Buying AP

Hm707

Earning My Ears
Joined
Jun 13, 2016
Planning a first time visit for a family of 4 in January and it’s the same cost for an AP vs. the 2day get 3 free promotion so I think I’m going that route for every member of the family. I understand blackout dates and know we would have to avoid those dates if we ever go back. Questions:
1) can I book AP rates at a hotel before buying the AP?
2) how do I actually go about getting my AP. I thought I read somewhere that it needs to be done on site and can’t be done online and that the process can be time consuming?

3) Does Universal offer any Black Friday type discount on AP?

4) We will stay at a deluxe hotel for EPS and would like to be within walking distance to parks. What is the difference in distance from each Deluxe hotel to parks.
Thanks!
 
1) Yes, definitely.
2) You can pick up the APs right at the hotel. They have a ticket counter there.
3) I suppose we will find out by next week ;)
4) They are all walking distance, HRH & RPR are closest. All also have boats to take you to City Walk. On the App or website you can look at the UOR site map for an idea of distances between hotels compared to the size of the parks themselves.

For a family of 4, you may also consider whether it is worthwhile to upgrade one AP to the Preferred for $90 for the discounts - almost all restaurants, food, and merchandise will be discounted (with no minimum). Depends on how much you spend, and if you're doing a 2nd trip on the passes.
Pass benefits:
https://www.universalorlando.com/we...nual-passes/uoap-types#preferred-annual-pass&
 
We are a family of 4 and have been to UO a number of times now. Here is everything I do to schedule a trip: https://www.disboards.com/threads/how-i-plan-a-universal-trip.3794121/

1) If you can find an APH rate, I would book it immediately. If you wait, it could be gone the next day.
2) We bought our APs at the hotel and it was pretty easy.
3) They occasionally have deals for an extra 3 months, but I would not count on it happening for Black Friday. Too many holidays where they are already packed coming up with Thanksgiving and New Years.
4) HRH is very close to US (and slightly longer to IOA). RPR is closest to IOA. PBH is far enough away that we did not walk when we stayed there, but it depends on your tolerance.
 


We've stayed at RPR and PBH before, and are scheduled for HRH next week (so I cannot help on that yet). RPR was a nice resort, but we preferred PBH. The rooms are much larger at PBH and the remoteness really made it feel special when taking the ferry into the bay. But it really comes down to personal preference which one you'd like the best...
 
We got APs and we love it. We went through a travel agent, got the AP rate at the same time we got APs, paid in full and then i picked them up for all of us at the desk at Royal Pacific. Really easy. Since then we have stayed at Hard Rock too. Our preference is Hard Rock because of the water slide for the kids. The walk is also really quick.
 
1) Yes, definitely.
2) You can pick up the APs right at the hotel. They have a ticket counter there.
3) I suppose we will find out by next week ;)
4) They are all walking distance, HRH & RPR are closest. All also have boats to take you to City Walk. On the App or website you can look at the UOR site map for an idea of distances between hotels compared to the size of the parks themselves.

For a family of 4, you may also consider whether it is worthwhile to upgrade one AP to the Preferred for $90 for the discounts - almost all restaurants, food, and merchandise will be discounted (with no minimum). Depends on how much you spend, and if you're doing a 2nd trip on the passes.
Pass benefits:
https://www.universalorlando.com/we...nual-passes/uoap-types#preferred-annual-pass&
I used your link and a
Black Friday Vacation Package Offerpopped up Limited Availability
Bookings start today 11/27
Travel Dates 11/29-12/25
1/1/2021-3/25
4/11-4/30
 


This was great info - wondering if someone can give me advice. We are looking at doing 3 days at Universal. Check-in to RP on May 31 and then leave on June 3. Currently it looks like APs would be cheaper than the 3 day, 3-park-to-park tickets for the 4 of us. Then we would get a room discount, right? Only problem is my boys want to do the water park. The AP’s do not include Volcano Bay, correct? Would it still be worth it to do the AP’s and then add on VB admission? Or would that eliminate any savings we would get on the room? Or I guess just one of us could get the AP? Feels like this could get complicated...
 
Having an AP does not automatically allow you a hotel discount
You need to book the reservation when ap discounts are available.
Not all dates open

You can book the ap rate and purchase it prior to your stay
 
Right now they aren't selling the 3 park APs because VB is closed. I think it is normally about $90-100 to add on VB to the AP. They should be selling 3 park APs again by March when VB opens.

If you KNOW you're only going to VB one day, it can be cheaper to add that one day as a separate VB ticket. If you're planning to use the AP the following year as well, you might as well just upgrade to VB as it would be cheaper than buying a separate VB ticket each year.

To answer the other question, you only need one AP for the room savings (and possibly discounts depending on the level of AP you get - for 10% food and merchandise savings, it can add up quickly for a larger group or longer trip and can offset the price of a higher tier AP).
 

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