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

[keishashadow]

The RPR/HRH/PBH APH rates have not been in the budget for my late August dates for my visit so I decided to try Hotwire/Priceline. I was able to book RPR at $193/night which is almost $100/night cheaper than the APH rate.

Via buying ‘blind’ hotel? If so, did you take notes as to the description of the property & could share?

 

[MamaKate]

The RPR/HRH/PBH APH rates have not been in the budget for my late August dates for my visit so I decided to try Hotwire/Priceline. I was able to book RPR at $193/night which is almost $100/night cheaper than the APH rate.

Via buying ‘blind’ hotel? If so, did you take notes as to the description of the property & could share?

I'm also interested in the information. Did you end up booking at Priceline or Hotwire? Are there any descriptors that distinguish it from other area hotels? Thank you.

 

[keishashadow]

I'm also interested in the information. Did you end up booking at Priceline or Hotwire? Are there any descriptors that distinguish it from other area hotels? Thank you.

One of the problems with HW/PL is they tend to switch up the descriptions when word gets out that people have deciphered their verbage (i.e. disney hotels).

At U the doubletree across the street mimics the hotels at times i’ve poked around

On hotwire, lately i’ve Seen both the your hotel is one of these four pop up & even a guarantee of the PBH for one night in September. It turned out not to be much of discount once factoring in HWs fees, so i passed.

 

[jsmla]

It was blind. I matched up the specs (4.6 rating, 4 1/2 bubbles on TripAdvisor, pet friendly) between the blind “Hot Rate” hotel and the named listings for the Universal resorts. After I clicked on the blind hotel there was a drop down that said it was guaranteed to be one of the following:
Hard Rock
Portofino Bay
Royal Pacific
Doubletree

Since the Doubletree is not pet friendly and has a 4.3 rating on Hotwire/4 bubbles on TripAdvisor It had to be one the Universal resorts.

Hotwire does add a significant fee but since I could only get suites at HR and RPR and the Portofino was coming in at over $300/night for my dates with APH it worked for me.

 

[keishashadow]

It was blind. I matched up the specs (4.6 rating, 4 1/2 bubbles on TripAdvisor, pet friendly) between the blind “Hot Rate” hotel and the named listings for the Universal resorts. After I clicked on the blind hotel there was a drop down that said it was guaranteed to be one of the following:
Hard Rock
Portofino Bay
Royal Pacific
Doubletree

Since the Doubletree is not pet friendly and has a 4.3 rating on Hotwire/4 bubbles on TripAdvisor It had to be one the Universal resorts.

Hotwire does add a significant fee but since I could only get suites at HR and RPR and the Portofino was coming in at over $300/night for my dates with APH it worked for me.

Thanks for responding so quickly! Enjoy

 

[Andrewssix]

I'm hoping someone could verify if I'm understanding Universal's AP rates and upgrading tickets. I have purchased a buy 2 get 3 free ticket from Undercover Tourist, for $276. Can I now upgrade this ticket when I arrive at Cabana Bay to an AP for the difference of an additional $28 ($304.99 for the pass) and then use that for the AP hotel rate? Also, if that's the case, do I cancel my first reservation and book a new one, or call to change the original reservation? Thanks for any help.

 

[macraven]

If it were me, I would call and see what the ap rate would be for your room and dates

You need to make sure your dates are included for the ap rate

You can buy/do the exchange of tickets to AP when you are at UO
Your booked ap rate will hold

Just show the ap at the hotel counter and have it noted in your reservation

 

[Andrewssix]

Thank you for your help. I do see that there is an AP rate for the dates of our trip.

 

[macraven]

As long as your tickets of buy 2, get 3 free do not expire when you arrive, upgrading to the ap would be fine

Do check the website to make sure the lower type of ap is not blacked out to use for your dates

if it were me, I would book a new reservation before I cancelled the present reservation

 

[wendlle]

The RPR/HRH/PBH APH rates have not been in the budget for my late August dates for my visit so I decided to try Hotwire/Priceline. I was able to book RPR at $193/night which is almost $100/night cheaper than the APH rate.

How exactly does Priceline work? I was under the impression that you didn't know where you were staying when booking until after you paid. Or am I completely wrong on this?

 

[macraven]

Yes you learn the hotel name after you book and pay

 

[jsmla]

Priceline has named bookings too and I’ve often found them to be one of the cheaper options.

 

[ruthies12]

Well I think I did pretty darn well. I booked AP rates for my dates and got RPR for 189 a night for 9/15 and 9/16 and then Sapphire Falls for 139 a night for 9/17 and 9/18. Woohoo!

 

[Candycane83]

Long shot but does anyone think there will be AP rates for the week of Christmas? I suddenly had to cancel my July trip and am rebooking for Christmas. So far I saw an AP rate for Dec 19 at PBH for 219. booked that and smsm for RPR from 20-26 at 420...

 

[keishashadow]

Suggest looking back a year or two in the date/rate thread to see if it’s come out. Wouldn’t guarantee it’d happen again this year, but might follow pattern

 

[Candycane83]

Suggest looking back a year or two in the date/rate thread to see if it’s come out. Wouldn’t guarantee it’d happen again this year, but might follow pattern

Thanks! I just checked, not much but I’ll keep checking the site.

 

[S@r@]

Booked Cabana Bay for $114 - 3 nights from September 10. Last year I got if for $104 a night for more or less the same dates, so I'll keep an eye out for an even lower rate. But already happy with what I got

 

[ksromack]

Booked Cabana Bay for $114 - 3 nights from September 10. Last year I got if for $104 a night for more or less the same dates, so I'll keep an eye out for an even lower rate. But already happy with what I got

Is it common for rates to go down even more once the AP rates are published? I would LOVE to save some more on the 2 bedroom Club rate I just paid for at HRH. We'll have my 15 month old granddaughter with us and it'll be really convenient to stay as close as possible for naps and such. It was a huge splurge but it's only one night and we only have 1.5 days at U/IoA in December. It's sort of like when we paid for a TPV at the Contemporary. We'll probably never do that again but it's nice to do it at least once!

 

[ruthies12]

Played around with my dates and ended up finding Sapphire Falls for the first two nights of my trip for 139 also and RPR for just 214 for the second two nights.

So now I have to decide, would I rather have express pass the first 3 days of the trip or the last 3 days...….? decisions decisions

 

[S@r@]

Is it common for rates to go down even more once the AP rates are published? I would LOVE to save some more on the 2 bedroom Club rate I just paid for at HRH. We'll have my 15 month old granddaughter with us and it'll be really convenient to stay as close as possible for naps and such. It was a huge splurge but it's only one night and we only have 1.5 days at U/IoA in December. It's sort of like when we paid for a TPV at the Contemporary. We'll probably never do that again but it's nice to do it at least once!

From my experience with CB they go down closer to your check in date. But I will not take it as a guarantee. I would think this all has to do with availability. Just keep checking! I have been watching the rates for my trip since they came out. Started at $134. Last week they were at $124. Now at $114 and maybe even $104 in the future. Good luck!