Upgrade ticket vs buying AP?

[Monki]

Is there a reason to purchase a ticket, enter the gate, then upgrade vs. buying the AP outright? It seems to me you pay the same price regardless. I am thinking about purchasing the AP online by Sept 30 to get the extra 3 months included. Am I missing something? We are usually day trippers to Universal, so this is a new experience to me. We need somewhere we can drive to and vacation safely for the next year until things return to closer to normal. TIA for any advice!

 

[OrlandoGirl357]

Is there a reason to purchase a ticket, enter the gate, then upgrade vs. buying the AP outright? It seems to me you pay the same price regardless. I am thinking about purchasing the AP online by Sept 30 to get the extra 3 months included. Am I missing something? We are usually day trippers to Universal, so this is a new experience to me. We need somewhere we can drive to and vacation safely for the next year until things return to closer to normal. TIA for any advice!

If you buy a ticket from a third party site you can bridge the ticket and save some money off the pass in the end. People have recorded getting the 15 months with a bridged ticket but if your first visit won’t be until after September 30 you may want to buy the AP outright.

 

[borgthe]

Can you buy an ap prior to September 30 to get the 15 months but not have it start until you actually go, which may not be until next year?

 

[andieb0602]

Is there a reason to purchase a ticket, enter the gate, then upgrade vs. buying the AP outright? It seems to me you pay the same price regardless. I am thinking about purchasing the AP online by Sept 30 to get the extra 3 months included. Am I missing something? We are usually day trippers to Universal, so this is a new experience to me. We need somewhere we can drive to and vacation safely for the next year until things return to closer to normal. TIA for any advice!

I don't know the answer outright but I'm wondering if you have to pay in full for the APs if you upgrade vs. being able to have a payment plan with buying online. (We knew we wanted APs so we bought ours online. One less thing to handle at Guest Services.)

Can you buy an ap prior to September 30 to get the 15 months but not have it start until you actually go, which may not be until next year?

Yes. Your time on the AP won't start until it is activated at the gate.

 

[Monki]

Can you buy an ap prior to September 30 to get the 15 months but not have it start until you actually go, which may not be until next year?

Not the way I'm understanding the Universal website. If you buy the AP by Sept 30, you are receiving Oct-Dec as the "free" - essentially buying a 2021 AP they let you start using early.

 

[OrlandoGirl357]

Not the way I'm understanding the Universal website. If you buy the AP by Sept 30, you are receiving Oct-Dec as the "free" - essentially buying a 2021 AP they let you start using early.

From Universals website,

Get three (3) additional months free on any regularly priced 2-Park and 3-Park Seasonal, Power, Preferred or Premier Annual Passes. Offer valid on new purchases only; must be purchased by 09/30/20. Blockout dates apply to: 2-Park and 3-Park Seasonal, 2-Park and 3-Park Power and 3-Park Preferred Annual Passes. Limit six (6) passes per purchase. The first term for all Pass types is twelve (12) months from date of first use and the additional applicable free months per pass type will apply to the end of the first term. Offer cannot be combined with any other offers, promotions, discounts or prior purchases. Additional restrictions may apply. For more information call 1-866-PASS-4-FUN or visit universalorlando.com.

The universal website does not have date where the passes must be activated by. Nor do they have a date where they expire in full. When they last had a similar promo, they made it very clear that the passes must be activated by a certain date to get the extra months.

 

[chmurf]

I don't know the answer outright but I'm wondering if you have to pay in full for the APs if you upgrade vs. being able to have a payment plan with buying online. (We knew we wanted APs so we bought ours online. One less thing to handle at Guest Services.)

when you upgrade you need to pay in full. Actually, you've already paid most of the full price with the ticket. Depending on what AP you upgrade to, it can be just a few bucks to upgrade (for example going for 2 parks seasonal AP)

few things to consider :

- if not going until a few months, getting the AP outright means getting 3 adittional months,and avoiding ticket price hike if you intend on purchasing a ticket at a later time, and also avoiding an AP price hike, because the price paid for the upgrade will depend on the price of the AP at time of upgrade

- mind the type of tickets you get. A 3 parks ticket will need to be upgraded to a 3 parks AP

- Now, paying in full vs. Flexpay. Getting the AP outright would allow to go to Flexpay (downpayment then installments) BUT, it really depends if you intend on renewing the AP after it expires. A pay in full AP will receive something like 20% off on renewal price, while a flexpay AP will not receive that discount at renewal time.

 

[OrlandoGirl357]

when you upgrade you need to pay in full. Actually, you've already paid most of the full price with the ticket. Depending on what AP you upgrade to, it can be just a few bucks to upgrade (for example going for 2 parks seasonal AP)

few things to consider :

- if not going until a few months, getting the AP outright means getting 3 adittional months,and avoiding ticket price hike if you intend on purchasing a ticket at a later time, and also avoiding an AP price hike, because the price paid for the upgrade will depend on the price of the AP at time of upgrade

- mind the type of tickets you get. A 3 parks ticket will need to be upgraded to a 3 parks AP

- Now, paying in full vs. Flexpay. Getting the AP outright would allow to go to Flexpay (downpayment then installments) BUT, it really depends if you intend on renewing the AP after it expires. A pay in full AP will receive something like 20% off on renewal price, while a flexpay AP will not receive that discount at renewal time.

Currently three park passes are discounted. It doesn’t say they are discounted but seasonal passes are $30 dollars lower than they were before. The other passes have slightly higher discounts off the usual prices.