Need some help

[Duchie]

We're looking at traveling in early June and have decided to add Universal to our trip this time. Are there crowd prediction sites that are accurate that we should reference?

Originally Posted by macraven

[COLOR="DarkGreen"][FONT="Comic Sans MS"][I]if you stay onsite for 2 nights, you are allowed the early entry and unlimited usage of the express lines for 3 days in the park.
when you check out on day 3, you are entitled to the hotel perks until the parks close.

Thanks for posting this. One of the big questions we had was if you were entitled to use the express lines all day on the day that you check out, and if I'm reading this right, the answer is yes.

Originally Posted by damo

Yes.

One thing I see that I'm not sure has been answered is about partner hotels. You only get early admission by staying at a partner hotel IF you purchase a package through the universal website that includes your tickets.

So in order to get early entry into HPW, you have to book through the Universal site? And you have to book both hotel and tickets? Because I was reading on their website about all the benefits of staying in one of the partner hotels, and this isn't listed anywhere on there. I even looked under Terms and Conditions and it doesn't say anything.

Are there ever any discounts offered for the resorts?

[macraven]

Originally Posted by Duchie

We're looking at traveling in early June and have decided to add Universal to our trip this time. Are there crowd prediction sites that are accurate that we should reference?

later June will start to bring in the vacation crowds.
i generally check the UO site for the express passes to determine what type of crowds are predicted.
weekends always bring crowds to the parks in the summer

Thanks for posting this. One of the big questions we had was if you were entitled to use the express lines all day on the day that you check out, and if I'm reading this right, the answer is yes.

guests are allowed all hotel perks until midnight on the day they check out.
once you officially check out of the hotel, you can not use the charge back to your hotel account.
any purchases will need to be done with cash or credit card.

early entry and unlimited usage of the express lines on check out day is a fantastic hotel perk!

So in order to get early entry into HPW, you have to book through the Universal site? And you have to book both hotel and tickets? Because I was reading on their website about all the benefits of staying in one of the partner hotels, and this isn't listed anywhere on there. I even looked under Terms and Conditions and it doesn't say anything.

all onsite hotel guests are given the early entry to the park.
those that have booked an offsite hotel Package thru Orlando Resort Vacations, are given early park entry. (this is simliar to a travel agency.)


a package is booking a hotel room with park tickets included for each day of your stay.


packages have possible fee costs and a different cancellation policy.
each time you make a change to your package reservation that you made thru the travel agency, you incur a fee.
packages are available for onsite and offsite 'partner' hotels.

if you book your onsite hotel stay thru the online site, Loews wbsite or by calling reservation, there are no fees for changes.
cancellation policy is 5 days out by 6 pm est time without any fees applied.


i feel you can save some money by purchasing your UO park tickets from other legit vendors.
many do buy the UO park tickets direct from UO for convenience purposes.


any one that has booked with a package thru UO or staying at one of the 3 onsite hotels, are allowed the one hour prior to officially opening time, into the park, IOA.
Parry Hotter will be open to those guests for early entry.
no other sections of the parks will be open until the official opening time.

exception could be spiderman ride during summer dates.
this was done last year but i do no know if it has continued.
i believe it was open for spiderman last october when i was there.
my life has been a blur recently and i can't find my notes from the past trip for details.

i'm sure another homie will reply to the spiderman section if it has continued to stay open during EE.


Are there ever any discounts offered for the resorts?

yes.
AAA rates can be obtained by calling reservations.
AAA rates are not listed on the UO website.

Military rates can be obtained by calling reservations.

general public promo now is Stay More, Save More.
for some dates, a 3 day stay is required to qualify for this public rate.

APH for pass holders.
dates are released gradually throughout the year.
I think the ap rates are out for up thru part of June.

floridan rates for residents.

i always book with the best code that is available for my dates then call and modify my room rate when APH codes are known.

