Universal Ticket Options

[fulles]

We haven't done Universal the last couple of years and we would like to do it next year.

Most of our time will be spent at disney, but I think we would spend 1 or 2 days at Universal/IOA, 1 day at SeaWorld and maybe 1 day at Aquatica, so a maximum of 4 days (probably only 2 or 3 in reality).

The Flexticket is £117 pp for 2009 with Virgin (after our 10% FVC discount), and this seems quite high for only 3 days use (for 3 of us that's £117 per day). None of the other multi-day tickets include SeaWorld or Aquatica so they wouldn't really be of any use.

Does anyone know how much it costs to pay on the day? It seems a pitty to miss out on Universal again, but I can't see us getting the value.

Any other options?

Thanks,
Steve

 

[JohnnySharp2]

We bought the $94.99 passes from Dreams Unlimited as they have a special offer on giving 7 consecutive days admission from the first day of use.

http://www.dreamsunlimitedtravel.com/universal/

Universal's own site do 2 day ticket with one day free but that costs more than the $94.99 one.

http://www.universalorlando.co.uk/tickets.html

I am not totally sure how much a one day ticket is at the gate but it will be around $80 or so.

We do not plan on visiting Universal 7 times, perhaps around 4, but even going there just twice I can't see a better option than the Dreams Unlimited tickets, whichever way you look at it they are very good value for money.

 

[gismo1554]

OK we ended up getting a 2 day 2 park universal ticket (3rd day free) for £56 each and a 14 Seawolrd/Aquatica ticket for £45 each. Universal tickets are around $80 I believe on the day. Seaworld is around $50. Depending on the exchange rate depends on if this is work it.

 

[luke]

As time is constrained due to the wedding eating up the middle of our holiday and us only being in Orlando for 10 days due to being on the Wonder for the last 4 (hard life eh) we were thinking of just trying both parks in one day - going to Studios for opening, then wandering over to IoA when we've done everything we want - is this overambitious in October?

Also there is a 2 park 1 day ticket on the Universal site, but the minute i click on buy (just to do a dummy booking, as what followed was what i suspected) it just shows me the "uk options" (2day/unlimited etc).
So is this 2 park 1 day option available for the same price on the gate?

 

[gismo1554]

As time is constrained due to the wedding eating up the middle of our holiday and us only being in Orlando for 10 days due to being on the Wonder for the last 4 (hard life eh) we were thinking of just trying both parks in one day - going to Studios for opening, then wandering over to IoA when we've done everything we want - is this overambitious in October?

Also there is a 2 park 1 day ticket on the Universal site, but the minute i click on buy (just to do a dummy booking, as what followed was what i suspected) it just shows me the "uk options" (2day/unlimited etc).
So is this 2 park 1 day option available for the same price on the gate?

Never been in October before. Going this year. I would say it depends on whether you like fast rides if you can get it all in. Also they do a fast pass but you have to purchase it unless you are staying at a Universal hotel where its free

Now heres the cheat for the Universal site:

1. Go to Universalorlando.com
2. Click on Theme Parks
3. Select Either park
4. On the right hand side click dining in the menu
5. Click on the section From Lunch to Dinner on the purchase meal package section
6. Then click begin purchase on either option
7. On the Left hand side you can now choose Park Tickets and it will/should stay on the US site

 

[luke]

1. Go to Universalorlando.com
2. Click on Theme Parks
3. Select Either park
4. On the right hand side click dining in the menu
5. Click on the section From Lunch to Dinner on the purchase meal package section
6. Then click begin purchase on either option
7. On the Left hand side you can now choose Park Tickets and it will/should stay on the US site

Stays on the US site all the way until you click begin purchase on the ticket I want, then just goes back to the UK one

I do wanna get on as many rides as possible, but now way am I paying for their fast pass thing, don't like that system at all!!!

Over a month to go so still plenty of thinking time

 

[gismo1554]

Stays on the US site all the way until you click begin purchase on the ticket I want, then just goes back to the UK one

I do wanna get on as many rides as possible, but now way am I paying for their fast pass thing, don't like that system at all!!!

Over a month to go so still plenty of thinking time

Typical didn't try it that far lol

We're of the same mind set but are staying at Hard Rock for a night to cover the two days we are at Universal next month. Bare in mind because of Halloween Horror Nights you may find all the parks close early (our problem) so you only actually have around 8 hours in the park per day so getting in both parks is likely to be a squeeze depending on the rides you want to go on.

Though I agree paying for the fast pass thing is annoying it is a great system (and personally I prefer this to Disney as you can get front of line as often as you want for each ride). With Disneys Fast passes I use very few of them as don't do the rides they support. Universals takes almost all the rides into account and you aren't restricted to a time. This is also done now in places such as Alton Towers.

