Best option for purchasing AP??

[k&a&c'smom]

Hello! We are planning another visit to US/IOA in May, and I've been reading and reading and reading....and reading. I've tried to find the answers to most of my questions without resorting to a new post, but I have one that has me stumped.

We are planning a 4-6 night stay at HRH; the APH rate is significantly cheaper than the SMSM rate, so I booked it today. (we may return within the year, making the AP an even better deal)

I've been trying to figure out the best way to get the AP, and intended to do online purchase. I noticed on mousesavers the gate price of a non-resident Preferred AP (with tax) is $276.89, while the US website shows the total (with tax and fees) of $279.04! Nearly $3 higher for online.

I thought purchasing in advance/online was supposed to be cheaper? It sounds like I could, a)wait until we arrive and purchase at the gate; b) purchase a multi-day ticket like the one I plan to purchase for my DD, and upgrade later.

**We usually buy our tickets from Undercover Tourist, with a nice discount. Not sure if that would make it more or less to upgrade.

Which would be the cheaper or better option? TIA!

 

[kkendle]

I am doing the same thing...getting the preferred AP for the room discount in March. When I called US tickets, I was told that the AP online rate was the same as if you bought it at the park. I was also told that getting it online...the voucher anyway, would save time once at the park because all your info has already been taken online....basically then you just "retrieve" your AP from the kiosk or guest relations.

I subscribe to Mousesavers as well but I am not sure that info is correct. I would call US yourself and ask about the price online versus the price at the park.

Of course, you would need the AP during that trip if you are getting the discount. I am assuming when you say you would uprade later, you meant within that same stay.

Not sure this was helpful to you...just sharing what I was told.

Kelly

 

[Sandy321]

joining the club of confusion!

http://www.universalorlando.com/Theme-Park-Tickets/Annual-Passes.aspx

This has AP "power Pass" (limits/black out dates)

Save $20 off the gate price on all multi-day tickets
Receive a coupon book with up to $150 in savings with any Multi-day Park-to-Park ticket purchase

Save time by printing your tickets at home and go straight to the front gate of the park
We’re committed to providing the lowest online prices

I dont know if buying online I'll have more taxes and fees tacked on to the quoted price

 

[k&a&c'smom]

kkendle - all discussion is helpful! Thanks for passing along your info, maybe I'll call US customer service. I'm assuming the extra $3 is the handling fee I read about, but I was surprised the advance cost was nearly the same as gate cost - if mousesavers is correct. (it did have a "last update: 1/31/2012" at the top of the page, but sometimes things get missed)

Yes, I meant I would upgrade a multi-day ticket on our first day in the parks, so I could show it to the front desk. Thanks for pointing that out, I wouldn't want to lead others astray.

Sandy321 - LOL - club of confusion, I like it!

To check total cost, I put the ticket I wanted in my cart, and proceeded to the check out page. This is when I saw the total of $279.04. You may give that a shot, just to see what your ticket total would be prior to purchase.

 

[macraven]

if you buy the ap thru universal, it is cheaper to buy it at the park, or outside guest services.

they do not include a handling fee which the online ticket service has for all purchases.

 

[Sandy321]

if you buy the ap thru universal, it is cheaper to buy it at the park, or outside guest services.

they do not include a handling fee which the online ticket service has for all purchases.

ah but what of that enticing book of coupons!?

(and yes, I'm being silly, usually those books do not hold value - $1 off if you buy $50 worth of something I dont really need - or my favorite I've found with the groupon food coupons - I spend more than I actually would if I didnt HAVE the coupon!)

Thanks for adding your knowledge!

 

[kkendle]

I personally don't think the coupons are that great....besides, you will get some discounts with your AP. I would rather pay the few dollars ahead of time and not have to go to Guest Relations and have them enter all my info in....if I do it beforehand, I get a voucher that I can use at a kiosk...I know that because people here told me..yeah! I wouldn't have known that otherwise.

But...if you want to save a couple dollars, that would be one way to do it. I doubt the coupons could be used along with an AP discount either but not positive. You can view the coupons at the US website. there is a link to click on and you can see what they offer. I have gotten them in the past and never used any of them.

 

[k&a&c'smom]

if you buy the ap thru universal, it is cheaper to buy it at the park, or outside guest services.

they do not include a handling fee which the online ticket service has for all purchases.

Thanks! This is what I suspected, but the online ticket page has the phrase "best price guarantee"! It isn't about the $3 so much, I wanted to be sure I wasn't missing something. BTW - are there other sources for APs besides US? I haven't found them anywhere else, although I haven't checked AAA.

Here's another question: can you use a discounted ticket (for instance, from UT) and upgrade it for the difference of current gate price? This is possible with WDW tickets, I wasn't sure if US/IOA tix work the same way.

kkendle and Sandy321 - I'm rarely swayed by the lure of a coupon book, either, I've had the same lackluster experience as both of you.

 

[kkendle]

Our AAA office only sells different multi day tickets but no annual passes....I think that is standard for AAA.

From what I have read on the boards here...you can upgrade your ticket at the park no matter where you bought it.

 

[Metro West]

Our AAA office only sells different multi day tickets but no annual passes....I think that is standard for AAA.

From what I have read on the boards here...you can upgrade your ticket at the park no matter where you bought it.

 

[k&a&c'smom]

Our AAA office only sells different multi day tickets but no annual passes....I think that is standard for AAA.

From what I have read on the boards here...you can upgrade your ticket at the park no matter where you bought it.

Thanks for the AAA info, good to know.

