Question for All You Universal Pro's....

[soluc]

Hi there,
Well, I've finally decided to try US/IOA and I am soo Exicted!!! (oh & so are the kids ages 11 & 9!!)

I was first looking at off-site hotel but soon realized that once express-tickets are purchased (I wouldn't go without them!) I would be paying about the same to stay onsite!! So have decided on RPR...

We fly in late Oct 9 so instead of dishing out $200+ for 1st night I thought we'd shuttle to cheaper hotel then go to RPR next morning. I realize check-in isn't until later but will they let us store our luggage and give us our FOTL passes for that day??

Also can you recommend a cheaper hotel near RPR?

Thank-you for your help, much appreciated!!

Soluc...

 

[Purseval]

Hi there,
Well, I've finally decided to try US/IOA and I am soo Exicted!!! (oh & so are the kids ages 11 & 9!!)

Good for you. If your kids are into thrill rides they will have a blast

I was first looking at off-site hotel but soon realized that once express-tickets are purchased (I wouldn't go without them!) I would be paying about the same to stay onsite!! So have decided on RPR...

We fly in late Oct 9 so instead of dishing out $200+ for 1st night I thought we'd shuttle to cheaper hotel then go to RPR next morning. I realize check-in isn't until later but will they let us store our luggage and give us our FOTL passes for that day??

They certainly will.

Also can you recommend a cheaper hotel near RPR?

Cheap is a relative term. How much are you looking to spend? It also sounds like you may not have a car so you might want to look at a hotel near the airport that will shuttle you to the hotel from MCO and to Universal the next day. Here is a good place to start:

http://orlando.hotelscheap.org/mco-airport.html

If you don't care about location and only want price you would probably get the best rate by bidding on Priceline, choose the Airport zone and the Universal

Thank-you for your help, much appreciated!!

Soluc...

Have a wonderful stay, we will be arriving on or around the 13th of October we haven't set a firm date yet but we drive and have annual passes so we can be more flexible. Make sure you go to Halloween Horrors but try to go midweek, it will be far less crowded than on the weekends. There is no FOTL for the haunted houses and the waits caqn be horrendous on the weekend.

 

[macraven]

i check in to the hotel around 7:30 in the morning and never have a room that early in the day......


i do the check in, get my hotel key and store the luggage.

then i hit city walk by 8 and do breakfast.

at the turnstile at 8:20ish and ready to start having fun....


you can call during the day to see if your room is ready.
you will be told your room number.

don't have to stop at the lobby desk when you return to the hotel.
your key will be coded with your room number as soon as it is assigned.

call on star service on your room phone and have your luggage brought up to you. sometimes they do it automatically.

the studios will close at 5 and ioa at 6 on that friday you go to uo.

some of the other threads have discussed cheap close by off site hotels.
major blvd has some cheapies over there also.

 

[Melanie230]

We always drive down the day before our stay onsite. We stay at the Country Inn Suites. Use countryinns.com to book your room. It is very cheap, nice, and clean. They also have breakfast every morning included in your room rate. We are staying there Sept 28 and the cost is $83.

 

[soluc]

Thanks for all the great advice!!
We wont have a car but I thought if we had a hotel close to US then we could cab it in the morning to RP....

re: Halloween Horror Nights... I thought this was too scary for children (?) we were not intending on going maybe check out BlueMan Group or something.

Thanks Again!

Can't WAIT!!!



Cool, I got a free 2day/unlimited ticket using airmiles.ca...

 

[macraven]

Thanks for all the great advice!!
We wont have a car but I thought if we had a hotel close to US then we could cab it in the morning to RP....

re: Halloween Horror Nights... I thought this was too scary for children (?) we were not intending on going maybe check out BlueMan Group or something.

Thanks Again!

Can't WAIT!!!



Cool, I got a free 2day/unlimited ticket using airmiles.ca...

your kids are too young for hhn. it wouldn't be a good family outing for them.
11 & 9 year olds wouldn't have the enjoyment the adult would have for it.
you would have more fun planning something else.
maybe take in city walk and a late movie?
spend pool time at the hotel?
maybe if it is dive in movie night, the entire family would enjoy that better.

 

[Purseval]

I just looked on Priceline and you can book a room within 1.5 miles of Universal Studios for less than $40, that's a guaranteed hotel not a random name your own price. Go to priceline's web site, choose the hotel and area then when you get an idea of your comfort level do some independent research on the hotel to see if they have a free shuttle from the airport. You have 2 months, plenty of time to find a cheap room with free transportation.