The 6 Best Ways to Buy Discount Universal Tickets

Universal runs some of the most beloved theme parks in the world — Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal Orlando Resort, plus outposts in Japan, Singapore and Beijing — and the lineup just got bigger with Epic Universe, which opened in Orlando in May 2025.

Universal doesn't make it easy to find a deal on Epic Universe specifically. But at its other parks, there's real room to save on admission, plus the extra costs that come with a trip like hotels and food.

» Learn more: Epic Universe: Here’s what to do and what to skip (if you're on a budget)

We dug into the best ways to score discounted tickets to Universal's two U.S. resorts — Universal Orlando in Florida and Universal Studios Hollywood in California. Here's what actually works.

How much do Universal tickets cost?

Universal tickets aren't cheap, typically hovering in the same price range as Disney tickets.

Before diving in to saving money on Universal tickets, here's an overview of how much they actually cost:

Universal Orlando Resort ticket prices

Tickets start at around $120 per day for Universal Studios Florida or Universal Islands of Adventure, granting you access to one of those parks of your choice for one day. Epic Universe tickets start even higher, at $139 per day. For all of its parks, Universal employs a variable pricing strategy, where high-demand days like weekends and holidays cost more.

From there, Universal sells add-ons, like the ability to hop between parks on one day. You might also buy a Universal Express Pass, which allows you to bypass the standard line in favor of a (typically) shorter line.

Universal also sells multi-day tickets, which are a higher net price, but amount to a lower price per day.

Universal Orlando versus Walt Disney World ticket prices

Universal Orlando Resort ticket prices are almost exactly in line with ticket prices for Walt Disney World, the competing theme park empire located not far away. There, ticket prices start at $119 per day — which is surprisingly lower than Universal's cheapest ticket. But that ticket price only applies to Disney's lowest-demand park: Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park, which was already one of the smaller parks, is undergoing a massive construction effort that's left it with even fewer rides than before. The construction is set to bring more stuff to do in the park down the road, including attractions themed to popular franchises including "Encanto." Tickets to Animal Kingdom often go for that lower $119 price point. Meanwhile, tickets to Magic Kingdom Park (the most popular of Walt Disney World's four parks) rarely drop below $139.

Universal Studios Hollywood ticket prices

Universal's California counterpart (which entails just one theme park) is cheaper, with tickets starting at just $109.

Again, Universal's variable pricing strategy means high-demand days cost more. Like the Florida parks, you can also purchase add-ons like the Universal Express Pass.

Universal Studios Hollywood versus Disneyland Resort ticket prices

On some days, tickets to either of the two parks at the Disneyland Resort in California are actually slightly cheaper than Universal, with tickets starting at $104.

Again, though, prices vary by day, and add-ons like Lighting Lane (Disney's version of Universal Express Pass) can quickly balloon your overall cost.

With that in mind, here are some ways to save on Universal tickets:

1. Take advantage of Universal's limited-time ticket deals

Universal regularly runs its own ticket promotions — which almost always occur during off-season or shoulder season.

3-day, 3-park ticket at $99 a day (Universal Orlando)

Universal Orlando is currently offering a three-day ticket that gets you one day each at Universal Epic Universe, Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure, priced from $99 per day plus tax — meaning the whole three-park ticket runs from about $297 before tax.

This bundled ticket can save you roughly $90 compared to piecing it together yourself. Check Universal's website for current terms, blackout dates and availability, since limited-time offers like this one can change or expire without much notice.

2. Use discounted ticket sites

Authorized Universal ticket resellers can sell you tickets — and often for a cheaper price than what you'd get from shopping directly on the Universal ticket website.

If you do buy tickets from a site that's not Universal itself, just look for that important word — authorized. That indicates it's a Universal-approved ticket seller. Otherwise some scam sites might try to sell you tickets that aren't actually real.

Here are a couple Universal authorized ticket resellers that NerdWallet recommends:

AAA

AAA famously offers benefits on everything from hotel stays to restaurants around the world. It also sells discounted Universal tickets to members in certain locations.

In order to buy the tickets, you must be an AAA member (which incurs its own fees). But, it may be worth signing up for AAA, especially if you can take advantage of other discounts besides your Universal vacation.

Undercover Tourist

Undercover Tourist is one of the most popular websites for discount Universal tickets — no membership required.

