Universal Tix from UC? Voucher or Hard Ticket?

[tweak89]

Looking at purchasing tickets through undercover tourist, but it looks like only Disney tickets are real "hard" tickets.

What do you get when you buy tix to IOA or Studios??

 

[Badge]

Universal offers a "Best Price Guarantee" on their website for tickets. Here is the details:

UniversalOrlando.com is committed to providing the lowest online prices on Universal Orlando Resort theme park tickets. If you find a better price online within 7 days of your purchase of theme park tickets on the official Universal Orlando Resort website, we will refund the difference in Universal Dollars for use at participating^ Universal Orlando restaurants or merchandise locations during your visit.

I NEVER use third pary companies to purchase theme park tickets. I have had a bad experince with them once (not the site you are asking about, but another which I will not mention) and will never do it again no matter how much money I can save. If you trust this website 100% than that is your call. I personally would take Universal up on their Best Price Guarantee and get the difference in the Universal Dollars.

If I am going to a theme park I want to make sure the ticket is going to work once I get to the front gate. If I purchase it from the source, I know for a fact it will work and if there ever is some sort of problem, I can just go to guest services. With a third party site, you can never be sure if the ticket is going to work. You might make it to the gate and get turned away. Then you will have to call up the company you bought the tickets from and hope they can fix it THAT DAY. You might be out of luck all together (like I was) and you will be forced to purchase tickets from the source anyway.

 

[Brian Noble]

I NEVER use third pary companies to purchase theme park tickets.

This is good advice generally. However, Undercover Tourist is remarkably reputable. I have purchased from them in the past, and would not hesitate to do so again. Unfortunately, I don't know the answer to your question, though. Hopefully someone else can chime in.

 

[2Monkeys]

We recently purchased Disney tix & Universal tix through Undercover Tourist. Both are actual tickets - paper with a sort of coating. We bought the 3 park unlimited ticket for Universal/Wet n Wild. Not sure if it makes a difference what kind of ticket you buy as to whether or not you get an actual ticket or a voucher.

I have used UT before, as have many on these boards, with no issues.

 

[tweak89]

Thanks for the info,with the timing of our arrival the resort ticket window will be closed when we arrive and not open until 7am(same time as early entry for resort guests) our first full day.

We like to hit the ground running and avoid having to go to the park ticket windows to redeem vouchers. That's why we want real tickets in our hands.

This reminds me of my single favorite thing about staying on Disney property, everything is attached to your room key. According to a universal rep, they are hoping to get there at some point.

 

[Badge]

If you purchase the tickets from the Universal website, you can do the Kiosk pickup. Basically at both parks they have these computer stations. You bring your confirmation number and the credit card you used to purchase the tickets. Type in the number, slide your credit card, and your tickets print out. No need to visit a ticket window. These normally have no line at all.

Also, as a side note, I have had my theme park ticket on my room key at Universal before. It has been awhile since we did this since we have AP now, but we booked a package and the ticket was right on the room key (just like Disney). Also, Disney is not always like this either. You HAVE to purchase a package at Disney for your theme park ticket to be on your room key. We normally never book a package (because for some odd reason, the price is always more with a package) and have been told over and over again that the theme park ticket can not be placed on the room key if it is not a PACKAGE booking.

So, unless Universal has changed in the past few years, both resort put your theme park ticket on your room key ONLY if you purchase a package deal. For you, I would go with the Kiosk pickup. No idea when they turn the machines off and on, but even if they turn on at 7am, it only takes a minute to get your tickets.

 

[macraven]

If you purchase the tickets from the Universal website, you can do the Kiosk pickup. Basically at both parks they have these computer stations. You bring your confirmation number and the credit card you used to purchase the tickets. Type in the number, slide your credit card, and your tickets print out. No need to visit a ticket window. These normally have no line at all.

Also, as a side note, I have had my theme park ticket on my room key at Universal before. It has been awhile since we did this since we have AP now, but we booked a package and the ticket was right on the room key (just like Disney). Also, Disney is not always like this either. You HAVE to purchase a package at Disney for your theme park ticket to be on your room key. We normally never book a package (because for some odd reason, the price is always more with a package) and have been told over and over again that the theme park ticket can not be placed on the room key if it is not a PACKAGE booking.

