Extreme Universal Orlando Highest Tiers Annual Pass Hikes

[SplashJacket]

Two Park Prices

• Seasonal Pass
  • Old: $424.99
  • New: $424.99
  • Net Increase: $0
• Power Pass
  • Old: $474.99
  • New: $474.99
  • Net Increase: $0
• Preferred Pass
  • Old: $539.99
  • New: $629.99
  • Net Increase: $90
• Premier Pass
  • Old $754.99
  • New $904.99
  • Net Increase: $155

Three Park Prices

• Seasonal Pass
  • Old: $524.99
  • New: $524.99
  • Net Increase: $0
• Power Pass
  • Old: $584.99
  • New: $584.99
  • Net Increase: $0
• Preferred Pass
  • Old: $649.99
  • New: $739.99
  • Net Increase: $90
• Premier Pass
  • Old $944.99
  • New $1094.99
  • Net Increase: $150

 

[Andrew25]

Odd timing when we are supposedly expecting a soft summer... unless UO passes are out of control (which might be the case)

 

[SplashJacket]

Odd timing when we are supposedly expecting a soft summer... unless UO passes are out of control (which might be the case)

I'm curious how APs will work with Epic Universe.

I was planning on holding off getting a UO AP until ~August 2024 so I can get a few months of early Epic Universe in before hikes.

That said, I wonder how they'll handle EU with APs, will they have EU-specific block-out-dates when it first opens? Would make sense that they spiked the higher tires if that's the case. Or will they spike up the prices across the board even more?

 

[JT3000]

I'm curious how APs will work with Epic Universe.

I was planning on holding off getting a UO AP until ~August 2024 so I can get a few months of early Epic Universe in before hikes.

That said, I wonder how they'll handle EU with APs, will they have EU-specific block-out-dates when it first opens? Would make sense that they spiked the higher tires if that's the case. Or will they spike up the prices across the board even more?

These prices don't take EU into consideration. The third park in the 3-park passes is Volcano Bay. So yes, expect another huge price hike.

 

[SplashJacket]

The third park in the 3-park passes is Volcano Bay

I’m aware, if it was Epic Universe, then the question of “how will they handle it” would've already been answered.

These prices don't take EU into consideration. So yes, expect another huge price hike.

Another huge price hike wouldn’t really help with excessive crowding to EU.

The seasonal pass has block-out dates that reflect peak crowds, but if they continue with the normal block-out dates, and EU opens outside July, the initial crowds at EU would cause a period far busier than normal, even if the other parks are normal (or less than normal).

So in addition to price hikes (which should be expected since value is increased), how will they account for the initial months? Extra seasonal pass blackouts? EU-specific block-outs? An EU-excluded AP?

Currently, if you don’t do Volcano, UOR’s highlights can be done in a single day, with 2-days being far more ideal, but now with EU, the minimal will easily increase to 2-days, with comfortable probably being 3. As a result, the amount spent on per-day tickets by the average guest will gravitate towards the cost of annual passes, so further price increases make sense.

That said, since the top-tier prices just jumped (in isolation) I could absolutely see all passes getting price hikes, but the lower tiers getting EU specific price hikes, and their lack of hikes right now, reflects that.

 

[JT3000]

I’m aware, if it was Epic Universe, then the question of “how will they handle it” would've already been answered.

Another huge price hike wouldn’t really help with excessive crowding to EU.

The seasonal pass has block-out dates that reflect peak crowds, but if they continue with the normal block-out dates, and EU opens outside July, the initial crowds at EU would cause a period far busier than normal, even if the other parks are normal (or less than normal).

So in addition to price hikes (which should be expected since value is increased), how will they account for the initial months? Extra seasonal pass blackouts? EU-specific block-outs? An EU-excluded AP?

Currently, if you don’t do Volcano, UOR’s highlights can be done in a single day, with 2-days being far more ideal, but now with EU, the minimal will easily increase to 2-days, with comfortable probably being 3. As a result, the amount spent on per-day tickets by the average guest will gravitate towards the cost of annual passes, so further price increases make sense.

That said, since the top-tier prices just jumped (in isolation) I could absolutely see all passes getting price hikes, but the lower tiers getting EU specific price hikes, and their lack of hikes right now, reflects that.

