Universal AP pro's and con's

[Gaynor]

We'll be visiting Universal at Christmas then again in August 2010 but will probably be only one day in each park maybe 3 in August. So do you think it will be worth getting an AP. I'm just thinking about the discount we may get on a room for 2 nights next summer. Does anyone have experience of annual passes?

Thanks

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Hi Gaynor,

Not currently AP holders but we have had them in the past.
Great value for money and the renewal price especially was very cheap for us too.

I don't think we would get them again even if we had 2 trips within a 12 month period.
Purely because we wouldn't get enough use out of them - for some strange reason having been big Universal fans over the years we just haven't enjoyed as much on recent holidays. We only went to US/IOA twice on our holiday last month, as you will have gathered our holidays are governed by Joshua's needs and he doesn't seem to want to go on many of the rides he has enjoyed so much in the past...but if you go regularly they are worth considering for sure, especially with the additional extras such as free parking, discount at the stores in the parks etc

 

[Metro West]

We'll be visiting Universal at Christmas then again in August 2010 but will probably be only one day in each park maybe 3 in August. So do you think it will be worth getting an AP. I'm just thinking about the discount we may get on a room for 2 nights next summer. Does anyone have experience of annual passes?

Thanks

I agree with Johnny...you probably won't be getting your money's worth for just two trips. If you guys have something like AAA over there, bring your card and show it at the restaurants/shops...you might be able to get a discount at the parks...the hotels could work the same way. Since HP is opening next summer, I don't know what kinds of discounts are going to be available for that time. I don't really expect too many discounts to be floating around then...there's going to be too many people coming for HP.

 

[wayneg]

We have had them for 5-6 years now. The 1st year is the expensive one, unless you can get a 2 years for 1 deal(thats how we started) after the 1st year its $110(went up last year from $100) to renew.
You need to look at what alternative you have. Are you saying 2 days Xmas and 3 days August? So I guess cheapest tix would be:
Xmas, 2park 2 day ticket $95
August, 7 day unlimited $100
Total $195 + 5 days parking fees

AP is $230 which is more or less same price but you then have option to come and go as much as you want both your hols with free parking. You then have option to renew for $110 if you go the following year.

Hopefully they will have an offer before Xmas, either a discount or 2 for 1, then they are very much worth getting. Also not taken into account any room discounts.

All prices are + tax.

 

[Gaynor]

Thanks for the replies.

Johnny we haven't been for a couple of years, never been at Christmas and next year we're looking forward to Harry Potter so it's going to be new for us. Just need to work out if we will gwt our money's worth.

Wayne yes, we're looking at 2 days at Christmas and 3 days in August didn't make it very clear initially did I.

For our christmas trip they'll be 5 of us, and next summer only 3 of us eldest DD has decided she's not coming she'll be 18 and wants to go away with friends. So it's not worth getting AP's for all of us.
Have I read somewhere you can still get discounts with only one person in your party having an AP?

 

[stephensmum]

We have had them for 5-6 years now. The 1st year is the expensive one, unless you can get a 2 years for 1 deal(thats how we started) after the 1st year its $110(went up last year from $100) to renew.
You need to look at what alternative you have. Are you saying 2 days Xmas and 3 days August? So I guess cheapest tix would be:
Xmas, 2park 2 day ticket $95
August, 7 day unlimited $100
Total $195 + 5 days parking fees

AP is $230 which is more or less same price but you then have option to come and go as much as you want both your hols with free parking. You then have option to renew for $110 if you go the following year.

Hopefully they will have an offer before Xmas, either a discount or 2 for 1, then they are very much worth getting. Also not taken into account any room discounts.

All prices are + tax.

Wayne, do you mean 2 annual passes for price of 1? Do you buy per person?

 

[wayneg]

Have I read somewhere you can still get discounts with only one person in your party having an AP?

Yes you can, if buying food you only need 1 AP to get the discount but if you have 2 cars you will need an AP in each car for parking. I guess it would be same for rooms 1 AP per room but never stayed there so not 100% sure on that one. Sometimes they do offers on tix for AP holders, last time we took DMIL we got a 2 park 1 day ticket for half price, I think we could buy upto 6.

Wayne, do you mean 2 annual passes for price of 1? Do you buy per person?

No, its 2 years for price of 1. They offer it from time to time but not done it for a while.

 

[wicket2005]

I always go with the cheapest option so would work out normal ticket prices against AP prices plus car parking, like what Wayneg has done for you. We got the AP buy one year get another free one August time as they would save us money. We will be getting at least 4 trips out of them which is extremely good value.

 

[Pegasus928]

We got the AP in Feb and think it is good value for us.
We normally do valet parking at US so we are now saving around $20 straight away each time we go (free valet is dependant on the type of Ap you buy though) and also the discount that you get on merchandise is in all of the outlets in the parks - not just the limited few that Disney provide. The choice of restaraunts that give discount to AP holders is also quite big - but the amount of discount does vary from place to place, especially around city walk.
We also got 50% of our Blueman Group tickets which instantly made them worth while.
The only way to know for sure is to do the figures, factoring in how much money you think you may spend in the shops, restaraunts and parking and go from there.

 

[fluffy bunny]

We have tended to spend a couple of days at the Hard Rock Hotel for the last few trips to Florida. Last time (two years ago) we worked out that it would be cost effective for me to get an AP and book the rooms with that. We treat ourselves with the club foor rooms and I was able to get two rooms on one AP. The discount on the rooms, togther with savings on restaurants and shopping helped pay for itself. Unfortunately, we did not go back last year, so will have to start again.
I have just started pricing up for this year. The discount on the two club rooms looks like it will be about $120 + tax, so by the time we have eaten a couple of times and the family have shopped, I should be in credit again. Hoping there will be a 2 for 1 offer before we go in August.