Lots of numbers.....

[sunshine1010]

Soooooo, I'm going on vacation in October. Hotel room is reserved. The focus is now on buying tickets. Decided not to buy a package since we would be charged if we needed to make any changes.

I know about the 3-Park Unlimited deal, but ...for several reasons...we decided not to get it:
- we never go from park to park, we always focus on one park a day
- we are only going for 4 days...& those days will usually only last 5-6 hours
- we aren't going to Wet N Wild at all
Total cost for us would be 754.08 if we got these tickets.

So, since we aren't getting that deal, we are now focusing on our options for 4-day base tickets for 4 adults:
AAA 625.13
Undercover Tourist 593.81
Universal site 630.52
Costco - not a member

Cheapest is UNDERCOVER TOURIST. I've used this company before and was pleased.

Is that a good price?......Do tickets ever go on sale (besides the current 3-Park Unlimited sale?). I ask because if they do, I'll wait to get the tickets. If not, I'll buy them now.

Thanks everyone. Love this site!!!

 

[macraven]

UO and WDW are alike.
their tickets don't go on sale.

i would buy from UT if it is the cheapest and what you want.

 

[sunshine1010]

Thanks so much for the quick response. I'll go ahead and purchase them in the next few days!

The tickets don't go on sale, but....when do you think the next 'discount' for hotel rooms will happen? (if any)

I ask you because you are the Buddha of all Info!!!! (wink)

 

[Marquibiri]

Have you considered purchasing an Annual Pass. You get 15% discount on your other tickets (if you buy them at the gates).

I did the math and you'd be paying about 628.75. Additionally, you would have you AP for amazing discounts and you might even want to stay onsite with the AP rate!
Apart from the other food and merchandise discounts, this would be a great option to consider.

Cheers!

Marquibiri

 

[sunshine1010]

AP rates are good?

I have no idea how much an AP is...I wonder if it's worth getting due to the discount I could get? IS there a discount right now for October for AP?

 

[Marquibiri]

I'm not sure when AP rates come out for onsite hotels, probably around 2 months before the date...

I did an exercise booking Portofino, normal rate came out to be 290+ a night. With AP rate it showed 206 per night. 84 dollars per night saving!

The Annual Pass is 259.99, and you get 15% discount on the other 3 tickets you plan to buy. Paying about the same as simply buying the 4 base tickets ($628.75), but now you have your own Annual Pass with many perks and discounts!

Cheers!

Marquibiri

 

[sunshine1010]

Soooo...not everyone has to have an annual pass to be able to get the discount for the hotels (if and when they come out)?

 

[sunshine1010]

Ohhh wait...that price you gave me was for ALL $ of us to have AP's? That's pretty cheap!

 

[Marquibiri]

Ohhh wait...that price you gave me was for ALL $ of us to have AP's? That's pretty cheap!

Nope.. Just you plus three 4-day base tickets...

If 4, 4-day base tickets are 145 plus tax = 630 on the UO website.... Then,

If you buy 1 Annual Pass, then you can buy the other 3 4-day base tickets with 15% discount. You'll end up paying a few more bucks but can save so much more in food, merchandise, and hotel.

Cheers!

Marquibiri

 

[sunshine1010]

Marquibiri:

First of all, THANK YOU for all the help. I want to make sure I have all this 'right' in my head.

I should do the following:
- Buy 1 AP for myself
- Buy 3 4-day base tickets for the other 3 people in my party

* If I do this, I can get discounts (due to my AP) on food and the possible AP rate that will eventually (hopefully) come out for the onsite hotels....correct?
* If I do this, do I HAVE to buy the 3 4-day tickets at the gate to get the 15% discount?
* Couldn't I still get the 3 4-day tickets from Undercover Tourist? (which is cheaper)...
* Do AP holders receive a discount for the Blue Man Group?
* You stated that the AP discounts 'usually' come out 2 months before the time period. Do AP discounts come out all year? Once a year? Hardly ever?

 

[mlacreta]

I'm not sure when AP rates come out for onsite hotels, probably around 2 months before the date...

I did an exercise booking Portofino, normal rate came out to be 290+ a night. With AP rate it showed 206 per night. 84 dollars per night saving!

The Annual Pass is 259.99, and you get 15% discount on the other 3 tickets you plan to buy. Paying about the same as simply buying the 4 base tickets ($628.75), but now you have your own Annual Pass with many perks and discounts!

Cheers!

Marquibiri

OK - You've got my attention now!!! I am planning a september trip and will need to buy 7 - 4 day and 1 - 3day. So the price compare you did was that off the gate price or can you order tickets in advance with an AP? I also am looking at booking rooms at RPR so your mention of the resort discount is of BIG interest to me too....we originally decided to do this trip because we had a great discount on an offsite hotel. Our dates changed..lost discount...and now I'm like all in on the onsite hotels even though the price is insane for us!!! So anyway to save and I'm listening! They have a hotel promo right now which gives 20% off regular rates so nightly it's 168-18something. Do AP discounts get better then that? And do they give alot of discounts IN the parks? I apreciate the info so much!

 

[macraven]

the preferred ap discounts are 10% off food and merch in the parks and some city walk.

AAA gives the same 10% discount for food and merch.

 

[mlacreta]

can you book more than 1 room with the ap discount?