The pricing isn't supposed to help with crowding. That's not the point. They raise their prices based on their own (inflated) view of what their parks are worth, not to price people out of visiting the parks. They still want as many visitors as can stomach their prices (and if the pricing were based solely on demand, that would necessitate fluctuations, including price cuts, which they would never do.) When EU opens, its addition to the resort will be reflected in the new, even higher AP prices (across all tiers), simply because it's an additional park, not because they want to limit the number of people pouring through the turnstiles.

The higher tiers, by their very nature, can't have blackout dates. I don't see them adding any for EU for this reason alone. The seasonal passes will likely have more blackout dates for EU than for the current parks. That's my guess anyway. Will there be an AP option without EU? Possibly, but I wouldn't expect one. The theme parks will most likely continue to be grouped together, with only Volcano Bay being optional. If we do get an AP without EU, I would expect it to last a few years at most.

 

[Andrew25]

I'm curious how APs will work with Epic Universe.

I was planning on holding off getting a UO AP until ~August 2024 so I can get a few months of early Epic Universe in before hikes.

That said, I wonder how they'll handle EU with APs, will they have EU-specific block-out-dates when it first opens? Would make sense that they spiked the higher tires if that's the case. Or will they spike up the prices across the board even more?

Let me preface this by saying that Universal can make really stupid decisions (ala Universal Escape).

...but I fully expect Universal to be smart and loop in EU to a "3-park" pass while adding Volcano Bay as an additional "4-park" pass. Best case scenario is that these prices are taking EU into account already (was expecting for them to start increase prices slowly) instead of jumping prices in one night.

I think Universal next year will start to advertise APs that are new/renewed in the summer will include EU as well.



If Universal decides to somehow keep the current AP structure, and then make Epic Universe a "premium add-on" it will be a bigger gaffe than Universal Escape.

 

[matt9112]

Let me preface this by saying that Universal can make really stupid decisions (ala Universal Escape).

...but I fully expect Universal to be smart and loop in EU to a "3-park" pass while adding Volcano Bay as an additional "4-park" pass. Best case scenario is that these prices are taking EU into account already (was expecting for them to start increase prices slowly) instead of jumping prices in one night.

I think Universal next year will start to advertise APs that are new/renewed in the summer will include EU as well.



If Universal decides to somehow keep the current AP structure, and then make Epic Universe a "premium add-on" it will be a bigger gaffe than Universal Escape.

To your point I don’t think they are that daft. I think the simple solution is just a large price hike across the board. However there is the issue of passes that are valid when epic opens but not renewed yet.

They could just jacks prices in advance like you said and that’s likely the easiest solution. The other thing is if there’s a legal/contract way to have new renewals rolling into 3 park passes at new pricing and non renewals being forced to renew early at new pricing to have access? Or a fee of sorts that is an add on but only for that first year. To cover the potentially worst case scenario of 11 month renewals.

More I think about it it’s probably better to overcharge going into it maybe 6 months out and just eat the loss.

 

[Andrew25]

More I think about it it’s probably better to overcharge going into it maybe 6 months out and just eat the loss.

This seems to be what they are doing. Instead of scaring off some APs by increasing prices by $200+ overnight, they can increase it over time.

BUT, I wasn't expecting a $150 increase 2 years out.

 

[matt9112]

This seems to be what they are doing. Instead of scaring off some APs by increasing prices by $200+ overnight, they can increase it over time.

BUT, I wasn't expecting a $150 increase 2 years out.

Let’s be honest to some extent there attendance has to be gangbusters and similar to disney it’s likely also to try and ease it going into third park as we know that will likely see a massive attendance uptick resort wide.

 

[networkpro]

Let’s be honest to some extent there attendance has to be gangbusters and similar to disney it’s likely also to try and ease it going into third park as we know that will likely see a massive attendance uptick resort wide.

They need to bank some serious cash for the upcoming labor wage game they are going to have to play when it comes to staffing the new park with a tight labor pool.

 

[Andrew25]

Let’s be honest to some extent there attendance has to be gangbusters and similar to disney it’s likely also to try and ease it going into third park as we know that will likely see a massive attendance uptick resort wide.

Part of that is true, but unlike Disney, their parks are able to accommodate crowds evenly throughout the park.

They need to bank some serious cash for the upcoming labor wage game they are going to have to play when it comes to staffing the new park with a tight labor pool.

Definitely a part of it, they weren't expecting the labor market to shrink and in the past year you can really see how short they are on food & beverage staffing.