APH Rates Are Currently Available... [UPDATED 07/27/18]

[soniam]

I've had to change my dates. Instead of the end of May into the first week of June, I'm now looking at June 6-11. And now I'm freaking out. All of the standard view rooms at RPR appear to be booked already! The cheapest 2queen room I'm finding is $300. YIKES! If that holds, we won't get to go.

Does anyone know why the cheaper rooms would be completely booked this far out? Is there a convention or something? I've never had trouble getting a room for the first couple of weeks of June before.

I see a standard 2 queen on Cheap Tickets, but it's more expensive than the water view 2 queen.That seems to be a non-discounted price. Weird. The week after has availability though.

 

[Momw/aplan]

I see a standard 2 queen on Cheap Tickets, but it's more expensive than the water view 2 queen.That seems to be a non-discounted price. Weird. The week after has availability though.

Thanks for looking, Soniam!

 

[pmdeve]

Looking for August 3 to August 5 and can't find an APH discount yet. Are they available yet?

 

[Momw/aplan]

Looking for August 3 to August 5 and can't find an APH discount yet. Are they available yet?

Not yet. I'm watching for early June, and those dates haven't even come out yet.

You can check the website from time to time for official word on what has been offered, although a few more weeks worth of rates may come available shortly before they update the site again to reflect it. Right now the latest dates shown are through May 26.

https://www.universalorlando.com/Th...rce=A000055728.000000623&IndivKey=3676956#HRH

 

[soniam]

I am seeing some APH rates for rooms in early, early June. I am also seeing APH rates for suites toward the end of July. I don't remember seeing the suite rates previously, so maybe they are about to release regular rooms.

 

[Momw/aplan]

I am seeing some APH rates for rooms in early, early June. I am also seeing APH rates for suites toward the end of July. I don't remember seeing the suite rates previously, so maybe they are about to release regular rooms.

The only APH rates they have for my June dates are for suites. My fear is the 2Q rooms are all booked up and AP rates won't be available for them.

We have a room booked at the SMSM rate of $300, but that's almost twice what we've paid for RP in the past (and our visit last year was in June, too). And this was after my AP renewal went up by $60. I've been able to break even on my AP with the room discount in the past, and then come out a tiny bit ahead when you add in the food and merch discounts. But if no APH rates come out on 2Q rooms for me this year, I'll be taking a loss--which means I won't be able to justify renewing again next year--which means the odds of us visiting again in the next few years will be slim. And that makes me very very sad.

 

[Kivara]

It does seem busier this year...hopefully with Sapphire Falls opening up, next year won't be as bad. I booked in Feb for May to lock in a room, when I try to plug in AP rates now, only more expensive rooms available.

 

[Robo56]

The prices have been all over the place this year. I have noticed it more this year then ever before. I was able to get a price adjustment 20 minutes apart. Was working on my laptop and then went to work on my hubby desktop and price dropped again. I called and had price adjusted second time and was able to save a nice chunk of change. This was about a week ago.

I think this might be the new normal for Universal. It is growing and becoming more popular. With new rides slated to open this summer, opening of Sapphire Falls this summer, opening of Volcano Bay next summer and the purchase of more acreage.

Still with all that said. Universal is still my favorite destination in Orlando.

 

[soniam]

The only APH rates they have for my June dates are for suites. My fear is the 2Q rooms are all booked up and AP rates won't be available for them.

We have a room booked at the SMSM rate of $300, but that's almost twice what we've paid for RP in the past (and our visit last year was in June, too). And this was after my AP renewal went up by $60. I've been able to break even on my AP with the room discount in the past, and then come out a tiny bit ahead when you add in the food and merch discounts. But if no APH rates come out on 2Q rooms for me this year, I'll be taking a loss--which means I won't be able to justify renewing again next year--which means the odds of us visiting again in the next few years will be slim. And that makes me very very sad.

