Preferred Annual Pass

[Katies Dad]

Hi,

Sorry got more questions!! hope this is in the right place and you can help.

I have been looking at ticket/pass prices again and trying to sort out our one night stay.

I can get some really good prices to stay at HRH if we get a Preferred Annual Pass $189.95. Please can I now ask a few questions:

How do you check in if you havn`t got the pass in your hand (as won`t actually get it until go to the parks)

It says you can save 15% on multi day tickets - can you buy these online and get the discount or do you have to go and buy them there? are they more expensive? 2 day / 2 park with 1 extra day on line are $112 (was hoping for discount off this!!) I am being rather cheeky arn`t I?

Also can you buy this pass if you live in the UK?

Would you recommend these, are the discounts you get worth it i.e. 10% off food etc and merchandis. Any other info / advice would be wonderful as I seem to be going round in circles trying to sort this and we now go in less than 4 weeks.

PS the good news is we have decided on HRH. (but of course I`ve not booked it yet)

When I get the passes sorted do I just input APH in the code .... and book on line or should I book on the phone (which is best in your opinion? also need to request a nice room - we are only going for garden view! but would like to see the parks and be high up. I have also got Loews number so will that get an upgrade or just a perk or two?

So many questions, I really am so gratefu for all the help you have been sharing with me.

 

[bubba's mom]

Hi,

Sorry got more questions!! hope this is in the right place and you can help.

don't apologize for asking questions...that's what we are all here for

I have been looking at ticket/pass prices again and trying to sort out our one night stay.

I can get some really good prices to stay at HRH if we get a Preferred Annual Pass $189.95. Please can I now ask a few questions:

How do you check in if you havn`t got the pass in your hand (as won`t actually get it until go to the parks)

if you reserve aph rate, and they ask to see your ap, just show them your receipt or voucher and tell them you are on your way to the park to pick your AP up...you'd be willing to stop back to show it to them upon returning from the parks that day (most likely they won't ask you to stop back, seeing receipt/voucher is enough...it was with us the first time)

It says you can save 15% on multi day tickets - can you buy these online and get the discount or do you have to go and buy them there? are they more expensive? 2 day / 2 park with 1 extra day on line are $112 (was hoping for discount off this!!) I am being rather cheeky arn`t I?

the discount on tickets is at the gate (which, you really don't want to do, unless you go early OR late the day before, cuz the lines are crazy long!) Your best bet mite be the 7 day ticket for $86...unless you are doing Seaworld...that doesn't include SW

Also can you buy this pass if you live in the UK?

yes, anyone can purchase an AP

Would you recommend these, are the discounts you get worth it i.e. 10% off food etc and merchandis.

if you don't have AAA card to use for these discounts, than 1 AP would be worth it (you only need 1 ap to get room/shopping/dining discounts)

When I get the passes sorted do I just input APH in the code .... and book on line or should I book on the phone (which is best in your opinion?

just input the aph code....you can do it online, but sometimes it's a problem, i'd just call to talk to a real person, that way they can answer your questions too!

also need to request a nice room - we are only going for garden view!

tell the reservationist this to add request to your res...no guarantees, but say it's your first time, your kid(s) would be so impressed, etc.... read the HRH sticky at the top to get a better idea of where you want to be....from my understanding, there isn't a "good view" of the parks from HRH, but high enuf could get you something!

I have also got Loews number so will that get an upgrade or just a perk or two?

if you are Loew's blue, upgrade is if available upon check-in. if you're gold, it's available at time of res...if available. you will be eligible for welcome gift, fitness center and late check out (see loew's site for details)

 

[goofy!]

We are APH holders. All five of us have them. Bubba's Mom gave you some great information.

The only thing I wanted to add is that the discount off the tickets is not usually worth the wait in line. Unless they are offering periodic special of getting your tickets for half price.

You can usually find better deals out there than the APH ticket discount, such as the 7 day tickets for $86.00.

We often have friends join us when we travel and only once has the APH ticket discount been better than what was offered. And that was last Thanksgiving when some relatives wanted to just spend a day at the parks and we were able to buy single day/2 park passes for 1/2 price.

Other than that, we find the convenience of the passes and the discounts well worth having the AP.

 

[bubba's mom]

The only thing I wanted to add is that the discount off the tickets is not usually worth the wait in line. Unless they are offering periodic special of getting your tickets for half price.

You can usually find better deals out there than the APH ticket discount, such as the 7 day tickets for $86.00.

i totally agree....that's why i told him to get their tickets at the gate the afternoon/nite before their day in the parks OR first thing in the am! We would walk past them lines and I cannot imagine why you wouldn't pre-purchase your tickets Those lines are ridiculously loooonng! Like you said, the 15% discount is not worth the half hour in line!

 

[goofy!]

i totally agree....that's why i told him to get their tickets at the gate the afternoon/nite before their day in the parks OR first thing in the am! We would walk past them lines and I cannot imagine why you wouldn't pre-purchase your tickets Those lines are ridiculously loooonng! Like you said, the 15% discount is not worth the half hour in line!

Absolutely go in the afternoon or night before. What I meant by the lines not being worth it is that usually the price of the APH discounted tickets are still higher than the specials out there.

For instance - the OP mentioned getting the APH discount off the 2 park / 1 extra day ticket for $112.00. The 15% discount brings that ticket to $95.00. The 7 day both park ticket for $86.00 is still the cheaper route.

OP - Just for clarification, the APH discount is only good on regular priced tickets. You cannot get any discounts off any of the promotional deals.

 

[Katies Dad]

Thank you all, advice is brilliant.

The $86 is a great deal but we want to do our 2 days and then towards the end of the holiday may want another day thats why we thought of the 2 day plus an extra. If can`t get discount on it then will most probably buy in UK £55 works out slightly cheaper than from US with the tax.

If we wanted to do US?IOA on Wed/Thur would you consider coming down on the Tue after 6pm to get the annual ticket swapped, or just do it on the Wed morning when you arrive at the parks (we would check into HRH early to get our passes)then hopefully be there when they open. Is it the same line as the people buying tickets would be in to get it swapped to a proper pass?

I really feel like I am going round in circles with all these ticket options....

 

[bubba's mom]

No, don't come Tuesday.....your voucher will look like a regular ticket. You go thru the regular line (thru turnstiles) and then go to Guest Services just inside the gate to switch the ticket you just used to get in for your AP. We were saying if you were planning to buy tickets at the gate, to go late afternoon/early evening the nite before.

 

[Katies Dad]

Thanks you, its getting `clearer` now.

 

[jeffreyml]

I was always wondering where you ghet the 8 bottles of free water at in the parks. On the Annual Pass holder website it syas you get 8 free bottles of water at each park. Does anyone know where you would go to retrieve them.