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Universal Orlando Discounts and DealsLAST UPDATE: 1/13/10 - MOST RECENT ADDITIONS ARE IN REDUniversal Orlando includes two amazing theme parks, Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. You can easily spend two or more days exploring them. Fortunately, Universal offers many, many discounts and special offers, which change constantly. On this page you'll find how to get a discount on your tickets, hotel, meals, merchandise and lots more! So what's Universal Orlando really like? My husband Mike has written about our most recent visit to Universal. Click here to read his report. Jump to: Admission Discounts & DealsJump to:
Advance Purchase Tickets Online Save on the gate prices of multi-day tickets when you order online at the Universal Studios web site. You can print them yourself or use electronic pickup (go to the park and get them out of a machine) and avoid shipping charges. However, all tickets purchased online incur a "convenience fee," even if you print them yourself. For that reason it's often a better deal to buy your tickets elsewhere, such as through Undercover Tourist. Undercover Tourist is a highly reliable ticket broker that sells discounted Universal tickets. Undercover Tourist prices include tax and FREE shipping, so be sure to account for that when comparing prices. Have some time before you need your tickets? Undercover Tourist offers its best deals on tickets exclusively for MouseSavers Newsletter subscribers. These special prices are not available to the general public and are not published here on MouseSavers.com. They are provided ONLY through a "secret" link in the monthly newsletter. Click here to subscribe to the FREE MouseSavers Newsletter. The newsletter comes out on the 15th of each month and I do not send out the "secret" link separately from the newsletter, so please plan ahead. This deeply discounted Annual Pass is popular with locals. It has blackout days (mainly summer weekends, Christmastime and Spring Break) and does not include parking or food/merchandise discounts.
All AAA and CAA members can save $4 on a 2-Day/2-Park ticket and $5 off a 3-Day/2-Park ticket when purchasing tickets at the gate. Valid for up to six people per membership card. AAA Advance Purchase Discounts Different AAA regions have different Universal offers. Some have great deals that are available to all US members; some have deals available only to local members; a few (particularly in the West) don't offer any Universal Orlando deals at all. Auto Club South offices in Florida, Georgia and western Tennessee allow AAA members from any region to purchase discounted Universal tickets on a walk-in basis (no phone orders). The Orlando office is located at 4300 East Colonial Drive. Call (407) 894-3333 for hours and directions. (They also have a web site, but only Auto Club South members can order online, and the prices are often higher online.) There are other AAA regions that offer similar prices (in a few cases, slightly better). The prices vary tremendously from region to region and change all the time, so contact your local AAA office to check. CAA Advance Purchase Discounts Canadians can get special pass discounts through the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA). Note that most offers are available to non-members (though there is sometimes a surcharge if you are not a member). Check with your local office for special offers. Kroger supermarkets in Orlando sometimes offer special deals on Universal tickets. The membership warehouse store Costco sometimes has great deals on Universal tickets.
At times Costco offers discounted tickets on its web site and you don't even have to be a Costco member to buy through the site. (Non-members pay a 5% surcharge, however.) There is a shipping charge, which varies. Fan Club membership is available from your employee services or Human Resources Department. Fan Club cards are issued through your employer and not to individuals. Fan Club members save 10% off tickets when purchased in advance. For more info, visit the Fan Club web site. Planning a "grand tour" of Orlando? Be sure to consider the Orlando FlexTicket, which includes 14 days of unlimited admission to both Universal theme parks and CityWalk, plus several other attractions. You can trade in Hilton HHonors points for free Universal Orlando tickets. It takes 55,000 points for an adult 1 Day/2 Park ticket and 40,000 points for a child 1 Day/2 Park ticket. 2 Park Unlimited tickets are also available at higher point levels. Click here to read about this award. Click here to read more about HHonors. Universal often has special ticket promotions for local residents. Click here to see what's currently being offered. Universal Orlando's Military Salute: FREE 2-Park Unlimited Admission Ticket for Active Duty/Retired Service Members, plus save on each ticket for family and friends. Offer available through 3/26/10. The complimentary and friend/family tickets are valid through 3/26/10. To get this offer, active duty and retired military personnel should check with their local MWR/ITT office or with Shades of Green at Walt Disney World. Thanks to Karen A for update. Universal is a part of NBC, which is a GE company. Any GE employee can get discounted Universal tickets via the internal NBC site under the Universal theme parks. Thanks to Nachum & Chana H for info. On-Site Hotel Discounts & DealsSee below for benefits of staying at the on-site Universal hotels. Prices quoted below do not include resort tax of 12.5% and are for "room only" reservations. Jump to: Expedia