I don't think they have released all of the APH rates yet. If I look on May 25-26, there are still some non-suite rooms available for APH. I would think those would all be gone. When I look at 6/3-4, I still see discounts for non-suite rooms, but the deals are not as good as I got for Spring Break 2 weeks ago. I booked my Spring Break dates (3/11-14) on 12/28. That's less then 3 months before my trip. I pretty much booked them right when they were released. I had been checking almost every day. I have been checking pretty frequently for July too. Also, just looking for non-APH rates around 6/8, I see 2Q rooms available, including standard, at 2 of the deluxe. I see other 2Q rooms available at all of the deluxe.

If an Orbitz/Cheap Tickets promo code comes out, I would go ahead and book with that, if you don't already have a ressie, and then keep looking for an APH rate. That's what I did for Spring Break. Make sure that the Orbitz/Cheap Tickets ressie has no cancellation fee. I haven't seen any promo codes for my dates lately. I haven't looked for early June though.

 

[Raeven]

I'm waiting for December, and possibly September.

September's already booked, and is only two nights but if a discount comes out I wouldn't mind saving a little.

I called Universal the other night because I wanted to book the AP only Harry Potter package for CBBR in December. (It says booking through December 18th on it). Last year we booked a package for HHN about 6-7 months before going so I figured they'd be available. When I spoke with someone they said they could only book it through May, and they suspect that's when new dates will be released. But for December it most likely won't be released till July or later.

 

[pmdeve]

What is the Harry Potter Package?

 

[soniam]

What is the Harry Potter Package?

It's the special package they sell. If it's not during Harry Potter Celebration, I think it includes room, tickets, and breakfast at one of the WWHP eateries. During the celebration, it includes more. Here's a link.

https://www.universalorlando.com/Va...-Potter-Exclusive-Vacation-Package.aspx?aid=1

 

[Raeven]

What is the Harry Potter Package?

Pretty much what the above poster said but this is an AP one so it was room only no tickets. 3 day room accomadations, breakfast at the Leaky Cauldron, shutterbuttons photography session, and the early access that usually comes with an onsite room.

 

[macraven]

i booked my room very end of january for october.
used smsm as i have about a 2 week booking

just went to see what rates are out there for the booking i made for october.
good thing i booked when i did as rates are a heck of a lot higher now.

surely they will be adjusted and come down some.......


but don't think the ap will match the smsm rate i booked at.

 

[cords]

I am 2 weeks out from our visit and they just released more APH rates. This was a last minute trip as our kids won a bid to Worlds (cheer) at Disney. A group of us are adding a few days at Universal. Knowing I could cancel if the team did not get their bid, I booked a long time ago with an APH rate. However, the rest of our group just booked a couple of weeks ago at rack rate. Luckily for them Universal opened up more APH rooms, mostly at RPR, this past week.

So, if anybody is looking for the third week of April, they are available. Note: I had to clear my cookies/cache before they would show up on my computer. I have been told that Universal uses dynamic pricing (pricing dependent on your browsing history and what you have been previously quoted.) I don't know if it is true but it worked for me. I cleared everything and the rates immediately showed up.

 

[PoohBears#1fan]

Just booked 3 nights in a kid's suite at HRH for 9/1-9/4, no APH rates yet but hoping to apply them retrospectively - or change booking if there's nothing for those suites there, been watching prices but they just seem to be sneaking up, so thought we'd secure the room we wanted.

Are there any of these suites in club?

 

[tinydancer09]

Was able to look up APH rates for September. Saw $199 for PBH 224 for HRH AND 194 for RPR

 

[PoohBears#1fan]

Was able to look up APH rates for September. Saw $199 for PBH 224 for HRH AND 194 for RPR

Just checked our dates (09/1-9/4) & nothing showing for APH yet.

 

[tinydancer09]

Just checked our dates (09/1-9/4) & nothing showing for APH yet.

Weird. I just tested it and the dates I was checking (birthday) 9/18-9/21 are working but kit 9/1-9/4. I don't pretend to know what universal does, but later in the month has rates

 

[mischief32]

I just checked rates for 9/22-26 and SMSM are cheaper then APH rates. Feels like really not worth having an annual pass anymore if SMSM rates are better. I live out of state and only come really once or twice a year and as much as the price of the annual pass went up I might have to rethink my renewal in December. Very sad.