AP food discout and lounge questions

[cab0ad]

Going in May and staying at Portofino. We will buy AP's for room discount but we are figuring out what tier to get. Trying to decide between the cheapest vs the Preferred for the food discount. We will be staying 7 nights and eating all meals in the park, CityWalk, or at our hotel.

I can't find details about the discounts given for people who have an AP that is Preferred or Premier tiered. What is the discount? Are they different amounts for the Preferred/Premier levels? Where can I get a list of restraunts I can use a Preferred AP to get a discount at?

Also, there used to be an American Express lounge near the Shrek exit that you could use if you purchased your AP with your American Express card. Is it still there and operational? I also read somewhere that there may be an AP lounge somewhere. Is that for all AP tiers? Can you get free bottled water there?

Thanks so much for your help!

 

[macraven]

AP discounts for preferred were 10% last time I was in the park
higher discount for premier holders

AP pass holder lounge did not give out free drinks but can be purchased

 

[CAPSLOCK]

They hide the AP benefits, but dig through the website and you can find the page eventually:
https://www.universalorlando.com/we...pass&hash-id-preferredpasstabheader-tabheader
The AP lounge is some indoor chairs, some AP lanyards for sale, and bottled beverages for sale. Not really even worth a peek IMO.

 

[hmcater]

The discount for premier is 15%.

 

[FoxC63]

Going in May and staying at Portofino. We will buy AP's for room discount but we are figuring out what tier to get. Trying to decide between the cheapest vs the Preferred for the food discount. We will be staying 7 nights and eating all meals in the park, CityWalk, or at our hotel.

Just saying, you have a few months before your trip to buy discounted gift cards for food, be sure to check out the Gift Card thread! And have a great vacation!

 

[cab0ad]

Thank you all! So the AP lounge isn't that great. The website still has the American Express lounge listed as being open. Can anyone verify that for me? I didn't know if COVID changed anything. We loved stopping there to charge our phones and grab free water last time we were there.

 

[TommyJK]

Thank you all! So the AP lounge isn't that great. The website still has the American Express lounge listed as being open. Can anyone verify that for me? I didn't know if COVID changed anything. We loved stopping there to charge our phones and grab free water last time we were there.

It's not longer the American Express lounge. It changed to the Coca-Cola Lounge a little while back. There's no free water. There is coke that you can buy (from a chiller that turns it into slush). They had free snacks (chips or granola bars) but from what I've read they've stopped giving those out since Covid.

Edit. Sorry, it seems that the Amex lounge still exists, but it's different than the Coca-Cola AP lounge. Amex lounge is accessible to those who bought tickets using their Amex. The Coca-Cola lounge is for anyone that has an AP

 

[cab0ad]

Oh, I thought there were now 2 lounges: American Express and AP holders. Well, darn. We stopped by the AE one daily for those free bottles of water in lieu of purchasing too many drinks. Good to know ahead of time that doesn't happen anymore.

 

[TommyJK]

Oh, I thought there were now 2 lounges: American Express and AP holders. Well, darn. We stopped by the AE one daily for those free bottles of water in lieu of purchasing too many drinks. Good to know ahead of time that doesn't happen anymore.

Edited my post. It appears both lounges exists. But the Amex one is for those who bought their tickets with Amex and the other is for AP's.

 

[ClapYourHands]

Of course, you can always buy your AP with your Amex, and use both!

The premier AP costs $90 more than the seasonal AP. With a 10% discount on food and merchandise, you'd need to spend $900 to recoup the extra $90 you spent on the premier. Also realize that in restaurants, the discount applies only to food and non-alcoholic beverages - you'll still pay full price to get your booze on! But if you think you might spend that much, and/or you anticipate using some of the other benefits from the pass (like free parking), you can buy just one premier AP, and have that person do all the purchasing for the group. You don't all need to have the same pass level.

 

[policycobb]

This is for Preferred. I looked it up yesterday.

Preferred Annual Pass Benefits

10% Off The Following:

• All Universal Orlando owned and operated restaurants and carts (excluding alcoholic beverages)
• All Universal Orlando owned and operated merchandise stores and carts
• Airbrush Studios
• Amber Treasures
• American Rock Climbing
• Fa-Zen Caricatures
• Kaman's Art (face painting and custom name art only)
• Lomac (Hair Wraps only)
• My Universal Photos (excludes packages)
• Mythical Metals
• Star Souls (Psychic Readings)
• $1 off per Coca-Cola Freestyle® additional day recharge
• Passholder Game Play Pass - $25 for 6 game plays (one additional play for free)

Universal Orlando Owned and Operated Restaurants and Carts
Universal Studios Florida

• Auntie Anne’s Pretzels
• Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream
• Fast Food Boulevard
• Finnegan’s Bar & Grill
• Cafe La Bamba
• Leaky Cauldron™
• Florean Fortescue’s Ice-Cream Parlour
• The Fountain of Fair Fortune
• The Hopping Pot
• Lombard’s Seafood Grille
• San Francisco Pastry Company
• Louie’s Italian Restaurant
• Mel’s Drive-In
• Universal Studios’ Classic Monsters Café
• Richter’s Burger Co.
• Schwab’s Pharmacy
• Starbucks®
• TODAY Cafe

