Upgrading UT Tix to Annual Passes

[PinkMagnolia]

I bought 4-day base tix for our upcoming August trip from UT (2 day base ticket + 2 free days) - The tix were $166.

I have my eye on a PC cruise for the summer of 2017, and with the timing of it, I could potentially do another visit to UO within one calendar year.

Can you please explain the process to me how to upgrade tix to an annual pass? I know nothing about it at all, so if you could explain the basics, I'd appreciate that too.

BTW, both visits would be at the very end of August, so I'm not too worried about black-out dates.

 

[macraven]

you can upgrade your tickets in person at guest services

present your tickets and chose the type of annual pass you want.
depending on which one you want, you could be paying additional money
preffered or premier passes will cost extra to upgrade.

www.universalorlando.com
go there and look at the site for annual passes.
you will see a chart for what benefits each allow.

 

[damo]

Make sure you go to Guest Services INSIDE the park. You need to have used your ticket at least once.

 

[PinkMagnolia]

Thanks for the replies.

So if I am to figure out how much it would cost me,

Do I figure $166 (what I paid for 2 days plus 2 days free) - on the back of my tix it DOES say 4 day base tix
or
Do I use the value that UO has on their website for 4-day base tix $202.34 (taxes in)

And all I need to do is subtract the amount I've already paid from the cost of an ANnual Pass ($255 taxes in?)

 

[damo]

Thanks for the replies.

So if I am to figure out how much it would cost me,

Do I figure $166 (what I paid for 2 days plus 2 days free) - on the back of my tix it DOES say 4 day base tix
or
Do I use the value that UO has on their website for 4-day base tix $202.34 (taxes in)

And all I need to do is subtract the amount I've already paid from the cost of an ANnual Pass ($255 taxes in?)

You use gate price. So add $20 to the price of the multi-day ticket that corresponds to the number of days on your ticket.

 

[PinkMagnolia]

Oh my - so is this right:

$255 (Annual Pass price) - $222 (cost of 4 day tix at gate?) = $33 difference for an annual pass? This seems too good to be true!

 

[mkwj]

That is what we thought too.
We exchanged our buy 2 get 1 free in for power passes. There was no charge for the adult tickets. We had to pay $10 for my daughter.

 

[damo]

Oh my - so is this right:

$255 (Annual Pass price) - $222 (cost of 4 day tix at gate?) = $33 difference for an annual pass? This seems too good to be true!

Prices for non-Florida residents:
Power pass is $240 plus tax. Preferred pass is $335 plus tax. 4 day park to park ticket at gate is $260 plus tax. 4 day single park ticket at gate is $210 plus tax.

So I am assuming you are quoting power pass annual pass and 4 day single park tickets? If so, that seems to be a good calculation.

 

[PinkMagnolia]

This has me sooooo excited! If we could squeak in a 2nd trip in 2017 and pay a small amount for annual passes, this is really great!

Is there only one location within the park where I can do this, or multiple? Because our tix are base tickets, making the switch to AP will make them park-to-park? Obviously it would be advantageous to do it on the first day of our trip, as opposed to later-on, so we can ride Hogwarts Express.

Thanks so much for the replies - it's made my day!

 

[damo]

This has me sooooo excited! If we could squeak in a 2nd trip in 2017 and pay a small amount for annual passes, this is really great!

Is there only one location within the park where I can do this, or multiple? Because our tix are base tickets, making the switch to AP will make them park-to-park? Obviously it would be advantageous to do it on the first day of our trip, as opposed to later-on, so we can ride Hogwarts Express.

Thanks so much for the replies - it's made my day!

You can do it at any guest services. There is one in Citywalk, one outside each park and at least one inside each park. I would do it immediately INSIDE the first park you visit. Shouldn't be much of a line up at that time.

 

[MamaKate]

We have decided to upgrade our tickets to Annual Passes if APH room discount are offered during our stay.

If I do this, will the hotels hold our luggage until after we get back from the parks upgrading our tickets? I assume I won't be able to check in and show them the AP later in the day...

 

[macraven]

You can show your AP during your stay
Do it the night before you check out as they start processing check outs then for the next morning

Many guests do the auto check out

 

[Dubb]

Prices for non-Florida residents:
Power pass is $240 plus tax

Are non-Florida residents allowed to buy the Power Pass?

 

[johde]

Are non-Florida residents allowed to buy the Power Pass?

Yes. Florida residents just get a better price for the pass.

 

[pepperandchips]

I did exactly what OP was planning to do. We were there in January with the UT tickets (buy a 2 day single park ticket, get 2 free days) and upgraded them to annual passes. We were planning to do one power pass and one preferred pass (wanted the discounts and free parking privileges if I came back and didn't stay on site). The cost including tax for both upgrades would have been $207.68. The cost for just the preferred pass upgrade (non FL resident) was $154.43. That made the adult power pass upgrade from the UT tickets $53.25 all in.

We did it first thing in the morning after entering Studios for Early Entry. There was no line at guest services and the Team Members were AWESOME! It was great getting on one of the first Hogwarts runs of the morning with those shiny new APs.

Mind you, Universal raised their ticket prices shortly thereafter so now it's an even BETTER deal to upgrade - the March 2016 upgrade costs will now be about $21.30 cheaper (power: $31.95, preferred: $133.13). Once Universal raises annual pass prices this will even out again but for now it's a steal to upgrade to an AP!

 

[macraven]

anyone with the money can buy any of the three passes.

 

[newsliner1]

Anyone know when universal usually raises annual pass prices?

 

[macraven]

I can't predict it anymore

Used to regularly be specific months then changed to April them changed if it rained............

I read rumors about when but they are not reliable

 

[newsliner1]

I can't predict it anymore

Used to regularly be specific months then changed to April them changed if it rained............

I read rumors about when but they are not reliable

We are going April 9th hoping to upgrade to the annual passes without a price increase. Also can we pay for the upgrade with universal gift cards?

 

[PinkMagnolia]

So, we booked that cruise for 2017

We will stay a few nights before at UO with our AP's (that we will upgrade in 2016). I'm so excited!!!! I'm thrilled because I was thinking we'd "save the money" and not get Park-to-Park tix, but now we will get to ride Hogwarts Express as well.

Thanks all for helping me make this decision

Now, one final question: Our park tix will be upgraded on Aug 27, 2016. We can use these upgrade AP's until August 26, 2017, right?