UOAP Hotel Discounts

[Bphxadams]

We booked a reservation to Helios for August of 2026 2 weeks ago, however, we purchased the UOAP today. We booked our trip really early to ensure we got the room we wanted and after thinking about it more cost wise the UOAP would save us money on our trip next year. We don't live in Florida and had a few questions related to the UOAP:

1. Will we get the discount if we present our UOAP at check in? We spoke to someone on the reservation team and they said we could show them our card and we'd still get the discount but it'd be nice to hear it from someone who has done it. The reservation lady also tried to help us find the room once more to see the discount to apply it to our reservation but the room had been sold out already.

2. We paid for the UOAP in full. Can we pick it up at the hotel? Can we have it activated at the hotel or can we only activate it at the park? We don't plan on doing a park day on check in day.

3. Since we purchased the UOAP this year, will it still be valid next year when we actually go or will I have to get a new one? We purchased it early because we thought we needed it to get the hotel discount.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Patrokls]

1. You can book a Passholder discount room now without having an active AP.

2. I believe you can pick up the AP at the Vacation Planning Desk in the lobby but you have to activate it by entering one of the parks the for which the pass is valid.

3. The voucher for the pass you bought should be good for a few years. Just make sure you have the card you used to purchase it and the confirmation code you received in the email they sent.

I’m no expert this is just information I’ve picked up because I was in a similar situation a few years ago.

 

[Mad Dog]

The hotel reservation desk is generally very liberal about the AP's. Sometimes they don't even ask to see it for confirmation. Universal is pretty good to their AP holders.

 

[Bphxadams]

Thank you for that but unfortunately I didn’t book it at the AP discounted rates. I didn’t have the UOAP yet and I didn’t realize the cost savings until now.

 

[tyro]

Thank you for that but unfortunately I didn’t book it at the AP discounted rates. I didn’t have the UOAP yet and I didn’t realize the cost savings until now.

If you booked direct through universal the rate is completely refundable until 6 days or so before check in date.

The hotel reservation desk is generally very liberal about the AP's. Sometimes they don't even ask to see it for confirmation. Universal is pretty good to their AP holders.

I always use the AP rate when I go (and I actually have an AP) but I think I’ve only actually been asked to see it one time.

 

[Bphxadams]

Thank you both! I’ll keep an eye out to see if they have the room we originally booked eventually become available.

 

[UNIrd]

Have the Universal Vacation Planning desks gotten better? They used to be able to do absolutely nothing with APs, considered themselves a third-party (Universal Destinations or something like that), and had very limited abilities other than redirecting you to Guest Services at the park, which I believe is just a non-moving line to hell.

 

[tyro]

Have the Universal Vacation Planning desks gotten better? They used to be able to do absolutely nothing with APs, considered themselves a third-party (Universal Destinations or something like that), and had very limited abilities other than redirecting you to Guest Services at the park, which I believe is just a non-moving line to hell.

I was able to pick up my AP at the planning desk at a universal partner hotel a couple years back. My parents also are TAs who get comp tickets (which require a more complicated process to pick up) and are able to pick them up at the hotel vacation desk as well.

 

[UNIrd]

I was able to pick up my AP at the planning desk at a universal partner hotel a couple years back. My parents also are TAs who get comp tickets (which require a more complicated process to pick up) and are able to pick them up at the hotel vacation desk as well.

Wow, then they've definitely come a long way. That's great to hear.