Universal Military Freedom Pass – Frequently Asked Questions

Universal Orlando’s Military Freedom Pass is an incredible value for members of the U.S. Armed Forces. We’ve got answers to questions about eligibility, purchasing, activating and using these special tickets, as well as other Universal Orlando military discounts.

Let’s start with …

Who Is Eligible For Universal Orlando Military Discounts?

• Active Duty (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, National Guard, Reservists) and spouses
• Retired Military service members and spouses
• Department of Defense Civilians

One thing to take note of is the “and spouses”. This means that a spouse or the member can use the service member’s benefit – the service member does not need to be present.

Military Freedom Pass General Questions

What is the Military Freedom Pass?

The Military Freedom Pass is a military discount ticket offered by Universal Orlando Resort. The 2023 Military Freedom Pass can be used for unlimited admission, except for blackout dates, through its expiration date of December 24, 2023. There are two blackout periods;

• December 26, 2022 through January 1, 2023
• April 3, 2023 through April 9, 2023

The Freedom Pass does not include any discounts on dining or parking. The Freedom Pass also doesn’t include discounts on hotels or separately ticketed events, but there are military discounts available on hotels, and usually on hard-ticket events such as Halloween Horror nights as well. Universal’s military discount page shows these prices (if available) when hard-ticket events are on sale. The cheapest regular annual pass (the Seasonal Pass) has comparable inclusions and many more blackout dates; that pass is $425 so the Freedom Pass is a very solid savings.

Questions About Buying & Using the Military Freedom Pass

Where can you buy the Military Freedom Pass?

Tickets can be purchased at your local base Information, Tickets, and Tours (ITT) Office, they can not be purchased at Universal Orlando ticket windows or through their website. A military ID is needed to purchase, and up to 6 tickets can be purchased per valid military ID. If you don’t have a local base where you can purchase tickets, you can order them online from Patrick AFB ITT or Shades of Green, or over the phone from Camp Pendleton ITT.

You won’t receive actual tickets, but ticket vouchers that you’ll need to activate when you get to the parks. To protect against loss (or accidentally leaving them at home when you depart on your trip), save your receipt and take pictures of the front and back of the vouchers immediately when you get them.

How do you activate the tickets?

You can convert your vouchers to active admission tickets at any Universal Orlando ticket booth or at the ticket counters in Universal’s hotels. The military member or spouse must be present at the time of activation, and one of the tickets must be used by the military member or spouse. Tickets are not transferrable once activated, and need to be used by the same person until they expire.

Once the tickets are activated, you can link them in the Universal Orlando app for convenient entry and exit from the parks. (see: Universal Orlando App 101: The Basics)

Can the tickets be used with Express Pass?

Express Pass is a separate ticket at Universal Orlando that allows you to cut your wait time in half at most of Universal’s attractions. Express Pass is date-specific and the price varies with the date of purchase. Although there is no military discount available for Express Pass, you can buy and use it with the Military Freedom Pass the same as a regular ticket. (read more: Universal Orlando Resort for Newbies – Universal Express Pass)

Hotel Discounts and Vacation Packages

Are there Universal Orlando room discounts for the military?

In 2023, Universal Orlando is offering a discount for stays at a Universal Orlando hotel. Military members can get 40% off at Universal’s Cabana Bay hotel, and 30% off at other Universal hotels. (6 Reasons We Love Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort). Hotel stays can also be booked as a vacation package that includes a Military Freedom Pass and package extras; blackouts apply on the same dates as the Freedom pass.

Although Cabana Bay offers the largest discount, if you’re planning to buy Express Pass you might want to consider staying at one of Universal’s hotels that include Express Pass. (read more: Universal’s Best Secret – Complimentary Hotel Express Pass) At these hotels, the Express Pass might represent a larger savings even with the smaller discount.

How can you book a military discounted stay or vacation package?

You can book hotel stays and packages at your local base ITT office, or travel agents such as our own TouringPlans Travel can book these for you. For packages, you can also call Universal Orlando directly at (877) 801-9720.

Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments!