Parking and AP info

[phamton]

There have been several posts about how to get free parking before you have your Preferred or Premier AP. I couldn't find them all so thought I'd start a new thread.

Suggestions have been made about dropping off at guest drop off and then going to get the AP before parking. Others have mentioned upgrading their Power Passes via phone or online to the Preferred before going to the park and thus getting free parking. Just a heads up: the APs are scanned at the parking garage and are not considered valid APs until you enter the park for the first time on that pass. The pass is not activated until you enter the park for the first time. The only way that this would work is if you picked up your AP while someone waited in the car at guest drop-off. You then would need to actually enter the park with your AP to activate it. Then the pass would work for free parking.

The reasoning behind this...At Disney when you buy your pass it is active and the countdown of 365 days begins on the day of purchase. At Universal, you can buy an AP and even gift it to someone for Christmas and the pass countdown doesn't begin until the first day that they actually use that pass to enter the park. Since the APs are not activated until the first day of entry, the free parking does not begin until after that activation.

 

[MIChessGuy]

I've been wondering about how to handle this situation on my next trip. I plan to upgrade my discounted "7 day" (actually 14 day) Maple Leaf ticket to the annual pass that comes with free parking. To complicate matters further, this is likely to be a solo trip, so nobody can wait for me at the dropoff lot. I was thinking that I'd show up in the evening, when the parking fee dips to $3, and maybe I'll get a short line at FJ as a sort of consolation prize.

Has anyone tried to get a parking fee refunded based on same-day activation of an annual pass? That seems like a common-sense thing for Universal to do. I understand Disney guests can do all their ticket transactions at Downtown Disney, which has no parking fee, thus this issue does not arise there.

 

[phamton]

You aren't reimbursed for parking fees for the first use of an AP. On the purchase page for annual passes it clearly states "Free self-parking is not valid on your first visit to the parks. "

 

[MIChessGuy]

Bummer. Now I'm leaning toward my plan of a brief evening visit in order to get the reduced parking fee. Then I can visit IOA and go on a few rides 'til they call time. Maybe FJ's fat police will be too tired by then to catch me.

 

[DCTooTall]

Sooo... just to make sure I understand this right based off the other threads i've read on the subject....

Preferred Pass.... pretty much screwed on day 1 free parking unless you can go activate the pass, then enter the park, then make it back to the guest drop off where someone is waiting on you. (so not likely for a solo trip to be doable).


Premier Pass.... Can get free parking via use of the Free Valet option since you don't pay to park until you claim your car at the end of the day, and since you will likely be spending the day in the parks, your pass should be activated by the time you go home at the end of the day.


does that sound about right?

 

[brenda1966]

So, if you are staying at an onsite hotel and you have an AP, do you get to park for free at the hotel?

 

[Metro West]

So, if you are staying at an onsite hotel and you have an AP, do you get to park for free at the hotel?

No...you still have to pay to park at the hotel. The hotels are not owned by Universal therefore your AP benefits do not extend to parking on hotel property.

 

[MIChessGuy]

Just a heads up: the APs are scanned at the parking garage and are not considered valid APs until you enter the park for the first time on that pass. The pass is not activated until you enter the park for the first time. The only way that this would work is if you picked up your AP while someone waited in the car at guest drop-off. You then would need to actually enter the park with your AP to activate it. Then the pass would work for free parking.

In the context of upgrading, I am still unclear on one point. Let's say that next month, I upgrade my Maple Leaf "7 day" (actually 14 day) ticket inside the park at Guest Services. Then I exit the park. Is the AP considered unactivated because I came in using the Maple Leaf? Or will it be activated right when they hand it to me? I have this goofy scenario in my mind where I upgrade in the park, exit the park, then go back in for the sole purpose of "activating" the AP and making it valid for free parking. (Side question: Is there an outside-the-gate Guest Services or must I upgrade inside?)

Sorry to keep harping on this stuff, but when you're as cheap as I am, it's important.

 

[Metro West]

In the context of upgrading, I am still unclear on one point. Let's say that next month, I upgrade my Maple Leaf "7 day" (actually 14 day) ticket inside the park at Guest Services. Then I exit the park. Is the AP considered unactivated because I came in using the Maple Leaf? Or will it be activated right when they hand it to me? I have this goofy scenario in my mind where I upgrade in the park, exit the park, then go back in for the sole purpose of "activating" the AP and making it valid for free parking. (Side question: Is there an outside-the-gate Guest Services or must I upgrade inside?)

Sorry to keep harping on this stuff, but when you're as cheap as I am, it's important.

If you enter with the Maple Leaf tickets, go to Guest Services and upgrade to the AP. Your AP will be activated by Guest Services so the next time you enter the park will be with your AP. You will not be able to go back and get free parking until the next visit unless you're getting the Premier AP with free valet.

 

[braddillman]

Premier Pass.... Can get free parking via use of the Free Valet option since you don't pay to park until you claim your car at the end of the day, and since you will likely be spending the day in the parks, your pass should be activated by the time you go home at the end of the day.

I have done exactly this in September 2010. It definitely works.