Best strategy for hotel?

[TravelPlanner72]

First time planning a trip to Universal, so I'm trying to learn it all...
Like many of you, waiting for AP discounts for late April. We'd like to stay at a Premier hotel to get the EP. What's the best strategy?
Should I book a room now at the seasonal rate and then rebook if/when AP discounts come out?
Or does that indicate I'm willing to pay full price and there's no need for hotels to offer the AP discount if they can fill rooms at the regular rate?

Also, if we decide the cost at seasonal rate is just too high at a Premier, what other resort do you recommend? We are a family of 5, 2 adults and 3 teens.
We can get a 2 bedroom suite at Surfside or Dockside for 1/3 the price of a Premier standard room, but wondering what it's like to stay there? (super crowded, last on the bus line, etc?)

Thanks for your help!

 

[macraven]

Dockside and Surfside have received many good reviews but it does not include the perks the premier hotels include

the way bookings have been this year has changed the game
People are booking further in advance for their reservations

the seasonal formally known as the stay more save more discount rates allows a 10% discount
No idea when and if new discounts will be released

(like Clint Eastwood would say… do you think you will get lucky…)

book the hotel that you feel you can live with
None of us knows how the distribution of new discounts will be

I booked my room with the only discount that was available in January for my September stay
I did get the seasonal/ SMSM rate
If I see other rates are bookable for my September stay open up, I’ll call and adjust the discount code

I am hopeful the AP rates will show up eventually

 

[CAPSLOCK]

The busses are really great - pretty much always on a bus within 5 min, and most times there is a bus already sitting there. Granted this is experience from Cabana Bay, but have heard only good things RE Dockside/Surfside busses also.

Only thing to note at Dockside / Surfside is that you cannot "pool hop" to the other resorts. If you want nicer pools and the family suites, look at Cabana Bay. If more basic pools do the trick, Dockside / Surfside are fine.

 

[DizneyFamof4]

Since my sister will be joining us, we just booked at Surfside, we LOVE the 2 bedroom suites for a value price especially for 5 people. $80 cheaper per night then CBBR and a whopping $500 cheaper PER NIGHT then a premier resort. This will be our 2nd trip there within 6 month's Buses were great. FYI, Dockside has almost 3 times more rooms then Surfside. We got spoiled with having 3 "real" beds in one room.

 

[Jiminyfan2020]

I currently have 2 different reservations since we’re not 100% sure of our vacation dates yet. Can I call in and ask to have the $ transferred from one reservation to the other instead of a refund when we decide which one to keep? I have exchange rate fees on my credit card when I buy and when they refund. I’d prefer to avoid that if possible. I’ve done this several times at Disney. Hoping that US/Lowe’s can do the same.

 

[macraven]

I have no idea as never did a double booking like you have done

Give them a call and ask if you can combine the two bookings into one and have the 2 deposits credited to your reservation that you will keep

 

[Tiggerlover91]

I'm booking my hotel by whomever has the Express Pass perk. The math I was doing without it was hurting my budget. And surprisingly, I came out just a tad cheaper doing the hotel room and tickets separately. For some reason, the resorts that offer the Express Pass don't come up when I do a vacation package booking. I'm a FL resident.

 

[Skywalker3]

How many days/nights are you staying? might be a pain, but may want to look at a split stay? we often stay somewhere 'cheap' on arrival day. Like either a non Universal hotel, or on site, non premier, then bright and early the next day, check into the premier, and start enjoying the express pass. We've usually done at least 2-3 nights at a premier, but we're actually looking at an upcoming trip, where maybe we do just 1 night (for 2 days express,) then moving to something else like CB, Endless summer, etc. for the rest of the trip.
I'm having sticker shock now, looking at March, and Oct! not sure if/what we'll do for those trips.

 

[DizneyFamof4]

Our upcoming trip next month, we are going for 6 nights and doing the parks for 4 days. Based on pass trips, we decided not to stay at a premier resort for even a single night. We do not feel spending $600-$700 extra on a premier resort for 1 night to get 2 days of EPs is worth it for us, especially since we will have plenty of park time. Our trip back in October, the longest wait was for Hagrid and Velocercoaster and they are not part of EP anyways.

 

[TravelPlanner72]

How many days/nights are you staying? might be a pain, but may want to look at a split stay? we often stay somewhere 'cheap' on arrival day. Like either a non Universal hotel, or on site, non premier, then bright and early the next day, check into the premier, and start enjoying the express pass. We've usually done at least 2-3 nights at a premier, but we're actually looking at an upcoming trip, where maybe we do just 1 night (for 2 days express,) then moving to something else like CB, Endless summer, etc. for the rest of the trip.
I'm having sticker shock now, looking at March, and Oct! not sure if/what we'll do for those trips.

We'll be there 4 nights. Seems like a big hassle to move 5 people for such a short stay, but something to consider if the prices don't drop.