Holy Sticker Shock, Batman!

Stacy's a freak

wrangles snakes

Joined

Apr 15, 2003

• Apr 23, 2015

• #1

Ok. We are planning to go to Universal in July for 4 nights (arrive Saturday, leave Wednesday). Our rooms have been booked at Cabana Bay for a couple of months and I have been excited to stay there. But the closer it gets and the more I hear, I realize that we are going to be waiting on crazy summer lines that are beyond worse than I anticipated. I thought it would be more bearable but after hearing people talk about it, it sounds like it will be the end of days. So, out of curiosity, I went online today just to price out rooms at one of the other hotels for the benefit of FOTL passes. We are paying $200 per night for a suite at Cabana Bay. They want $400+ per night for a regular room even with the SMSM. Holy WHAT?! So I guess we're keeping our butts at Cabana Bay and grinning and bearing the long lines. Yes, I have heard all over the place that the price of express pass added to tickets can cost more than a room at those more expensive hotels but we can't pay that kind of scratch either for 6 people. So wave at us when we, the peons, are sweating in steerage waiting on long lines. :/

 

D

doggydoc

It's not a midlife crisis I'm just a car enthusias

Joined

Dec 6, 2009

• Apr 23, 2015

• #2

If you can afford just one night at a deluxe on-site it would get you 2 days of FOTL. I understand the shock, I just booked a trip for fall and even being used to Disney prices it was surprising. I think the FOTL will be worth it though.

 

bumbershoot

DIS Veteran

Joined

Mar 5, 2007

• Apr 23, 2015

• #3

I doubt it will change for summer season, but do keep looking just in case. You're looking at room-only, either on loews' site or through UO's site? Have you checked sites like cheaptickets.com or other online TAs? They can sometimes have better rates.

And if the rooms available are the fancier rooms, keep checking to see if a more basic rooms becomes available. I could happen. Not sure of the likelihood, but it *could*.

 

Stacy's a freak

wrangles snakes

Joined

Apr 15, 2003

• Apr 23, 2015

• #4

Since we only have 4 nights and 3 days in the parks, I would hate to set up to just pack up again to switch hotels. It's definitely a good strategy but for our group, I would rather be able to just do our thing and not have to worry about moving around from one hotel to the next.

 

V

vatmark

DIS Veteran

Joined

Jul 12, 2005

• Apr 23, 2015

• #5

Try code EMAIL20 on cheap tickets.com. You can get the room for less then $400 a night. You can get a standard queen room at RPH for $264 per night in July.

Ann

 

irene_dsc

DIS Veteran

Joined

Nov 1, 2007

• Apr 23, 2015

• #6

I hear you! We did Spring Break, staying off-site, and buying Express Passes would've been $100-$150, depending on what we got (per day, per person!) So, we didn't. Did we get to ride everything multiple times? No, but my kids did ride their favorite, Dragon's Challenge, multiple times in a row by using single rider. I think the only non-express line anyone waited over an hour for was Hulk - and 30 minutes of that was because the ride broke down. And my son rode Despicable Me with about an hour wait. Other than that, we didn't wait for more than 20-30 minutes for anything.

Note that you can do single rider for Forbidden Journey, and then the Castle Tour (quick walk through) if you don't want a long wait there, which frees your time up for other rides.

 

bumbershoot

DIS Veteran

Joined

Mar 5, 2007

• Apr 23, 2015

• #7

Stacy's a freak said:

Since we only have 4 nights and 3 days in the parks, I would hate to set up to just pack up again to switch hotels. It's definitely a good strategy but for our group, I would rather be able to just do our thing and not have to worry about moving around from one hotel to the next.

Click to expand...

Some people will pack one bag with that hotel-room's clothing (so for the checkin and checkout days), then the rest of the bags for the rest of the trip. don't even touch the other bags. So there's no big unpacking or packing moment, just throw the previous day's things in a bag, get dressed in what was in that bag, leave bags with the Deluxe's bell services. Have a great day with your second day of unlmited Express Pass. Then later go get your bags and move to the second resort where you actually relax in the room.

Or vice versa depending on what you want first. It's just something people do, I'm not telling you that you must do it,too.

With CB you do get early entry so the Wizarding World stuff will be fairly manageable.

 

damo

Proud Redhead

Joined

Jan 1, 2001

• Apr 23, 2015

• #8

Lots of things to make your waits shorter. Get there for early admission and spend the morning while crowds are lower and temps are lower too. Go back to your hotel for lunch and a swim and then head back to the parks around dinner time and for the evening. Make use of the single rider lines whenever possible. That will shorten your wait times a lot.

If you do the really popular rides first thing in the morning, you can save the lesser rides for the busier times.

 

HM

My tag from the Tag Fairy is now too long to use.

Joined

Mar 8, 2001

• Apr 23, 2015

• #9

I've stayed offsite and visited in the summer. It will be busy, you will stand in lines, but with four days you have plenty of time to get everything done. And you will be right onsite so it will be easy to get there early, take a break when it gets too busy and enjoy the resort and then stay late, the two best times of day.

 

Last edited: Apr 24, 2015

Stacy's a freak

wrangles snakes

Joined

Apr 15, 2003

• Apr 24, 2015

• #10

Thanks everyone for the tips! Since I'm the planner, I want everyone to have a fantastic time and will feel (somewhat) like a failure if they're sad - lol. So I guess I will be giving everyone lots of reminders about crowds from now until then to manage expectations. And I'm really looking forward to relaxing a bit at the pool.

 

damo

Proud Redhead

Joined

Jan 1, 2001

• Apr 24, 2015

• #11

Cabana Bay has two pools and a lazy river. I suggest purchasing a bunch of cheap water tubes before you go since they are only available for purchase at the hotel. You can also pool hop to any of the other resorts.

 

Poohbug

Sherlocked

Joined

Oct 26, 2006

• Apr 24, 2015

• #12

I used the CheapTickets promo and got RPR down to $185/night for our trip in August. I really wanted to try Cabana Bay and the bigger room would have been really nice but family consensus was to go for the FOTL passes. Now I just hope we don't get on each others nerves being squished in one room. I am still considering purchasing an extra room for just one night so we have a little room to spread out. We are driving down in my little car so a little space may be well worth the extra cost. The other option is extra margaritas but that only really helps me, not the kids.

 

Duanerice

DIS Veteran

Joined

Nov 11, 2001

• Apr 25, 2015

• #13

Great tip above - since you have early entry get to the rides you really want early. They might not open until the normal opening time but you'll be in the park ready to ride before most people are through the gates.