Possible to upgrade dated ticket and how to do it

[Miffy]

We're going to Universal for the first time in December and if we end up loving it (I hope so!), can we upgrade our 2-day park-to-park tickets purchased through UCT to APs? And, if so, how can we do this?

We would of course have to actually go to the parks before we decided if we wanted to upgrade, so we'd be doing this on day 2 of the 2-day ticket.

Thanks for your help!

 

[nighttowll]

Yes, super simple. Done it tons of times.

All you have to do is go to one of the guest service or ticket booths and tell them you would like to upgrade your ticket. You then pay the difference between the ticket type you have and the ticket you want to upgrade to.

You just have to make sure that the ticket is still active, so make sure to upgrade it before park closing on your second day and not after.

 

[Miffy]

Yes, super simple. Done it tons of times.

All you have to do is go to one of the guest service or ticket booths and tell them you would like to upgrade your ticket. You then pay the difference between the ticket type you have and the ticket you want to upgrade to.

You just have to make sure that the ticket is still active, so make sure to upgrade it before park closing on your second day and not after.

Thank you so much! I've done this at WDW but never at Universal . . . but I'm really hoping we're going to love it there and if we do, we will for sure upgrade.

 

[georgina]

Thank you so much! I've done this at WDW but never at Universal . . . but I'm really hoping we're going to love it there and if we do, we will for sure upgrade.

Universal has 4 levels of AP's, definitely do some research on which level works for you. The Seasonal has blockout dates, Power has fewer blockout dates, Prefered has more discounts, etc.

 

[Miffy]

Universal has 4 levels of AP's, definitely do some research on which level works for you. The Seasonal has blockout dates, Power has fewer blockout dates, Prefered has more discounts, etc.

Thanks! I've been reading the Universal site AP descriptions, but I have a question and maybe you can answer it.

If I opted for the lowest-price pass (the Seasonal Pass), which doesn't seem to include early park admission, wouldn't I still get that if I stayed at a Universal hotel property no matter what kind of admission type I had? And I'm pretty sure that even the Seasonal Pass includes hotel discounts. The blockout dates don't bother me since I don't travel to Orlando then anyway.

I'm very optimistic about our December stay at Universal, and I hope I like it even half as much as I think I will. I want to be prepared!

Many thanks to you, @georgina, and everyone else on this thread.

 

[wdwrule]

Thanks! I've been reading the Universal site AP descriptions, but I have a question and maybe you can answer it.

If I opted for the lowest-price pass (the Seasonal Pass), which doesn't seem to include early park admission, wouldn't I still get that if I stayed at a Universal hotel property no matter what kind of admission type I had? And I'm pretty sure that even the Seasonal Pass includes hotel discounts. The blockout dates don't bother me since I don't travel to Orlando then anyway.

I'm very optimistic about our December stay at Universal, and I hope I like it even half as much as I think I will. I want to be prepared!

Many thanks to you, @georgina, and everyone else on this thread.

Yes, staying on site at Universal will allow you to have early entry. Yes to hotel discounts with any tier of AP as well. Enjoy!

 

[CAPSLOCK]

Yes to both, but you need to have your reservation booked as an AP rate.

 

[Miffy]

Yes to both, but you need to have your reservation booked as an AP rate.

Yes, I understand. I don't expect to be able to use an AP discount on our upcoming December trip. It's just info for the future.

 

[barb969]

Yes, I understand. I don't expect to be able to use an AP discount on our upcoming December trip. It's just info for the future.

You can book an APH rate before you get the pass. If you can get a AP rate for December you will probably save enough to make getting an AP worth it, especially if you are staying in the deluxe hotels. Only 1 person in the room needs to have an AP to get the rate. Just upgrade one ticket and decide later if you want to do the others.
Here’s the link for AP rates: https://reservations.universalorlan...px?hotelID=14841&lang=en-us&hgID=641&currID=1
There will be a message in red saying the rate is not available. When it is available the message will disappear.

 

[AJA]

Yes, I understand. I don't expect to be able to use an AP discount on our upcoming December trip. It's just info for the future.

