Platinum Passport Questions

[KStarfish82]

We are considering buying the Platinum Passport on Jan 1st. I just wanted to hear if you thought it was worth it or not.

Also, what benefits do you get? I already looked on the site, but I want to hear first hand discounts and such

Thanks!!

 

[Pax]

We love our platinum passes!

My wife and I go to both Sea World and Busch Gardens...a lot. The free preferred parking is worth it for us alone. Parking across the street at Busch Gardens is annoying. I like walking up.

We really like the reserved seating at the shows, particularly at Sea World. They have great sections reserved, and it saves a ton of time. Be warned that these sections DO fill up, but you don't have to be there nearly as early.

In the past, an additional benefit has been free entry to Howl o Scream on opening weekend in September. Not too shabby at all.

We haven't used the passes to "ride again" on anything, but it'd be pretty cool if you were ride junkies.

An unplanned but appreciated bonus is the ability to hit Busch Gardens Williamsburg when we head to Washington DC this year.

They did surprise us by not offering reserved seating at Sea Worlds 4th of July display, and then lied when I complained ("We don't reserve seats there normally"...pfft), but all in all...I would recommend them to anyone.

Good luck and have fun whatever you decide.

Pax

 

[SandrA9810]

Well they've offered some really good summer discounts. Like a free photo from sea world and busch gardens. Buy one adult meal, get a kids meal free. And a few others, I didn't get one in the mail, but we used some of the discounts with our friend who did get his.

With the payflex plan, you see the money come out every month, but you think about those standing in line and buying tickets and you realize how good a deal you got. It's 75$ to get in, and I only paid 14$... It was really wierd the first day we got our tickets and only paid 25$. Yeah it's monthly, but as long as you go one monthly or every couple of months, totally pays for itself.

There's ride again privellages and preferred parking. I like riding in with our friend cause he has a platinum, we just have 2 year-4parks, so we can park closer to the gate.

Especially in times like this, they're always putting out new promos and discounts for passport members.

 

[DOOM1001]

I first got a Silver pass around 2001 or so for Busch Gardens Tampa and Sea World Orlando,then in 2003 upgraded to the Platinum when we made a trip up north and that way we could do Busch Gardens In Williamsburg.When I upgraded I went from paying $11.52 a month with EZ PAY for the two parks to $12 for 8 parks,so by paying .48 cents more a month I got in to Busch in Virginia free as well as the water park in Tampa and Virginia,Sesame Place and the two other Sea World parks in TX and California.To this day I still pay $12 a month for these parks as they don't raise the payment as long as you keep paying it.When Aquatica opened I could have upgraded my pass to include Aquatica but I would go from a $12 payment to $17 for that one extra park which I may or may not go once a year or so,so I opted to just pay the daily admission at Aquatica and keep my monthly payment at $12.

Over the years having the Platinum has been great ,we've gotten free admission on the first two days of Howl o Scream,for our birthdays we've gotten a free admission at the Sea World Luau.Other great perks are the rerides on the coasters, the reserved seating at some of the shows,discounts all over the parks and the preferred parking.

 

[inkkognito]

We love our Platinum Passes, which we use frequently for both SeaWorld and Busch Gardens. The re-ride is fairly worthless at SeaWorld since it doesn't include Manta (they lied when I bought it and assured me that it did...supposedly it will someday). The reserved show seats are good though, as is the up close parking.

At Busch, re-ride is my favorite benefit, although the special parking is a close second. We are ride junkies, so we use it on all the rides we can, especially SkeiKra and Montu. Pisses off the other guests when the park is busy, but oh well!

 

[drenalin'junkie]

We call it the "Kiss My Pass"
Parking alone makes it wothwhile.The re-ride and special seating are nice.Being able to call ahead at Sharks during the holidays is priceless.
Discounts on almost everything.

At 10 times a year we save around 150 on parking,100 plus on dining and a few dollars here and there on souvineers.

 

[inkkognito]

We call it the "Kiss My Pass".

LOL, me too! As a matter of fact, one day some people who were getting off saw me stay on and started whining to the worker standing nearby, "She's been on there for five rides! We saw her! We saw her!" The worker was totally ignoring them as I had already flashed my pass, and I waved it at them and smirked, "Kiss my pass, babies! Kiss my pass." I'm sure they had no idea what I was babbling about.

What is this call-ahead to Sharks of which you speak?

 

[drenalin'junkie]

Calling weeks out to get a rez @ Sharks Underwater Grille.This is the single most blatant perk.During the holidays when everyone else is scrambling to get a seat or eat elsewhere we have a table ready.As almost no-one in our circle of friends does counter service by choice( except BBQ)we look for every possible way to insure sit down dinners inside.

