How long after ordering and purchasing Annual passes do they become usable?

[peacefrogdog]

I've booked an upcoming HRH stay using an APH rate. However it's looking like my trip may be in jeopardy due to weather, and want to hold off on purchasing the AP to as late as possible.

When purchasing the AP on the USO website - how long after submitting and purchasing the order does it take to actually get some sort of code to redeem it at the parks? i.e. could I submit the order the day of my flight (once it is confirmed) and have it available to be redeemed when I arrive at USO?

 

[mamapenguin]

You could purchase your AP at the HRH at the same desk you would have likely redeemed the voucher. The email usually comes quickly.

 

[peacefrogdog]

You could purchase your AP at the HRH at the same desk you would have likely redeemed the voucher. The email usually comes quickly.

To confirm, even though I've booked using a APH rate, I can purchase the AP at the desk in HRH (or at the parks) after checkin? I assume then I just have to show the passes at some point prior to check out?
Will the prices be the same when purchasing in person vs online?

 

[AJA]

To confirm, even though I've booked using a APH rate, I can purchase the AP at the desk in HRH (or at the parks) after checkin? I assume then I just have to show the passes at some point prior to check out?
Will the prices be the same when purchasing in person vs online?

Worst case scenario. “If” the hotel wants to see your pass BEFORE you check in, just walk over to the Universal desk a few feet away and purchase your pass, then return to the check in counter.
(The Loews owned hotels and Universal are two separate companies so you do have to go to a separate desks in the same lobby).

For the years that we don’t renew our passes, I’ve personally waited to purchase a new pass until we get to the hotel many times over the years. And we always just purchase them in the hotel lobby right at check in. You will not have a problem.

 

[mamapenguin]

To confirm, even though I've booked using a APH rate, I can purchase the AP at the desk in HRH (or at the parks) after checkin? I assume then I just have to show the passes at some point prior to check out?
Will the prices be the same when purchasing in person vs online?

AP prices are the same online as in person.

 

[Keladry84]

Just a note that universal aps right now come with 3 months extra for free…so this could also influence when you want to purchase.

 

[weather_lady]

I've booked an upcoming HRH stay using an APH rate. However it's looking like my trip may be in jeopardy due to weather, and want to hold off on purchasing the AP to as late as possible.

When purchasing the AP on the USO website - how long after submitting and purchasing the order does it take to actually get some sort of code to redeem it at the parks? i.e. could I submit the order the day of my flight (once it is confirmed) and have it available to be redeemed when I arrive at USO?

You get a confirmation e-mail right away, which you could use to prove you made the purchase. We've always purchased APs a few weeks or even months ahead (whenever there was an attractive promotion we wanted to take advantage of), and then got our APs issued at the front desk of our onsite hotel. (They don't get "activated" and the clock doesn't start running on them -- whether it's 12 months, or 15 months, etc. -- until they're used for the first time to access a park, so buying earlier generally doesn't hurt you.) The only hold-up might be, if you made the purchase only a few hours ahead, the credit card you used to buy the APs might not have cleared yet, so the purchase might not register properly in Universal's computer system (but that's just rank speculation on my part).

 

[peacefrogdog]

Thanks all. I ended up purchasing them one hour before my flight was to depart (~ 330 pm). Was able to pick them up at Hard Rock the next morning at 730 AM with no issues at all.

 

[weather_lady]

Thanks all. I ended up purchasing them one hour before my flight was to depart (~ 330 pm). Was able to pick them up at Hard Rock the next morning at 730 AM with no issues at all.

Fantastic! Hope you're having a wonderful time.

 

[Lewisc]

You can't get food or merchandise discounts until your AP is activated.