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Can You Buy Universal Studios Tickets At Costco?

Costco is a retail store and wholesale club that sells various products, including groceries, clothing, and, yes, even trips to Universal Studios.

Once upon a time, Costco retail locations did sell individual passes to Universal Studios; however, as of right now, these are no longer available.

To visit Universal Orlando, you can only purchase tickets as part of the Orlando vacation packages offered through Costco Travel.

Currently, Costco Travel does not offer any tickets or vacation packages to Universal Hollywood.

To capitalize on Costco’s vacation packages and reap the wholesale benefits at its stores, you first have to purchase its yearly membership. 

The current price for a Gold Star Membership is $60 per year.

What Kinds of Orlando Vacation Packages Can I Buy at Costco?

White car in front of a Costco storefront

Costco Travel offers many different options for vacation packages, depending on which Universal Orlando Resort you visit.

Most packages include: 

  • Your hotel room 
  • A 2- or 3- Park, 3-Day Park-to-Park Pass
  • Additional perks such as Early Park Admission and/or a Universal Express Pass
  • Costco Shop Card

A Costco Shop Card is a preloaded gift card for Costco warehouses, gas stations, and online stores. 

It’s kind of like a cash-back bonus for booking your trip through Costco Travel.

The gift card amount varies depending on which package you book, and it arrives four to six weeks after returning from your vacation. 

You can also bundle your flight and rental car with your vacation package for both cost savings and convenience.

Can I Purchase Universal Orlando Travel Packages in Person?

Unfortunately, there is no option to meet with a travel advisor to book your packages in person.

However, you can call Costco Travel and speak to a representative or purchase your package online. 

How Do I Purchase Universal Orlando Travel Packages Online?

Costco Logo on a smartphone

To purchase a Universal Orlando Travel Package online, visit the Costco Travel website.

Once there, you’ll see the many different resorts and package options currently available, and once you select the hotel you want, the pricing is upfront and clearly displayed. 

Each package option provides specific details of what’s included in the price and shows you both the hotel’s star rating and reviews from previous guests.

There are quite a few steps to booking your package, but this is because the booking process is very transparent, and you have multiple customization options for maximizing your experience.

If you customize your travel plans, you can easily see and approve any updates to the price, and the final cost reflects all applicable taxes.

Costco is also very good at providing the terms and conditions of your package at every step of the booking process and gives you a detailed cancellation timeline for your final itinerary.

After you’ve built your vacation package, you’re provided with a detailed summary that includes any required documents you’ll need. 

Once you’ve paid, you’ll be sent all the particulars from Costco Travel. 

They’ll provide you with your reservation details and additional information on how to collect your Universal tickets.

How Do I Pick Up My Universal Orlando Tickets?

You will pick up your Universal tickets at the Will Call kiosks located at the theme park entrances. 

When you get there, the Lead Passenger on your itinerary will have to swipe a credit or debit card matching their last name. 

Don’t worry, the card won’t be charged – this is only to verify identity.

As an added layer of security, you’re required to provide either your confirmation number (located in the “Theme Parks” section of your itinerary) or the phone number you entered at the time of booking.

How Can I Purchase Discounted Universal Studios Tickets If I Don’t Have a Costco Membership?

Screenshot of Universal Studios website showing the page for ticket deals and special offers

Thankfully, Costco is not the only place that offers discount tickets.

You can also get significant discounts when purchasing directly from Universal’s official websites.

Depending on which park you want to go to (i.e., Orlando or Hollywood), the websites offer deals for active military personnel, students, Florida or California residents, groups, and those with Annual Passes.

So, make sure to capitalize on such deals if you’re eligible!

In some cases, you can also use the reward points you’ve accumulated through American Express, Hilton Honors, IHG Rewards Club, Regal Crown Club, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards, etc.

Just confirm your eligibility with your rewards card provider.

It’s also a good idea to check with other travel agencies to see if they sell Universal tickets or Universal Resort Packages. 

What’s great about travel agencies is they’re legitimate sellers who can likely offer discounted tickets that include added perks. 

Conclusion

Purchasing your vacation package through Costco Travel is an easy way to book every aspect of your Universal Orlando trip in one place.

It might take a minute to get through every step of the booking process, but once you’re finished, you can have peace of mind knowing that everything is bundled in a neat little package.

Moreover, Costco Travel offers its members extra perks like the Costco Shop Card as an added incentive to book through them.

If you’re not a Costco member, there are other ways to maximize savings for your trip – you’ll just have to do a little research to figure out what works best for you.