APH discounts?

[LaurenT]

Hi All!
Looking forward to my first visit to the dark side at the end of August!
I originally had the stay more save more room rate which came to $107 more than the APH rate. We're staying 4 nights, so buying one AP would cost about $120 more than the 4 day 2 park pass.... Doing that will give me a 15% savings on DD and DH's tickets and 10% on merchandise and restaurants...
So I switched...
Tell me I did the right thing!
And does anyone know if there's a list somewhere of which restaurants offer the AP discount?

 

[damo]

If you'll save money, you did the right thing!!!

All the restaurants in the parks take the AP except the carts. At the hotels, the chain restaurants don't take the AP, like The Palm and Bice.

At Citywalk, most places take it except Bubba Gumps (I think), Burger King, Moe's.



One thing though. You'll get a bigger discount purchasing the other tickets at Undercover Tourist. The 15% off that you get with your AP is off the gate price, not the online price.

Also remember that next year, you can renew at a huge savings close to $100.

 

[sz9144]

If you think you'll return again within a year you may want to consider power passes for the rest of your family instead of just 4 day park to park tickets. It would be about $25 more than the 4 day passes and gives you a year of admission (minus the blockout dates)

 

[macraven]

looking at the OP siggie, they will be vacationing in august this year.
if they buy the power passes for the rest of the family, it might not work out for them in 2014.

on the website, it shows last half of june, all of july and first half of august is blacked out for using the power pass next year.

if they go the last week of august next year, the power passes will be fine then.

 

[sz9144]

looking at the OP siggie, they will be vacationing in august this year.
if they buy the power passes for the rest of the family, it might not work out for them in 2014.

on the website, it shows last half of june, all of july and first half of august is blacked out for using the power pass next year.

if they go the last week of august next year, the power passes will be fine then.

Yes, I mentioned the blockout dates. I didn't tell them they had to buy it, I merely suggested they look into it

 

[Fanboy]

One thing though. You'll get a bigger discount purchasing the other tickets at Undercover Tourist. The 15% off that you get with your AP is off the gate price, not the online price.

According to Mousesavers, the gate price with tax for a 4-day, 2-park pass would be $200.21 for adults and $187.43 for kids. Saving 15% off those prices would bring his cost down to $170.18 for adults and $159.32 for kids, cheaper than even the UT tickets with the Mousesavers code by a few bucks per ticket.

 

[LaurenT]

So many things to consider!
It's good to know that I can upgrade while there.
I may start with the 4 day pass... Then if DD is loving it, I'll upgrade to the power pass and do just Universal next August (last week leading up to expiration) I can stay at my offsite time share, bank my DVC points for a year and buy the unlimited express pass (maybe) - since I basically won't need to buy any tickets for anything....
So, if I upgrade, it's from the actual gate price, not from my discounted price - having purchased the 2 multi-day tix with my AP?

 

[damo]

So many things to consider!
It's good to know that I can upgrade while there.
I may start with the 4 day pass... Then if DD is loving it, I'll upgrade to the power pass and do just Universal next August (last week leading up to expiration) I can stay at my offsite time share, bank my DVC points for a year and buy the unlimited express pass (maybe) - since I basically won't need to buy any tickets for anything....
So, if I upgrade, it's from the actual gate price, not from my discounted price - having purchased the 2 multi-day tix with my AP?

Universal never price bridges. You always pay the difference from what you paid, even if you get your tickets at undercover tourist.

 

[damo]

According to Mousesavers, the gate price with tax for a 4-day, 2-park pass would be $200.21 for adults and $187.43 for kids. Saving 15% off those prices would bring his cost down to $170.18 for adults and $159.32 for kids, cheaper than even the UT tickets with the Mousesavers code by a few bucks per ticket.

Every little bit helps.

 

[DCTooTall]

looking at the OP siggie, they will be vacationing in august this year.
if they buy the power passes for the rest of the family, it might not work out for them in 2014.

on the website, it shows last half of june, all of july and first half of august is blacked out for using the power pass next year.

if they go the last week of august next year, the power passes will be fine then.

Something to keep in mind....

Harry potter Phase 2 opens next summer. I wouldn't be surprised at all if the Blackout Dates next summer end up including more dates due to the expected HP crowds.

I also wouldn't be surprised if we see another AP price increase next year.

just something to think about....

 

[LaurenT]

Something to keep in mind....

Harry potter Phase 2 opens next summer. I wouldn't be surprised at all if the Blackout Dates next summer end up including more dates due to the expected HP crowds.

I also wouldn't be surprised if we see another AP price increase next year.

just something to think about....

They already have the 2014 blackout dates listed. Would they be allowe to sell me a power pass based on those dates and then expand the blackout dates to include my travel? That seems shady....

 

[Metro West]

They already have the 2014 blackout dates listed. Would they be allowe to sell me a power pass based on those dates and then expand the blackout dates to include my travel? That seems shady....

Doubtful...those dates especially summer are for the Studios only. Why? Because of HP2 opening...they did the same thing the year after WWoHP opened at IOA. They are trying to keep the crowds down some...although it won't matter because the crowds will be overflowing again. The rest of the dates look reasonable...Spring Break and Christmas week but you don't want to be there during those times anyway.

The Studios was blacked out this summer because of Transformers.