Any Expert Feedback on Our Plan?

[mareed]

There looks to be a wonderful bunch of Universal experts here, and I'd appreciate any feedback, comments, or tips on our upcoming trip. (I added comments similar to these on another thread, but wanted to specifically ask for feedback here.)

This is our first Universal trip after many Disney trips. My only Universal experience is with the one in Hollywood, CA and we experienced very long lines during the Summer, and I don't want to repeat that experience in FL. And I do think lines will easily be in excess of an hour during the week before Easter when we're there.

Here's what we're doing. We're planning on 4 days total at Universal during the week. The first and last day we'll arrive by 8:30 and will do attractions through about lunch time and then eat a nice lunch. I expect things will be quite crowded and lines will be unmanageable at that time, so we'll probably leave and take a break. We're staying in an off-site condo.

We've reserved a room for one night in the middle of our trip at Royal Pacific Resort at Universal which will give us 2 days with FOTL access to the rides. These will be the 2 days where we do the rides as often as we want to. The price is high, and we won't even sleep in the room, but it was cheaper than 2 days of 2-park express passes. The cheapest room was at RPR for $324 + tax for a total of $364. 2 days of 2-park express passes for 5 people would be $545, so it's cheaper to get the hotel room. We actually have 6 people, so we'll get 5 room keys for FOTL, and then will buy Express passes for the 2 days for the 6th person. The 6th person will not be doing the big rides and we figure we'll be fine with only doing the shows and attractions once that all 6 in the group would be doing. But the 5 in our group and re-ride the big rides on those 2 days. If it's warm enough, we might bring our swimsuits and take a break one of the days at the resort pool.

On the day we check-in, we're planning to park in the regular park parking garage and walk to RPR to check in and get our room keys. We'll probably leave a bag with the front desk or bell services (assuming room is not ready) containing swimsuits for taking a break at the hotel pool.

Since we're not sleeping in the hotel room, and won't be charging anything to the room, will be need to go to the hotel at all the 2nd day? It sure would be nice if we could just call or something to check out.

Does anyone have any comments or advice? Does this plan sound good? The group will be me, DH, DS8, DS11, nephew 11, and GrandMom 60 (she's the one who won't be doing the big rides).

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

I have to say.. I'm pretty impressed.

The only thing I would change is I would just park at the resort. It'd be so much easier. CityWalk to the parks is a walk in itself but from the garage to the resort to the parks, you might find yourself taking a break before your first ride. haha.. I say park at the resort, leave the bag, and then either walk or take the water taxi to the parks.

As for the 2nd day, you really don't have to visit. I would just get a phone number for the front desk that you can call from your cell in the morning to let them know you're checking out.

But you really seem to have thought this out. It's a good plan. Good luck and have an awesome trip.

 

[mareed]

I have to say.. I'm pretty impressed.

The only thing I would change is I would just park at the resort. It'd be so much easier. CityWalk to the parks is a walk in itself but from the garage to the resort to the parks, you might find yourself taking a break before your first ride. haha.. I say park at the resort, leave the bag, and then either walk or take the water taxi to the parks.

As for the 2nd day, you really don't have to visit. I would just get a phone number for the front desk that you can call from your cell in the morning to let them know you're checking out.

But you really seem to have thought this out. It's a good plan. Good luck and have an awesome trip.

Thanks for the comments! I've gotten great information from this board. There's definitely some wonderful Universal lovers here!

I wondered about the walk from the parking lot to the resort, then back to the parks... I was just trying to save the parking fee because I'll have an AP and can park for free, but will have to pay at the resort. We'll sort of scope things out the first day we visit and then decide if we want to walk or spend the money, but I appreciate the input!

Maybe I could have DH drop the rest of us off at the resort so we can check in and get keys. He could then go park at the parking garage and we could meet him at the park entrance. Would he have any problem showing my AP (woman's name) to get free parking at the garage since I wouldn't be in the car right then? Does the AP have a picture? If so, then I guess that definitely wouldn't work! LOL! I'm probably overthinking this, aren't I?

 

[keishashadow]

i'm thinking you'll be sorry you didn't stay the night @ RPR (send the kids back to the condo with gramma lol)

i'm thinking gramma would find enough to do at the resort to occupy herself & skip the theme park for most of the 2 days anyway (since she's not much on the big rides anyway); you can always meet up

fyi, there is a free shuttle that she can catch to the other resorts to explore or just take the boat, transferring @ citiwalk; bet she'd enjoy the "down time"

 

[calgarygary]

Don't assume that you can't get a sixth key. When checking in, explain to the front desk clerk that all of your party are not staying in the room, that it's a rest spot for Grandmom, and ask nicely for a sixth key. We had no problem in getting an extra key for our family of six when we let our oldest daughters have the room. They may say yes or at worst, say no.

 

[mareed]

Don't assume that you can't get a sixth key. When checking in, explain to the front desk clerk that all of your party are not staying in the room, that it's a rest spot for Grandmom, and ask nicely for a sixth key. We had no problem in getting an extra key for our family of six when we let our oldest daughters have the room. They may say yes or at worst, say no.

That's a great tip, as I never would have even considered this. I'm concerned that if we don't get a 6th key (& I definitely wouldn't take it for granted that we would), that we may not be able to purchase the Express Pass that day in the park. This is going to be an extremely busy time (week before Easter), and Express Pass pricing is the same as XMAS week - basically the highest ever offerred. I understand that this means they're expecting peak crowds, and I'm afraid if we waited until the day we visit to purchase Express Pass and then find they're sold out, we're stuck with only 5 of the 6 of us being able to use the Express entrance and that just wouldn't work at all.

So, is there a possibility at all that they could sell out of Express Passes and we could not purchase it at the park on that day?

 

[surfgirl]

I don't know the resort, so this may not work... could you sit in the valet circle while someone goes in and checks in ? Drop a bag then... Then, everyone in the same car goes to the free AP parking...

The other option is to send everyone into the park without the FOTL privileges -- ride things right away without lines and then have the 'hotel check-in person' meet you 30+ min later with the passes. Generally, first thing in the am I would imagine there are less lines ?

Just trying to come up with a way for not everyone to traipse all the way to the hotel and back...

 

[mareed]

I don't know the resort, so this may not work... could you sit in the valet circle while someone goes in and checks in ? Drop a bag then... Then, everyone in the same car goes to the free AP parking...

Just trying to come up with a way for not everyone to traipse all the way to the hotel and back...

I like this idea, and it seems obvious now!