[trips44]

10. I'm seeing some pretty good deals from various "timeshare" companies, some even include tickets. Anyone have experience with any of these companies. Do not reply here I don't want to clog up this forum with timeshare promos; please PM me your timeshare experiences only. Thanks.

[macraven]

k

[Duchie]

Aaaaah that makes sense - I figured I was reading something wrong. We're looking at staying at RPR, I think. We aren't going to do a package, though.

Right now the UO site has 2-day (3rd day free) tickets for $119.95. The park-to-park ones are $139.95. Those rates are cheaper than what I saw on UT. The restriction is that they have to be used by June 17, which is fine for us. Are there any other legit vendors that might be cheaper?

Originally Posted by macraven

yes.
AAA rates can be obtained by calling reservations.
AAA rates are not listed on the UO website.

Military rates can be obtained by calling reservations.

general public promo now is Stay More, Save More.
for some dates, a 3 day stay is required to qualify for this public rate.

APH for pass holders.
dates are released gradually throughout the year.
I think the ap rates are out for up thru part of June.

floridan rates for residents.

i always book with the best code that is available for my dates then call and modify my room rate when APH codes are known.

We're only staying 2 nights at RPR, then staying on DVC points for the rest of our stay. We don't have AAA right now but I'd consider joining if the discount on the room was significant enough. Any clue if it would be worth it?

[damo]

Originally Posted by Duchie

Aaaaah that makes sense - I figured I was reading something wrong. We're looking at staying at RPR, I think. We aren't going to do a package, though.

Right now the UO site has 2-day (3rd day free) tickets for $119.95. The park-to-park ones are $139.95. Those rates are cheaper than what I saw on UT. The restriction is that they have to be used by June 17, which is fine for us. Are there any other legit vendors that might be cheaper?




We're only staying 2 nights at RPR, then staying on DVC points for the rest of our stay. We don't have AAA right now but I'd consider joining if the discount on the room was significant enough. Any clue if it would be worth it?

The UT tickets include taxes and fees, the ones on the universal site don't.

AAA discount is usually around 10%.

[trips44]

Mac. Thanks for the help. I prefer to stay close to park if possible to avoid car rental; but it seems to be necessary if we plan to go to sea world, aquatica, and Wet n Wild, & legoland. Again thinking flex tix; best bang for the buck 14 days unlimited visits. The reason I was looking at the timeshares was price. I could spend a week to 12 days for the same cost as 2-4 nights at rpr and get some tix too. are there any you been to? The only reason I would stay at rpr is because of unlimited universal FOTL pass although I will admit it is very tough to justify; Im hoping for a good rate on their 1 day sale but we'll see. any ideas or help would be appreciated; we are family of 5 kids 12-9-8. Huge HP fans on a value conscious budget. First time to orlando. Can't Pm till I post 10x; I guess I need to do some dummy posts.

[macraven]

Originally Posted by trips44

Mac. Thanks for the help. I prefer to stay close to park if possible to avoid car rental; but it seems to be necessary if we plan to go to sea world, aquatica, and Wet n Wild, & legoland. Again thinking flex tix; best bang for the buck 14 days unlimited visits. The reason I was looking at the timeshares was price. I could spend a week to 12 days for the same cost as 2-4 nights at rpr and get some tix too. are there any you been to? The only reason I would stay at rpr is because of unlimited universal FOTL pass although I will admit it is very tough to justify; Im hoping for a good rate on their 1 day sale but we'll see. any ideas or help would be appreciated; we are family of 5 kids 12-9-8. Huge HP fans on a value conscious budget. First time to orlando. Can't Pm till I post 10x; I guess I need to do some dummy posts.

were you able to read the pm i sent you?
pick a few threads and just do a smilie in adding to any conversation.
once you hit 10 posts, you can send pm's.

there are some on Major Blvd but i have read some poor reviews on a few of those hotels.
Days Inn has had many negative comments on the Trip Advisor site.

