Nowadays, when you are looking to buy tickets for Universal Studios in Orlando, you may notice that you can buy an annual pass that allows you to visit the theme park whenever it is convenient for you.
However, you might also notice that there are some “blockout dates” at several periods of the year in which your annual ticket is not valid.
So, what do blockout dates mean at Universal Studios, and why does Universal Studios have them in the first place?
Blockout dates are the dates on which discounts and rewards are not offered at Universal Studios. This means that even if you have an annual pass for the theme park entry, you will not be able to use it on these selected days. The Universal blockout dates usually refer to a period of a peak season or holidays.
If you intend to buy an annual pass at Universal Studios, you should know all the benefits that you will get for maximum fun, but also the disadvantages.
- In this article, I will explain what blockout dates mean, and why theme parks like Universal Studios use them.
Once you read all the information, you will know what kind of ticket is suitable for you, and whether the universal seasonal pass blockout dates make restrictions apply for your trips in the future.
What Do Blockout Dates Mean At Universal Studios In Orlando?
Nowadays, you have the option to purchase a date-based ticket for Universal Studios.
This means that you can pick out the dates that are convenient for you to visit the theme park, and then buy your ticket according to your plans.
However, you might notice that certain dates are not included in the Universal Orlando Resort or Walt Disney World tickets, or if you are looking at an annual pass, those dates are excluded from your ticket.
This might seem odd, but theme parks have the tendency to select blockout dates (also known as Universal blackout dates) on which they will not offer any discounts, rewards, or special offers.
Blockout dates refer to the periods when it is a peak season, i.e. a lot of people visit the theme park around this time, or to the periods when holidays start.
Usually, around this time, there are a lot of people, meaning that the areas are crowded, so this is a way of dealing with the crowds in the high season.
- Therefore, if you have a date-based ticket, for instance, for a whole year, your ticket will not be valid on the dates that are marked as blockout.
You may use your ticket on any other day when Universal Studios is open, except for those dates. However, sometimes these dates do not refer to the whole site, but to particular areas only.
For instance, you might not be allowed to use your annual pass on a certain blockout date for a certain park, but not the whole site.
- To explain this a little more clearly, during blockout dates you might be allowed to go to Islands Of Adventure, but your ticket may not be valid for Volcano Bay, and so on. This usually depends on the date, i.e. whether it is a holiday or a peak season.
Universal Studios uses this blockout dates policy in order to keep the parks safer for people and avoid overcrowding.
If all visitors with annual tickets come on these dates, there will be no way to control how many people are in the theme park, and that is how overcrowding happens.
Overcrowding is not pleasant for anyone, especially in a theme parks such as Universal Studios. Personally, I love Volcano Bay but when it gets too crowded I usually head for the beach!
Check out this YouTube video that shows a crowded day at Universals Volcano Bay!
Which Park Admission Dates Are Marked As Blockout On The Annual Pass?
The blockout dates may change each year, but mostly they refer to the period of holidays.
So, if some holidays change the date each year, then the blockout dates will be changed as well. Therefore, the usual blockout dates for annual and seasonal passes are listed below.
Annual Pass Blockout Dates
- January 1–3, 2021
- March 27–April 10, 2021
- December 18–31, 2021
- January 1 – 3, 2022
- March 12 – March 19, 2022
- April 9 – April 16, 2022
- December 17 – 31, 2022
Seasonal Pass Blockout Dates
- January 1–3, 2021
- March 27–April 10, 2021
- July 1–31, 2021
- December 18–31, 2021
- January 1 – 3, 2022
- March 12 – March 19, 2022
- April 9 – April 16, 2022
- July 1 – July 31, 2022
- December 17 – 31, 2022
Besides holidays and peak seasons, these passes will not be valid whenever there is a concert held at Universal Studios. The concerts are usually a separately ticketed event, meaning that you will have to obtain a separate ticket to be admitted to the park.
What Do You Need To Know About Universal Annual/ Seasonal Passes?
Annual and seasonal passes are convenient for those who visit Universal Studios several times a year.
You can save a lot of money if you are one of those people who regularly go to this theme park. Obtaining an annual or seasonal pass would also mean that you do not have to worry about purchasing tickets online, or on the site every time you decide to visit Universal Studios.
These passes allow you to go on every ride, however, depending on the type of pass there may be some limitations, perhaps for attractions such as the wizarding world of Harry Potter.
For instance, if you are a Platinum Pass Member you will have access to all the rides for one time. However, these passes can get upgraded in many ways and at any time you want.
Besides saving money and time on buying separate tickets, you also get different promotions, discounts, and offers when you are a main entrance Pass member.
Nonetheless, the benefits you get also depend on the type of pass you have. For instance, it is obvious that Gold Pass members will have better offers than the Silver ones.
As you can see, Universal Orlando blockout dates are the periods of the year when Universal Studio gets quite crowded, so no rewards or discounts are offered by the theme park.
If you have an annual or a seasonal pass, you will probably not have access to the attraction those days.
Universal annual pass blockout dates are mainly during the busiest times of the year.
FAQ
What are Universal Studios Blackout Dates
Blackout dates (also called blockout dates) are days when passholders are not able to visit the park or are subject to restricted admission. Blackout dates Universal Studios happens regularly so be sure to be organised.
The specific blackout dates for Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando vary depending on the type of annual or season pass you have. For example, the Silver Annual Pass for Universal Studios Hollywood typically has blackout dates on Saturdays and Sundays, as well as select holidays and peak days.
If you are a passholder you should check the specific pass for the most up-to-date information on blackout dates, as they are subject to change and may vary from year to year.
