You have to buy your park tickets from
AAA to get discounts on merchandise in the stores in the parks and Citywalk. When you purchase your tickets from AAA they give you a additional paper you show with your AAA card to get discounts.
You still get get 10% off food at participating restaurants in the parks and CityWalk with AAA.
There are no discounts with the AAA cards on merchandise or food in the two Potter Parks. You can still get AP discounts on food and merchandise in the Potter Parks with exception of some of the vender carts.
With AP you get discounts at all the stores including in Potter Parks and discounts at all restaurants. You also get AP discounts with rooms at all the resorts. Some vender carts are excluded.
Look at Universal website and you can see the drop down list of all the discount percentages and perks with all three AP's.
If your not going until May of 2018 then I would start looking at room prices around January or February of 2018. Prices have been fluctuating a lot. Lock you room rate in and if the prices drop you can call and get the better price as often as it takes to get the better rate.
You can look at travel venders i.e. Cheaptickets, Travelocity and others for room discounts also if you are only planning on going just once that year. Look at their prices and the cost of your tickets and pick the best option.
AP is a great idea and very reasonable if you are planning another trip to Universal. Might encourage you to come back and visit for
HHN at end of September and October.
If you decide to go with AP only one person in your group needs to have the AP for discounts. The person who is booking the room would need to have the AP.
Power Pass has black out days. If you go with this you would want to make sure these days do not fall in your days there.
The person with the AP can get discount on park tickets for up to 6 people. I think the discount is 15%.
Work the numbers and and do what works for your budget.
You will have a great time at Universal.
Hope this helps