Universal’s Islands of Adventure

• Auntie Anne’s Pretzels
• Blondie’s
• The Burger Digs
• Cafe 4
• Captain America Diner®
• Chill Ice Cream
• Cinnabon®
• Circus McGurkus Cafe Stoo-pendous™
• Hop on Pop™ Ice Cream Shop
• Moose Juice, Goose Juice
• Comic Strip Cafe
• Cathy’s Ice Cream
• Confisco Grille
• Croissant Moon Bakery
• Cotton Candy
• Fire Eater’s Grill
• Oasis Coolers
• Mythos Restaurant
• Pizza Predattoria
• Starbucks®
• Three Broomsticks™
• Hog’s Head™ pub
• Thunder Falls Terrace
• Wimpy’s

Universal’s Volcano Bay

• Bambu
• Kohola Reef Restaurant & Social Club
• Koka Poroka Ice Cream Kona
• Whakawaiwai Eats
• Dancing Dragons Bar
• The Feasting Frog
• ICEE
• Kunuku Boat Bar
• Dippin Dots Cart
• Popcorn Cart
• Pretzel Cart
• Slush Cart

All dining discounts exclude alcoholic beverages, gratuity or tax. All dining discounts apply to food and non-alcoholic beverages only, except when otherwise noted.

Universal Owned and Operated Merchandising Stores and Carts
Universal Studios Florida

• Universal Studios Store
• Studios Sweets
• On Location
• It’s A Wrap
• Super Silly Stuff
• Supply Vault
• Central Production Cart
• Shrek’s Ye Olde Souvenir Shoppe
• Sahara Traders
• Park Plaza Holiday Shoppe
• Rosie’s Irish Shop
• The Tonight Shop
• Custom Gear
• San Fran Kiosk
• San Francisco Candy Factory
• The Film Vault
• Wiseacre’s Wizard Equipment
• Scribbulus
• Ollivanders™: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC
• Wands by Gregorovitch
• Gringotts™ Money Exchange
• Carkitt Market Cart
• Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions
• Magical Menagerie
• Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes
• Quality Quidditch™ Supplies
• Sugarplum’s Sweetshop
• Borgin and Burkes™
• Globus Mundi
• Owl Post™ & Owlery
• London Cart
• KWIK-E-MART
• MIB Gear
• Krusty Cart
• Duff Brewery Kiosk
• SpongeBob StorePants
• E.T.’s Toy Closet & Photo Spot
• KidZone Cart
• The Barney® Store
• Battery Park Cart
• Central Park Kiosk
• Betty Boop Store
• Hello Kitty
• Brown Derby Hat Shop
• Cyber Image
• Williams of Hollywood
• UOAP Lounge at Studios Styles

Universal’s Islands of Adventure

• Islands of Adventure Trading Company
• Ocean Trader Market
• Port Provisions
• Island Market and Export Candy Shoppe
• Port of Entry Christmas Shoppe
• Port Merchant Carts
• IOA Vending
• Cats, Hats & Things™
• Mulberry Street Store
• Dr. Seuss Book Shop
• Snookers & Snookers Sweet Candy Cookers
• Filch’s Emporium™ of Confiscated Goods
• Dervish and Banges™
• Ollivanders™: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC
• Owl Post™ & Owlery
• Treasures of Poseidon
• Hippogriff Cart
• Honeydukes™
• Ollivanders™ Wand Cart
• Shop of Wonders
• Historic Families – Heraldry
• Lucky Eye Cart
• Skull Island Cart
• Jurassic Outfitters
• Dinostore
• Triceratops Cart
• Wossamotta U
• Gasoline Alley
• Betty Boop Store
• Toon Extra
• Sweet Haven Cart
• Bluto’s Cart
• Ripsaw Cart
• Marvel Alterniverse Store®
• Spider-Man Shop
• Comic Book Shop
• Hulk Cart
• Boutique

Universal’s Volcano Bay

• Waturi Marketplace
• Krakatoa Katy’s
• Toucan Cart
• Piranha Cart
• Monkey Cart

 

[CheriePenguin]

--[I abbreviated the quote...]--

Preferred Annual Pass Benefits

10% Off The Following:

• All Universal Orlando owned and operated restaurants and carts (excluding alcoholic beverages)
• All Universal Orlando owned and operated merchandise stores and carts

Universal Orlando Owned and Operated Restaurants and Carts
Universal Studios Florida

• Leaky Cauldron™
• Florean Fortescue’s Ice-Cream Parlour

Universal’s Islands of Adventure

• Mythos Restaurant
• Three Broomsticks™
• Hog’s Head™ pub

Universal Owned and Operated Merchandising Stores and Carts
Universal Studios Florida

• Universal Studios Store
• Ollivanders™: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC
• Wands by Gregorovitch
• Gringotts™ Money Exchange
• Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions
• Magical Menagerie
• Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes
• Quality Quidditch™ Supplies
• Sugarplum’s Sweetshop
• Borgin and Burkes™

Universal’s Islands of Adventure

• Filch’s Emporium™ of Confiscated Goods
• Ollivanders™: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC
• Owl Post™ & Owlery
• Honeydukes™
• Ollivanders™ Wand Cart

Thank you - this is awesome!
But does this mean that the AP discount IS GOOD at Ollivander's and other Wizarding World stores? I thought there weren't discounts there.

 

[shawthorne44]

We got the preferred discount on HP stuff. Vague memory says that there might have been a minimum $ amount.