When might APH prices go up next? (or is it better to bridge?)

[georgina]

I booked RPR for Sept with the APH rate, intending to get a power pass sometime before we go. Mousesavers says annual pass rates last increased in price in March 2015. Anyone care to guess when they might go up again, or have any experience with how often the price increases? Is there usually any warning like we sometimes see with Disney? I would rather wait a bit to buy, but don't want to pay a higher price later.

So I have been reading more about buying a 3 day ticket and then bridging it to a power pass. I have never done this before, do we need to use the ticket to enter a park first, or can it be done at the booth before it is used? Anything else I should know?

 

[macraven]

AP increased last month for the darkside
Think it was announced about April 16?

UO won't do another increase this year

 

[georgina]

OK, thanks! Mousesavers is out of date then.

 

[kohlby]

I had read where it worked better when people upgraded inside the park - that there was less confusion and bridged correctly - so we did it inside at guest services. (Also, lines are often shorter there usually).

I bought 2 day get the third free tickets for just $200 before the price increase off of UT. I upgraded those tickets two weeks ago to a power pass for just $10 each as that was the difference between their 3 day passes and power passes. So, when possible, don't wait too long to buy.

 

[georgina]

Thanks kohlby! I have a 2 day+3rd free park to park that I bought last fall (when AmEx was offering a $30 statement credit for UT purchases), but now DH is coming along, so I need to get him something and the APH rates will probably be the best bet for the room. Will get another a 3 day ticket from UT and bridge inside the park.

Funny how adding him to the trip makes it more expensive. Solo I would have stayed at Cabana Bay, with him added we moved up to RPR. He likes to have a rental car also, so add on the parking charges. yay.

 

[Supermom3]

Help me understand bridging please. If I have a buy 2 get 3rd day free park to park pass purchased from Undercover Tourist, and I upgrade to a Power Pass AP inside the park after the tickets have been used, do I get the gate price equivalent credit to apply toward my AP? So if I pay $225.88 on UT will I get $249 credit toward the AP purchase, so it would really just be around $10 to upgrade?

Also, If I have an APH rate reservation at HRH, will I need to show the AP upon check in, or can I do the upgrade on our first park day, and then present the AP to the hotel to verify?

Thanks so much! Universal is all new to me, and very much looking forward to it!

 

[damo]

Help me understand bridging please. If I have a buy 2 get 3rd day free park to park pass purchased from Undercover Tourist, and I upgrade to a Power Pass AP inside the park after the tickets have been used, do I get the gate price equivalent credit to apply toward my AP? So if I pay $225.88 on UT will I get $249 credit toward the AP purchase, so it would really just be around $10 to upgrade?

Also, If I have an APH rate reservation at HRH, will I need to show the AP upon check in, or can I do the upgrade on our first park day, and then present the AP to the hotel to verify?

Thanks so much! Universal is all new to me, and very much looking forward to it!

That is correct. You will be credited gate price of the 3 day ticket which is $249 and just charged the difference with tax.

You just need to show the AP by checkout if you are asked.

 

[macraven]

If asked when checking in the hotel, tell them you are activating the pass and will show the front desk while still there

 

[Supermom3]

That is correct. You will be credited gate price of the 3 day ticket which is $249 and just charged the difference with tax.

You just need to show the AP by checkout if you are asked.

If asked when checking in the hotel, tell them you are activating the pass and will show the front desk while still there

Thank you so much!! That is great news.

 

[kittylady1972]

WHEW...glad I read this one because I'm in the midst of changing around our trip AGAIN and I wanted to make sure I had my facts (and math) correct. So if I'm wrong, please correct me.

I'll be buying Universal 3-day park hoppers from work. We are visiting in June. I have now booked an APH rate stay for 1 night at Cabana Bay and 2 nights at Royal Pacific. The APH saved me $94 overall for all 3 nights.

Cost of a 3-day park hopper pass online at Universal is now about $245 including tax. Cost of a Preferred Pass is $367. So it sounds like the approximate cost for me to update my 3-day tickets (pre-purchased) AFTER I enter the park will be about $122.

Since I'm saving $94 on the room using the AP rate, I'll basically be paying an additional $28 doing it this way. However hopefully I can recoup that with food discounts for 5 people over the course of 3 days.

Does this sound correct? If so I'll cancel my other hotel reservations and keep these APH rate hotel rooms. Oh and it sounds like as long as I provide the Annual Pass sometime BEFORE I check out of the hotel I'll be okay since we may not visit a Universal Park right away. Worst case I guess I can enter the park the first day myself, just long enough to upgrade my pass. It sounds like the hotels don't always verify the passholder at checkin.

Thanks in advance!

 

[macraven]

You still come out ahead as you will receive 3 days of unlimited express line usage due to the 2 night stay at rpr

Sounds like you have it all planned out nicely

Yes
As long as you can verify you have the AP before you check out of the hotel, you are fine

 

[kittylady1972]

You still come out ahead as you will receive 3 days of unlimited express line usage due to the 2 night stay at rpr

Sounds like you have it all planned out nicely

Yes
As long as you can verify you have the AP before you check out of the hotel, you are fine

Perfect...thanks! Now we will get to try out TWO on-site Universal Hotels which I think the kids will LOVE!
And now I'm even considering adding on a post-Universal day at Discovery Cove for all of us as we've never done that.

 

[macraven]

Discovery Cove is great !