Universal on a Budget

[Kevin38]

I wanted to start a thread where new people could look for Information on how to visit Universal without breaking the bank.

1: Buy Annual Passes The more you go the more you save.Buy 1 Preferred Pass for the discounts and parking.The first trip get a close hotel and/or shuttle the first day.I walked from Days Inn on Caravan Court.Also try to stagger the passes so they all don't renew same month.Buy Power Passes for others in your party.(check the blackout dates)You can renew and upgrade them at the end of their year for preferred for less than power pass cost.

2: Eat breakfast before you arrive McDonalds is just outside park and has a Dollar menu.
Bring a cooler with sandwich stuff or whatever you like to eat .You can leave in the Car and tailgate for lunch or even bring small cooler in the park and eat inside with great scenery .

3: Buy refillable Cup (not freestyle) I have the red one and have been refilling for about a buck for two years.Get the refillable popcorn bucket also.
Refills say only for day of purchase but I have never been turned away or even asked when refilling early in the day.One more thing about drinks in park you can ask for water in a cup at no charge anyplace with drinks.But you can refill any cup with Ice and water at all freestyle machines.

4: Eat in Hotel at night the place I stay has a microwave and fridges.
There are some cheap eats around CiCi's Buffet .Golden Corral Ect.
Also my kids love walmart/target/publics 8 piece fried chicken with sides.

5: With all the money you saved take everyone out one night to one of the City walk Restaurants with your annual pass you just covered the most of the tip with your discount

6: When you go at busy times get in early ride the rides you like and leave by 1 or 2 go to hotel and relax in the pool till 6 or 7 If the park is open till 10 go back then for end of night rides .See all the people going opposite of you those are people no longer in front of you :happy:

 

[Hockeyman55]

I wanted to start a thread where new people could look for Information on how to visit Universal without breaking the bank.

1: Buy Annual Passes The more you go the more you save.Buy 1 Preferred Pass for the discounts and parking.The first trip get a close hotel and/or shuttle the first day.I walked from Days Inn on Caravan Court.Also try to stagger the passes so they all don't renew same month.Buy Power Passes for others in your party.(check the blackout dates)You can renew and upgrade them at the end of their year for preferred for less than power pass cost.

2: Eat breakfast before you arrive McDonalds is just outside park and has a Dollar menu.
Bring a cooler with sandwich stuff or whatever you like to eat .You can leave in the Car and tailgate for lunch or even bring small cooler in the park and eat inside with great scenery .

3: Buy refillable Cup (not freestyle) I have the red one and have been refilling for about a buck for two years.Get the refillable popcorn bucket also.
Refills say only for day of purchase but I have never been turned away or even asked when refilling early in the day.One more thing about drinks in park you can ask for water in a cup at no charge anyplace with drinks.But you can refill any cup with Ice and water at all freestyle machines.

4: Eat in Hotel at night the place I stay has a microwave and fridges.
There are some cheap eats around CiCi's Buffet .Golden Corral Ect.
Also my kids love walmart/target/publics 8 piece fried chicken with sides.

5: With all the money you saved take everyone out one night to one of the City walk Restaurants with your annual pass you just covered the most of the tip with your discount

6: When you go at busy times get in early ride the rides you like and leave by 1 or 2 go to hotel and relax in the pool till 6 or 7 If the park is open till 10 go back then for end of night rides .See all the people going opposite of you those are people no longer in front of you :happy:

You really can't go wrong with the APs and its not bad if you pay monthly. If you go often the money you save with the AP almost pays for itself

I don't know if they still do this but last year and earlier in the year if you spent so much money in the gift shop you got a $10 Universal gift card, think it was around $50 but not 100% sure.

 

[Mad Dog]

AP's are the best trick.. When I go in Sept., that'll be my third vacation using this 12 month AP. I'll have received 35 days in the parks plus an additional on site hotel discount that basically paid for the two passes. Plus merchandise & food discounts.....We bring some wine & liquor with us, which considerably cuts down how much alcohol we buy in the parks.

 

[TylerDurden]

You really can't go wrong with the APs and its not bad if you pay monthly. If you go often the money you save with the AP almost pays for itself

I don't know if they still do this but last year and earlier in the year if you spent so much money in the gift shop you got a $10 Universal gift card, think it was around $50 but not 100% sure.

Yeah it used to be that if you spent $50 or more before tax you got a free $10 gift card...but that promotion is no longer in effect.