So, unless Universal has changed in the past few years, both resort put your theme park ticket on your room key ONLY if you purchase a package deal. For you, I would go with the Kiosk pickup. No idea when they turn the machines off and on, but even if they turn on at 7am, it only takes a minute to get your tickets.

i buy my motherland tickets from UT and book room only for the disney resorts.

i have had the front desk load my tickets on to the resort room key many times, did so recently.
it can be done.

i haven't bought a package from universal orlando since 2005.
my tickets at that time were not on my hotel card key.
they were a separate item.

Universal and the Loews Hotels are separate from each other.
I have no idea how they do the packages now as being an AP holder, i only need room only for my stays onsite.

 

[tweak89]

i buy my motherland tickets from UT and book room only for the disney resorts.

i have had the front desk load my tickets on to the resort room key many times, did so recently.
it can be done.

i haven't bought a package from universal orlando since 2005.
my tickets at that time were not on my hotel card key.
they were a separate item.

Universal and the Loews Hotels are separate from each other.
I have no idea how they do the packages now as being an AP holder, i only need room only for my stays onsite.

They do not combine tickets with your room key. In fact, by the time I get there in June, I will likely have to deal with the following: room key, express pass "ticket" and your park tickets-all separate.

This is according to conversations with Royal Pacific staff. Right now, your room key is your express pass, but that is in the process of being changed. Seems like a strange way to go, even though they ALSO say they are moving to combine everything at some point for resort guests.

 

[damo]

They do not combine tickets with your room key. In fact, by the time I get there in June, I will likely have to deal with the following: room key, express pass "ticket" and your park tickets-all separate.

This is according to conversations with Royal Pacific staff. Right now, your room key is your express pass, but that is in the process of being changed. Seems like a strange way to go, even though they ALSO say they are moving to combine everything at some point for resort guests.

Mac was talking about Disney (the motherland) where they combine it all whether you have a package or not.

Personally, I don't care if my stuff is separate. It all just gets stored away anyways. Not really a big deal at all.

Because the hotel guest services (Loews) and the park guest services (Universal) are two completely different entities at Universal, I can see why they don't have the tickets on the room keys.

 

[tweak89]

Mac was talking about Disney (the motherland) where they combine it all whether you have a package or not.

Just adding clarification since Badge had mentioned they DID have their tix on their room key at Universal.

Personally, I don't care if my stuff is separate. It all just gets stored away anyways. Not really a big deal at all.
.

I do! When I travel I like to carry as little as possible, especially at crowded tourist areas. During our Disney stays I carried my ID and room key, and that's pretty much it!

 

[RMulieri]

I just bought UCT tickets for Universal .They are actual paper tickets with a plastic like coating on them.

 

[Badge]

i buy my motherland tickets from UT and book room only for the disney resorts.

i have had the front desk load my tickets on to the resort room key many times, did so recently.
it can be done.

i haven't bought a package from universal orlando since 2005.
my tickets at that time were not on my hotel card key.
they were a separate item.

Universal and the Loews Hotels are separate from each other.
I have no idea how they do the packages now as being an AP holder, i only need room only for my stays onsite.

I must get Cast Members that don't know how to do it then. The past three times at Disney I have purchased the rooms and tickets (both from Disney just not on a package) the cast member at check-in tells me they have no way of adding tickets that were already purchased outside of a package onto the room key. Its good to know that they do this if you get the right cast member!

As far as the Universal ticket being on the room key, this was YEARS ago (before Royal was even built). Most likely things have changed since then so it does not surprise me if they no longer have a way to do it. Either way it really doesn't bother me. Its not like Disney where I always am having to get my theme park ticket out to get fast passes. At Universal I just need to get it out once a day (maybe twice if I switch parks) and the rest of the time it is put away so it doesn't get lost.

 

[macraven]

They do not combine tickets with your room key. In fact, by the time I get there in June, I will likely have to deal with the following: room key, express pass "ticket" and your park tickets-all separate.