The three Universal Orlando resorts are operated by Loews Hotels, so always check the Loews web site. Often you'll find special deals on the Universal Orlando resorts. Book Directly with Universal Resort Be sure to try calling the Universal Resort directly at (888) 322-5541 or (800) 837-2273 (or have your travel agent do so) and ask if there are any "promo" rates for the time of your stay. Often there are discounted rates available to the general public -- you just have to ask! Thanks to Danielle for info. All Access Club members get discounted rates at the Hard Rock Hotel, in addition to discounts and privileges at the Hard Rock Cafe. You might want to call the hotel first and see if you can get the discount before investing in the membership, which costs about $25. Call Universal Resort directly to book, or a travel agent can book this rate for you. Fan Club membership is available from your employee services or Human Resources Department. Fan Club cards are issued through your employer and not to individuals. Discount is up to 30% off. Call Universal Resort directly to book, and mention promo code FAN. Or go to the Loews web site, click the reservations link, and type FAN in the promo code box.You must show your Fan Club card at check-in. The AAA discount is usually available, but the amount of the discount varies by season. Call Universal Resort directly to book, or a travel agent can book this rate for you. The official Universal Orlando hotels (Portofino Bay Hotel, Hard
Rock Hotel and Royal Pacific Resort) sometimes show up on Hotwire Hotwire Although the names of the hotels aren't listed, currently it's
fairly easy to tell if it's a Universal Orlando hotel being offered
in the Hotwire
Remember, this information is subject to change and there is
never any absolute guarantee that you'll get a specific hotel
when using Hotwire Florida, Georgia and Alabama Resident Discount A discount for local residents is not always available, and varies by season. At times this may be the deepest discount available. Call Universal Resort directly to book, or a travel agent can book this rate for you. Florida residents should ask for discount code FLO -- you won't necessarily get the best discounts just by going to the Florida Resident section of the Universal site or calling without the code. Discounts for Annual Passholders are not always available, and vary by season, but sometimes these are excellent deals. Call Universal Resort directly to book Annual Passholder rates, or a travel agent can book these rates for you. Or go to the Loews web site, click the reservations link, and type APH in the promo code box. You must show your annual pass at check-in. Loews You First Member Benefits Loews operates the Royal Pacific and Portofino Bay hotels. If you will be booking a standard room rate at one of those two hotels, consider signing up for free Loews You First membership. Deeply discounted rates such as those for Annual Passholders and Florida residents don't apply for Loews You First benefits. The Loews You First program is a frequent stay program. Your first two stays only provide bonus American Express Membership Rewards points, so if you don't have an American Express card or don't plan to stay at a Loews Hotel again soon, don't bother signing up. The benefits really kick in after two stays in a Loews hotel: free Internet access, free fitness center access, room upgrades and late check-out. The You First Program does not apply at Hard Rock Hotel - for that hotel, see the All Access Club info. Hard Rock All Access Club members may qualify for hotel room upgrades at the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando. Upgrades are subject to availability, blackout periods and not available in conjunction with other discounts and promotions. All Access members must provide All Access membership information and request an upgrade when making the room reservation. Where applicable, upgrades are limited to the next category of room booked. Upgrades are not available on Club Level rooms and suites at the Hard Rock Hotel Orlando. Other limitations may apply. Contact the hotel for details. Membership in the All Access Club costs $24.95 plus shipping & handling. Other benefits of membership apply primarily to the Hard Rock Cafes. American Express Platinum Cardholder Benefits If you have an American Express® Platinum Card, you can book Loew's Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando through the Fine Hotels & Resorts (FHR) program*. By booking through this program, you get:
