Explain Univeral Annual Pass

[boxer]

Thinking about getting a Universal Annual Pass, but have the following questions:

1. Is it like our WDW AP whereas it is good for (1) calendar year---meaning, we will take a trip during the 2nd week of November this year, and then come back in late-October in 2017 and still be able to use the pass?

2. On past visits we would buy 2-park/2-day passes from USSSA for around $600 for the (4) of us. I see the AP's are around $300/person, so am I thinking correctly that this would be the better option for us? This is of course provided we could get the full calendar year like noted in question #1.

3. Are the hotel discounts worth it--and do you have to have the AP during booking, or when you actually check into the hotel? We would only need (1) night for each trip, as we usually do our first night at US before checking into our DVC the next day.

4. Is it worth purchasing given our travel plans as noted above? I'm thinking we would visit each park a couple times during each vacation, and thought this might be the cheaper way to go.

 

[snoopboop]

1. Yes - it is good for one calendar year, starting with the day you ACTIVATE it (not the day you purchase it).

2. I'm not touching discussions of USSSA tickets with a 10-foot pole.

3. Yes - the hotel discounts can definitely be worth it, and you do NOT have to have your pass yet at the time of booking.

4. I say go for it! :-D

 

[boxer]

1. Yes - it is good for one calendar year, starting with the day you ACTIVATE it (not the day you purchase it).

2. I'm not touching discussions of USSSA tickets with a 10-foot pole.

3. Yes - the hotel discounts can definitely be worth it, and you do NOT have to have your pass yet at the time of booking.

4. I say go for it! :-D

Thank you...but you got me curious, what is the issue with USSSA? I've bought US passes off them a couple times with no issues at all.

 

[snoopboop]

Thank you...but you got me curious, what is the issue with USSSA? I've bought US passes off them a couple times with no issues at all.

There have been multiple threads on the boards encouraging people NOT affiliated with the organization to go ahead and purchase the tickets anyway, even though the terms and conditions of USSSA tickets explicitly state that they are for members only. There is a rule on the boards that specifically prohibits encouraging others to break rules.... so encouraging others to violate USSSA's terms and conditions is a no-no.

 

[cheerky]

I think the hotel discount is worth it. I recently booked one night (1/18-1/19) for $164 at RPR using APH rate. You can't beat that price and the two days of FOTL access

 

[jjas]

There have been multiple threads on the boards encouraging people NOT affiliated with the organization to go ahead and purchase the tickets anyway, even though the terms and conditions of USSSA tickets explicitly state that they are for members only. There is a rule on the boards that specifically prohibits encouraging others to break rules.... so encouraging others to violate USSSA's terms and conditions is a no-no.

I truly don't want to start any trouble over USSSA tickets but just want to share some information. I was going to buy one a couple years ago but was very nervous about breaking any rules. I actually called the USSSA office and asked them and they told me that anyone is allowed to use the tickets. I'm not sure why they have the rule printed on the ticket then but that is what I was told directly from their office.

 

[tarak]

I think the hotel discount is worth it. I recently booked one night (1/18-1/19) for $164 at RPR using APH rate. You can't beat that price and the two days of FOTL access

I agree. I was pricing out a room at PBH for early May and it was $334, I believe at rack rate. When I plugged in the APH code, the same room came down to $204. A queen club level room went from $449 (I think) to $339.

 

[snoopboop]

I truly don't want to start any trouble over USSSA tickets but just want to share some information. I was going to buy one a couple years ago but was very nervous about breaking any rules. I actually called the USSSA office and asked them and they told me that anyone is allowed to use the tickets. I'm not sure why they have the rule printed on the ticket then but that is what I was told directly from their office.

Well, the terms on their website are very clear... and regardless of what you were told over the phone, coming here to tell people it's OK to go ahead and purchase those tickets despite those clearly-stated terms is against the rules of this board.

 

[jjas]

No where in my post did I tell anyone it was ok to buy those tickets. I shared the information that I was given by a USSSA employee when I called their office.

 

[damo]

I truly don't want to start any trouble over USSSA tickets but just want to share some information. I was going to buy one a couple years ago but was very nervous about breaking any rules. I actually called the USSSA office and asked them and they told me that anyone is allowed to use the tickets. I'm not sure why they have the rule printed on the ticket then but that is what I was told directly from their office.

I'm pretty sure the verbage on the website has changed in the past year. It would be interesting to hear what they say now.

 

[snoopboop]

From USSSA's website, accessed just now:



That is all.

 

[kohlby]

Yes - I would buy AP's since it would come out cheaper than doing two trips and buying the tickets each time. (Not pricing USSSA - you're getting enough info there. I'm just talking about buying through Universal or UT).

APH is sometimes worth it for the hotels. It really depends what other discounts are out. For our last trip, we had a PIN code that saved us a lot more than APH or SMSM. For our upcoming April trip, SMSM saved more than APH but then we found a rate on Orbitz that saved us even more. (Our last trip was RPR. Upcoming trip is CB).

 

[donnajherren]

We've gotten some pretty good deals on on-site hotels with our annual passes. I just did a last-minute booking for two nights at PBH for early February, and I got a king room for $199 a night.

The other thing I didn't really consider about the AP? The merchandise/food discounts. It's not big--10-15% most places it's offered--but that does add up.

 

[bumbershoot]

No where in my post did I tell anyone it was ok to buy those tickets. I shared the information that I was given by a USSSA employee when I called their office.

Your info is old, though.

I was going to buy one a couple years ago but was very nervous about breaking any rules.

It has changed. It didn't used to have that wording for Universal tickets. Now it does. The employee would likely answer differently now.

 

[jjas]

Your info is old, though.



It has changed. It didn't used to have that wording for Universal tickets. Now it does. The employee would likely answer differently now.

Thanks - I'll make sure not to post that information again.

 

[bumbershoot]

I'm sorry that came out so harsh.

 

[jjas]

I'm sorry that came out so harsh.

No apology necessary at all. I'm glad to have the correct information so as not to steer someone in the wrong direction!!