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

[ruthies12]

Well I'm a happy camper! I got Aventura for 119 a night for Wed and Thurs January 9th and 10th and then Royal Pacific for 229 a night for Friday and Saturday night January 11th and 12th. The team member on the phone told me there is a shuttle that goes around to all the hotels for free. I'm going to try to get them to transport our luggage but we'll see what happens. I looked at uber and the cost is only 3 bucks lol so if the shuttle takes too long we'll just do that.

We originally planned on going back to Aventura for Saturday night but there is no discount there on a Saturday, the cost was 164 for that night. We decided the price difference wasn't worth the hassle of switching again so we are staying at RPR. We get a half day in the park on Sunday before we have to leave for the airport so it'll be nice having express pass for our last few hours.

I noticed if I put all four nights at Aventura that the price was 145 a night which is the non-discounted price and is the same I booked a month ago. I only found a discount there when I put it as wed and thurs only. I also noticed Royal Pacific wouldn't discount Saturday night by itself but did discount it when added to a Friday night reservation.

Definitely pays to play around with dates! ​

 

[Sue M]

Well I'm a happy camper! I got Aventura for 119 a night for Wed and Thurs January 9th and 10th and then Royal Pacific for 229 a night for Friday and Saturday night January 11th and 12th. The team member on the phone told me there is a shuttle that goes around to all the hotels for free. I'm going to try to get them to transport our luggage but we'll see what happens. I looked at uber and the cost is only 3 bucks lol so if the shuttle takes too long we'll just do that.

We originally planned on going back to Aventura for Saturday night but there is no discount there on a Saturday, the cost was 164 for that night. We decided the price difference wasn't worth the hassle of switching again so we are staying at RPR. We get a half day in the park on Sunday before we have to leave for the airport so it'll be nice having express pass for our last few hours.

I noticed if I put all four nights at Aventura that the price was 145 a night which is the non-discounted price and is the same I booked a month ago. I only found a discount there when I put it as wed and thurs only. I also noticed Royal Pacific wouldn't discount Saturday night by itself but did discount it when added to a Friday night reservation.

Definitely pays to play around with dates! ​

Interesting about dates and rates. I think the shuttle they are talking about is the dinner shuttle. You may have to Uber or Lyft to transfer luggage. But I’m a Universal newbie, I’ve only had 4 stays in 10 yrs.
This Next stay is my longest, 10 nights at Royal Pacific 4/29 - 5/9 $211/night for 2 adults. I played with rates too! Now waiting for AP rate.

 

[ruthies12]

The team member on the phone said the shuttle runs constantly throughout the day to transfer guests from hotel to hotel. I've heard of it on here from one other person who said it was an SUV but I don't recall what time of day they did their transfer. I'm a little worried that the team member is confusing this shuttle with the dining shuttle which my understanding is that the dining shuttle doesn't run until evening. That was why I looked up the cost of an uber to make the transfer just in case we need to do that. 3 bucks is fine and I would be tipping the shuttle driver the same as the uber driver so that part is the same cost either way. I'll try to come back after my trip and update with what actually happens!

 

[ruthies12]

And this trip is just two adults with one suitcase each so if worse comes to worse and this shuttle is imaginary and there are no ubers or lyfts to be had, we could just walk though sapphire falls and over to royal pacific lol

 

[Roxyfire]

And this trip is just two adults with one suitcase each so if worse comes to worse and this shuttle is imaginary and there are no ubers or lyfts to be had, we could just walk though sapphire falls and over to royal pacific lol

Wouldn't worry too much about ride sharing, there's always a few around. Plus I'm sure there's a driver that wouldn't mind the quick fare either.

 

[A Belle Among Beasts]

Just noticed APH rates through at least the 1st weekend in March. Didn’t play any further than that.

 

[mouselike-harrier]

The stay more save more rate for that length of time is always very close to the aph rate. If you compare the seasonal rate to the smsm or aph rate, that's where you'll see the difference. Tower Suite is $210 for seasonal rate.

I'm looking to go in the beginning of May. Should I even bother to wait or go and book it at the smsm rate if it's that close to the aph rate?

 

[damo]

I'm looking to go in the beginning of May. Should I even bother to wait or go and book it at the smsm rate if it's that close to the aph rate?

If you are going for more than 5 days, the smsm rate is probably going to be very close to the aph rate.

 

[Sue M]

I'm looking to go in the beginning of May. Should I even bother to wait or go and book it at the smsm rate if it's that close to the aph rate?

I booked the stay more rate, I’ll be there late April/ early May. If AP rate comes out I’ll switch.

Edited to add, I just checked my dates for RPH, and the rate I booked isn’t available anymore. I booked a standard room. Now only availability with that rate is King Suite. So I’d def book ASAP then keep checking. If you see a good promo rate nab it.

 

[mouselike-harrier]

I plan on going for 4 nights, so this is something I'll definitely look into especially since they probably won't release the aph rates until January.