Ticket deals are generally a few dollars less than what you'll find on Universal's own website. For example, Undercover Tourist currently offers three-day ticket packages to Universal Orlando for $310 after tax. The same package is about $380 on Universal's own website.

Unlike AAA, no membership is required to shop with Undercover Tourist.

» Learn more: Undercover Tourist review: Legit discounts for theme park tickets

3. Bundle tickets with hotels via Universal vacation packages

You can also save money on park admission by purchasing vacation packages through Universal Studios.

You can create a package that includes airfare, admission tickets and your hotel or choose only a hotel-and-ticket combination. Packages typically include additional perks like early park admission and complimentary shuttles between hotels and theme parks. These packages are sold directly on the Universal Studios website for both the Florida and California parks.

» Learn more: The best Universal Orlando hotels

4. Leverage demographics and affiliations

Universal regularly offers deals for travelers who fit certain criteria, such as local residents or first responders. Additionally, look to discount programs through alumni groups or corporate discount portals.

Military discounts

Active and retired military members and their spouses can save on admission costs by purchasing tickets ahead of time at participating military ticket offices.

Universal Orlando Resort: Military Freedom Passes are available for eligible service members. Up to six tickets at this promotional price can be purchased, though blackout dates apply. Universal Studios vacation packages are also available for eligible military families.

Universal Studios Hollywood: Discounted military tickets are also available for Universal Studios Hollywood, though the savings aren't huge (typically $4 off standard tickets and Universal Express tickets). Additionally, these tickets aren’t sold at the box office. Instead, eligible personnel must purchase tickets in advance at a participating military ticket office.

» Learn more: 3 ways to score military discounts

Warehouse clubs 

You can sometimes score discounted Universal Studios tickets if you belong to a warehouse club like Costco, Sam’s Club or BJ’s. Sure, warehouse clubs typically charge yearly membership fees, but they may be worth it — particularly if you're using your membership to buy more than just Universal tickets.

For example, you can currently buy a Universal Studios Hollywood Season Pass from Costco for about $170 to $180, depending on the promotion. Meanwhile, Sam's Club has tons of Universal ticket deals, extending to hotels and the Universal Express passes, too.

5. Become a Universal annual pass holder

We've mentioned season passes a few times above, and they can be worth it if you visit multiple times a year.

The cheapest Universal Studios Hollywood annual pass available to the general public, called the Silver Pass, costs about $219, meaning it can be worth it after roughly two or more visits. Just be aware of limitations, such as blackout dates.

For ultra-frequent visitors who also spend more on other in-park expenses, the Platinum pass, which has no blackout dates, could be worth it. It costs about $610, but includes other benefits including 15% discounts on food and merchandise inside the parks and free parking.

The cheapest Universal Orlando pass is a heftier $425. But, annual passes don't include admission to Epic Universe.

6. Redeem your credit card rewards at Universal

You can redeem your credit card rewards for Universal Studios tickets. If you have the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve® card, you can redeem your Chase Ultimate Rewards® points for travel purchases through Chase's travel portal.

In addition to booking hotels, airfare, rental cars and cruises, eligible Chase cardholders can book activities, including tickets to Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood.

Another way to save money on Universal Studios tickets is to redeem cash earnings from a cash-back credit card to cover the cost of tickets. Doing this can essentially “erase” recent travel purchases.

Here are a few cash-back credit cards that allow you to redeem your cash-back earnings for a statement credit, which could save you money on your ticket purchase:

Terms apply.

You can also save money by redeeming rewards from travel credit cards to cover the cost of airfare or hotel stays and make your trip less expensive.

Here are a few travel credit cards that allow cardholders to use miles or get statement credits for travel purchases charged to their cards:

While these may not offer the best redemption value, it could at least make for a way to spend your points — so you can save your cash.

» Learn more: How to purchase theme park tickets with points

The best ways to buy discounted Universal Studios tickets

Now that you know where to find the best Universal Studios deals, you can begin planning your theme park adventure. And NerdWallet can help with that too.

Check out our guide to the best Universal hotels. Weigh the pros and cons of a Universal Express pass. And, start thinking about your first visit to Universal Epic Universe.

(Top photo courtesy of Universal Studios Hollywood)