 

[Marquibiri]

Marquibiri:

First of all, THANK YOU for all the help. I want to make sure I have all this 'right' in my head.

I should do the following:
- Buy 1 AP for myself
- Buy 3 4-day base tickets for the other 3 people in my party

* If I do this, I can get discounts (due to my AP) on food and the possible AP rate that will eventually (hopefully) come out for the onsite hotels....correct?
* If I do this, do I HAVE to buy the 3 4-day tickets at the gate to get the 15% discount? Yes, you do.* Couldn't I still get the 3 4-day tickets from Undercover Tourist? (which is cheaper)... UT tickets are $141, with the AP discount, at the front gate each would be $123ish each.* Do AP holders receive a discount for the Blue Man Group?
* You stated that the AP discounts 'usually' come out 2 months before the time period. Do AP discounts come out all year? Once a year? Hardly ever?
Wouldn't know for peak season, but I think so. AP rates are out for every time I've checked.. Just have to cross your fingers and hope for availability.

OK - You've got my attention now!!! I am planning a september trip and will need to buy 7 - 4 day and 1 - 3day. So the price compare you did was that off the gate price or can you order tickets in advance with an AP? I also am looking at booking rooms at RPR so your mention of the resort discount is of BIG interest to me too....we originally decided to do this trip because we had a great discount on an offsite hotel. Our dates changed..lost discount...and now I'm like all in on the onsite hotels even though the price is insane for us!!! So anyway to save and I'm listening! They have a hotel promo right now which gives 20% off regular rates so nightly it's 168-18something. Do AP discounts get better then that? And do they give alot of discounts IN the parks? I apreciate the info so much!

What discount is that? Sounds very good. You can get 30% discount with AP.
Tickets must be purchased at the front gate (6 max).

can you book more than 1 room with the ap discount?

Don't know that one, sorry.

Cheers!

Marquibiri

 

[Marquibiri]

Now that I think about it. Gate prices are 20% higher than online prices so you would be paying at the front gate a couple more bucks than on UT...

You could buy those separately on UT.

Cheers!


Marquibiri

 

[kamcgrory]

I called today to book 2 connecting rooms at RPR at the AP rate and was told that 2 people in my party will need AP's to book 2 rooms. Luckily, I got an email from US this morning with a pin# for 35% off the seasonal rate, so I used that instead. It's still not as cheap at the AP rate, but only $6.10 a day per room more. Has anyone else booked 2 rooms with only 1 AP?

 

[mlacreta]

What discount is that? Sounds very good. You can get 30% discount with AP.
Tickets must be purchased at the front gate (6 max).



Don't know that one, sorry.

Cheers!

Marquibiri

I was hoping the AP discount was higher...will have to look at that math as the promotional discount we got is already 25%. May not be worth it since UT has cheaper tickets.
The discount we had was awesome...DH and I had gone to a TS tour in our state since the promotion was plane tickets which we had hoped to use for this trip. However turns out yoyu had to book one of their hotels to use the air promotion. But there was an alternate hotel discount off a about 5 difffernt orlando area hotel. $50 off a night. And we were allowed to use both for 2 different rooms. So we decided to tag U onto our D trip thinking this would be the only time we could afford it. Hotel we were going to stay at was clarion and it was going to be less than $700 for a 1 bedroom suite and and standard room for 5 nights. Got it booked then hubby couldn't get those dates off from work. So tried to rebook and NONE of their hotels were available...which we found odd for an offseason week in september but whatever. So instead here we are paying $1900 instead! This part of the trip will be asurprise for the kids and i am way too excited about it to cancle. I paniced for a day...then just said...WHATEVER!!! Will just put it on a 0% cc and pay it off next year!!!! The perks from the onsite will be great anyway.

 

[mlacreta]

I called today to book 2 connecting rooms at RPR at the AP rate and was told that 2 people in my party will need AP's to book 2 rooms. Luckily, I got an email from US this morning with a pin# for 35% off the seasonal rate, so I used that instead. It's still not as cheap at the AP rate, but only $6.10 a day per room more. Has anyone else booked 2 rooms with only 1 AP?

When I called a couple day ago to book 2 standards for sept. I asked if I would be allowed to rebook both rooms at the AP rate if it became available and the woman told me yes. Supose she could have been wrong....perhaps I should call back.

Did you get that pin # from being signed up just on the universal email or for being an ap? That sounds like a great rate....wondering how I can get it!? Also yoyu said the ap rate was still more? The reservations specialist told me the ap rate was up to 30% off. So was she incorrect about that too??

 

[macraven]

can you book more than 1 room with the ap discount?

one ap per room.

sometimes you can have an exception made.

if you have 4 kids and required to book 2 rooms, it could be possible to use that one ap for both rooms.
it is a situation that you would need to talk with a supervisor when you call to book.

it is not a guarantee that you will be allowed to do so, but a possibility.

 

[mlacreta]

one ap per room.

sometimes you can have an exception made.

if you have 4 kids and required to book 2 rooms, it could be possible to use that one ap for both rooms.
it is a situation that you would need to talk with a supervisor when you call to book.

it is not a guarantee that you will be allowed to do so, but a possibility.

Hmmm...well maybe that is why they said I would be able to....We have 3 adults and 5 kids in the group.