UO Plastic Annual Passes coming June 3

[Nick]

They are going to be trying a virtual line system at VB, aren't they? Which would require a band. I think after VB is open with their bands that they will start to move towards a band for all the parks and hotels. But I can see it slowly implemented. It just makes sense. The people who stay at WDW and then go to Universal see a huge tech downgrade when going to Universal. My friends said it was much more convenient at Disney because they didn't have to keep track of passes and stuff especially with the kids.

I will agree not having to keep track of passes is a big plus. I lost my Disney AP many months ago, but have never had a problem getting into the parks nor have I even bothered in getting a new pass.

Lost my Universal one a few weeks ago and had to wait in line for an hour for a new one. As I local, I love MM+, but I can see why people wouldn't.

 

[anihilnation]

Personally, I hope they'll eventually have app based entry as an option, they would just have to design the app so that it can work for everyone in your family on a single device.

 

[IzzyB]

I will agree not having to keep track of passes is a big plus. I lost my Disney AP many months ago, but have never had a problem getting into the parks nor have I even bothered in getting a new pass.

Lost my Universal one a few weeks ago and had to wait in line for an hour for a new one. As I local, I love MM+, but I can see why people wouldn't.

Agreed. The other nice thing is that each year you get a new band, but the old one still works. So if you lose a band it isn't the end of the world either. You can even just purchase a new one at the millions of locations that sell bands and not have to wait in long ticket lines.

I just don't understand why anyone would be against Universal doing a band system of some kind. I am not saying go as far as Disney did with all the ride interactions or FP, but I would think room entry, park entry, and express pass entry would be a pretty good start. If you want to tie room charges there is another thing. Make it optional (which WDW is optional too, just very few people opt out) and so for people who want it they can have it, for those that don't, they can keep their old pass. It won't cost Universal 2B, they don't waste money like Disney does.

Personally, I hope they'll eventually have app based entry as an option, they would just have to design the app so that it can work for everyone in your family on a single device.

I think this would be a good option, but shouldn't be the end all be all. If you have ever used a coupon on your phone you know how much this can slow things down with each phone being different. Also, some people STILL do not have smart phones and I think there should be an easy option for everyone. Also, this doesn't help with room entry.

 

[Nick]

Agreed. The other nice thing is that each year you get a new band, but the old one still works. So if you lose a band it isn't the end of the world either. You can even just purchase a new one at the millions of locations that sell bands and not have to wait in long ticket lines.

I just don't understand why anyone would be against Universal doing a band system of some kind. I am not saying go as far as Disney did with all the ride interactions or FP, but I would think room entry, park entry, and express pass entry would be a pretty good start. If you want to tie room charges there is another thing. Make it optional (which WDW is optional too, just very few people opt out) and so for people who want it they can have it, for those that don't, they can keep their old pass. It won't cost Universal 2B, they don't waste money like Disney does.



I think this would be a good option, but shouldn't be the end all be all. If you have ever used a coupon on your phone you know how much this can slow things down with each phone being different. Also, some people STILL do not have smart phones and I think there should be an easy option for everyone. Also, this doesn't help with room entry.

I will say that Universal has trained it's guests pretty well that when you stay at a Uni resort (also for HHN), you buy a protective cardholder to wear around your neck, put your room key and Express in there, and you never need to really worry about much throughout the trip. I could see a small/off the shelf test for bands though to see if there's a demand.

Out of everything, their app needs major improvements the most.

 

[anihilnation]

I think this would be a good option, but shouldn't be the end all be all. If you have ever used a coupon on your phone you know how much this can slow things down with each phone being different. Also, some people STILL do not have smart phones and I think there should be an easy option for everyone. Also, this doesn't help with room entry.

Agreed, definitly optional only. With phones they could NFC as well. Of course it would have to be designed where a family can do it through one phone.
And I know about scanning from a phone lol, CVS once gave me their app for reward card, so I am at the register and ended up using my physical card because the app one did not want to scan.

