To Pass or Not To Pass: Thoughts on a Theme Park Annual Pass

Universal Orlando

I've always been wary of theme parks.  I have horrid memories of being a child stuck in the intense heat waiting in line forever to go on a ride I was afraid of to being with.  So I was less than enthused when David proposed getting an annual pass for Universal Orlando.  I said no for months, but he kept insisting.  Finally I made the comment that I was sure would prevent him from asking anymore, a most difficult request.  I said I would agree if he could find some friends who would buy an annual pass with us.  A few days later we were on our way to Orlando to buy our passes.  It had only taken David one day to get some friends to agree.  Having that annual pass changed my view on theme parks however, and I enjoyed it so much I would buy another in a heartbeat.  These are my reasons why.

Posing with the famous Earth at the entrance to Universal Studios in Orlando on one of our many visits.

1. It Cut Down on the Marathon

I think a big part of the reason I hated going to theme parks growing up was that we only had one day to explore the park.  So we had to stay there from the time the park opened until it closed to do as much as possible.  I was miserable, and at the end of the day everything hurt, from my back to my feet.  With an annual pass, as soon as we started to feel tried or run down we just left knowing we could come back another day.  Usually we only stayed around 4 to 6 hours.

2.  It Took Many Days to See Everything

It took us up until the week before our pass expired to see every show and every ride that the two Universal Orlando theme parks (Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure) had to offer.  Reign of Kong opened just before our pass expired, and since we had already done everything else in the park, we didn't mind as much the hour plus wait to get on that ride.  The ride was a huge disappointment, and if I had had to skip something else to go on that ride I would have been upset.  Side note: I knew the line was going to be really long, so I brought a book to pass the time.  Another person in line remarked at the great idea.  

You can trade your real money for fake Harry Potter money to be used inside Harry Potter land.  I bought this bill for the photo, and immediately used it to purchase some Witch's Brew, a proprietary beer at the park.

3.  It's A Great Deal

The annual pass I got was just under $250.  David went for the slightly more expensive one that included parking.  It came in at just under $300.  This may seem like a lot of money up front, but considering we went almost every month, the cost came out to just over $20 a visit.  For a 5 hours visit, thats only $4 an hour.  It was such a steal for all the fun I had.

We often took a break at the Duff Brewery to sample the many versions of Duff Beer.

4.  We Got To Enjoy the Food

I love checking out new restaurants, and while most people don't associate theme parks with great food, the tides are turning.  Especially when considering that City Walk is adjacent to the two theme parks, there were a plethora of food options.  Having essentially all the time in the world at the parks with our annual pass, we didn't mind sitting down for a leisurely dinner each time we went (my favorite was the vegetarian crusty burger in the Simpsons area).  Even just considering all the proprietary beers Universal has at those parks, between all the Duff Beer varieties in the Simpsons area and the three varieties in the Harry Potter areas, we often took breaks to enjoy a brew and wander or rest. After all, we could always get on that roller coaster the next time.

5.  Everything Changes With the Seasons

Universal Orlando has mastered the seasonal events.  For Christmas alone we got to watch a live telling of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, watch a concert by my favorite holiday band Manheim Steamroller, and hold balloons in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade through the park.  This was my absolute favorite thing I did the entire year.  While it's not in New York, the balloons are from the real parade.  David and I held Wiggle Worm, and although I did not know what this monstrous worm was ahead of time, all of the little kids sitting on the sidelines yelling its name as we walked by gave me the indication it was more popular than I was aware.  Keeping the ballon under control was also quite the workout, generally a plus for any activity for me.  Aside from Christmas, there were also concert series.  We skipped a few due to bad weather, but had a great time at the Barenaked Ladies concert.  The concerts alone, that occur weekly in the spring are worth the cost of 

annual pass.

With the recent move, and new job we decided not to renew our pass this year.  We went on a few day vacation to Disney instead (my next post!). I am sure we will indulge in a pass again within the next few years, just in time for a new attraction or two to be installed.