1st time AP questions

[sweetmama17]

I've got Disney down but it's been a long time since I've been to US and never as an AP. But my kiddo is turning 11 and 11 year olds go to Hogwarts so....

I'd like to take advantage of the extra 3 months on APs but we don't plan to go til the end of September. I'd also prefer to do the flex pay.
If I do the flex pay do they activate right away or at first use?
What happens after a year of payments? If I cancel payments will my pass still be good?
Is it just easier to buy them out right?
Will they let me upgrade to a higher level tier later (while still honoring the deal)?

 

[DisneyMom93]

Universal told me this:

(Via email)
If you purchase a paid-in-full Annual Pass order ahead of time, these passes will expire one (1) year from the first date of use at the turnstiles, and no expiration on when to pick-up the orders. You would be able to purchase these during the promotion, and the 15-Month offer would stay valid with your order.

However with FlexPay contracts, the expiration date is based on the contract opening date. This is regardless of when you pick-up your Annual Pass card itself in-person, and the added 3-Months would apply at the end of your year once you've completed those payments.

 

[Captain Morgan Sparrow]

Universal told me this:

(Via email)
If you purchase a paid-in-full Annual Pass order ahead of time, these passes will expire one (1) year from the first date of use at the turnstiles, and no expiration on when to pick-up the orders. You would be able to purchase these during the promotion, and the 15-Month offer would stay valid with your order.

However with FlexPay contracts, the expiration date is based on the contract opening date. This is regardless of when you pick-up your Annual Pass card itself in-person, and the added 3-Months would apply at the end of your year once you've completed those payments.

Wait, so I was planning to go in December. You are saying that if I buy my AP with the FlexPay while the 3 month promotion is going on, the 15 months would start immediately at purchase, and not at activation?

That certainly changes the calculus a bit.

 

[DisneyMom93]

Wait, so I was planning to go in December. You are saying that if I buy my AP with the FlexPay while the 3 month promotion is going on, the 15 months would start immediately at purchase, and not at activation?

That certainly changes the calculus a bit.

Yes, apparently there's a difference. It makes my head spin trying to figure that line out. lol.

They had a special a few years ago early in the year and it had an "activate by" date and I contacted them about it and got multiple different answers but it turned out that the activate by date was in April and I wasn't going until November so it would have expired in April the following year no matter what. Definitely wasn't worth it. I guess the FlexPay plan has different rules. Not sure why.

 

[BarryCF]

Yes, apparently there's a difference. It makes my head spin trying to figure that line out. lol.

They had a special a few years ago early in the year and it had an "activate by" date and I contacted them about it and got multiple different answers but it turned out that the activate by date was in April and I wasn't going until November so it would have expired in April the following year no matter what. Definitely wasn't worth it. I guess the FlexPay plan has different rules. Not sure why.

From the Flex Pay Details page on the Universal website…

When does my year start? When will I be charged?
Your Annual Pass or Seasonal Pass will begin with the date of first use not the date of purchase. After you enter into your FlexPay contract, your credit card will be charged approximately the same day every month. For example, if the first payment is taken on the 10th of the month, all subsequent payments will be charged approximately on 10th of the month. Your renewal payment will be charged on your normal monthly bill date.

 

[DisneyMom93]

From the Flex Pay Details page on the Universal website…

When does my year start? When will I be charged?
Your Annual Pass or Seasonal Pass will begin with the date of first use not the date of purchase. After you enter into your FlexPay contract, your credit card will be charged approximately the same day every month. For example, if the first payment is taken on the 10th of the month, all subsequent payments will be charged approximately on 10th of the month. Your renewal payment will be charged on your normal monthly bill date.

I can only tell you want I was told when I was making a purchase of a “special” annual pass a few years ago. It was different rules for Flex Pay.

Regarding the current free 3 months special, my email stated: “However with FlexPay contracts, the expiration date is based on the contract opening date. This is regardless of when you pick-up your Annual Pass card itself in-person, and the added 3-Months would apply at the end of your year once you've completed those payments.“

“Contract opening date.” ???