 

[luke]

We're of the same mind set but are staying at Hard Rock for a night to cover the two days we are at Universal next month. Bare in mind because of Halloween Horror Nights you may find all the parks close early (our problem) so you only actually have around 8 hours in the park per day so getting in both parks is likely to be a squeeze depending on the rides you want to go on.

US seems to shut at 5, IoA at 7, so plan to do the studios first and the Islands second.

Tho, like you, we've (at least I have, my fiancée is less keen) thought about booking a night in the HRH, just depends on how the money is as it's already stretched for the wedding!! A night there would be much better value than paying for two express passes IMO, so it's definitely a thought, but at £150 for a night i'm still not 100% on it

 

[Camac]

OK we ended up getting a 2 day 2 park universal ticket (3rd day free) for £56 each and a 14 Seawolrd/Aquatica ticket for £45 each. Universal tickets are around $80 I believe on the day. Seaworld is around $50. Depending on the exchange rate depends on if this is work it.

Please could you tell me where you bought this ticket from? I have not been able to find it as cheap as that.

Many thanks.

Camac

 

[luke]

Please could you tell me where you bought this ticket from? I have not been able to find it as cheap as that.

Many thanks.

Camac

It's £59 here
http://www.onlineflorida.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?PI=184

I think Gismo may have got his a week or two back, as our friend used this site to get her 7 day Disney Premium, and it was £154 three weeks ago, and now it's £161, I imagine due to the fluctuating exchange rate

 

[gismo1554]

Please could you tell me where you bought this ticket from? I have not been able to find it as cheap as that.

Many thanks.

Camac

I got them from Attractionticketsdirect.co.uk who price matched Tickets4fun.com This was about a month to two months ago mind so prices may have changed but check them both out as these were the cheapest I could find!

 

[Camac]

Thanks, I will take a look at the sites you mention.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

For me the Dreams Unlimited ticket I mention earlier - 7 days for $94.99 - still cannot be beat.

 

[jackieleanne]

As time is constrained due to the wedding eating up the middle of our holiday and us only being in Orlando for 10 days due to being on the Wonder for the last 4 (hard life eh) we were thinking of just trying both parks in one day - going to Studios for opening, then wandering over to IoA when we've done everything we want - is this overambitious in October?

Also there is a 2 park 1 day ticket on the Universal site, but the minute i click on buy (just to do a dummy booking, as what followed was what i suspected) it just shows me the "uk options" (2day/unlimited etc).
So is this 2 park 1 day option available for the same price on the gate?

Just a word of warning about this I did the same on my trip in august went over to Studios for opening and only Simpson's, Mummy and Shrek where open at Studio's MIB also should have been but was broken down however the others didn't open until 11 so we had done mummy and Simpson's after half an hour and ended up doing nothing for an hour and a half may be better for you to do IOA first.

 

[luke]

Just a word of warning about this I did the same on my trip in august went over to Studios for opening and only Simpson's, Mummy and Shrek where open at Studio's MIB also should have been but was broken down however the others didn't open until 11 so we had done mummy and Simpson's after half an hour and ended up doing nothing for an hour and a half may be better for you to do IOA first.

Thanks for the warning
I've only pencilled it in for that order due to the different closing times, but things could change, especially if we do plump for a Universal Hotel as I imagine the FOTL would make the whole experience a lot easier - oh decisions decisions!!

 

[binkytell]

hi, just got back last week and we managed to do both parks
in one day but i did give in and got the express plus pass and it was well worth it. we walked on to every ride and done 22 rides in that one day.
we arrived bout half hour before opening and it was empty

 

[Camac]

For me the Dreams Unlimited ticket I mention earlier - 7 days for $94.99 - still cannot be beat.

I agreewith you but I want to be able to spread the days out over the fortnight and not be confined to 7 consecutive days.

 

[fulles]

We bought the $94.99 passes from Dreams Unlimited as they have a special offer on giving 7 consecutive days admission from the first day of use.

http://www.dreamsunlimitedtravel.com/universal/

That does seem a good deal. About £60 at today's exchange rate. It doesn't include SeaWorld or Aquatica which is a pity (though I'm never sure about the ethical side of SeaWorld anyway and I think we only want to do Aquatica because it's new).

Its just a question of how many days we would use. We don't go for the big rides so there aren't many things at IOA that we would go on, and I think we could probably do IOA and US in one day. But for an extra $15 over the price of a day ticket, I could get another day if required.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[cowza]

I've done both Universal Parks in a day before. It's pretty do-able. Although October is a dodgy month. It's usually pretty quiet but the 'Halloween Horror Nights' are extremely popular and is probably Universal at its busiest. If you go close to those it can be busier.

They do have the fast passes you can buy which pretty much let you walk on all the rides. They are worth it if the park is busy but I'd be surprised if you had to wait more than 30 minutes for rides in October to be honest.

 

[Camac]

If you go single rider you will get on the majority of rides without long waits.
DH and DD went as single riders on all the big IOA rides during Christmas 2006 with very little queue times. Quite often they sat together or one behind the other.