Premier or Perferred?

[tinydancer09]

I know all the benefits and have compared them all... still I cannot for some reason convince myself that I only need a preferred pass.

Strengths of Preferred:
-up to 30% off hotels (preferred also)
-Free Self Parking at City Walk(Preferred Also)
-10% off Food
-10% off Merchandise {corrected}
-No Blackout dates
-Discounts on special events
-Discounts on other peoples tickets

Added reasons why anyone should go Premier instead:
-Express pass after 4PM
-Free Valet off season at City Walk
-Free Halloween Horrors Ticket
-20% (10%more than Preferred) Merchandise
-15% (5%more " ") Food
-Free water (Really?Maybe its a reason for you) {only 8 per year per pass}
-City Walk Free Access to clubs

-Most times we will be staying on site to get express pass and be within walking distances of parks. Also, when we do stay off site it will probably be in extreme off season (Feb or Sep or Nov) and won't NEED express pass. Free self parking falls under that as well. When we need to use it it won't be THAT big of deal to park self vs. Valet.
-Merchandise is not a huge deal. Not 120 worth of a deal. Food is the same. To make up that difference I'd have to buy $1200 worth of merch or $2400 worth of food.
-I do not and will not go to Halloween Horror Nights. I love halloween but I do not enjoy being scared to death.
-Water bottles- I can buy a package of water and bring them into the park. Or get FREE refills in my 15 souvenir cups.

The only reason I can see the Premier Pass being beneficial to me is the free Express pass after 4PM. But is that worth 120? Probably not.

Anyone else have any ideas or comments? Anyone with one of these passes think its worth the added money?

 

[macraven]

I know all the benefits and have compared them all... still I cannot for some reason convince myself that I only need a preferred pass.

Strengths of Preferred:
-up to 30% off hotels (preferred also)
-Free Self Parking at City Walk(Preferred Also)
-10% off Food
-20% off Merchandise (incorrect)
-No Blackout dates
-Discounts on special events
-Discounts on other peoples tickets

Added reasons why anyone should go Premier instead:
-Express pass after 4PM
-Free Valet off season at City Walk
-Free Halloween Horrors Ticket
-20% (10%more than Preferred) Merchandise
-15% (5%more " ") Food
-Free water (Really?Maybe its a reason for you)
-City Walk Free Access to clubs

-Most times we will be staying on site to get express pass and be within walking distances of parks. Also, when we do stay off site it will probably be in extreme off season (Feb or Sep or Nov) and won't NEED express pass. Free self parking falls under that as well. When we need to use it it won't be THAT big of deal to park self vs. Valet.
-Merchandise is not a huge deal. Not 120 worth of a deal. Food is the same. To make up that difference I'd have to buy $1200 worth of merch or $2400 worth of food.
-I do not and will not go to Halloween Horror Nights. I love halloween but I do not enjoy being scared to death.
-Water bottles- I can buy a package of water and bring them into the park. Or get FREE refills in my 15 souvenir cups.

The only reason I can see the Premier Pass being beneficial to me is the free Express pass after 4PM. But is that worth 120? Probably not.

Anyone else have any ideas or comments? Anyone with one of these passes think its worth the added money?

preferred pass only gives 10% off merch.

some years back the rate of discount was higher for preferred.
i miss those days.

some benefits have been cut back over the last 3-4 years for the preferred annual pass.
i would not doubt if some benefits would be cut back on the premier pass also.
last year there were rumblings about limiting the after 4pm useage of the express lines for premier. talk of limiting express line to once per evening per ride/show.

the one free hhn ticket is for a non peak night only.
it would be cheaper to buy the special package for off peak nights than to justify the purchase of the premiere for one free hhn non peak night.

it is not unlimited water for the premier pass holders.
there is a number of bottles you can receive for the year.


for me, i would not buy the premiere annual pass.
it is not worth the extra money or renewal cost.

i also have the AAA card and can get up to 30% discount on the onsite hotels.
promos that come out are general public ones that allow up to 30% room discounts.
i can also use that AAA card for 10% off merch and food at the parks and city walk and hotels.

i keep the preferred annual pass renewed each year even though i can receive some of the discounts w/AAA.

the discounted HHN tickets are a selling point for me in keeping my PAP.


stick with the preferred pass and save some $$.

that's just my opinion.

if a person lives locally and enjoys being at the parks all the time, that is a different reason to the higher priced pass.

when the parks close early in some months, the free after 4pm express is very limited in time for the pass holder.

