Do I need Preferred Annual Pass?

[lindalinda]

Oops..this should be on the other board. sorry

I have booked my room at RPR with a AAA rate, and since I want to get credit for the eight night stay on my Loews card, I think I will be staying with that rate. So heres my question. I need to get tickets for 5 people for 8 days. The 2 day / 3 free tickets wont work because I want the kids to be able to go in and out of the park every day if they want to. I was considering the Orlando Flex pass as an option since its 14 days. But we really dont want to go to Sea World, maybe Wet n Wild but not positive. So I thought i should get annual passes. Most posts on here say get one preferred annual pass and the rest regular (or what ever they call the cheaper one) But can't i just get 5 at the cheaper rate? I dont think I will need the discounts...I already have AAA. Any info that would cause me to need to spend the extra money? Also for the passes do you still have to go get your picture taken at guest services? Or is that a finger scan thing now?

 

[macraven]

i think the power passes are what they other regular passes are that you asked about....

they were a lot cheaper ( and cheaper than buying 8 days of tickets) than the annual pass last time i checked them out.
if you do go that route, be sure to check before you buy them what are the black out dates on them.

on the power pass, you do not get free parking, discounts and they have black out periods where you can not use them for entrance to the park.

if one person gets the AP and the others get the power pass, the ap holder can get the discounts, free parking etc.

 

[macraven]

lindalinda...just a thought

last year i used the AAA for the room discount.
i would check the discount rates for aaa and aph on the website for the hotels.

the aaa was cheaper than the aph when i booked and for months after.

lo and behold, a month before i left, the rates for aph dropped way below the rate of the aaa i was holding...........it went to $23 less for the same room.

if you get the ap and use it for the room discount, you can modify to the lower rate when it is posted on line on their site.

the aaa rates can come down but usually it is about 2-3 weeks before your stay that i have noticed it.
maybe it is because the occupancy is low at the hotel and universal/loews is trying to fill up more rooms...........just my thought

 

[Laurabearz]

Macraven.... One doesnt get Loews credit if you book with the AP rate, the only discounted rate they allow is AAA (Maybe Military too not sure) And I know I will pay 50 bucks more a night for the credit

The following is from the US site. If your not interested in the discounts of the PAP and the blackout days are not an issue, then you all can get 8 days in the parks for $119.95+ tax. Sweet deal. If the blackout days are a problem, even the $179 is great for 8 park days ya know?? 25 bucks a day. not bad.


2-Park Preferred Annual Pass Includes:

* Park-to-Park access during regular operating hours
* Free self-parking each time you visit.
* Discounts on separately ticketed events such as Rock the Universe and Halloween Horror Nights
* Savings on multi-day and single-day tickets
* Discounts at restaurants and merchandise stores
* Save up to 30% at On-Site Resorts, based on availabilit

POWER PASS INFO

Get a Year's Admission to Universal Orlando Resort for only $119.95+ tax!!

2-Park Power Pass Provides:

* Park-to-Park Access
* Discounts on 1-Day 1-Park Universal Orlando tickets
* Self-Parking and other discounts NOT included

Blackout Dates:
Summer Weekdays 2006: July 3-7, 10-14, 17-21, 24-28, July 31-August 4, December 23-January 2007
Christmas 2005: December 23, 2005 - January 1, 2006
Easter/Spring Break 2006: April 10 - 14, April 15 (9:00 am - 5:00 pm)

Hope this helps.... Let us know what you decide

 

[macraven]

oops did i say wrong info here?

i should go back and check. i don't think i said ap and loews go together. but being a blonde, maybe i confused people with my wording.

i thought i said you can do the aaa and loews together.
i hve never bought the ap but have put that code in to see the different rates as a comparison.......and to help me decide if i should go with an ap sometime.

there are black out dates with the loews first on the welcome gift and newspaper. that happened to me in october on 2 of the 4 days i stayed on site. for this year, no black out dates were listed for my fall stay.

to the poster that questioned on which ticket way was best, laurabeatz did a fine job on giving the black out dates and policy on the pp. thanks laura!

the upgrade i am receiving this year is based on my loews first card.

 

[Laurabearz]

You didnt say that loews and the AP go together, but you gave tips for getting a discount using the AP and I just wanted to let the OP know that if she uses the AP discount on her room, she wont get creidt, and since she mentioned she wanted to get credit for her 8 night stay, I thought I would stick my nose in where it doesnt belong LOL

Glad ya likes the blackout date post... I figured since that is a big peice of her puzzle I would dig it up for her. Kids are occupid, and I have free time this afternoon!

 

[macraven]

no laurabearz, you should pop in here if there is wrong info or confusion given out.

once i read the entire thread again, i caught that, the op wanted the credit for the loews card.

i am glad you re posted that as it is clearer the way you put it.

no credit on loews if ap is applied.......right !


for me, i just like the loews for the free upgrades.......and paper and cookies


giving the black out dates was fantastic...
some people plan on the cheaper pass and don't realize those passes are not valid on certain dates.

if i bought the power pass thinking i could use it all 365 days , get to the gate and find out otherwise, i would just plop myself down and cry, right then and there.......!!!

this is one of the great things about the universal threads, we all share info and get great planning tips and advice.

 

[lindalinda]

Thanks you all! I think since I am staying on-site and wont need parking or anything , that I will just get the power passes, unless I see a drastic price change for AP rates for my dates. I am going on June 9-17th so those dates arent blacked out, if I'm reading the chart right..Thanks a lot !

 

[macraven]

i was just about to order the 5 day passes and received a pm.

rats........now i'm thinking i should do the ap for universal

does anyone know what type of savings you can get for hhn tickets with an ap?

i only need a 4 day ticket for the parks, do have the aaa room discount but think maybe the ap might give me more of a room discount when they come out and also for the hhn tix.

 

[Motherfletcher]

I have booked my room at RPR with a AAA rate, and since I want to get credit for the eight night stay on my Loew's card...

What do you mean by credit? I've stayed at the 3 resorts numerous times with the APH rate and received credit as far as the stays going towards a Platinum card (which I now have 2 of). The only "credit" that I sometimes don't receive is the welcome amenities but that has only been a couple of times. With the APH rate I'm not guaranteed an upgrade but I have always received an upgrade at check in with the exception of when we took our dogs.
We stayed at HRH the end of Oct. for $159 waterview. They actually reduced it to $129 for hurricane refugees. The difference between that and the AAA rate could buy a lot of newspapers and cookies!