Thanks to both regarding the upgrade. What I really meant was this: at WDW, you can purchase a discounted ticket (or, bring a ticket from a previous year, no matter where purchased), use that ticket at least once, then upgrade the ticket at current gate price. In other words, you only pay the difference between current gate price of the ticket in hand, and gate price of the newly requested (upgrade) ticket. This only applies if you use the ticket to enter the parks, not on unused tickets.

One of the reasons I'm asking - my DD and her BFF's tickets are 4-day p-to-p tix bought in advance through UT. If we decide to upgrade the girls' tix, will it matter if we do so before our first day in the parks, or at the end of our stay? It's probably only a difference of $20 or so, but that's enough for a couple drinks!

 

[macraven]

Thanks! This is what I suspected, but the online ticket page has the phrase "best price guarantee"! It isn't about the $3 so much, I wanted to be sure I wasn't missing something. BTW - are there other sources for APs besides US? I haven't found them anywhere else, although I haven't checked AAA.

AAA does not sell AP.
it is the same AP by buying it online or in person at the park. some homies want to have the ap before they make their trip.

Here's another question: can you use a discounted ticket (for instance, from UT) and upgrade it for the difference of current gate price? This is possible with WDW tickets, I wasn't sure if US/IOA tix work the same way.

kkendle and Sandy321 - I'm rarely swayed by the lure of a coupon book, either, I've had the same lackluster experience as both of you.

i'm not sure how to answer that.
most of the homies that post that have upgraded tickets to AP's, have stated that they pay the difference of the two.
(what they originally paid to what the ap rate is)

i know keishashadow talked about that but i can't find that thread right now.
she upgraded to the ap with her tickets before.
since she is out of town now, i can't answer you until after her trip.
i'll remember to come back and let you know or have her come here and post.

i try to give information based on what i have experienced or a friend has gone through.
so, i can't answer you at this point on the UT tickets having the same value as the UO bought tickets when once used.


i do have to tell you that i did the upgrade of tickets at disney last september and they absolutely refused to honor the price difference.

the park tickets were used 3 days on the 10 day passes, the 5 day was used one day when i converted them to additional days.
i had two ten day NE hoppers
also had 5 day NE basic tickets.

i bought them from UT and paid less than the motherland price.
and they were from before the last ticket increase.

i ended up paying more at disney for the additional days than what others post they did.
even the sup wouldn't budge.
they told me buying my tickets for UT was the reason.

i'm very unlucky......


i do know that any tickets you buy directly from UO will be upgraded with ease.
i have 2 sets of the old 7 day hoppers that went for $89-99 each.
since UO no longer sells 7 day tickets, they convert them to something else without you losing any days.

 

[k&a&c'smom]

Thanks, macraven, for the detailed answer. Good to know. It sounds like there really isn't any reason to worry about it - upgrade when convenient. Thanks about the AP info, too.

I've only done the WDW upgrade once, and to be honest, I can't tell you if it worked the way it is supposed to work. They didn't give me a line item receipt, only a slip with the amount charged to my cc. Since there were two APs on the receipt, a Tables in Wonderland card and tax, I didn't bother to try to figure it out.

Cheshire Figment, on the Theme Parks board, is the one who insists you can do this, and he works(worked?) with ticketing. He claims if you can't get one Guest Services to honor the gate price, take it to another GS - not everyone knows the work around, or wants to be bothered. I guess it could be Disney has changed this policy since I last read the thread, and wrote down the workaround steps he outlined. Now, I've sent a whole new crop of DISers down the rabbit hole!

I can relate to your unlucky-ness. lol I have the worst luck, always get the red light; wrong line at stores, theme parks, banks, gas stations; my waitress sometimes quits mid-meal or has a melt down and forgets my order; I could go on, but have now depressed myself!

Thanks to everyone for the responses, it has all been helpful. I think we will probably get the girls' tix from UT, but purchase my AP at the gate. I have no particular reason to have it in hand before the trip, and often dream I have left it at home!

 

[Metro West]

One of the reasons I'm asking - my DD and her BFF's tickets are 4-day p-to-p tix bought in advance through UT. If we decide to upgrade the girls' tix, will it matter if we do so before our first day in the parks, or at the end of our stay? It's probably only a difference of $20 or so, but that's enough for a couple drinks!

Just make sure you upgrade prior to leaving the park on the last day or the ticket will no longer be valid.

 

[k&a&c'smom]

Just make sure you upgrade prior to leaving the park on the last day or the ticket will no longer be valid.

Thanks for this reminder, very good tip. With the ticket being good for 14 consecutive days, it would be easy to assume you could still upgrade even after your last day, if it were within the 14-day period. I'm bad about letting these types of caveats get away from me. lol

 

[Metro West]

Thanks for this reminder, very good tip. With the ticket being good for 14 consecutive days, it would be easy to assume you could still upgrade even after your last day, if it were within the 14-day period. I'm bad about letting these types of caveats get away from me. lol

If you are definitely going upgrade, I would do it as soon as you arrive. That way you'd be done with it and can relax and not have to worry for the rest of the trip.

 

[k&a&c'smom]

If you are definitely going upgrade, I would do it as soon as you arrive. That way you'd be done with it and can relax and not have to worry for the rest of the trip.

I think we will do just that, it will drive me crazy otherwise. I'm buying an AP for sure, probably upgrading DD's ticket for a trip within the year - BFF may or may not want to upgrade, but I'll give the info and a strong suggestion to make a decision at the beginning of the trip, rather than the end.

 

[macraven]

you'll enjoy all the benefits (10% off food and merch in the parks) of the AP by having it at the START of your trip there.

 

[k&a&c'smom]

you'll enjoy all the benefits (10% off food and merch in the parks) of the AP by having it at the START of your trip there.