annual pass question

[jim o'reilly]

My family (Me, my wife and our daughter) are planning a trip to universal for 8 days. We are interested in getting annual passes and noticed that the only difference between the power pass and the preferred pass is the 10% discount at the restaurants and shops.

My question is this: Can I purchase a Preferred pass for myself and then purchase two Power pass for my family to save the $65 x 2 ($130)? Will they let me use my preferred pass at the restaurants, even though my family has the power pass (and no 10% discount)?

 

[DoryGirl1963]

I think the Power pass has some block out dates around Christmas & Easter, but if you're dates aren't affected by that, then that would definitely work.

 

[ClapYourHands]

Another major difference is free parking. Preferred gets free standard parking after your first visit (you have to activate the pass before free parking works). If you’re not driving, no biggie, but this was the reason we bought 7 seasonal passes and 1 preferred.

As long as you have your preferred pass, you can pay the whole bill at a discount; they don’t “card” the whole party. You can buy merchandise for your whole family with the discount, but you have to be there (so you can’t hand off your pass to your wife and not go into the store with her).

There are more blackout dates for power and fewer dates when you qualify for early park admission (if you stay on site you get EPA no matter what your pass level, but if you stay offsite the EPA from your pass can be a perk). I believe Power is also blocked out from UO on most concert dates (but you can go to IoA during those times). So basically just make sure the dates you are planning to go work for the lowest level of pass in your party, and you’re fine. You might even want to check and see if seasonal passes would work for the rest of your family.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

I did just what you're suggesting - I upgraded to the Preferred AP & my friend had a Seasonal AP, but the one AP got us all the discounts. I've definitely handed my AP to my friend to shop while I rode Rip Ride Rocket, and that worked just fine. IME you can hand your pass to the person buying merchandise (or paying at the restaurant) - they scan the card for the discount but don't ask for ID to confirm you're the person on the AP. The exception is parking - they ask to see ID that matches the AP. And obviously park entry... No need for multiple Preferred APs in your party if the blockout dates do not apply.

 

[ajsamett]

Can confirm that Universal is much more relaxed about who has the discount. I've frequently passed my pass off to friends when they run for popcorn or walked over to have them scan my pass at checkout and walked away while friend paid.