You have plenty of time to get the AP rate for December. As the above poster said, you don’t need the pass activated to book the AP rate. Depending on when you are going in December (the 5th or the 25th) rooms can go very quickly once announced so keep up with checking for the AP rate drops.

We usually go the first full week of December and I don’t start checking for discount’s until Summer.

As an example to always keep checking we are booked starting May 5th and I was just able to save an additional $10 per weekday night at Cabana Bay by rebooking/cancelling an existing AP stay. Universal is not like Disney (at least not yet) I had no problem booking an AP rate 1 month out (slow season).

One thing to remember Universal onsite hotels are not run by Universal you cannot upgrade you pass at the hotel desk at check-in. You can always visit the Universal Desk in the hotel lobby before/after check in to get your pass and secure the rate. If you are use to Disney and everything being tied together at the hotels it can be confusing the first time at Universal.

 

[nighttowll]

If I opted for the lowest-price pass (the Seasonal Pass), which doesn't seem to include early park admission, wouldn't I still get that if I stayed at a Universal hotel property no matter what kind of admission type I had? And I'm pretty sure that even the Seasonal Pass includes hotel discounts. The blockout dates don't bother me since I don't travel to Orlando then anyway.

Yes, you still get early entry from hotel stay. You also still get the hotel discount which from my understanding and experience is that you only have to show before checking out, so as long as you upgrade before the end of your trip, you are ok.

I always start with the lowest tier season pass unless I know for sure my dates are during a black out period. Then, if we decide to go again later during a black-outed time, I just upgrade. You can upgrade multiple times from one pass type to another.

 

[Miffy]

You can book an APH rate before you get the pass. If you can get a AP rate for December you will probably save enough to make getting an AP worth it, especially if you are staying in the deluxe hotels. Only 1 person in the room needs to have an AP to get the rate. Just upgrade one ticket and decide later if you want to do the others.
Here’s the link for AP rates: https://reservations.universalorlan...px?hotelID=14841&lang=en-us&hgID=641&currID=1
There will be a message in red saying the rate is not available. When it is available the message will disappear.

Thanks so much for this. I clicked on the link in your post and the hotel rates just say "Seasonal Rate." There's no message in red saying the AP rate isn't available.

 

[DoryGirl1963]

Maybe try this link:

Direct Loews Hotels link to book APH rates at the Loews Universal hotels:

https://res.windsurfercrs.com/ibe/d...hildren=0&promo=aph&iata=&group=&hotels=&ada=

A nice box with blue letters saying Annual Passholder Rate will show up when you click on the hotel you're checking if AP rates are available or a red banner will show at the top if they aren't yet. Currently AP rates are only out thru the end of September.

 

[Miffy]

Maybe try this link:

Direct Loews Hotels link to book APH rates at the Loews Universal hotels:

https://res.windsurfercrs.com/ibe/d...hildren=0&promo=aph&iata=&group=&hotels=&ada=

A nice box with blue letters saying Annual Passholder Rate will show up when you click on the hotel you're checking if AP rates are available or a red banner will show at the top if they aren't yet. Currently AP rates are only out thru the end of September.

Yes, thanks. That does work. We're going in December, so I'll keep looking, but right now we're paying a rate for December that seems to be similar to the discount rate for September, and I doubt that the December rates will be lower.

 

[Duck143]

I am looking into upgrading my tickets for this coming June to get an AP discounted room rate at RP. Does anyone know if you can upgrade your tickets over the phone? You don't have to have an active AP to book the rooms? We're going in June, so it looks like the Seasonal pass would work for me.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

I believe if you've bought direct from Universal you can upgrade over the phone. Certainly you can do so from the hotel ticket desk.

You definitely do not need the active AP to book the AP rate on the rooms. You just have to have it by checkout date. I would suggest booking the AP room as soon as you see it, you never know when that rate/room type will disappear, and it's fully refundable until 5-6 days out.

 

[nighttowll]

Yes, there is no problem booking APH rate, then upgrading at the hotel desk before or after check in. They usually don't even ask to see it, but when they do, they just say you must show it before check out.