Best night for Universal - opinions please

[Dimplenose]

We're going to be staying at WDW at the end of July but are planning to spend one night at a Universal hotel in order to get two days FOTL perk.

I don't know what would be the best night to stay. We arrive in WDW on Monday 27th July and won't check out to go to US but will get an extra room at US for one night.

I have two ideas but I don't know which will give me the most benefit - or if there's another option I've overlooked.

Option 1: Stay at US the night of Sat 1st Aug - this will give us FOTL access on Saturday and Sunday which I assume will be very busy days both at WDW and US

Option 2: Stay at US the night of Tuesday 4th Aug - probably quieter at US so not as much advantage having FOTL but will get us out of WDW for two of the free dining days.

Any opinions will be welcome. (I'd like to be in WDW the weekend of 8/9 Aug as we fly home on the 10th.)

 

[Claire L]

Regarding option 2 would you be eatting at WDW or can you get out and about? If so then I would go for option 1

Claire

 

[rpbert1]

weekend stays at Universal resorts are usuall more expensive and the resorts are usually booked up as they offer deals to Floridans for this, and they are crowded.
I personally would go with option 2, even though you say probably will not need FOTL, i can assure you, you will need them, as the parks are just as busy up till near the end of August

 

[Mrs Dazzle]

I'd go for option 2- even though it's likely to be somewhat quieter at Universal, it will still be worth every $ for the FOTL.

As rpbert1 says, the hotels are more expensive at the weekend, so you've got to weigh up the pros & cons of the extra expense and crowd levels (hotel and parks!) too.

Which Universal hotel are you thinking about?

 

[wicket2005]

I have stayed on site at Universal for 3 holidays now, 2 in July, for the complete holiday. Without a shadow of a doubt I would say stay during the week and not on a weekend. The weekends are noticeably busier both at the two parks and on City Walk as well as pool areas at the hotels.

The FOTL passes are a very welcome perk in peak season and they will make your stay much more enjoyable even if it is during the week. Off season the FOTL passes are not as essential as we found when we stayed in December. FOTL during the week in July we were more often than not straight on rides whereas on Saturdays sometimes we had a 20 minute wait for rides and it obviously was a lot longer in the regular lines. Universal is considerably busier on a weekend probably also because of the locality of CityWalk and the residents of Florida having a good night out.

Some Disney parks are quieter on a weekend and sites like the Brits Guide and Touringplans can give you an indication of which parks to visit on a weekend. I think we have done MK and AK/HS on weekends but it can change depending on crowd levels.

 

[Dimplenose]

Thanks for your replies. I've only ever gone at the end of August before (which unfortunately I can't do this year) so I know everywhere will be busier this time but I didn't know how it would affect the FOTL queues.

I hadn't thought about the hotels being dearer at the weekends.

It sounds as though most of you recommend mid-week so I'll go for that.

As for which hotel? -It's only for one night so I'll just go for the cheapest. (Probably RPR as it was on our last visit).

 

[Shooby doo]

Quick question?If you get 2 days FOTL for 1 nights stay is it 2 whole days or just check-in-check-out times?
SD

 

[Dimplenose]

Last time we checked in early and got our passes before the room should have been ready and carried on using them all the next day, even though we checked out after breakfast. I'm assuming it hasn't changed.

 

[wicket2005]

FOTL lasts from when you check in till the end of the day you check out.

RPR is a lovely hotel and has a slightly quieter feel to it but is more exotic. Hard Rock is our favourite out of the two for having a party vibe in the summer months and is closer to walk back on a night from Universal. We are back to the RPR in July, cannot wait.

 

[rpbert1]

Hey wicket2005,see you are there around the same time as ourselves, we arrive 30th June till 14th July

 

[Cyrano]

Hey wicket2005,see you are there around the same time as ourselves, we arrive 30th June till 14th July

We will be neighbours at Hard Rock Hotel 29 June - 1 July

 

[rpbert1]

Maybe see you there Cyrano, we usually spend our first full day at the pool relaxing, although DD might want the Parks , will convince her to go in the evening.
Hope you guys have a great time, my countdown goes to Double Digits in approx 12 hours

 

[wicket2005]

Hey Reid you will love the Hard Rock, just make sure you ask for a room away from reception and away from the elevators. In July when we went we were on the same floor as reception and just a few rooms in along the corridor. We awoke really early thinking the lads had left their tv on next door but it was the music in the reception area we could hear. There was also a lot of noise from people going to their rooms as we were in the main entrance for that floor plus you could hearing the dinging of the elevator all the time. Anyway we explained to reception there and then and they agreed to move our two rooms to another floor and it was peace from then on. When we went in December we made sure we were on another floor too and again it was peaceful. The beds are so comfortable.

Hey Robert we arrive on 20th July (our 24th wedding anniversary) till 3rd August so will just miss you. I am looking forward to sitting on that volleyball beach, watching the boats and Dr Doom go up and down, sipping a Tsunami.

 

[rpbert1]

We get back to orlando on the 21st july, from St.Petes, but are going to PBH for our last week, as RPR had no SS rates for that week, so got PBH for $172, called the Manager as we had a few issues the last time, and he sorted our suite out for us, not sure where it is at the resort, but i let him decide which one, so hopefully will be nice

 

[wicket2005]

Hope you have a nice time there. I will keep an eye out for you and your family.

 

[Cyrano]

Hey Reid you will love the Hard Rock, just make sure you ask for a room away from reception and away from the elevators. In July when we went we were on the same floor as reception and just a few rooms in along the corridor. We awoke really early thinking the lads had left their tv on next door but it was the music in the reception area we could hear. There was also a lot of noise from people going to their rooms as we were in the main entrance for that floor plus you could hearing the dinging of the elevator all the time. Anyway we explained to reception there and then and they agreed to move our two rooms to another floor and it was peace from then on. When we went in December we made sure we were on another floor too and again it was peaceful. The beds are so comfortable.

Thanks for the advice Do you think I should email ahead ?
As DD is allergic to dog dander I was going to contact the hotel to make sure that we did not get a room that had previously had a dog in it anyway

 

[wicket2005]

Hiya Reid, I must stress the hotel is simply fantastic and you will have a lovely time. Just being able to stroll to the parks is so relaxing. We were just unfortunate enough to get rooms very close to the entrance to that floor. There are only a handful of rooms close to the reception so I don't think you will have a problem. It doesn't hurt to email them and ask for a room on a higher floor, especially with your daughter being allergic to dog dander. Floor 1 is for people with pets I believe and the reception lobby is on Floor 3. We were on floor 2 in December and that was fine.