If you are a Universal Orlando Annual Passholder (UOAP) and you aren’t using the My Universal Photos Annual Pass Photo Package, what are you even doing?
I’ll admit, when we first started going, I thought I didn’t need it. I have a phone; I can take pictures. But you can’t exactly take a selfie while dropping 155 feet on Jurassic World VelociCoaster. Now, we’re at the point where we’ve memorized exactly where the cameras are on every single ride.
The Logistics: How It Works
The Annual Photo Pass is a different beast than the 1-day or 3-day versions. Here’s the deal:
- Validity: It’s good for 365 days after the first time you use it.
- The Discount: As a passholder, you get a 35% discount (pre-tax) when you buy the package. Just make sure you have your valid Annual or Seasonal Pass and a Photo ID ready at the counter.
- Epic Universe Note: For now, it works at Epic Universe, but keep in mind that may not be the case ones Epic gets added to the Season Passes!
The “Family Roaming” Strategy
We have several of those iconic yellow My Universal Photos cards all linked to our one account. This is a game-changer for parents. My girls each keep a card in their fanny packs, and my husband and I keep ours.
If the girls decide they want to go ride a ride while we’re off grabbing a drink or doing magic, they just hand their card to the photographer. Everything flows into one giant account that we can all access.
Our Favorite “Agenda”: The Ride Photos
Since we go all the time and aren’t always rushing to hit every ride, we’ve turned ride photos into a sport. We coordinate funny faces, do silly poses, and—my personal favorite—if my husband and I are on a trip without the kids, we take a “6 – 7” photo to drive our oldest crazy.
Don’t Panic if You Forget to Renew
I actually had a minor heart attack one year when we forgot to renew our pass. When I logged into the account, all our photos were still there, but they were locked.
Pro Tip: You don’t lose your memories! If this happens, you don’t have to call a hotline or wait in a massive line at the front of the park. Just go up to any photo kiosk at the end of a ride, tell them you need to renew, and they’ll fix you right up. Your photos will unlock, and you’re good for another year of magic.
Is it Worth It?
If you visit more than twice a year, yes. Between the character meet-and-greets, the iconic park entrance shots, and the hilarious ride photos you’ll keep forever, it pays for itself almost immediately. Plus, it’s the only way to prove to your kids that you actually did keep your eyes open on Hulk.
Want to know where the cameras are on all of the rides? If you want the ‘pro’ list of camera locations so you can coordinate your family’s silly faces, just ask me!