Note that the FHR rates are sometimes higher than rates you might find elsewhere -- you'll have to weigh that against the value of the extra benefits. *The FHR program is only available to those who have an American Express® Platinum Card. This charge card requires a substantial annual fee and is NOT the same as an American Express Platinum credit card, such as the Optima, Costco or SkyMiles Platinum cards, which do not qualify for FHR. Off-Site HotelIf you don't want to shell out for an official on-site Universal hotel, a less expensive option is Four Points by Sheraton Orlando Studio City. While this 3-star hotel is not in the same category as the 4-star and 5-star on-site hotels, it is perfectly decent (especially considering the low rates), offers an outdoor heated pool, and has some fun Art Deco movie studio theming that will put you in that "Universal Studios" mood. Some rooms have views of Universal. Standard rooms are spacious (about 460 sq ft) and offer two very comfy Queen-sized Sweep Sleeper beds. The hotel is very close to Universal Orlando but is located across a busy Interstate highway, so you can't easily walk to the parks. However, there is free shuttle service to and from Universal multiple times during the day. There is also a free shuttle to SeaWorld, which is not far away, and to Disney. (To use the shuttles, be sure to collect a ticket from the front desk.) Wet 'n' Wild water park is right across the street and you can easily walk to many restaurants. Dining, Entertainment & Merchandise DiscountsJump to: Meal Deal (All You Can Eat Pass) Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure offer a Meal Deal (aka the All You Can Eat Pass) that allows you to eat at selected counter-service restaurants all day long for a flat rate. Prices: Adults (one park) $19.99 plus tax Adults (two park) $23.99 plus tax There are no additional discounts on this pass. Each time you order, you can choose an entree platter and a dessert. On this plan, you can eat as often as you wish during the day starting at 10:30 am, so no breakfast. The pass is good until 30 minutes prior to park closing. Beverages are not included. However, you can purchase a Meal Deal Souvenir Cup along with the Meal Deal for $8.99 plus tax and get unlimited fountain drink refills all day. If you eat two full counter-service meals per day, selecting the more expensive entrees and eating dessert at each meal, you may save a dollar or two with the Meal Deal. Otherwise, the Meal Deal is not really worth it unless you'll eat three meals between 10:30 am and 30 minutes prior to closing. It's probably best for teenagers and others with "bottomless pit" type appetites. Also, be aware that lines in the few participating restaurants (see below for list) can be extremely long, particularly during peak seasons. Since you have to go through the line each time you want to order, this can take up a lot of your day. It also makes it time-consuming to just pop into one of the counter-service locations for a quick snack. Participating restaurants at Universal Studios:
Participating restaurants at Islands of Adventure:
The Meal Deal is available at park ticket booths, Dining and Information carts at Citywalk, Universal Studios, and IOA, and selected stores (Universal Studio Store, Sahara Traders, Islands of Adventure Trading Company and Marvel Alterniverse). You will be given a wristband, which is how they make sure only one person uses the pass. No sharing or takeout allowed.
Members of the American Automobile Association (AAA) or the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) save 10% at select dining and merchandise locations in the two Universal theme parks (savings not available at food or merchandise carts and does not apply to tobacco, candy, film, collectibles and sundry items). AAA members also save 10% at CityWalk (discount on food, non-alcoholic drinks and merchandise at all Universal Studios CityWalk Orlando restaurants with the exception of Emeril's Restaurant). Applies to member and immediate family (up to 6 people). Show your membership card to get the discount. American Express cardholders save on merchandise and dining at Universal Orlando:
Purchase must be made with any American Express Card to be eligible. Holders of the Preferred Annual Pass (but not the Annual Power Pass) get a host of meal, merchandise and entertainment discounts. Hard Rock All Access Club members get a $20 credit for each $200 they spend at the Orlando Hard Rock Cafe and Hard Rock Hotel restaurants, as well as at many other Hard Rock Cafes. They also get first available/preferred seating at most Hard Rock Cafes. Membership costs $24.95 plus shipping & handling. Get a coupon for a FREE smoothie (with purchase of an entree) at Bubba Gump in CityWalk for answering a short survey. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other special offer or coupon. One coupon per table. Coupon usually has about a 3-month expiration date, so wait until shortly before your trip to do this. Click here to complete the survey. (Printable coupon appears on next page after you answer survey.) Blue Man Group Ticket Discounts Experience the new face of today's entertainment at Universal Orlando Resort with Blue Man Group. Their unique form of entertainment that combines music, comedy and multimedia theatrics to create a blissful party atmosphere that people of all ages agree is a totally outrageous experience. Regular prices if you purchase your Blue Man Group tickets at the theater box office or through Blue Man Group Call Center at 407-BLUE-MAN:
*The children's price is a substantial discount off regular prices and is available for shows through 12/19/09. Children under 3 are free but must sit on a parent's lap. Regular prices if you purchase your Blue Man Group tickets in advance, directly from Universal:
*The children's price is a substantial discount off regular prices and is available for shows through 12/19/09. Children under 3 are free but must sit on a parent's lap. The Orlando/Orange County Convention and Visitors' Bureau offers discounted tickets on its web site. With this offer, you are not able to select your actual seats. You are guaranteed Tier 1 or Tier 2, but you won't find out your actual seats until they email you back with your confirmation number.