This is according to conversations with Royal Pacific staff. Right now, your room key is your express pass, but that is in the process of being changed. Seems like a strange way to go, even though they ALSO say they are moving to combine everything at some point for resort guests.

that's what i posted about uo onsite.
they are presently separate cards.

i did state i do not have any idea if a package is booked on how they do the tickets. someone said it was all in one.

disney did the add on to my room key, not loews hotels.
i have the ap and haven't used park tickets in years at universal.

 

[macraven]

I must get Cast Members that don't know how to do it then. The past three times at Disney I have purchased the rooms and tickets (both from Disney just not on a package) the cast member at check-in tells me they have no way of adding tickets that were already purchased outside of a package onto the room key. Its good to know that they do this if you get the right cast member!

if you are checking into the disney resort and the cm does not add your tickets you bought separately, to your room key, go to the concierge desk on the other side.
they will do it.

 

[damo]

Just adding clarification since Badge had mentioned they DID have their tix on their room key at Universal.




I do! When I travel I like to carry as little as possible, especially at crowded tourist areas. During our Disney stays I carried my ID and room key, and that's pretty much it!

But then you still have all of your fastpasses, so you really aren't much ahead of the game.

 

[tweak89]

But then you still have all of your fastpasses, so you really aren't much ahead of the game.

All? That would be one slip of paper at a time for me?

I know what I like, and that's on card to rule them all!

 

[Badge]

All? That would be one slip of paper at a time for me?

I know what I like, and that's on card to rule them all!

I think what Damo was getting at is that at Universal you have your room key and your theme park ticket. At Disney you have your roomkey/ticket and a fastpass. Both places are still two things you have to carry (and possible more at Disney since you can sometimes have more than one fastpass).

The difference is, at Universal once you enter the park you put away your theme park ticket and never have to touch it again for the rest of the day unless you switch parks. At disney, you are getting out your room key/ticket countless times during the day to get fastpasses and then you have to manage all the slips of paper which can be easy to lose.

At Universal I wear a lanyard with my room key in it. I never have to remove the key from the holder because it is clear plastic and the card scanners can read the barcode through it. So once I enter the gates and put my theme park ticket away, I have never to get out either my ticket or my room key for the rest of the day. While it is nice to have everything on one card, you really have to deal with that card a lot at Disney were Universal, if you do it like me, you rarely have to touch any card or ticket.

 

[damo]

I think what Damo was getting at is that at Universal you have your room key and your theme park ticket. At Disney you have your roomkey/ticket and a fastpass. Both places are still two things you have to carry (and possible more at Disney since you can sometimes have more than one fastpass).

The difference is, at Universal once you enter the park you put away your theme park ticket and never have to touch it again for the rest of the day unless you switch parks. At disney, you are getting out your room key/ticket countless times during the day to get fastpasses and then you have to manage all the slips of paper which can be easy to lose.

At Universal I wear a lanyard with my room key in it. I never have to remove the key from the holder because it is clear plastic and the card scanners can read the barcode through it. So once I enter the gates and put my theme park ticket away, I have never to get out either my ticket or my room key for the rest of the day. While it is nice to have everything on one card, you really have to deal with that card a lot at Disney were Universal, if you do it like me, you rarely have to touch any card or ticket.

Bingo!

 

[tweak89]

I'm glad it works great for you guys. I too use a lanyard style "wallet" when travel. That doesn't mean you can't misplace something.

Maybe I should have made this point earlier, but I also like that everything is "on record". If I lose my all in one resort key, I can have it replaced in minutes (I know from experience ).

Tickets? I know you CAN get them replaced, but it's not quite as easy as showing your ID, since they aren't really tied to you in any way.

Paper tickets bought from various re-sellers? Not quite as simple.

Anyway, back on topic, my tickets are underway from UC!

 

[JenSinMA]

I bought 6 tix from UT for my trip (which ends tomorrow. ) They are hard tickets and arrived very quickly. After receiving them, I decided I wanted an annual pass instead. I contacted UT and they let me send one ticket back for a refund, less a 5% return fee. I like the refund policy. I don't think tickets purchased from Universal can be returned for a refund, just upgraded. I know if I had bought my 3-Day ticket from Universal directly, I could have upgraded it. But if someone in my party couldn't come at the last minute, I think I would have been stuck with their ticket. The Universal website says all sales are final.