 day ticket? How much is parking per day/what other perks are there/etc.?

We are NOT FL residents, & Undercover Tourist seems to have the best ticket prices from what I've seen so far, but do they sell the AP?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

We are coming to US/IofA for the first time President's Week & staying off-property. We will probably go to US/IofA for 3 or 4 days. Is there any advantage for 1 of us to get the Annual Pass vs. the 3 or 4 day ticket? How much is parking per day/what other perks are there/etc.?

We are NOT FL residents, & Undercover Tourist seems to have the best ticket prices from what I've seen so far, but do they sell the AP?

Thanks in advance!

Preferred Pass discounts can be found here:

https://www.universalorlando.com/Theme-Park-Tickets/Annual-Passes/Preferred-Pass-Discounts.aspx

Click on the appropriate links on the side of that page for the Premier and Power Pass discounts and offers.

 

[johde]

Parking is $17 per day.

Power Passes have limited special benefits but at least for me it was a free upgrade from a 4 day park to park ticket. People have also reported a $9 upgrade from 3 day ticket (or undercover touring 2 day 1 free without expiration date the one with expiration date is more expensive to upgrade)

The Preferred Pass includes free parking (once activated) so you'll either need to pay for parking the first time or drop the person off and wait for then to activate before going to the garage. It also includes 10% off food and merchandise at all non-kiosks in the parks and many places in city walk.

The Premium Pass includess Free preferred parking, or Valet parking and a 15% discount on food. It also include express pass after 4:00 and a HHN ticket.

The benefits are summarized here.
https://www.universalorlando.com/Theme-Park-Tickets/Annual-Passes/Non-FL-Annual-Passes.aspx

Upgrading a 3 day ticket to a Preferred Pass would be about $90. If you saved 3 days parking that's $51. If you spent over $390 on food and souvenirs that qualifies for the discount it would be worth getting 1 preferred pass. Note: AAA and American Express get similar discounts on food and Merchandise.

 

[kelleybean]

I know you said that you are staying off property, but the annual pass discounts for Universal hotels can be significant. Might be worth a look.

 

[damo]

Also, renewal rates are great.

 

[HM]

I just saved $112 a night (before taxes) at RPH for a March trip. It's around a 33% discount.

 

[chrystie4141]

I agree, get at least on preferred pass. You get discounts on food and at shops. Plus, I know you are staying offsite but the discounts on the rooms are great and you get the express pass. Also, as mentioned below the renew rates are great!

 

[kelleybean]

I agree, get at least on preferred pass. You get discounts on food and at shops. Plus, I know you are staying offsite but the discounts on the rooms are great and you get the express pass. Also, as mentioned below the renew rates are great!

I can't believe I forgot about that! With the premium AP you get express pass (one time per ride) after 4p. Also get a Halloween Horror Nights ticket although we never use it because we have a six year old. Also free bottle water - a little but nice thing. Also preferred parking is included. I think valet is too but we've never used it so not sure.

 

[johnvree]

I know you said that you are staying off property, but the annual pass discounts for Universal hotels can be significant. Might be worth a look.

I don't see the hotel discounts with the AP to be that significant. Maybe it's because we are going for a long stay and the SMSM discounts are better.

 

[bumbershoot]

I don't see the hotel discounts with the AP to be that significant. Maybe it's because we are going for a long stay and the SMSM discounts are better.

AP discounts do vary and change. Checking often is a good idea.

But the longer stay does make a difference.

For our January trip, months out the AP rate was annoyingly high. Just before the trip the AP rate dropped to 164/night base rate. Alas, the SMSM rate was 155.

***********************

http://uo.loewshotels.com/en/booking/uo?hotel=UEPBH,UEHRH,UERPR

Put "APH" into the code field. If an AP rate is available for your dates at the time you're checking, it will show up. If not, it won't. Check at a later date.

 

[kathy884]

We're just doing one night at a deluxe Universal hotel and one day with a park to park pass. That park to park pass, though is $136 pp. And the one night hotel rate at a deluxe hotel is $360 before taxes.

The basic annual pass is $189. So that means if I would save $53 on my room with an annual pass I would break even, more than that I would come out ahead. I definitely will only be doing just the one day at Universal for the year. Food purchases would be minimal, so that 10% discount wouldn't account for more than maybe $3 for me.

Do they give passholder hotel discounts during spring break? I'm looking at a one night stay on March 15th. If they gave a 30% discount, that would be $108 and means the pass would save me $55.00 // probably not enough to make it worth it to get the pass, especially if spring break discounts are not a given and I'd have to keep checking back??

 

[macraven]

you are talking about the power pass.
that pass does not give any discounts for food or merch.



it can be a hit or miss for ap rates during spring break.
you would need to check on the booking site to see if ap rates are available for your date.


you don't always get the ap discount if all the available ap rooms are already booked.

i booked beginning of september for first week in february.
ap rates were gone within a short period of them being released for the dates i booked.

 

[johde]

you are talking about the power pass.
that pass does not give any discounts for food or merch.

I was surprised. I was looking at the page Gina referenced and there were a couple of food discounts in City Walk with the Power Pass. (Burger King, Mark Pi's and Emerils). I ate at Mark Pi's, they didn't have a AAA discount and I didn't think to ask about a discount with my power pass.

 

[CPanther95]

I don't see the hotel discounts with the AP to be that significant. Maybe it's because we are going for a long stay and the SMSM discounts are better.

My APH rate was better than the SMSM rate for 5 nights on a 2Q Club & Deluxe King.

I just bumped to 7 nights and the SMSM was better for the 2Q Club - but the APH rate was better on the Deluxe King.

Bottom line: Have them check both because there's apparently no set predictable formula you can use to consistently figure it out.


But as mentioned before, the Power Pass AP cost is only $25 more than a 4-Day pass and you leave yourself the option of a 2nd visit within 12 months without a ticket expense. Of course, my 4 night trip got bumped to 5 nights just to justify the AP - then the hotel discounts pushed me to increase my stay to 7 nights. So whoever is pricing things down at Universal sucked me in completely.

 

[johde]

It's definitely worth checking both. If you can swing it, most of the time Orbitz, Travelocity, Hotels.com etc. use the SMSM price. which can then be combined with their coupon codes. Most of the times though, they require full payment upfront although it can still be refundable.

 

[kelleybean]

I don't see the hotel discounts with the AP to be that significant. Maybe it's because we are going for a long stay and the SMSM discounts are better.

I can't remember exactly but I think I saved about $40 per night with it on our last 2 trips. Might have even been more. We are local though so we tend to do two night "stay-cations" and are flexible about when we go. We were also able to get a free upgrade (same room type but better location) last time we stayed at Royal Pacific.

 

[disneylove69]

I have the Preferred Pass. This gives me free parking, discount on food and souvenirs, and hotel discounts. When I got it I saved $45 in parking and another $30 dollars or so in other discounts in one trip. Going in a few weeks and was able to get the family suite at CB for $119 a night. I did the monthly payment plan and it will automatically renew unless I write and tell them not to. It will renew at the original price paid for. So if or when they raise park prices I will get cheaper price. For the people who asked about hotel discounts put "aph" in the group/ promo code.