I recommend Drury Inn for a good hotel.
https://wwws.druryhotels.com/?gclid=...FfBDMgodpBIAmw

list the city as Orlando.

they do have a shuttle and very clean rooms.
some of the reviews on http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...o_Florida.html
have mentioned the shuttle to sea world and universal.

i'm familar with the Drury Inn & Suites in st louis.
(my old stomping grounds......)

not many on the disboards, darkside part, have talked about staying there.
i have had a couple of friends that did book and stay there and really liked it.

if you have AAA, you can get a discount on the room.

https://wwws.druryhotels.com/Propert...?Property=0152

check out the above link also.
it mentions the amenities for the guests.
free continental breakfast, free kick back hour..

from that site:
This is what free tastes like! Wake up each morning to a free Hot Breakfast! Take your pick from a selection of great breakfast items including scrambled eggs, biscuits & gravy, sausage and make-your-own Belgian waffles. In the evening, join us at the 5:30 Kickback® for free hot food and cold beverages. Our rotating menu features a variety of hot food, including chicken strips, macaroni & cheese, hot dogs, baked potatoes, broccoli cheddar soup and more! Plus, beer, wine, mixed drinks and soft drinks are served everyday. There’s something for everyone at Drury’s 5:30 Kickback. It's a snack for some, meal for others and free for all!

The big game just got bigger! That’s because you’ll find Flat Panel LCD TVs in every room! Kick up your feet and enjoy the view!


this hotel is also an Universal partner hotel in case you want to book a package.

check with that hotel about their shuttle.
if it won't work with the plans your family has for exploring orlando, then you would want to look into car rentals.

i know many homies post about the hotels that are walkable to the parks.
do a search for hotels in the park area and you will see quite a few more.

[trips44]

If we stay offsite; without universal express pass; what type of wait times can I expect midweek during end of June. June 24-29 specifically. Is any day(s) better than the other. ie. Mon etc for fewer crowds? I have a feeling I need to stay onsite for at least 1 night to make the most of those days am I correct?

Mac; I am checking some of those places too and will keep u posted as I am sure I'll have more questions.

[macraven]

last week of June will have crowds.
the biggest crowd period for summer will start early july.


check out UO website, get familiar with the layout of the parks for rides, eateries, rest rooms, etc.
have a tenative plan laid out for the day.

make a 'must do list' for the parks.

sometimes you will have to adjust to your 'plan' and hit the rides if there is a smaller line for the ride.

families tend to travel on vacations on weekends.
leave either saturday or sunday for their destination.

probably more tend to depart from their vacation on a sunday if they need to be back at work on monday.
when that happens, you will tend to see smaller crowds on sundays.

holiday weekends cancels out that above statement.

if the single rider lines are open, generally, those line waits will be shorter than the regular line.

i stay on site but still use the SRL for some of the rides.
I use SLR for spiderman.
for the times i go on that ride, the TM has taken 2-4 peeps from the SRL to fill in seats.

if your children are old enough to sit alone, you might consider using the SRL to save time on line waits.

you all exit the ride at the same place.
a person can't get off the ride once the ride has started so you wouldn't fret of losing them.
on many of the rides, you don't have the opportunity to talk with those next to you on the ride.

[trips44]

11. Am i interpreting these tickets correctly? 5 or 6 park Flex pass; unlimited park to park admission to 5 or 6 parks for 14 calendar days; 3 park unlimited; unlimited park to park admission to US, IOA, and Wet n Wild for 14 calendar days?
12. Anyone been to legoland or Busch gardens; if you were gonna choose 1 of these which one would you choose kids 12-9-8; all over 50 inches tall. Can these be enjoyed fully in 1 day or does it take 2? Does either park offer an FOTL pass?
13. How is the cinematic spectacular? would you recommend it? or are any of the other dinner shows a must do?
14. Once again family of 5; Without going crazy; what is a realistic # to put on a universal vacation for budgeting purposes; including tickets, food, hotel, etc, for a week to 10 days; either by day or person not including air; ie. 500/day; 500/person etc.