 

[IzzyB]

I will say that Universal has trained it's guests pretty well that when you stay at a Uni resort (also for HHN), you buy a protective cardholder to wear around your neck, put your room key and Express in there, and you never need to really worry about much throughout the trip. I could see a small/off the shelf test for bands though to see if there's a demand.

Out of everything, their app needs major improvements the most.

There app and website need major help. Maybe for people who go multiple trips a year they are trained. I am more talking about the people who go both to Disney and Uni. I never really thought of it until a post on here someone says does Uni seem behind the times and then my friend was talking to me and said how much more of a pain it is at Uni to keep track of the cards (they had express for 2 days) and how easy it was at Disney with the bands. So I have a feeling there is a lot of people out there that do both and those people would probably prefer the bands. I personally hate things around my neck, so I would never go down that route and since they were only staying two days they also did not want to purchase something like that. Especially since there was 4 of them and they would have to purchase 4 with express.

 

[tankart150]

Agreed. The other nice thing is that each year you get a new band, but the old one still works. So if you lose a band it isn't the end of the world either. You can even just purchase a new one at the millions of locations that sell bands and not have to wait in long ticket lines.

I just don't understand why anyone would be against Universal doing a band system of some kind. I am not saying go as far as Disney did with all the ride interactions or FP, but I would think room entry, park entry, and express pass entry would be a pretty good start. If you want to tie room charges there is another thing. Make it optional (which WDW is optional too, just very few people opt out) and so for people who want it they can have it, for those that don't, they can keep their old pass. It won't cost Universal 2B, they don't waste money like Disney does.



I think this would be a good option, but shouldn't be the end all be all. If you have ever used a coupon on your phone you know how much this can slow things down with each phone being different. Also, some people STILL do not have smart phones and I think there should be an easy option for everyone. Also, this doesn't help with room entry.

Also it could cost 3 billion Dollars

 

[IronFozzie]

Interesting. The lady really wanted to get the point across to me that next time would not be free. Wonder if they changed something recently and that is why she repeated it so many times? Maybe because they were Power Passes? Not sure.

The correct answer for annual pass reprints for a lost annual pass is there is a $10 reprint fee. Universal Guest Services waives the first reprint fee for the first reprint, but is supposed to charge any time after that because they want to encourage their guests to be "green". If the ticket is damaged and you bring the remnants to them they will reprint it free of charge.

 

[Nick]

The correct answer for annual pass reprints for a lost annual pass is there is a $10 reprint fee. Universal Guest Services waives the first reprint fee for the first reprint, but is supposed to charge any time after that because they want to encourage their guests to be "green". If the ticket is damaged and you bring the remnants to them they will reprint it free of charge.

Green my a--. They just want to make money and use bs excuses to charge. Guests are going to lose things. You wouldn't charge someone to get their phone back at lost and found.

 

[Frank Drackman]

My wife reads the UOAP Facebook...I wonder what they will find to complain about now

If you have a smart phone, you would almost be better off asking this website live and wait 15 minutes rather than asking a CM anything. Sure, there are some very good and capable ones, but you never know who they are. Many are just veggie brains.​

I get the best stories from team members though! I'm not even seeking the info, I have no idea why they seek me out, I think I just attract the cra-cra.

An example would be one HHN night. I wasn't in the mode to ride Mummy (more the locker thing than anything) so I was chilling in the park near Monsters cafe/twister will my wife and daughter rode when a TM that was cleaning up had asked me if I knew who was in the helicaptor that was circling around...I told him I had no clue...it went on to tell me it was Disney and how they count the crowd at UNI ever night of HHN by charting that helicopter every night so they can watch how UNI is doing.

I'm a gluten for punishment though. I have heard that the best thing you can do for a TM is to tell guest services if you got exceptional service so when someone really makes our day, we spend time in line to let GS know about.

