Vacation Package ticket question

[SpecEdismyLife]

Hi all!
If I book a package through Universal Vacations (I've priced it out about 6 different ways and this actually is the cheapest way for me to do everything other than AP rate), can I still upgrade the tickets to AP's while we are there so we can use the AP rate in the future and visit again during the following year? At this point I just want to book something and have it done, but I want to be sure I can change tickets from a package into APs. Thank you!

 

[bumbershoot]

As far as I know, yes.

When is your trip? Are AP rates for the hotel out now for your dates? If so be sure to check, because it be cheapest to book with an ap rate for this trip too. (Can't do that with a package)

 

[SpecEdismyLife]

Ap rates are not released yet for our trip (early October) but even if I use the ap rate that is currently out, the total is only about $100 less. Not sure if I want to wait!

 

[wagman67]

Very rarely is there much of a difference in booking an onsite hotel room and purchasing tickets separately, as opposed to purchasing a vacation package.

That being said, unless there is a big difference to your benefit, I would book the room and purchase the tickets separately.

Why...you might ask?

If you do it separately and change your mind, you can cancel your room (up to a few days before) and get a full refund.

You also do not have to lay out as much up front...booking the room only costs one night's rate as a deposit and you can buy your tickets at any time you like, even once on site.

With the vacation package, you have to pay for everything up front and there is no refund...unless you additionally purchase extra vacation package cancellation insurance.

So, let's say you book a package (without insurance) and something happens and you can't go when you scheduled...you have to eat the cost of the room. The tickets are still good to use later. If you booked a premium onsite hotel that includes express passes, that perk is also forfeited.

If you booked the same trip separately, and waited to buy your tickets just before your trip, and the same thing happened, you can still get refunded for your room...if you are still outside the refund window...which I think is 5 days...if you cancel within the window, you still only loose your 1 night deposit. You also may not have laid out any money for those tickets.

 

[SpecEdismyLife]

Very rarely is there much of a difference in booking an onsite hotel room and purchasing tickets separately, as opposed to purchasing a vacation package.

That being said, unless there is a big difference to your benefit, I would book the room and purchase the tickets separately.

Why...you might ask?

If you do it separately and change your mind, you can cancel your room (up to a few days before) and get a full refund.

You also do not have to lay out as much up front...booking the room only costs one night's rate as a deposit and you can buy your tickets at any time you like, even once on site.

With the vacation package, you have to pay for everything up front and there is no refund...unless you additionally purchase extra vacation package cancellation insurance.

So, let's say you book a package (without insurance) and something happens and you can't go when you scheduled...you have to eat the cost of the room. The tickets are still good to use later. If you booked a premium onsite hotel that includes express passes, that perk is also forfeited.

If you booked the same trip separately, and waited to buy your tickets just before your trip, and the same thing happened, you can still get refunded for your room...if you are still outside the refund window...which I think is 5 days...if you cancel within the window, you still only loose your 1 night deposit. You also may not have laid out any money for those tickets.

Thank you so much! So based on your excellent advice I have decided to go ahead and do the following. Please tell me if I am understanding everything correctly!
I am going to book the room. Then I am going to wait until the AP rates for our October dates are released, hoping to get a discount on the room. Then we will buy the AP's when the rates are updated to include Volcano Bay.

What is the difference between the Power pass AP and the seasonal? If we plan to go ahead and go again and it is not a seasonal blackout date does that work? Here in NC our only amusement park shuts down for winter so a season pass is exactly that, good for the season. How long are the season passes good for at Universal? Do we need the power pass if we want to use it again in say spring of 2018? I think I might be confused as to why it is called a seasonal pass and not an annual.

Thank you SO SO SO much!

 

[damo]

Thank you so much! So based on your excellent advice I have decided to go ahead and do the following. Please tell me if I am understanding everything correctly!
I am going to book the room. Then I am going to wait until the AP rates for our October dates are released, hoping to get a discount on the room. Then we will buy the AP's when the rates are updated to include Volcano Bay.

What is the difference between the Power pass AP and the seasonal? If we plan to go ahead and go again and it is not a seasonal blackout date does that work? Here in NC our only amusement park shuts down for winter so a season pass is exactly that, good for the season. How long are the season passes good for at Universal? Do we need the power pass if we want to use it again in say spring of 2018? I think I might be confused as to why it is called a seasonal pass and not an annual.

Thank you SO SO SO much!

Seasonal passes have block out dates.

Blockout Dates (apply to both Universal Studios Florida™ and Islands of Adventure™):

• December 21, 2016 – January 3, 2017
• April 8, 2017 - April 22, 2017
• June 10, 2017 - August 13, 2017
• December 21, 2017 - December 31, 2017
• Any concert date (If there is a concert during a non-blockout date, Seasonal Passholders will only receive access to Universal’s Islands of Adventure™, but not Universal Studios Florida™)

Power Passes also have block out dates but they are much shorter

Blockout Dates (apply to both Universal Studios Florida™ and Islands of Adventure™):

• December 21, 2016 - January 3, 2017
• April 8, 2017 - April 22, 2017
• December 21, 2017 - December 31, 2017

 

[bumbershoot]

Very rarely is there much of a difference in booking an onsite hotel room and purchasing tickets separately, as opposed to purchasing a vacation package.

Hmm. Those of us who have priced things out in the past have found different; packages have traditionally been the same as or more (with more restrictions) than booking separately.

 

[SpecEdismyLife]

Seasonal passes have block out dates.