[macraven]

Originally Posted by trips44

11. Am i interpreting these tickets correctly? 5 or 6 park Flex pass; unlimited park to park admission to 5 or 6 parks for 14 calendar days; 3 park unlimited; unlimited park to park admission to US, IOA, and Wet n Wild for 14 calendar days?
12. Anyone been to legoland or Busch gardens; if you were gonna choose 1 of these which one would you choose kids 12-9-8; all over 50 inches tall. Can these be enjoyed fully in 1 day or does it take 2? Does either park offer an FOTL pass?
13. How is the cinematic spectacular? would you recommend it? or are any of the other dinner shows a must do?
14. Once again family of 5; Without going crazy; what is a realistic # to put on a universal vacation for budgeting purposes; including tickets, food, hotel, etc, for a week to 10 days; either by day or person not including air; ie. 500/day; 500/person etc.

11. if you are doing other tourist type of parks besides UO, the flex tickets are a decent deal.

12. i know a family that did lego land. their kids were, i think, about 9 and 7 at the time. think she mentioned some older kids were there at Lego land when they were and it seemed like older kids were not as into the park the entire day.
maybe she meant some of the older kids kind of outgrew the lego stuff.

i've never been.
i spent too many years getting ouches on the bottom of my feet steping on those things during the night.
you know, the boy has a nighmare, needs a drink a water and i would run into his room and scream when i stepped on the legos on the floor.

13. i enjoyed the cinematid show but i recognized most of the movis they showed so it made sense to me. the dinner and show wasn't worth it for me
there are other places around he lagoon that had great views.

14. if you find out hte answer to that qustions, share it with me!
i stay on site for 11 days


my ambein pill has kickdd and having a dickens of a time typig english now..can;find the rihght keysl

[macraven]

nnnothing is woese typing in sllow motion

[LMichelleee]

Originally Posted by trips44

13. How is the cinematic spectacular? would you recommend it? or are any of the other dinner shows a must do?

Cinematic spectacular was a great show! I wouldn't do the dinner with it though. It's expensive and if I remember correctly, there were 2 or 3 screens set up so there are great views all over the lagoon.

My experience with partner hotels...

When we stayed at a partner hotel last May the shuttle times were awful. We got there an hour or so after opening and had to leave about an hour before closing. Plus there were 6 different hotels on our route, so it made for a long bus ride. We didn't book the package, but if we did in order to get there for early entry we would have had to get a cab or walk there. We didn't rent a car since we didn't want to pay for parking at the parks. Our last night there we decided to stay til closing so I could see the wizarding world lit up at night, so we got a cab. It was only $6, including a generous tip, which was much cheaper than renting a car. We didn't use the trolley so I can't offer any advice on that.

The good things about our partner hotel is that it was cheap and provided a very nice hot and cold breakfast. Now we use a town car service from the airport to RPR that lets us do a grocery stop and we get lunch, breakfast, snacks, and water at a nearby Publix.

Another thing that makes staying onsite so awesome is the ability to do a wet ride morning! Afterwards we just took the boat ride to the hotel, changed, and went right back out. So nice. Express pass is a wonderful, amazing thing. We rode ride after ride after ride over and over again. It was so worth it.

[trips44]

looks like were taking advantage of Lowes daylight sale. They have been very responsive and gave me a rate of 2 nights, water view, 440. approx 220/night plus tax. Is this a good rate? I'm thinking this a requirement, with the expected crowds, it will give us 3 days of unlimited express pass, correct?. Am I making the right decision. I need comfort from those that have been there in late June.

This is cutting into our budget for lodging so are any nice clean family places to stay off site for the remaining portion of our trip. Anywhere from 6-9 nights. Can I expect to find a nice place for $100/night or less?