 

[IronFozzie]

Green my a--. They just want to make money and use bs excuses to charge. Guests are going to lose things. You wouldn't charge someone to get their phone back at lost and found.

I would argue Universal is trying to be more green than some other places. That's why their tickets currently are all made out of recycled paper and are 100% biodegradable. There's a recycle bin next to every trash can in the park and Universal has made significant efforts throughout the years to be a more green company. This goes back to when they were partially owned by General Electric.

Also, Universal (and all other Theme Parks), is not responsible for lost or stolen property, as is clearly stated on your ticket and in the park.

 

[Nick]

I would argue Universal is trying to be more green than some other places. That's why their tickets currently are all made out of recycled paper and are 100% biodegradable. There's a recycle bin next to every trash can in the park and Universal has made significant efforts throughout the years to be a more green company. This goes back to when they were partially owned by General Electric.

All of that is good and well. But just because someone may forget their pass in a locker (as I did a few weeks ago) you're going to tell me after spending $400+ on the pass, I have to pay $10 or I don't get back in? THAT has nothing to do with being green.

 

[IronFozzie]

All of that is good and well. But just because someone may forget their pass in a locker (as I did a few weeks ago) you're going to tell me after spending $400+ on the pass, I have to pay $10 or I don't get back in? THAT has nothing to do with being green.

So you're telling me when you lose your $900 iPhone by leaving it in a locker you expect AT&T to replace it free of charge? Universal allows you have the first reprint for free currently, which I think is generous. I, however, don't see this trend continuing once the new plastic passes are issued. I expect the plastic passes to come with a fee for reprinting due to cost of materials.

 

[Brian G.]

Also want to chime in that the rule is not strictly enforced. They can do it, but most can and do let it slide. It's more of a way to detract people who lose it 3 times a month.

 

[Nick]

So you're telling me when you lose your $900 iPhone by leaving it in a locker you expect AT&T to replace it free of charge? Universal allows you have the first reprint for free currently, which I think is generous. I, however, don't see this trend continuing once the new plastic passes are issued. I expect the plastic passes to come with a fee for reprinting due to cost of materials.

No, but if lost and found finds it (which they most certainly should since it was in a locker), I expect to get it back with no fee. And there's quite a difference between a $900 phone and a ticket that costs a few cents to print.

 

[fryoj]

They probably are paying a dime apiece for these cards. Maybe as much as a quarter. They aren't going to be expensive for them to make.

 

[IronFozzie]

No, but if lost and found finds it (which they most certainly should since it was in a locker), I expect to get it back with no fee. And there's quite a difference between a $900 phone and a ticket that costs a few cents to print.

Who's to say you lost in a locker? If you know where it was lost why not going back to the locker to retrieve it? There's no telling that it was actually lost in the locker it could have fallen out along the pathway and been swept up. Also, if you lost it in the locker, did you check with lost and found to see if anything was turned in?

 

[IronFozzie]

They probably are paying a dime apiece for these cards. Maybe as much as a quarter. They aren't going to be expensive for them to make.

I've heard the old plastic passes were quite expensive to actually print, which along with being owned partially by GE is the reason why the plastic passes were phased out to begin with.

 

[Teebin]

I've heard the old plastic passes were quite expensive to actually print, which along with being owned partially by GE is the reason why the plastic passes were phased out to begin with.

I completely believe this. Back then, the tech was not everywhere and the product was more of a monopoly.

 

[Nick]

Who's to say you lost in a locker? If you know where it was lost why not going back to the locker to retrieve it? There's no telling that it was actually lost in the locker it could have fallen out along the pathway and been swept up. Also, if you lost it in the locker, did you check with lost and found to see if anything was turned in?

I went and got a new pass. And yes it was where it was lost as I had it immediately before, but not after. You're severely detracting from the point though. No sense in wasting my time when you don't want to do anything but be argumentative over a small thing.