Tickets for 5 night trip with kids and adults/price bridge confusion

[olive]

We took our first trip as a family to Universal/IOA about two and a half years ago and it was a great success thanks to the advice we got on these boards. We stayed on site and had a great time at the parks before continuing on to Disney. We are repeating the pattern this summer but with a longer stay at Universal. We just tacked a night on to the start of our trip at Cabana Bay (I understand there is no FOL access there), and the remaining four nights will be at RP. Not sure yet whether we will hit the parks that first day, but it would be nice to have the option, so I was considering getting the 2 day + 1 free park-to-park passes from UT and then attempting to bridge them to power passes after we enter the parks.

Our check in day is 8/13, which is a black out day for Universal (but not IOA) on the power passes. I have never attempted anything like this before, so I would love to double check my plan. Does it sound correct that:

1. We should go to the parks first (to activate the tickets and since there is a blackout day for the PPs)

2. We should be able to upgrade these tickets to PPs BUT

3. We may or may not be given the $9 upgrade price I have seen referenced on these boards; worst case scenario should be upgrading but being required to pay the full price differential

A follow up question - since there seems to be one price for PPs for adults and children, but there is separate pricing for the park-to-park tickets, I assume even if the $9 differential is applied to the adult tickets that the children's tickets would have a higher payment due?

Sorry this is so long. I just wanted to confirm my understanding with the experts before pulling the trigger in tickets!

 

[HM]

I would wait to do the upgrade on a later day, not the first day (the black out day).
Guest services should bridge your tickets and the cost would be the difference between the 3 day and the power pass currently.

 

[wookiebeck]

I seem to remember that US does not do bridging the same way that WDW does. I think they look at the price you paid (you got a discount with UT tix) and make you come up to the gate price first. Let's say that's $10 (it would be more if you bought the tix two years ago, inflation, etc.)

Then you would pay the differential of the 3-day to the PP (like you said $9).

Anyone confirm? I don't want to mislead PP, but it could save a disagreement with an attendant if it is not just the $9.

 

[bumbershoot]

Wookie, in the last 6 months or so, Uni seems to be bridging. I personally would never count on that, and would budget from what I paid to what the upgraded pass would be.

 

[olive]

I figured at best, we are able to realize some savings from purchasing the discounted UT tickets and then upgrading to the power pass APs, and at worst, we just pay the difference which is essentially the "full price" I see online. I don't see a downside, unless I am missing something? Since the only blackout date listed was for our first day, and then only for Universal, I figured getting the park-to-park tickets would give us the option of going to either park rather than getting power passes upfront now and being limited. If I seem to be missing something, definitely let me know, and thanks so much! I have never attempted any kind of ticket upgrade at Disney either, so this is all new to me.

 

[macraven]

not sure how the future will be for the power passes.

did a survey about them and that makes me wonder if changes will happen in the future.

op, get the prices for the upgrading to prefer pass besides the power ones before you go on your trip.
play with the numbers and see which will be more advantaeous for you and the family

 

[olive]

Did you get the sense they might discontinue the preferred before August? We have an Amex and AAA, so I figured we were covered for discounts at the parks and Citywalk, and we secured pretty good rates at RPR (booking early) and CB (AAA). The upgrade to premier didn't seem worth it since I am certain we won't get back to Universal this year, and possibly not for a couple of years. Preferred just seemed like a good option in terms of economics if we were possibly going to visit the parks all 6 days (though I think 5 is more likely).

 

[macraven]

i doubt they will ever get rid of the premier or preferred annual passes.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

I seem to remember that US does not do bridging the same way that WDW does. I think they look at the price you paid (you got a discount with UT tix) and make you come up to the gate price first. Let's say that's $10 (it would be more if you bought the tix two years ago, inflation, etc.)

Then you would pay the differential of the 3-day to the PP (like you said $9).

Anyone confirm? I don't want to mislead PP, but it could save a disagreement with an attendant if it is not just the $9.

We just upgraded 3 day tickets to preferred passes on June 9th. They definitely bridged the price, no questions asked. I saved my receipt just in case someone on here had a question about it (and because I'm a huge dork). I was given a "credit" of $224.99 for each adult ticket and $214.99 for each child ticket for the 3 day tickets. I paid $196.21 each for the adult tickets and $186.22 each for the child tickets through UT, so we had a nice little $115 savings right there.

 

[olive]

I am being a little overly cautious about this Can I ask where you went to do the upgrade? Thanks!!

 

[macraven]

guessing they did it at guest services.

 

[ForMyBoys]

So, I have another question to add on this topice. Since we are going in July and its a full black out period, we purchased the 14 day tickets. Will they bridge these tickets to a PP, and would we then get a higher credit? Anyone know? We were hoping to bridge on the last day so we can go again when we take a cruise in Feb 2016. Now that I'm writing this I realize I have made a big assumption than an annual pass is good for a full year from when they are issued (not a calendar year, correct?). If its calendar year it won't work for us at all.

 

[macraven]

if those 14 day tickets are the 3 park ones, don't believe you can upgrade them.
wet/wild is the issue.

 

[ForMyBoys]

Oh that is a bummer. We don't even plan to use wet and wild. I didn't see an option beyond the 4 day one other than the 3 park one.

 

[bumbershoot]

And the start date of the AP is from the day you first used the ticket, not the day you upgraded. Unless they give you "mummy dust", that is. But ours are as of the date we used the tickets we upgraded from. (just like at Disney)

 

[macraven]

came back to say i did check the 14 day tickets and they are not upgradable.

 

[ForMyBoys]

Boo! That is silly, oh well, I guess that means we can't visit universal in Feb. I will probably go to guest services to just see if they will make an exception but I'm guessing they won't. I appreciate the f/u Macraven.

 

[Cuchman]

I'm feeling like this is a cheaper option than buying the powers passes outright. I was debating between getting them or a four day pass....looking like this bridging might be the best way.

 

[olive]

If you purchased the 14 day tickets at someplace like UT and haven't used them yet, can you still return them for a refund and get the buy 2 days get one free tickets to upgrade to power passes (or other APs) when you get to the parks? I don't know if this is doable, just a thought. Hopefully one of the ticket experts can weigh in.

 

[olive]

And thank for all the input on my original question! We are very excited about our upcoming visit and attempting to upgrade our tickets.