There is always a 10% discount for Universal Orlando Annual Passholders when even better deals aren't being offered. The discount can be obtained through the Blue Man Group box office at Universal or by calling 407-BLUEMAN. It is not available online. Thanks to Jackie for info. Florida Pre-K-12 public school personnel can get discounted Blue Man Group tickets. Click here for more information (scroll down). Military personnel can get discounted Blue Man Group tickets for performances through 12/20/09. You must purchase through your local ITT/ITR office. Click here for more information (see second page). Getting to Universal from Walt Disney WorldThe cheapest way is usually to rent a car for one day. Click on the link to learn more about how to do this. You can get a one-day rental for as little as $30 plus tax, which is much cheaper than the other options and gives you tons more flexibility. If you don't want to rent a car, other options are a taxi (about $35 each way plus tip) or a limo, which will be expensive but could be worthwhile if you have a large enough group to split the costs. Another option is Mears Shuttle, which offers scheduled, shared shuttle service between Disney World and Universal that operates a few times each day. This option can cost as much as a taxi and can be inconvenient due to the time schedule, which is not flexible. Technically you could take the city bus. This is really cheap but not recommended. It takes about 1.5 hours each way from Disney's Transportation & Ticket Center to Universal and requires you to change buses at the Central Station, which is very sketchy. Parking DealsRegular Parking Prices Daily self-parking is $12 for cars, vans and motorcycles; $15 for RVs and trailers. Preferred parking is available for cars at a higher rate. Valet parking is $20 for cars and vans. Discounts/Deals on Parking If you leave and return on the same day, present your parking receipt and you won't have to pay again. Self-parking is $3 after 6:00 pm (except on special event nights). Preferred Annual Passholders get FREE self-parking and reduced-price valet parking at the theme parks every day. Premier Annual Passholders get FREE preferred self-parking and FREE valet parking (except on holidays & special events) at the theme parks every day. Universal Express Ride Access and Universal Express PlusUniversal Express Ride Access - For Universal's Hotel Guests Only Guests staying at Universal's hotels (Royal Pacific Resort, Hard Rock Hotel and Portofino Bay Hotel) receive special theme park privileges including Universal Express Ride Access at both Universal Orlando theme parks. This fantastic benefit allows you to show your room key at the most popular attractions and use the Express entrance, which allows you to wait in special, shorter ride lines. In my opinion, the Universal Express Ride Access feature alone is worth any extra cost of staying on-site at Universal, because it allows you to get a lot more access to the attractions in a lot less time. On-site guests also get free transportation by boat and tram to and from the theme parks and CityWalk; priority seating at select Universal Orlando restaurants; package delivery to your hotel room; and use of hotel room key card to charge purchases. Something useful to know: if you stay ONE night at a Universal hotel, you can actually get TWO days of Express Ride Access. That's because you can check into your hotel as early as 7:00 am on the first day and collect your room key, which you can take into the park and begin using right away. (Your room almost certainly won't be ready that early, but the front desk will store your luggage and you can call or come back in the afternoon and get your room number.) The room key remains valid for Express Ride Access even after check-out on the second day: you can use it until the parks close that night. There are many different hotel discounts at Universal -- be sure to check them out. With the purchase of a regular-priced ticket or pass, you can pay an extra fee (which varies by season, $15-$45 per person) to get the Express Plus Pass. It gives you one entry through the Express entrance for each attraction that participates, with no pre-determined ride time and no need to pick up a pass for each attraction. I think this would be worth the extra money only at very peak times in the parks. New & Coming AttractionsHollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit Adrenaline pumping and music thumping, you find yourself heading straight toward the sky. Suddenly, you are doing 65 mph, 17 stories over Universal Studios. Gasping with excitement, you rock out to a song you picked before strapping in. And, it’s all on video. Once the adventure is over, you edit the video to send to your friends. This is true high-tech, customizable, multi-sensory entertainment. Officially open as of August 19, 2009, Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit stakes its claim as the most technologically advanced roller coaster in the world. The Universal Creative team has combined audio and special effects engineering, sophisticated on- and off-board video and one-of-a-kind guest personalization to create a roller coaster experience unlike any other. Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit touts six near-miss moments and first-ever thrills including a record-breaking loop. Ride vehicles feature the brightest and most innovative color changing LEDs in the world. High-energy visual displays fill the queue line. With up to four ride vehicles on the tracks at any given time, and with concert lighting and special effects mixed in, Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit is a truly high-intensity, multi-sensory experience. Guests can customize their ride experience by choosing what song will play while they’re on the roller coaster. LED boards in the queue lines display song options from five genres (classic rock, rap, country, pop and disco). Once on-board, guests can choose their song or let the coaster’s digital sound system choose for them. When the ride is over, guests can customize footage from their experience and compile it into a take-home music video. Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit is located near the Jimmy Neutron attraction, traveling the southern perimeter of the Universal Studios theme park, over to the CityWalk lagoon and back. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Warner Bros. and Universal Orlando are partnering to create the world’s first fully immersive Harry Potter themed environment. Envisioned as a "theme park within a theme park" and titled "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter," the new environment will become part of the experience within Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme park at the Universal Orlando Resort. Inspired by J.K. Rowling’s compelling stories and characters – and faithful to the visual landscapes of the films -- "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter" will provide a one-of-a-kind opportunity to experience the magical world of Harry and his friends. The fully immersive, themed land will enable guests to visit some of the most iconic locations found in the books and the films including the village of Hogsmeade, the mysterious Forbidden Forest, and even Hogwarts castle itself. "The plans I've seen look incredibly exciting, and I don't think fans of the books or films will be disappointed," said J.K. Rowling. Scheduled to open in Spring 2010, the new environment will feature immersive rides and interactive attractions, as well as experiential shops and restaurants that will enable guests to sample fare from the wizarding world’s best known establishments. Also debuting will be a state-of-the-art attraction that will bring the magic, characters and stories of Harry Potter to life in an exciting way that guests have never before experienced. The Academy Award-winning production designer Stuart Craig, who has worked to bring the world of Harry Potter to life in all of the feature films to date, leads the creative design for the area to ensure it remains faithful to the look and feel of the films. Want more details? Wondering what it will look like? Watch this "first look" video. Annual Special EventsJump to:
Check out the full calendar of current and upcoming special events at Universal Orlando. For 2010, Mardi Gras at Universal Studios will be offered each Saturday night and select other nights between February 6 - April 17. The main attraction is parade with authentic floats, which usually starts about 8:00 pm. Beads are thrown to the crowd. No "flashing" takes place, as in the real New Orleans Mardi Gras -- this is a family-friendly event! After the parade there is a concert. 2010 Mardi Gras Concerts (subject to change)
Cajun food is available on Mardi Gras nights. During the Mardi Gras parade, most or all of the attractions are closed. Mardi Gras festivities are included in the regular price of admission to the park. Halloween Horror Nights is an after-hours event at Universal Orlando that is held on selected nights in October -- usually Friday, Saturday and most Sunday nights, plus Halloween night and sometimes a few weeknights. For 2009 the Halloween Horror Nights were September 25, 26, October 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 28, 29, 30 & 31. This is a scary event that is NOT appropriate for young children -- I would not recommend taking a child under 12. It includes gruesome displays, actors with chainsaws and other twisted stuff, in addition to haunted houses and a creepy parade. Park guests are not allowed to wear costumes. Halloween Horror Nights requires separate admission. Advance purchase is advisable because this event frequently sells out.
Holiday events at Universal Orlando run from early December through early January each year. The 2009 season was December 5, 2009 though January 1, 2010. Universal Studios offers Macy’s Holiday Parade, with authentic helium balloons, floats, marching bands, clowns and Santa Claus. The entire Studio is decked out in brilliant holiday décor complete with a breathtaking tree-lighting ceremony each evening. Meet the Grinch in his lair and celebrate the WHOlidays at Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme park. Seuss Landing transforms into Whoville. You can also take in the live musical performance of "How The Grinch Stole Christmas." This hilarious and heart-warming live show stars The Grinch himself and features music recorded by Mannheim Steamroller, along with a whole town full of singing and dancing Whos. Then stroll around the Whoville Wonky Tree Lot and take in the whimsical Wholiday decorations. Be sure to catch the new Holiday Concert Series in the Universal Music Plaza, featuring Mannheim Steamroller on December 5th; Chris Isaak on December 12th; and Natalie Cole on December 19th. From December 26-31, wrap up your day at Universal Studios with the big Hollywood finish of Universal 360–A Cinesphere Spectacular. Through the unique "Cinesphere" technology you'll experience the sights and sounds of some of Hollywood's biggest films projected onto huge spheres in the Universal Studios lagoon, plus one of the largest laser displays in Florida, dazzling pyrotechnics and more. Holiday events are included with your regular Universal Studios admission. Plus, if you stay at one of the three official resort hotels, you will be surrounded by a uniquely themed, festive holiday atmosphere with great activities:
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