Lots of Questions about Universal AP from a newbie

Love_the_Mouse

Mouseketeer
Joined
Jul 23, 2016
My family of four will be heading to Universal for the first time in April. I have some questions because I'm not sure exactly how it works and I want to try to find an affordable way to get the Express Passes. We would like to stay at the Hard Rock if it ends up being affordable (for the entire stay, I know I only need one night for the express pass). And I should mention that more than likely we will not back to Universal within the 12 months. Based on the days of my trip, I am not eligible for the extra 6 month promotion.

1. Do I have to upgrade my 2-park 4 day ticket (buy 2 days, 2 day free) only in the park or can I do it ahead of time online or over the phone? Is it true that the ticket will be worth the price of a 4-day ticket even though I only paid for 2 days?

2. If I can't upgrade ahead of time, does that mean I have to purchase an AP, instead of tickets, before I go so that I can get the AP hotel rates?

3. Do I only need one person in my party to have the AP to get the discount on the hotel rate?

4. Do all of the different AP's have the same % discount on hotel rooms? I think I have to buy the Preferred pass due to blackout dates, but ideally I'd like the Power AP if possible.

5. We will be checking in on April 10 & checking out April 13 and will be at the park on April 11-12th. Some of the cheaper (Seasonal, Power) AP's have a black out date of April 12th. If my first day in the park is the 11th, is the 12th still a black out date? Does that mean I would only get the AP hotel rate for the 10th & 11th and not the 12th? Would I need another ticket to enter the parks on the 12th? I realize this isn't an issue with the more expensive AP's.

6. Any discounts on hotel parking with the AP?

Basically, I'm looking for the cheapest AP that will allow me to get the AP rate for my hotel during the entire stay and will also allow me to use it for park admission.

Thanks in advance!!! I really appreciate any information. I'm overwhelmed.
 
Check the info on when the P2P 2 day tickets (+2 extra days) expire

You can buy those tickets online or call and order them

Park tickets can be upgraded to the ap at guest services in the parks

You do not have to have the ap to book a hotel ap rate
You would show the valid ap to the hotel front desk before your check out day so your booked rate will hold

All the ap’s qualify for the ap booking rate

Check the uo website for the listing of ap benefits

I have the preferred ap and have been renewing it since I bought it
(15 years)
It allows 10% discounts on food
At HRC, it is a 15% discount on food

If you have an ap with black out dates, it only effects the park admission and not the hotel rate
 
Thank you so much. That's very helpful.

Do you think I would have any trouble upgrading my tickets to a Seasonal or Power AP on a black out date? My plan would be to go to the pack on the 11th with my regular ticket (non-blackout date) and then enter the park on the 12th (black-out date) with my regular ticket and then upgrade to an AP once inside the gates. Then later that night when I return to the hotel I would show them my AP to get the discount. And just to clarify, I have to show the hotel my AP before check out day and not on check out day?
 
Show your ap at the hotel desk before midnight for your check out date the next day

Final billing of the hotel charges are done in the early morning hours of check out day

Your plans seem like it will work fine

You upgrade your ticket to the ap on the 12th and check out on the 13th

 


My plan would be to go to the pack on the 11th with my regular ticket (non-blackout date) and then enter the park on the 12th (black-out date) with my regular ticket and then upgrade to an AP once inside the gates.

How will you enter and get past the gates if your ticket is black-out for that day?
 
When she wrote she would use her regular ticket, I assumed she had purchased a two day ticket pass

The seasonable ap if she bought it prior would have a black out day for the 12th

Once she upgraded her tickets to seasonal ap after in the park, would not be an issue on the 12th
 
When she wrote she would use her regular ticket, I assumed she had purchased a two day ticket pass

The seasonable ap if she bought it prior would have a black out day for the 12th

Once she upgraded her tickets to seasonal ap after in the park, would not be an issue on the 12th
I have no idea. She said she would upgrade it to an AP IN the park AFTER she enters with her REGULAR ticket on the 12th, which is the black-out date.

Maybe I’m confused but I was interested in the answer to that. Lol.
 


When she wrote she would use her regular ticket, I assumed she had purchased a two day ticket pass

The seasonable ap if she bought it prior would have a black out day for the 12th

Once she upgraded her tickets to seasonal ap after in the park, would not be an issue on the 12th

Yes, I would have a 2-day ticket and use day 2 on April 12th, enter the park and then upgrade to an AP.

Thank you very much for the replies!!!
 
Make sure to upgrade after you're done park hopping, if applicable.

If you're in IoA and upgrade, you won't be able to enter another park afterwards if it's a blackout date. Or exit to City Walk and reenter.

I wouldn't have thought of that. Thank you!!
 
I'm looking at getting an AP for the first time so we can get hotel discount too. Is there an advantage to only buying a regular ticket now and upgrading once there over just buying the AP in the first place? Looking at a possible trip next month.
 
I'm looking at getting an AP for the first time so we can get hotel discount too. Is there an advantage to only buying a regular ticket now and upgrading once there over just buying the AP in the first place? Looking at a possible trip next month.

How many days do you plan to do the parks?

If it will be close to a week, I would buy the ap for the adult booking the room
You can buy regular tickets for the rest of your group

All the ap levels qualify for hotel discounts depending on dates of your vacation
It’s not an automatic discount as it is date related on what UO releases
If a particular room type fills up, you would need to book the next room
type

Two of the ap’s have the food and merch discounts

Some buy regular tickets when there is a sale or promo
Then upgrade one of the tickets to an ap for hotel discounts when you are in the park
 
How many days do you plan to do the parks?

If it will be close to a week, I would buy the ap for the adult booking the room
You can buy regular tickets for the rest of your group

All the ap levels qualify for hotel discounts depending on dates of your vacation
It’s not an automatic discount as it is date related on what UO releases
If a particular room type fills up, you would need to book the next room
type

Two of the ap’s have the food and merch discounts

Some buy regular tickets when there is a sale or promo
Then upgrade one of the tickets to an ap for hotel discounts when you are
Some buy regular tickets when there is a sale or promo
Then upgrade one of the tickets to an ap for hotel discounts when you are in the park
Thank you for your response! Is a sale/ promo ticket valued at more than you paid when you upgrade to an AP? I'm looking at the current buy 2 get 2 days.
 
The buy two park days , get two park
Days free is a promo

The two parks day tickets you buy have a monetary value
The two add on park tickets are promo tickets

Promo tickets have a value of zero when trying to upgrade them
when you are trying to upgrade them you can’t as there is no monetary exchange for them
Thy are the free promo tickets and carry no value to add to the coat to trade up for a higher cost ap but can be used as a ticket entrance to the park
 
I'm looking at getting an AP for the first time so we can get hotel discount too. Is there an advantage to only buying a regular ticket now and upgrading once there over just buying the AP in the first place? Looking at a possible trip next month.

The only reason why I'm considering buying the tickets first and then upgrading to an AP while in the park is because I want the cheaper AP, but one of the blackout days associated with it happens to be on day 2 of my 2-day trip. I can't buy the AP outright because then I couldn't use it to get into the parks on day 2. My only choice is to buy the tickets first and then upgrade. If I was going to get the Preferred pass, I would probably just buy that and not worry about upgrading tickets.
 

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