 

[inkkognito]

Wow, we'll have to use and abuse that perk. I didn't even realize it was part of Platinum. We're not into counter service either, and I really like Sharks.

 

[yaytezIOA]

My gf just upgraded to a plat. Not only do you get free admit in Florida, for Sea World, BGT Aquatica and Adventure Island, you also get it for BGE in VA, Water Country, The other two sea world parks, and Sesame Place. 9 parks. Prefferred parking at all of them. Huge discounts during the holidays, a 50% off ticket for someone else to go, free rides on the sky tower at sea world. And....this is a big one...HUGE discounts during non peak times at Discovery Cove. Last time I went with my family of four, it was just under$400. Sounds like a lot don't it? Average trip costs between $600 and $800. The dolphin swim was 100, and the rest was 79 a piece. And this year you STILL get free admit into HOS during freaky preview.

 

[miztigg]

I LOVE my plat passes I will NEVER get rid of them I even just bought one for my niece since she always seems to tag along!! Sea world seats are amazing and of course the parking. I didnt know about the ride again or the discovery cove discount except for the 30.00 discount plese how do I find out about that?? planning to drive down in oct for manta. My home park is BG williamsburg I dont know if that matters THX

 

[TitanBrett]

I believe the platinum passport is about $280 more than the 2-year pass(which I have) and I cant see where that makes it worth it. I got the VIP card, I dont get free preffered parking which I wouldnt use at Sea World anyway because you get trapped at closing, I dont get reride but I dont go on most rides anyway. I just really dont see how it is worth it.

 

[inkkognito]

If you're not a ride person then it's not worth it. We're total ride lovers who go to Busch all the time. The preferred parking there rocks (although you're right about getting trapped in the SW preferred at closing) and the discount on Quick Queue plus the reride makes it sooooo worthwhile. It would be even better with reride on Manta, but oh well, someday..... Meanwhile, we will most definitely be keeping it for Busch. We go there at least a couple of times a month.

 

[coasterj]

Yes ride perks are awesome, as is the sharks seating perk, which is an amzing place to eat. I work at SW and I have one for the perks and b/c i take alot of vacations lol.

I just wish we could open up the re-ride perk on Manta already. I keep asking when and nobody on our operations side knows when we will be allowing it. I'm sill trying though

 

[2BigKIdz]

I live 2 hours from BG Williamsburg. I have been contemplating the Platinum Pass for the past few days as I will be in Orlando in 2 weeks and plan to go to Sea World. At BG Williamsburg, Howl-o-Scream is not a separate ticket, so I could use the pass this fall and they are starting a Christmas Town event this year as well which is a separate ticket but a "free" ticket comes with the purchase of the platinum pass. I didn't realize there were parking perks and ride perks and discounts! Now I am sold and am off to buy my pass! Glad I saw this thread! I think I will check out Aquatica while I am in Orlando also!

 

[2BigKIdz]

Yes ride perks are awesome, as is the sharks seating perk, which is an amzing place to eat. I work at SW and I have one for the perks and b/c i take alot of vacations lol.

I just wish we could open up the re-ride perk on Manta already. I keep asking when and nobody on our operations side knows when we will be allowing it. I'm sill trying though

Sorry to go off topic, but does Manta have a single riders line? I will be enjoying the park solo this trip as my husband will be playing paintball most of the week.

 

[pixeegrl]

I live 2 hours from BG Williamsburg. I have been contemplating the Platinum Pass for the past few days as I will be in Orlando in 2 weeks and plan to go to Sea World. At BG Williamsburg, Howl-o-Scream is not a separate ticket, so I could use the pass this fall and they are starting a Christmas Town event this year as well which is a separate ticket but a "free" ticket comes with the purchase of the platinum pass. I didn't realize there were parking perks and ride perks and discounts! Now I am sold and am off to buy my pass! Glad I saw this thread! I think I will check out Aquatica while I am in Orlando also!

Remember Platinum doesn't get you re ride at BG Williamsburg. That really sucks I know but you can't beat the other perks! Can't wait for Christmas Town to open... I hear a few rides will even be up and running but we will see!

 

[CKBear]

I love my platinum pass, it's worth it for the Preferred parking if nothing else.

 

[Inkmahm]

Can anyone tell me what the discount is at Discovery Cove if I have the platinum pass? I'm taking 6 of us to Discovery Cove in early Dec 2010 when the price is $199 each for the day/dolphin swim. Is there a further discount if I have any of the Sea World passes or just the platinum? I"m also taking 6 people just to Sea World in March , 2010 so any discount on their tickets would be great, too.