 

[Metro West]

stick with the preferred pass and save some $$.

that's just my opinion.

if a person lives locally and enjoys being at the parks all the time, that is a different reason to the higher priced pass.

when the parks close early in some months, the free after 4pm express is very limited in time for the pass holder.

I'll go along with Mac on this. Unless you're local and can go to the parks in the evenings when they are open late, the Express feature probably won't be of any value to you especially if you're going to be staying onsite during your visits. The renewal rate for the Preferred is $170 with tax which is still cheaper than buying a new pass every year. If you have no plans to go to HHN and can buy water cheaper, stick with the Preferred. I've had it for eight years now and have no plans to upgrade.

 

[Bluer101]

preferred pass only gives 10% off merch.

some years back the rate of discount was higher for preferred.
i miss those days.

some benefits have been cut back over the last 3-4 years for the preferred annual pass.
i would not doubt if some benefits would be cut back on the premier pass also.
last year there were rumblings about limiting the after 4pm useage of the express lines for premier. talk of limiting express line to once per evening per ride/show.

the one free hhn ticket is for a non peak night only.
it would be cheaper to buy the special package for off peak nights than to justify the purchase of the premiere for one free hhn non peak night.

it is not unlimited water for the premier pass holders.
there is a number of bottles you can receive for the year.


for me, i would not buy the premiere annual pass.
it is not worth the extra money or renewal cost.

i also have the AAA card and can get up to 30% discount on the onsite hotels.
promos that come out are general public ones that allow up to 30% room discounts.
i can also use that AAA card for 10% off merch and food at the parks and city walk and hotels.

i keep the preferred annual pass renewed each year even though i can receive some of the discounts w/AAA.

the discounted HHN tickets are a selling point for me in keeping my PAP.


stick with the preferred pass and save some $$.

that's just my opinion.

if a person lives locally and enjoys being at the parks all the time, that is a different reason to the higher priced pass.

when the parks close early in some months, the free after 4pm express is very limited in time for the pass holder.

I'll go along with Mac on this. Unless you're local and can go to the parks in the evenings when they are open late, the Express feature probably won't be of any value to you especially if you're going to be staying onsite during your visits. The renewal rate for the Preferred is $170 with tax which is still cheaper than buying a new pass every year. If you have no plans to go to HHN and can buy water cheaper, stick with the Preferred. I've had it for eight years now and have no plans to upgrade.

I would have to agree with both of you. We always have the Preferred Pass since its cheaper and if we ever make it to HHN we will just buy our ticket and choose any night. We always stay onsite so express option after 4pm means nothing. The water is an ok perk, but I would save the money and get a beverage of choice. There are plenty of time I have gotten the Premier discount on food in the parks, so thats ok with me.

 

[tinydancer09]

-You're right macraven I missed that when I proof read last night. I stated it right in the premier pass but not in the preferred. (About merchandise)

-And the water thing you're right on as well, just didn't state it clearly. It's 8 bottles of water for the entire length of the pass.

I really decided which one to get roughly 1-2 weeks ago and my boyfriend keeps trying to convince me I'm crazy about thinking about the premier. I guess I just have this "More is better" thing going on in my head.

Another question for you all- We aren't going to be going to Universal til December but are going ahead and buying the tickets and booking the hotel since we're college students and have to save up the money and pay it off.
-If I go ahead and buy the ticket now and use flex pay, or even buy it out right, can I still book a hotel room getting the 30% off (non peak week) without activating the ticket? I figure you can as they usually don't clarify this til you get to the counter.

I've been to the universal studios resorts several times over the past 6 years, this is just the first time that I'm going without someone else making the reservations for me.

 

[Bluer101]

-You're right macraven I missed that when I proof read last night. I stated it right in the premier pass but not in the preferred. (About merchandise)

-And the water thing you're right on as well, just didn't state it clearly. It's 8 bottles of water for the entire length of the pass.

I really decided which one to get roughly 1-2 weeks ago and my boyfriend keeps trying to convince me I'm crazy about thinking about the premier. I guess I just have this "More is better" thing going on in my head.

