Upgrading to AP-Do I have this correct?

[justkeepswimmin]

Hi all,

First of all thank you for helping a Universal Newbie! I tried to get my information by reading threads on this subject so I wanted to quickly confirm my understanding of how this works is correct.

1. They most widely confirmed, upgradable ticket is the Undercovertourist 2 day +1 bonus ticket offer (Currently $250). This will credit you the CURRENT 3 day Park to Park price on the AP upgrade ($292 w/ tax) Net savings of $42. Mixed reports on whether the 2 days + 2 bonus days is upgradable/ receive 4 day price as credit.

2. The key is to do the upgrade AFTER you enter the park, either Universal Studios or Islands of Adventure.

3. Hotels do not need to see AP when you check in to hold the AP rate you booked. Just need to stop by and show hem the AP before you checkout.

In my case, I 'think' will need to get a power pass bc there is a Mardi Gras concert on the last day we are there (3/25) so my AP upgrade cost for my ticket should be about $75. This is totally worth it for me bc I am saving $175 a night off 2 nights @HRH using the AP discount.

The only thing I did not find a clear answer on: Since the concert is on our last Universal day, could I upgrade to a 'Seasonal' pass on that day and still be allowed admission into Universal Studios since technically my original tickets included this even though the Seasonal pass blocks it out?

Let me know if I have this all down correctly and if anyone knows the answer to my last question. I have learned so much reading these threads and you all have saved my family a lot on this trip already so THANK YOU!!

 

[pcstang]

I have never done what your doing. However, from all the info I've gathered you can upgrade on the concert night but do it in The Studios. I believe if you leave the park and try to come back in, after you upgrade, you will be denied.

 

[wagman67]

I have never done what your doing. However, from all the info I've gathered you can upgrade on the concert night but do it in The Studios. I believe if you leave the park and try to come back in, after you upgrade, you will be denied.

Agreed, unless you have other reasons for getting a Power Pass, save some money and upgrade after you are in US for the final night. You may never be asked to show APs at the hotel...if so, you may not have a choice but to upgrade earlier, unless you are checking out the next day...then you can show it at checkout. You may even get by with explaining that you plan to upgrade...YMMV.

 

[justkeepswimmin]

Agreed, unless you have other reasons for getting a Power Pass, save some money and upgrade after you are in US for the final night. You may never be asked to show APs at the hotel...if so, you may not have a choice but to upgrade earlier, unless you are checking out the next day...then you can show it at checkout. You may even get by with explaining that you plan to upgrade...YMMV.

Ok, we check out very early the next morning so I could just upgrade that night while we are checking out the concert and then show it to the front desk that evening though waiting till the last minute might stress me out. Still saving $60 would be great and we are in AZ so there is no way I will need the AP the rest of the year, just getting one for the hotel discount. I have a couple teen/ tween girls who will want to see All American Rejects that night, so skipping the concert is unfortunately not an option ;-)

Thank you for the reply!

 

[macraven]

i posted weeks back that the 2+2 from UT was iffy on getting both bonus days included for the upgrade.

since then i have been reading so many posts in other boards that UO has been including those free bonus days towards the upgrade to an AP.

when in doubt, send guest services an email to have up to date info
if they say both days are valid towards the upgrade, go with those UT tickets then.


your hotel stay cost is ran after midnight for check out day.
do not wait until that check out morning to show the ap.

if you upgrade the night before leaving, show the ap at the hotel desk no matter what time you return to the hotel.

they can note on your files there verified your ap hotel rate.

just makes it easier to handle it then while there and not have to deal with it once you are back home for a rate adjustment if that comes into play


as others said, do not upgrade until you are in the park that last day so you can do the concert

 

[justkeepswimmin]

i posted weeks back that the 2+2 from UT was iffy on getting both bonus days included for the upgrade.

since then i have been reading so many posts in other boards that UO has been including those free bonus days towards the upgrade to an AP.

when in doubt, send guest services an email to have up to date info
if they say both days are valid towards the upgrade, go with those UT tickets then.


your hotel stay cost is ran after midnight for check out day.
do not wait until that check out morning to show the ap.

if you upgrade the night before leaving, show the ap at the hotel desk no matter what time you return to the hotel.

they can not on your files there verified your ap hotel rate.

just makes it easier to handle it then while there and not have to deal with it once you are back home for a rate adjustment if that comes into play


as others said, do not upgrade until you are in the park that last day so you can do the concert

Great information, thank you!

