Sea World Platinum Pass and Discovery Cove Question

[Anc96]

I have decided to purchase platinum passes this year for Sea World. We usually have APs for both WDW and Sea World, though last year we couldn't afford to go so we didn't purchase APs.
We did go to Busch Gardens Europe last year and LOVED it! (only had 1 week passes) It's not horribly far for us (making it do-able for a long weekend mini-vacation), so purchasing the Platinum passes seems to make a lot of sense since we are making it to Orlando this summer too.
The prices vary a lot when purchasing from the different parks. Since we STILL haven't decided whether we are driving down this year, or flying, there is the possibility that we can stop at Busch Gardens Europe on the way down for a visit, and to purchase the tickets since they are only $299 there vs $429 in Orlando.

Then I noticed that on the San Antonio Sea World site it says this for the Platinum pass "Valid for unlimited admissions for TWO full years at select Worlds of Discovery theme parks. Platinum Pass must be redeemed at SeaWorld San Antonio before visiting any other Worlds of Discovery theme parks (excluding Discovery Cove)."

Does this mean that if I purchased the pass online I could activate it at Discovery Cove? If so, that would be like taking hundreds of dollars off the price of our DC ressies. Or is this bad phrasing and stating that the Pass is not valid for Discovery Cove?, which, of course I know.

Does anyone know from experience that you CAN activate passes purchased online, at a different park like this?

TIA
ANC

 

[jlwhitney]

I would assume no because the reason Discovery Cove is excluded is becasue Discovery Cove is never included in any of the platinum passes. This is because it is a high price ticket that requires reservation in advance. It is not a show up on any day type of place. (it is an all inclusive place)

 

[Anc96]

I would assume no because the reason Discovery Cove is excluded is becasue Discovery Cove is never included in any of the platinum passes. This is because it is a high price ticket that requires reservation in advance. It is not a show up on any day type of place. (it is an all inclusive place)

Yes, I know what discovery cove is, and we have reservations. But the phrasing of the statement on the SWA site seems to indicate that you can activate the platinum pass at DC. When you do DC you also get 14 days at either busch gardens or sea word, and you activate that at DC... or, if you want to, you can activate it at SW or BG first.
If I purchase the Platinum pass at BG Europe for $249, I can also use it at Sea World Orlando.. but I believe you must first activate it at BGE first. Which would be fine if we drive and go to BGE first (I already have car ressies and we may be doing that). But, the San Antonio site seems to be indicating (at least the way I'm reading it), that if the Platinum passes are purchased online, you must activate them at SWA, before visiting the other parks.. except Discovery Cove. So, is it saying I CAN activate them at Discovery Cove.

I'm basically looking for someone who has activated a pass at a park other than the one from which they purchased them. I am pretty sure I have read on here that this is possible...

If we do drive.. the price per ticket isn't a huge difference ($249 BGE vs $199 SWA) and I would just purchase them at BGE and activate them there. But if we wind up flying... the difference between the SWA and SWO is $230 ($199 SWA vs $429 SWO) PER ticket! a Big difference! Which is why I am saying it's like paying less money overall for the ressies at DC.

Hope I explained it better now.

 

[livndisney]

Yes, I know what discovery cove is, and we have reservations. But the phrasing of the statement on the SWA site seems to indicate that you can activate the platinum pass at DC. When you do DC you also get 14 days at either busch gardens or sea word, and you activate that at DC... or, if you want to, you can activate it at SW or BG first.
If I purchase the Platinum pass at BG Europe for $249, I can also use it at Sea World Orlando.. but I believe you must first activate it at BGE first. Which would be fine if we drive and go to BGE first (I already have car ressies and we may be doing that). But, the San Antonio site seems to be indicating (at least the way I'm reading it), that if the Platinum passes are purchased online, you must activate them at SWA, before visiting the other parks.. except Discovery Cove. So, is it saying I CAN activate them at Discovery Cove.

I'm basically looking for someone who has activated a pass at a park other than the one from which they purchased them. I am pretty sure I have read on here that this is possible...

If we do drive.. the price per ticket isn't a huge difference ($249 BGE vs $199 SWA) and I would just purchase them at BGE and activate them there. But if we wind up flying... the difference between the SWA and SWO is $230 ($199 SWA vs $429 SWO) PER ticket! a Big difference! Which is why I am saying it's like paying less money overall for the ressies at DC.

Hope I explained it better now.

Personally, I don't get that you can activate a pass bought for San Antonio at DC from this

"Platinum Pass must be redeemed at SeaWorld San Antonio before visiting any other Worlds of Discovery theme parks (excluding Discovery Cove)."


What I get is that you have to activate the pass at San Antonio and that the pass excluded DC. Perhaps you should call and ask if you are not clear.

 

[Anc96]

Personally, I don't get that you can activate a pass bought for San Antonio at DC from this

"Platinum Pass must be redeemed at SeaWorld San Antonio before visiting any other Worlds of Discovery theme parks (excluding Discovery Cove)."


What I get is that you have to activate the pass at San Antonio and that the pass excluded DC. Perhaps you should call and ask if you are not clear.

That's probably it.. like I said it could have been bad phrasing.

"Valid for unlimited admissions for TWO full years at select Worlds of Discovery theme parks. Platinum Pass must be redeemed at SeaWorld San Antonio before visiting any other Worlds of Discovery theme parks (excluding Discovery Cove)."

Excluding Discovery Cove should have been at the end of the sentence " Two full year at select Worlds of Discovery Theme Parks..."
and not at the end of the sentence of where you can, and cannot activate the pass.

I guess it just adds to the reasons to drive down. It's a bit cheaper to drive than fly, since I will be renting a car anyway when I get there (the monthly car rate is only slightly more than the 3 week car rate). Now it would save another $150 ish per platinum pass price.. and we get to go to Busch Gardens Europe again.

Thanks for your input.

 

[xaustedmommy]

just wondering if you were able to buy the san antonio platinum ap and successfully use them at sesameplace or other park first? tia, jane

 

[Anc96]

just wondering if you were able to buy the san antonio platinum ap and successfully use them at sesameplace or other park first? tia, jane

I have read that other people who have emailed sesame place got the response that as long as you choose to have the passes mailed to you, they are already activated and you can use them at any park you want. You cannot choose to print the passes, or you will have to activate them at the park they are purchased from.

I choose to have my passes mailed to me, but I am purchasing them from Busch Gardens VA... and I will be using the passes there first also, since we are driving down to Florida. So I will not be able to answer whether or not they would have worked at Sea World Orlando before BG.

Maybe someone else who has actually used a pass first at a park other than the one they purchased it from can answer this.

 

[xaustedmommy]

Thanks...I will try calling sesame. Hope they can help.