I just chose not to do the Flex Pay. Didn’t want to deal with expiration dates, contract dates, etc.

 

[Jbar74]

I just purchased 2 APs with flex pay (also have in the past.) I called universal and they confirmed they do not activate until we enter the parks.

 

[Captain Morgan Sparrow]

I just purchased 2 APs with flex pay (also have in the past.) I called universal and they confirmed they do not activate until we enter the parks.

Cool. Conflicting information from Universal, apparently.

Or maybe the auto renewal date is from the 12 months, but you still get the 15 months free? So in essence, you have to cancel auto renew, and coast for those 3 months before reenrolling?

Just a thought reading the language of the last few responses.

 

[Jbar74]

Cool. Conflicting information from Universal, apparently.

Or maybe the auto renewal date is from the 12 months, but you still get the 15 months free? So in essence, you have to cancel auto renew, and coast for those 3 months before reenrolling?

Just a thought reading the language of the last few responses.

Conflicting info is why I always bring receipts and screenshots lol. I do know it auto renews at the 12 month mark, so yeah you’d need to cancel before then and you’d still get the 3 months.

 

[Captain Morgan Sparrow]

I emailed universal, and this is what they said, direct quote...

You would still receive the 3 months for free, but you would have to remember to cancel your contract a year from when you purchased it since your contract and your Annual passes will have 2 different dates as your not using them right away.

 

[Jbar74]

I emailed universal, and this is what they said, direct quote...

You would still receive the 3 months for free, but you would have to remember to cancel your contract a year from when you purchased it since your contract and your Annual passes will have 2 different dates as your not using them right away.

The Pugh Two on YouTube did a good explanation on their updated AP video. If you don’t cancel and don’t use your AP right away, you essentially are paying more for the renewal because of the 2 dates (duration of use vs duration of payments) if using flex pay. They explain it better.

I’ve always canceled so this never occurred to me.

 

[tony67]

I emailed universal, and this is what they said, direct quote...

You would still receive the 3 months for free, but you would have to remember to cancel your contract a year from when you purchased it since your contract and your Annual passes will have 2 different dates as your not using them right away.

Yeah - I have done this several times over the years - I usually just add a reminder to my phone to cancel.

 

[Dawn Peterson]

I just purchased 2 APs with flex pay (also have in the past.) I called universal and they confirmed they do not activate until we enter the parks.

out of curiosity when do they start charging you? The day you buy or when you activate?

 

[tony67]

out of curiosity when do they start charging you? The day you buy or when you activate?

when you buy it - I had mine paid off in full before I even activated

 

[Jbar74]

out of curiosity when do they start charging you? The day you buy or when you activate?

The day you buy. You pay half up front, and then the rest is split over 12 months and automatically withdrawn.

 

[pannm]

Here's what I understand to be correct...I am purchasing today (September). My first payment will be today, then monthly payments start next month and go for 11 months. The payment dates have nothing to do with the date the tickets become valid. I don't plan to go until December 2023, so that is when my season pass would start. Because they're doing the 15 month promotion, my season passes would start at first use in December 2023 and expire March 2025? Am I correct? And, if I decide NOT to renew, I will need to call them and say I'm not renewing by end of August/beg. of September (before todays date)?

 

[Jbar74]

Here's what I understand to be correct...I am purchasing today (September). My first payment will be today, then monthly payments start next month and go for 11 months. The payment dates have nothing to do with the date the tickets become valid. I don't plan to go until December 2023, so that is when my season pass would start. Because they're doing the 15 month promotion, my season passes would start at first use in December 2023 and expire March 2025? Am I correct? And, if I decide NOT to renew, I will need to call them and say I'm not renewing by end of August/beg. of September (before todays date)?

You got it! And first payment is half of the total cost (“down payment”), then the remaining half is spread out.