Confused --what's cheapest tix option?

[djm99]

Is this ticket offer going to be around for a while? I don't plan on going to US until May and wanted to wait until april to purchase them... but thought that maybe it is a short time offer... any one know?

Last year they offered a similar ticket around this time of the year (but if memory serves me correctly - you couldn't use it during the summer months) but anyway - that ticket was sold til about mid-Feb.

 

[macraven]

Is this ticket offer going to be around for a while? I don't plan on going to US until May and wanted to wait until april to purchase them... but thought that maybe it is a short time offer... any one know?

when i called and talked to an employee at the internet store, he told me this promo would be valid up to july 31 2006. i told him i wanted to buy more if one of my friends changed their mind and came with. (they hve a 9 year old son.) they are still not sure if they will go and won't until they do there taxes and get the refund. that is why i asked when the 2 park 2 day + bonus w/ free child tix would be terminated.

he did say his department was told 7/31 would be the cut off date but that universal can pull any promo at any time.

last year i waited for the promo in march which was buy 2 day 2 park pass get 3 free days + bonus coupons worth over $200. that promo started march ended 3 rd wk of june. it came back sept. then off and then back nov/dec.
now what universal has is the same thing but no free ticket for kids and no coupons.

he said pre sales helps determine the length of promos. if something is not selling, it stays on longer. last year the one i bought was put back on in the fall for a month to push sales. then it was on for the last 6 weeks of the year to sell what was left.

i was the same way you are now. i didn't know when to buy as i didn't want to lose out on a bargain.
2 years ago i blew it big time when you could buy the Annual Pass for over $1xx. and it was a 2 year pass........that sale only went a couple of months.

i asked the employee if the coupons would be back this year as i would wait and buy then but he had no idea what promos were coming up.

getting back to your question: i would think this special would be on thru the spring. but don't come back and yell at me if you wait to buy tickets and universal drops this special before you buy

 

[sweet_mama_shy]

when i called and talked to an employee at the internet store, he told me this promo would be valid up to july 31 2006. i told him i wanted to buy more if one of my friends changed their mind and came with. (they hve a 9 year old son.) they are still not sure if they will go and won't until they do there taxes and get the refund. that is why i asked when the 2 park 2 day + bonus w/ free child tix would be terminated.

he did say his department was told 7/31 would be the cut off date but that universal can pull any promo at any time.

last year i waited for the promo in march which was buy 2 day 2 park pass get 3 free days + bonus coupons worth over $200. that promo started march ended 3 rd wk of june. it came back sept. then off and then back nov/dec.
now what universal has is the same thing but no free ticket for kids and no coupons.

he said pre sales helps determine the length of promos. if something is not selling, it stays on longer. last year the one i bought was put back on in the fall for a month to push sales. then it was on for the last 6 weeks of the year to sell what was left.

i was the same way you are now. i didn't know when to buy as i didn't want to lose out on a bargain.
2 years ago i blew it big time when you could buy the Annual Pass for over $1xx. and it was a 2 year pass........that sale only went a couple of months.

i asked the employee if the coupons would be back this year as i would wait and buy then but he had no idea what promos were coming up.

getting back to your question: i would think this special would be on thru the spring. but don't come back and yell at me if you wait to buy tickets and universal drops this special before you buy

LOL i would not yell at you .... I think I will buy them next month when our bank account goes back up...

 

[Mainebound]

Is this ticket offer going to be around for a while? I don't plan on going to US until May and wanted to wait until april to purchase them... but thought that maybe it is a short time offer... any one know?

I bought our last night for this very reason (we are going in May too). Two adult tix, 2 free kids tix, 3 bonus days. Exhorbitant Fed Ex shipping charge!

Spiderman and Mummy here I come!!!!!!

 

[macraven]

yes those fed ex fees are high, $15 and 20 !!

i originally had mine set up at the free kiosk but changed my mind after ordering. i waited 5 days and called back and changed it to fed ex.

i have never used the kiosk and many have posted it is a breeze.
change for me is hard, i would rather have the tickets with me before i go.
disney charges $3 for shipping, regular mail, universal only goes with the fed ex. last year it was a $10 charge for fed ex.
even with that additional charge of $15, it still is a great deal for the passes.


glad to hear you won't yell at me.....
i have had pm's sent to me when i have posted something and then policy has changed. yikes, anger vented.......

i don't work at universal but can only share my personal experiences there.
i started going in 1992 and have not missed a year since.

i start my trips at disney then switch over to universal. i can't imagine going to orlando for 2 weeks and not doing both of them.
i am crazy for universal though. some things are getting old for me at disney, but i still go there for part of my trip.

