3-Park Unlimited Universal Ticket

[Cars2006]

Hello

This will be our first time to Universal Orlando. Trying to figure out which tickets to purchase. There will be five of us. DH, ME, 9 yr, 10 yr & 12 yr. We are going for nine days staying off property with car rental. We are not planning on going to Universal for all the nine days we want to travel a bit while in Orlando. The most we will probably do is three or four days. I was thinking of getting annual passes then came across this on Undercover Tourist. Not sure I really understand. I know the ticket are for the three parks unlimited but is it for a total of 14 consecutive days in 2016? Meaning we can go 14 days if we wanted?

 

[chmurf]

Not sure I really understand. I know the ticket are for the three parks unlimited but is it for a total of 14 consecutive days in 2016? Meaning we can go 14 days if we wanted?

yes.

you could go to the parks for a couple of hours in the evening every day during your stay after visiting around orlando, if you wanted to

but remember that there is a parking charge at Citywalk (Universal's parking lot).
you'll pay $20 for each day you visit the parks
if you're only going for 4 days, that will be $80 on parking charges alone, and if you're going, even for a couple of hours every day, you're looking at $180 in parking alone ... ouch ...

you might want to consider getting a preferred pass (annual pass) for one of you, to get free parking and discounts on merch and food.
you'd only need one pass, and the other party member could get unlimited 14 days tickets.

do the maths, and see what fits your party best.

 

[macraven]

At the cost of the preferred AP, the total cost of parking and tickets on a four separate day visit would be under that AP price

Since the AP needs to be validated first day you use it, it wouldn't cover day one of parking

 

[chmurf]

Since the AP needs to be validated first day you use it, it wouldn't cover day one of parking

I had mine validated by the TM at the parking toll plaza. Saved me quite a few bucks on that first day of parking.

But that's a thing of the past now, as they've just removed the option to get the AP shipped to your home, it's no longer possible to drive up to the booth with a non validated AP in hand.

 

[macraven]

Yes they did away with that a very long time ago at the parking lot

 

[cruisingkat]

At the cost of the preferred AP, the total cost of parking and tickets on a four separate day visit would be under that AP price

Since the AP needs to be validated first day you use it, it wouldn't cover day one of parking

It does state as benefits for the preferred and premier pass "Free self-parking (after first visit)" on the AP information page.

 

[SA mom]

If you get the preferred pass for one person, be aware that it is only a 2 park pass. If you want to visit Wet n Wild, the preferred pass won't help. The discount certainly added up to significant savings in 5 days on property.

 

[chmurf]

Yes they did away with that a very long time ago at the parking lot

my experience with that is 6 months old. But it doesn't matter anymore now

If you want to visit Wet n Wild, the preferred pass won't help

I think it's also worth mentionning that Wet'n'Wild is supposed to shut down permanently at the end of the year anyway
I wonder if they will release 3 parks tickets including Volcano Bay, or take the opportunity to come up with a "super pass" including the new water park. Well, the recent survey I was sent indicated that universal is aiming towards some "all inclusive tickets" with a wide variety of (sometimes silly) names. Will we see a 3 parks AP ?

 

[SYDCOLEMOM]

Hello

This will be our first time to Universal Orlando. Trying to figure out which tickets to purchase. There will be five of us. DH, ME, 9 yr, 10 yr & 12 yr. We are going for nine days staying off property with car rental. We are not planning on going to Universal for all the nine days we want to travel a bit while in Orlando. The most we will probably do is three or four days. I was thinking of getting annual passes then came across this on Undercover Tourist. Not sure I really understand. I know the ticket are for the three parks unlimited but is it for a total of 14 consecutive days in 2016? Meaning we can go 14 days if we wanted?

if you are asking about the tickets that Undercover Tourist is selling for 3 day unlimited park to park - this means you have 3 full days to go from park ONLY 3 days and they must be used within a 14 day time period - meaning you can use 2 days this week and 1 day next week etc. Its not unlimited visits during the 14 days.

 

[wookiebeck]

if you are asking about the tickets that Undercover Tourist is selling for 3 day unlimited park to park - this means you have 3 full days to go from park ONLY 3 days and they must be used within a 14 day time period - meaning you can use 2 days this week and 1 day next week etc. Its not unlimited visits during the 14 days.

Just keep an eye on the names of the tickets for clarity.

3-Day Park-to-Park is as SYDCOLEMOM described.

3-Park Unlimited is as chmurf and macraven described. FYI, These have an expiration date on them and must be used in 2016.

 

[Cars2006]

if you are asking about the tickets that Undercover Tourist is selling for 3 day unlimited park to park - this means you have 3 full days to go from park ONLY 3 days and they must be used within a 14 day time period - meaning you can use 2 days this week and 1 day next week etc. Its not unlimited visits during the 14 days.

Thank you

 

[Cars2006]

Thank you all for you answers. Didn't know about the Wet Wild shutting down. Didn't realized that parking is going to be almost as a single day parking ticket.

yes.

you could go to the parks for a couple of hours in the evening every day during your stay after visiting around orlando, if you wanted to

but remember that there is a parking charge at Citywalk (Universal's parking lot).
you'll pay $20 for each day you visit the parks
if you're only going for 4 days, that will be $80 on parking charges alone, and if you're going, even for a couple of hours every day, you're looking at $180 in parking alone ... ouch ...

you might want to consider getting a preferred pass (annual pass) for one of you, to get free parking and discounts on merch and food.
you'd only need one pass, and the other party member could get unlimited 14 days tickets.

do the maths, and see what fits your party best.

Thanks everyone for your answers everyone was very helpful. I might do as chmurf said and just buy one preferred annual pass and the rest the 14 day passes. I know we won't be going back next year visiting my aunt in St. Thomas so I don't want to go overboard on the tickets that we won't be able to use.

 

[dja14]

I bought the unlimited tickets and 1 annual pass. We are going to be in the area for 2 weeks, family of 5, offsite. I don't know that we will go to the park every day but we like shorter park days and so I know we will go most of the days. I bought the annual pass because of parking fees and then with food discounts too it more than pays for the difference for 1. At the very least it is like prepaying for parking (except the first day)

 

[hydrotony]

Since you have a car, drive to the cab hub area and get out and walk up to the park and activate the Preferred AP before driving into garage. Go back to car and go park without paying since PAP is already activated. To be clear, the PAP holder is a car passenger and the driver needs to drive around and bide time until the PAP holder is done and needs to be picked up. You can't park and wait at the drop off area.

 

[Cars2006]

Since you have a car, drive to the cab hub area and get out and walk up to the park and activate the Preferred AP before driving into garage. Go back to car and go park without paying since PAP is already activated. To be clear, the PAP holder is a car passenger and the driver needs to drive around and bide time until the PAP holder is done and needs to be picked up. You can't park and wait at the drop off area.

Cool Thanks