Looks like my plan to get a seasonal pass for the AP rate may work as long as I stop at the front desk that night before midnight. That's a big savings. Seems the 4 day ticket exchange rate would make it $0 OOP for a Seasonal Pass. It seems insane to me that Universal doesn't close this loophole, especially with the buy 2 days get 2 days free promo available everywhere.

 

[pcstang]

Shhhhh!!!! I bet they are going to...

 

[dlsanchez]

RP never asked to see my AP. I even asked them if they wanted to see it and they said "no, you are all set." I upgraded my buy 2 get 1 free after I entered the park and got a refund of $10 per ticket.

 

[macraven]

Did you stay there last month?

I have read similar posts but don't know if the stays were recent

 

[dlsanchez]

Did you stay there last month?

I have read similar posts but don't know if the stays were recent

I just got home on Thursday.

 

[TellTheHubbyLater]

Hijacking and adding one more question...

So, there are 4 kinds of passes. The season pass and then 3 more labeled annual pass.
Do you get the APH rate if you use a season pass, or should I get one in my party one of the ones labeled annual pass???

Thanks!

 

[macraven]

All valid for room discounts with only the person booking the room having an ap

 

[TellTheHubbyLater]

All valid for room discounts

nice! tyvm!

 

[mom3princess]

We have a similar situation. We are in Universal March 18-22. We plan to upgrade our 2day+2free days tickets to an AP. The 18th and 19th are concert days so blackout days from Seasonal Passes. If I wait to upgrade after the March 19, I can still upgrade to Seasonal even tho I entered USF on those days? Would save us a ton of money for party of 5. We only plan to return in Thanksgiving week so not during blackout days! Thanks in Advance.

 

[macraven]

Yes
Upgrade on the 20 th

As long as you upgrade before the end of the park day or the last day your tickets are valid, you are good

 

[michelepa]

Shhhh... i am planning on upgrading our UT 2+1 to an SP for the AP at HRH in two weeks and i dont want Universal getting any ideas

 

[geetey]

Great information, thank you!

Looks like my plan to get a seasonal pass for the AP rate may work as long as I stop at the front desk that night before midnight. That's a big savings. Seems the 4 day ticket exchange rate would make it $0 OOP for a Seasonal Pass. It seems insane to me that Universal doesn't close this loophole, especially with the buy 2 days get 2 days free promo available everywhere.

WOW! This is great info! I already have 3 of the 2+2day passes from Undercover Tourist and was looking for where I purchase a seasonal annual pass for myself. Looks like I am getting a 2+2day pass for myself and upgrading at the park! Even with just 3 days credit, it's still cheaper. Thanks!!

 

[princesspeaony]

I will share what happened with our UT buy 2 get 2 tics last week:
We tried to upgrade on our 2nd day at RPR (particularly because they are only valid for 7 days now, which I didn't notice on purchase) and were told that they would be upgraded, no problem, but she couldn't do it there, because we'd be getting money back, and they'd need to do that inside the parks. OK fine. So, off to guest services we go. However, the gentleman there says it will be $78 per ticket to upgrade to seasonal APs. What?? OR, he can extend our expiration dates to reflect our post-cruise return dates. Anyway, we passed on the APs, but took the extension on the tickets, and left for our cruise the next day.

We return a week later, and I figure I should once again ask at the RPR desk and see if the answer has changed. No, same story, except this time, I'm told it would just be a no charge to upgrade, but she nicely advised me that I shouldn't do it until we've completed our visit to the Studios, because we'd be blocked out due to concerts.
SO, two of our party enter the Studios and try to upgrade at GS, and are told, nope, can't do it due to Seasonal blackout. The GS computer won't even let them be issued (is what I was told) as we are in the "restricted" park. I am, however, able to upgrade the other two of our party not visiting that day. No charge.
At the end of the day, we go over to IoA, enter, and are then able to upgrade the last 2...and receive a refund of around $30 (for one adult, one child) Again, huh??
Anyway, it was a but of a runaround, and just goes to show that you can get a different answer every day, so if you don't like an answer, keep trying

 

[macraven]

Yes ioa could do the upgrade since they did not have block out dates

It took you some back and forth and glad you were able to do that and get the extension too

Hope you can do UO again

Sorry you had so much backtracking to go thru and did not give up!

 

[snoopy5386]

I plan on upgrading our tickets to seasonal passes on our last day, we will be there during a seasonal pass blackout time, but plan to return later in the year when those passes are not blacked out. Will I be able to do this? The above poster makes me think we won't be able to.