 

[sweet_mama_shy]

I have never been to either parks, but both my husband and I think, that Disney does not offer many big rides.. are we right on this? I dunno just looking at Disney it seems more for very young kids that are really into the charecters rather than an 8 yr old who absolutly loves rides.... I see that disney offers rides but not real thrill ones.. right? We were afraid to do it all disney incase it was borring for our 8 yr old so we added the universal which to me looks way awesome... My daughter can not wait to take me on the mummy ride and I have to agree it looks great.. but no way am i going to the upside down rollercoaster...

Since you have ben to both parks, were going with 2 kids an 8 yr old and a 2 yr old, How possible is it to hit 2 parks in one day? Were thinking of getting the 4 day hoppers (gonna be in FL for 8 days)... Were also gonna buy them at the gate when we get there incase the weather is bad.... So with 2 kids how many parks can you really do in one day? the place look HUGE! the people at the park say 1 park a day is what it usually takes, (they are also the ones selling the tickets) then i hear others say they were able to see 2 parks in one day without missing anything.... not sure what ticket option to get when we get there

 

[macraven]

there are about 3 different threads in this forum that has most of the questions and answers you have asked about. quite a few of us have posted on those.

i am not trying to pass off your question, not at all. its just i have repeated myself in them so many times, i think people reading them are getting tired of me.

yes, you can do both parks easily.
the key is to start early.
be at the line around 8:20 when the park opens at 9. there are times they open universal early and you will get a head start.
some people post to start at ioa, while others say uo.

the thrill rides are here, more so than disney imho.

there is a thread about where younger kids can have the most enjoyment as they would not meet the height requirement on the big coasters.
i believe phamton posted the sites and listed them. one other poster did also.

you can go as a family to the thrill rides, yes universal wins this hands down over disney, and do the child swap. the 2 year old would not be able to do hulk, dueling dragons, ie. one adult rides with the 8 year old, they get off then the other adult rides while adult #1 stays with the 2 year old.
this way you don't have to get back into the line and wait again.

i have done both parks in one day but i do the highlights of the rides and attractions i have to see/do. the only way to accomplish this is to go early, eat your lunch at an off time. try to aim for 11:15 when no one else is there, do an early dinner or later dinner. you may have to do a snack for the kids if you eat late thought.
go opposite of the crowds. see that thread for advice.

i would not buy my tickets at the gate. the only discounts there would be the fan club card, AAA or mc and they discounts aren't as great.

if you buy the special pass for $99 that is going on now on line, you can buy a 5 day pass adult and get one child ticket free.
so for $200, you get 4 passes good for 5 consecutive days for he entire family.
a one day pass for 2 parks is up there at $77.75 per person.
you can not hop from one park to another with out the 2 park option.

so, if you buy a 1 day ticket for all of you, 2 adults, 1 child 8 yr (child 2 free) it would be over $200 right there. 77.75+77.75+ 67.10 =$222.60
tax is included on those figures.

since you are going to be in florida for 8 days, spend more than one day at the parks.
buy the passes on line and save over $22. if you only use 2 days of those passes you will still come out way ahead.

now if you buy only a one day park ticket and want to upgrade it when you leave to a 2 day park ticket, you go to guest services and pay the increase.
it is cheaper to go that route than to buy another ticket if you decide to come back in a few days.

the 2 day, 2 park tickets are $114.97 per adult and $104.36 for children
if you went that route at the gate you would be paying $332.30 for 3 people to go 2 days to the park.

that $99 5 day 2 park pass sounds pretty good now, eh.......

by the way, i think it is 104.xx w/tax for those bonus passes.
the bonus passes can not be bought at the gate, only at the online univ store

 

[steevo]

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Does an AP allow you to buy these at further discount?

 

[phamton]

There are no AP discounts on the 5 day tickets.

 

[steevo]

delete

 

[phamton]

We are are only going one day. It is 4 adults (who don't ride thrill rides due to neck problems) and two children (5yo and 2.5yo). I only want to buy the one day/one park ticket and then you get four more days free. Can I go to US and then use another days admission and go to IOA in the same day. I thought it said US OR IOA. We want to visit the kids/family areas in both parks in one day.

Just bumping this up. I stated earlier that there wasn't a "buy one day and get 4 days free." I was mistaken. There is a brand new ticket online where you pay the price for a one day/one park ticket and get 4 free days. It is a one park only ticket. It is good for 5 days at either IoA or Universal but not both. It is not a park hopper and you also can't go to one park one day and another park another day. All 5 days must be used in one park only. Several people have bought these tickets only to realize they had to use it in one park. It is rather expensive to upgrade it as the value of the ticket is only what the value of a one day/one park ticket. So if you do buy this ticket, just be aware of how it works.