Blockout Dates (apply to both Universal Studios Florida™ and Islands of Adventure™):

• December 21, 2016 – January 3, 2017
• April 8, 2017 - April 22, 2017
• June 10, 2017 - August 13, 2017
• December 21, 2017 - December 31, 2017
• Any concert date (If there is a concert during a non-blockout date, Seasonal Passholders will only receive access to Universal’s Islands of Adventure™, but not Universal Studios Florida™)

Power Passes also have block out dates but they are much shorter

Blockout Dates (apply to both Universal Studios Florida™ and Islands of Adventure™):

• December 21, 2016 - January 3, 2017
• April 8, 2017 - April 22, 2017
• December 21, 2017 - December 31, 2017

So those restrictions are the only difference? The seasonal pass is still good for the whole year minus the black out dates and concerts? Just want to make sure that I get it correct! And awesome, I'd rather pick them up at the hotel so that's great news!

 

[damo]

So those restrictions are the only difference? The seasonal pass is still good for the whole year minus the black out dates and concerts? Just want to make sure that I get it correct! And awesome, I'd rather pick them up at the hotel so that's great news!

No, there are a few other differences but that is the main one.

https://www.universalorlando.com/Theme-Park-Tickets/Annual-Passes/Non-FL-Annual-Passes.aspx

 

[wagman67]

Hmm. Those of us who have priced things out in the past have found different; packages have traditionally been the same as or more (with more restrictions) than booking separately.

I think we are on the same page...almost every time I book and compare, the prices have been very comparable, but what I was meaning to stress is that there is rarely an advantage to booking the vacation package vs booking separately.

 

[wagman67]

Thank you so much! So based on your excellent advice I have decided to go ahead and do the following. Please tell me if I am understanding everything correctly!
I am going to book the room. Then I am going to wait until the AP rates for our October dates are released, hoping to get a discount on the room. Then we will buy the AP's when the rates are updated to include Volcano Bay.

What is the difference between the Power pass AP and the seasonal? If we plan to go ahead and go again and it is not a seasonal blackout date does that work? Here in NC our only amusement park shuts down for winter so a season pass is exactly that, good for the season. How long are the season passes good for at Universal? Do we need the power pass if we want to use it again in say spring of 2018? I think I might be confused as to why it is called a seasonal pass and not an annual.

Thank you SO SO SO much!

There's probably no need to book the room until the AP rates come out. Until the rates come out, you don't know which hotel is going to have the best rate on the dates you want. It does not always follow that Portofino will be most expensive, then Hard Rock, then Royal Pacific, etc... I have stayed at all three premium hotels in the last three years and always chose the cheapest AP rate...this year, I have booked Hard Rock, in May, as it was the cheapest that week. They are all great, so I don't fret over which one comes in cheapest.

 

[wagman67]

Extra Tip: When you have Annual passes, use 'APH' as the promo code, when booking online...but...put your dates, number of adults/kids and search before you put in the code, once you get the initial results, then put in the code and search again. For some reason, I can never get it to accept the code from the initial screen, your mileage may vary.

 

[SpecEdismyLife]

Extra Tip: When you have Annual passes, use 'APH' as the promo code, when booking online...but...put your dates, number of adults/kids and search before you put in the code, once you get the initial results, then put in the code and search again. For some reason, I can never get it to accept the code from the initial screen, your mileage may vary.

Great tip! Thank you! Anyone know when Oct ap rates might be released? I'm looking at some info circulating (of course its all conjecture at this point) that Volcano Bay might only be added to the 2 top tiers of the AP program and only as discounts on day passes. If this is true, then whatever I save on the room would go right back into full 1day passes (3 of us) for VB if the cost ends up being $80 pp per day (also conjecture supposedly based on the need to keep numbers controlled). I'm still going to book my room and wait to see what happens with both an AP rate and VB tix, but now I'm concerned that if I change it to an AP rate I'm forced into at least one AP, and if we want to go to VB more than once I'm no longer getting a good deal. Ugh!

 

[_Laurie_D]

I purchased the Splash, Stay and Play package through Universal directly. Our family of 5 staying 7 nights at Portofino Bay in a garden room which also came with the "3 park explorer pass" which is good for unlimited admission to all 3 parks for 14 days including Volcano Bay. If I would have booked the hotel separate and opted for a 5 day- 3 park ticket it would have cost us $237 more. So in my case I definitely saved money booking a package

 

[SpecEdismyLife]

It looks like the current promo of the Splash, Stay and Play is including the SMSM discount rate for our dates which is $75 off. If I price the room separately and add on the tickets it is basically the same price. I plan to book the package and possibly upgrade the passes to APs while there if it's beneficial. I'm not sure what they plan on doing with the APs and VB. I'd rather go in knowing I have the 3 Park, park to park pass and not have to worry about it.

 

[_Laurie_D]

Just found out they have a 3 park ticket that includes express unlimited to all 3 parks including volcano bay. It would be the same price to get that and stay at cabana bay instead of Portofino. Anyone have anything good or bad to say about cabana bay?

 

[damo]

Just found out they have a 3 park ticket that includes express unlimited to all 3 parks including volcano bay. It would be the same price to get that and stay at cabana bay instead of Portofino. Anyone have anything good or bad to say about cabana bay?

THe one that starts at $439/person? https://ww2.universalorlando.com/web/en/us/tickets-packages/express-passes/index.html

Hard choice between Portofino and Cabana Bay. That's a really personal decision.

 

[_Laurie_D]

This is the link

https://tickets2.universalorlando.com/park-tickets/permalink/tab-2park/combo-tickets/index.html