 

[Kevin38]

I can't pay monthly because not a Florida resident .
But if you have to buy 3 passes buy them ahead of time (one a month if you have too )
Then they will all go live the first day in park
Then on renewal, renew one 30 days early,renew one on date of expire,renew 3rd 28 days after.
Since you have a 30 day window (heard of people renew after but you have to ask and they could say no)

I also realized I did not say parking will not be included on first day (or without pass in hand)
That was why I mentioned walking or shuttle first day.

 

[s8film40]

I can't pay monthly because not a Florida resident .

The Universal website does show the FlexPay option for Non-Florida Resident passes.

 

[natespf]

The Universal website does show the FlexPay option for Non-Florida Resident passes.

FlexPay is not available for non-resident Power Passes, but it can be used on Preferred or Premier.

 

[Kevin38]

The Universal website does show the FlexPay option for Non-Florida Resident passes.

Requires $157.09 down payment for flex pay. My Renewal rate is 169.00 (unless it went up)
So for 12.00 more I get the whole year.Power Passes are not available for out of state and are about 60.00 more than down payment.I was trying to show than you can do Universal on a budget .

 

[Teknik_DC2]

Power passes are avalible out of state as I bought my wife one last year (i live in Utah). Although as it's been said there is no flexpay option for the powerpass for out of staters but I did do flexpay on my preferred pass.

We went to the parks again last month and upgraded my wife to a preferred pass as well. Our annual passes expire in September but if I understand correctly since my pass is on flexpay it will continue to be charged monthly right? Since my wife didn't do flexpay since she has a preferred pass as well now will we have the option to switch her to flexpay in September or do I have to pay her whole renewal fee? Also could I possibly switch her back to the power pass?

 

[jtsalien]

Do APs run on a calendar year? I've never really bothered looking into them before, but I am going this December and may be back in June of 2015. Do the passes start on the first do you use them, or the first calendar day of the year?

 

[Hockeyman55]

Do APs run on a calendar year? I've never really bothered looking into them before, but I am going this December and may be back in June of 2015. Do the passes start on the first do you use them, or the first calendar day of the year?

As of the start of 2015 they will be based on a Klingon calendar year

 

[jtsalien]

As of the start of 2015 they will be based on a Klingon calendar year

Can anyone translate from Klingon for me then? :shrug:

 

[sjago13]

Can anyone translate from Klingon for me then? :shrug:

Tha are good for a year from first use.

 

[s8film40]

Can anyone translate from Klingon for me then? :shrug:

[video=youtube_share;nn1VjbJtx-4]http://youtu.be/nn1VjbJtx-4[/video]

 

[Cole]

Am I the only person here that brings his own meals to the parks sometimes? That gets a TON of money off your budget

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

Am I the only person here that brings his own meals to the parks sometimes? That gets a TON of money off your budget

I was not under the impression you could bring foo into UNI or the Busch Parks.

- - - Updated - - -

Buy an AP outright if you can.

Premiere if you can. The Value of it is worth it an if you come more than at least 3 times a year. I've been 30 times this year already since Feb when I got mine.

 

[Lucky Planet]

yeah I think I remember being able to bring sandwiches and chips inside Uni. I don't know if they still allow it but that's definitely a life saver.

Also when going to disney what we would do is buy limes and then ask for water at the park and make our own lemonade (you just cut the lemon with a plastic fork from the restaurant)
sometimes that saves the trouble of bringing in cups with drinks or bottles (Specially because sometimes they think it might be booze)
Sometimes I bring croissants, cheese or apples too. It's great.

 

[graspthesun]

As long as the food doesn't require heating or refrigeration, my understanding is that it is allowed in the park.

 

[Hockeyman55]

We bring food in for our kids a lot of the times and havent had any problems. Maybe they cut us slack since its all packed in a diaper bag since we have little ones

 

[traveller]

Power passes are avalible out of state as I bought my wife one last year (i live in Utah). Although as it's been said there is no flexpay option for the powerpass for out of staters but I did do flexpay on my preferred pass.

We went to the parks again last month and upgraded my wife to a preferred pass as well. Our annual passes expire in September but if I understand correctly since my pass is on flexpay it will continue to be charged monthly right? Since my wife didn't do flexpay since she has a preferred pass as well now will we have the option to switch her to flexpay in September or do I have to pay her whole renewal fee? Also could I possibly switch her back to the power pass?

Yes your pass will automatically renew, Ive been on flex pay since 04.your wifes pass is paid for so it will end one year from the first day of use. You can renew it or just let it expire and buy another one
using flex pay.