 

[weather_lady]

How I wish they'd release the APH rates all at once instead of in piecemeal fashion!

Thanks to fluctuating dates/resorts/room categories with APH rates, I've already changed my reservations for 2/18-2/22 twice, saving a little money each time but having to put down new deposits and wait for the earlier one(s) to be refunded. We currently have a split stay (3 nights at Hard Rock for Unlimited Express Pass, 4th night at Sapphire Falls as the APH rate isn't offered for that 4th night, and we leave so early on day 5 that we wouldn't be able to use an Unlimited Express Pass benefit that day anyway.)

Our arrangements are more complicated than usual, as there will be an older family member joining us, which necessitates 2 connecting standard rooms or a suite with 3 or more beds, and our airfare is already purchased, so there's no flexibility as to our dates. I appreciate the opportunity for APH-related savings, particularly during the wildly price-inflated February break, but I'd love to go back to not-having-to-check-for-APH-rates-several-times-a-day. Oh well. I guess this is the lifestyle I chose when I bought an annual pass! Thanks for letting me whine.

 

[emmabelle]

I just booked 3 rooms for August 11-16, 2019. Is $239 a night a good rate for Royal Pacific for a water view room?
It seemed good to me but I usually stay at Disney so I’m really not sure?

 

[Suprachica79]

I just booked 3 rooms for August 11-16, 2019. Is $239 a night a good rate for Royal Pacific for a water view room?
It seemed good to me but I usually stay at Disney so I’m really not sure?

Sounds pretty good to me for summer peak times.

 

[weather_lady]

I just booked 3 rooms for August 11-16, 2019. Is $239 a night a good rate for Royal Pacific for a water view room?
It seemed good to me but I usually stay at Disney so I’m really not sure?

Yes, it is. We're going in February (over break, meaning the prices are inflated that week) and APH rate for a standard (non water-view) room at RPR is $275/night (with the non-discounted rack rate for that room being $409/night - yikes!).

 

[Cheshire73]

Yes, it is. We're going in February (over break, meaning the prices are inflated that week) and APH rate for a standard (non water-view) room at RPR is $275/night (with the non-discounted rack rate for that room being $409/night - yikes!).

Where are you finding $275/night? I've been stalking the link on Page 1 of this thread, but I only ever come up with the non-discounted rate of $419.

 

[damo]

Where are you finding $275/night? I've been stalking the link on Page 1 of this thread, but I only ever come up with the non-discounted rate of $419.

What are your dates and what hotel are you looking for?

 

[emmabelle]

Yes, it is. We're going in February (over break, meaning the prices are inflated that week) and APH rate for a standard (non water-view) room at RPR is $275/night (with the non-discounted rack rate for that room being $409/night - yikes!).

now I just need to pull the trigger and cancel my two "bounceback" rooms at Disney for July. It's hard to let go of Disney promo, but instead I'll be getting a deluxe hotel instead of a mod, plus tickets that will be good for 18 months instead of four days.

 

[Cheshire73]

What are your dates and what hotel are you looking for?

February 16 -19. Royal Pacific.

 

[jsmla]

2/3-6 2019 (3 nights)
Royal Pacific Resort
$194/night (APH)

I'll keep checking and playing with my dates but I can live with this.

 

[weather_lady]

Where are you finding $275/night? I've been stalking the link on Page 1 of this thread, but I only ever come up with the non-discounted rate of $419.

We're visiting 2/18-22. Playing around with dates, I could only get the APH rate at RPR ($275/night for a standard room) from 2/18-21. (If I put in 2/18-22, I'm only offered club rooms or suites, and if I just look for 2/21-22, only the suites). So what we decided to do is stay 3 nights at RPR, and then for our last night, move next door to Sapphire Falls (standard room at APH rate of $169/night). We'll still be able to use Unlimited Express Pass all day on 2/21 (as it's good for your entire check-out day), and we fly out so early on 2/22 that we wouldn't be able to use it then, anyway. We travel pretty light, so having to pack up and have our bags moved won't be a huge deal -- although I will keep my eyes peeled and see if APH rates for standard rooms at RPR come out for 2/21, in which case we'll stay there all 4 nights. I'm sure it can happen. When the APH rates were first released, there were none for RPR except for suites... after a few days 2/19 and 2/20 had standard rooms at RPR at APH rates, but not my arrival or departure days... and then a couple of weeks later, when 2/18 also became available, that's when I booked.

Moral of the story: be patient and keep checking. When I found the standard room APH rate at RPR, it was because I couldn't sleep and was playing around with my phone at 3am. The same rate hadn't been there when I'd checked that afternoon at work around 5pm, so you never know when the rates will update...

In the meantime, I know it's not the hotel you want, but if you want a placeholder reservation for your dates, Portofino Bay currently has deluxe (extra-large - like 1 1/2 times the size of a standard room at RPR) rooms for an APH rate of $404/night from 2/16-19.