January perks!

[Buschfan]

Got a mailing yesterday mentioning some extras for pass holders. You can have 3 express passes at once. Special entrance for pass holders. Entertainment type discounts at the hotels. Kids eat free at Mythos and somewhere else that I don't recall. Sounds like another excuse to make another visit before the end of the month. Anyone else going for the special treatment?

 

[rocketman23]

Well, I saw the annual passholder line, and anyone uses it. Busch tried that once I think and ended up taking it away very shortly after. As for the Express passes... yes it sounds nice at first, but think: do you really need that many passes in the slowest time of the year? I wish this would carry over to busy times, since that is almost as good as on-site privledges. As for thw discounts, yes, they're prety good, but don't visit just for the line and Express pribledges.

 

[KProuty]

Where can I get a copy of all the discounts for January? We NEVER get our annual pass mailings in time!

Thanks!

 

[h20jag]

Good to hear of these perks, thanks for passing that along.
Though it's the slow time of year, some can only visit on week-ends. Saturdays at mid-day can be rather crowded at times too.
We'll be down this week-end for the post-Holiday festivities (ie: lots of ride time!).

I've got the AP info phone # at work. I'll post it later if it hasn't already been.
Jim

 

[MsDisney]

Exclusive Theme Park Turnstiles for Annual Passholders
All throughout the month of January, Annual Passholders and their guests are invited to use the special Passholder's Turnstiles to enter both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure theme parks. These exclusive turnstiles will mean shorter lines and quicker access into the parks, saving you time and letting you enjoy all the excitement as soon as you arrive.
(now if only they'd have a passholder only line at the parking garage! )

Get up to 3 Universal Express Passes at a time
Annual Passholders can enjoy 3 times the fun in January! Instead of waiting until you've used your Universal Express Pass before receiving another, during January you can use your AP to get up to THREE Universal Express Passes at a time. (all 3 passes must be used before more can be obtained) Make the most of your day with Universal Express!
*Paid theme park admission required. Some attractions excluded. Not valid for separately ticketed special events.UE passes subject to availability and hours of distribution are limited. Additional restrictions may apply.

Bring your Family and Friends and save 20%
Treat your friends or visiting relatives to the unforgettable excitement of Orlando's two most amazing theme parks and SAVE! During January, Annual Passholders can purchase 2-Day theme park tickets - including a 3rd day free - for 20% off the regular price! Just bring your guests with you to the front gate ticket window at either theme park. Limit six tickets per passholder.
*first day of use MUST be date of purchase

Kids Eat Free
During Passholder Appreciation Month, children 9 years old and under eat FREE when accompanied by a paying annual passholder at some of Universal Orlando's most popular theme park restaurants. Dine at Mythos Restaurant and Confisco Grille in IOA, or Lombards Seafood Grille and Finnegan's Bar and Grille at Universal Studios, and your kids' meals are on us! One free child per paying adult Annual Passholder.
(no mention as to whether this is instead of receiving 15% off of your or in addition to)

Free CityWalk Party Pass
During January just present your Annual Pass at CityWalk guest services and receive one free CityWalk Party Pass entitiling you to enjoy the live entertainment at CityWalk's clubs and restaurants with no cover charges! Plus, you can save 20% on additional Party Passes for up to four people. Enjoy live rock,blues, jazz,reggae and more while you sample Orlando's best food and drink at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville,CityJazz,Bob Marley - A tribute to Freedom,the groove,Latin Quarter, MOTOWN Cafe and Pat O'Briens.
*One free CityWalk Party Pass per Passholder. Good for one night only. Not valid for separately ticketed concerts and special events. Some venues require 21 or older for admission. Proof of ID required. Does not include admission to Universal Cineplex. Subject to Availability. Restrictions Apply.
(what it doesn't say is, can you get a partypass and use it anytime in the future? Like, if I get a pass today, do I have to use it today, or within a certain period of time?)

Latin Quarter Salutes Annual Passholders with 25% off!
As a special 'gracias' to the many passholders who have visited Latin Quarter this past year, CityWalk's acclaimed restaurant/dance club is offering an exclusive benefit to every Annual Passholder throughout January. Just present your AP at Latin Quarter and receive priority seating plus a 25% discount for your entire party (restrictions apply) Come "spice it up" with the culture, cuisine,music,art and dance of all 21 Latin nations at Latin Quarter.
(as an additional note, Chef Mark from Mythos has been sent to take over the kitchen at Latin Quarter for the month (at least), so if the 25% off isn't incentive enough, I'd say THAT would be! )

These are the majority of the perks for APholders through Jan...the resort discounts are basically $99 for RPH, $129 at HRH and $149 at PBH. I didn't write out the whole thing since discounts for the hotels are usually offered and there are other ways to obtain them as well...(entertainment etc.)
Those rates are good through the 31st and if you book by the 15th, you can get a free room upgrade. Call 1-800-Be-A-Star.

Hope this helps!!!