Another question for you all- We aren't going to be going to Universal til December but are going ahead and buying the tickets and booking the hotel since we're college students and have to save up the money and pay it off.
-If I go ahead and buy the ticket now and use flex pay, or even buy it out right, can I still book a hotel room getting the 30% off (non peak week) without activating the ticket? I figure you can as they usually don't clarify this til you get to the counter.

I've been to the universal studios resorts several times over the past 6 years, this is just the first time that I'm going without someone else making the reservations for me.

You can book the hotel at the AP rate without have an AP in hand. At some point during your stay you will have to show you pass to the front desk. Some people have not had to do this but just be prepared. Also the AP rates for December are not out yet. They won't be out for a while.

 

[macraven]

Bluer is right!

you do not need the ap when booking a room discount with an ap.

you show the activated annual pass when you check in or sometime before you check out of the hotel.

(same goes if you book a room discount for AAA.)


i booked my room in january for my october '11 stay this year.
i paid one night deposit and the rest will be due when i check out of the hotel after my stay.

you can make payments if you want to pay more on the room in advance.

call and have them connect you to the accounting department.
they will send you a form for this process of payments prior to your stay.

book your room now and modify the rate when the AP discounts come out.
this way you are guaranteed your room and dates.

i'm assuming you or your friend is 21.
the universal hotels require 21 or over the age for booking a room.

 

[tinydancer09]

Thanks for the info.

Yes we are both over the age of 21... I'm 21 hes 23 (or will be by december).
We're going for our 5th anniversary and to officially celebrate my 21st.

 

[tinydancer09]

One more question,

How much is it to renew per year? I live in GA so do not get the FL "Discount". I also used to have an annual pass back in high school.... Maybe 3 or 4 years ago? Will I qualify for any previous AP holder discount or has it been way too long for that. Just in case it matters I had a Annual "Power Pass" with all the blackout dates and all that jazz.

For renewal next year: I'll be getting the Preferred pass.

 

[Bluer101]

One more question,

How much is it to renew per year? I live in GA so do not get the FL "Discount". I also used to have an annual pass back in high school.... Maybe 3 or 4 years ago? Will I qualify for any previous AP holder discount or has it been way too long for that. Just in case it matters I had a Annual "Power Pass" with all the blackout dates and all that jazz.

For renewal next year: I'll be getting the Preferred pass.

It just went up this year to $170.39 per year. Your old pass will be no good for a discount. You have to renew within one month of the old pass expiring to get the renewal rate.

 

[Metro West]

It just went up this year to $170.39 per year. Your old pass will be no good for a discount. You have to renew within one month of the old pass expiring to get the renewal rate.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

renewal went to $170.39 now? or is that with tax?? I know my renewal for the Annual Preferred was in Oct and it was $159 + tax.. and it had just increased last year from $119.

I would say stay with the Preferred and save the money. Like others have said, unless you can drop in after work, it really doesn't matter much to have the after 4pm express pass. You can always purchase your HHN pass when you want & as far as the extra 10% discount, unless you really spend a lot on suvie's it may not be worth that extra money (and the bottled water, buy it offsite & bring it in ). I live 3 hours away and have the Preferred.

 

[Metro West]

renewal went to $170.39 now? or is that with tax?? I know my renewal for the Annual Preferred was in Oct and it was $159 + tax.. and it had just increased last year from $119.

That's the total with tax.

 

[macraven]

the $10 increase for the pass was effective on march 1, 2011

 

[A Mickeyfan]

That's the total with tax.

I sort of thought that I renewed 3 at the same time so for me my total was more than the $170.39.. the .39 is what made me think it was the tax added on..... but you just never know sometimes

 

[A Mickeyfan]

the $10 increase for the pass was effective on march 1, 2011

what $10 increase this year? I paid the $159 to renew my Preferred passes back in Oct.. (actually renewed in the end of Sept for Oct renewals).

 

[Metro West]

what $10 increase this year? I paid the $159 to renew my Preferred passes back in Oct.. (actually renewed in the end of Sept for Oct renewals).

If you paid $159.99 plus tax then you paid the current renewal rate. I just renewed mine last month and I paid $170.39.