Karen

 

[KProuty]

Thank you Ms. Disney for doing all that typing!

Katherine

 

[MsDisney]

Thank you Ms. Disney for doing all that typing

You are MOST welcome!

I know some people may not even get their newsletter on time!

Also, some perks might help people realize that an AP would be worthwhile for them to get...especially if the rest of their family needed passes that they could buy at 20% off, the AP would end up paying for itself, and then there are the food and merchandise discounts, not to mention the free parking!

Karen

 

[USO2003]

WHAT PERKS?????

I went today, I seen no AP Lanes, well not true there was the lane to get in the parks, but the sign said "Annual Passholders ONLY!" and at USF this guy with day tickets from 10 years ago was there trying to use them and they didn't work and the lady is just yapping with him. I said to her that's not an annual pass and I went to another line. So much for that Perk.

I got 1 Express Pass and couldn't get another one. I had to tell the ride attendant and she just let me in Express. I mean the line were short because the park was empty but still I only could get one.

Ms Disney, I am with you why can't Universal has one or two Tickect Booths for AP Holders? It makes no sense to wait in a long line when you flash the badge and drive away. Maybe they should get a E-Pass service for AP's.

 

[DocBosch]

My friend at work and I are taking another friend of ours, who has never been to IOA, next week, and we're going to be staying at the Royal Pacific for a night, to take advantage of the special rate for AP holders this month. Being from South Florida, I've never had a reason to stay at a theme park resort, so the reduced rate was a good incentive to check one out, even for one night.

The Universal site said $99 per room, per night, at the Royal Pacific from Sunday thru Thursday for AP holders. I called, for the night of Thursday the 16th, but they said that the $99 AP rooms were sold out, but they had $129 per room, per night for Friday the 17th.

I had a question about this. Two out of the three of us are 19, so I told them it would be only two adults. The third person is 17 (who is also the second AP holder), so we were hoping to sneak him in, to avoid the $25 charge for an extra person. But, one of them read somewhere after the fact that "children", considered 17 and younger, stayed at the hotel for no extra charge. Is this true?

Will we have a problem sneaking the third guy in to the room, or could he stay for free since he's technically a "child".

-Kevin

 

[Aisling]

But, one of them read somewhere after the fact that "children", considered 17 and younger, stayed at the hotel for no extra charge.

My son will be 17 when we go this summer, and he is down on the ressie as a child because of his age. At Universal, 17 is not an adult, and so there is no extra room charge. So you don't have to sneak in your friend!

 

[USO2003]

Kids are Ages 3-9, Adults are Ages 10-Up that's is how Universal Tickects them so 17 is adult.

 

[The Sybah Shelstah]

I think that is for admission tickets- not the hotel rooms! Atleast I hope they aren't that way!
WDW is like that for admissions- but a 10yr old is not considered an adult when booking a ROOM in a hotel onsite at WDW! Not at all!
So the rules for adult/child for admission ticket prices is not the same as it is for booking a room. There is no way they could count every 10yr old as an adult in when booking rooms!

 

[kellymonaghan]

Originally posted by KProuty
We NEVER get our annual pass mailings in time!

I got mine on Saturday (the 11th). Does that count as "on time?"

 

[USO2003]

Originally posted by The Sybah Shelstah
I think that is for admission tickets- not the hotel rooms! Atleast I hope they aren't that way!
WDW is like that for admissions- but a 10yr old is not considered an adult when booking a ROOM in a hotel onsite at WDW! Not at all!
So the rules for adult/child for admission ticket prices is not the same as it is for booking a room. There is no way they could count every 10yr old as an adult in when booking rooms!

Yeah that's ticket admission, I am not a helpful source outside the parks, so I don't know the age ranges there I only assumed they would be the same.

 

[jacee]

If you look on the Loews website, it does state that children under the age of 18 stay free.
Also, don't forget if you want to use the hotel key for the express/fotl or what ever it is called these days, each person needs their own key.
jodi

 

[USO2003]

Originally posted by kellymonaghan
I got mine on Saturday (the 11th). Does that count as "on time?"

That's when I got mine, wouldn't it make more sense to mail them prior to that month? Like mailing it in December? Like I got the one for New Years eve last year a week after new years. Same with 4th of July this year I got mine on the 6th. I think it would make more sense to send it the month before the event.

Nothing like learning about a deal or special things going on for Annual Passholders half way through the event or a week later.

I recall when Spider-Man opened at the theaters and Universal opened the park like an hour early for Passholders, I might have gone just to get pictures of the park when it's empty but I had to get the flyer the day after it was over. I wrote Universal and complained because I really wanted to go.

 

[DocBosch]

Thanks for the help guys!

We got a upgrade from standard to water-view because of the whole AP appreciation thing. Should I call and let them know that there will now be two adults and a "child" coming, or will they then change our room, possibly to a downgraded one? What if we just showed up and let them know then that there's also a "child"?

-Kevin