Best way to switch to a Premier level hotel and check in?

[HPotter]

Friends, we arrive late at night (10pm) and are staying at Endless Summer to save money. The next morning we move to Royal Pacific to take advantage of Universal Express unlimited. Knowing I want to get to the park for early access, what is my best strategy here other than getting up super early moving the enitre clan to the Royal Pacific and checking in. Is there another way?

 

[Mr. Drauer]

The Express Pass is your room key, so it needs to physically be printed out at RP. You can check in really early wtihout "moving the whole clan" - but you still have to do at RP. You could check out and get all of your luggage later in the day to move over if you want to check in and then do EE. But remember - not all attractions are even open at EE - In USO, it is usually just Minions and Gringotts. In IOA - Hagrid, FJ, and Velocicoaster, with Hulk sometimes opening.

 

[HPotter]

Thanks! Wonder what the absolute earliest you can check in? Is it midnight??

 

[schumigirl]

Thanks! Wonder what the absolute earliest you can check in? Is it midnight??

No, you can check in as early as 6am.

 

[Krisshay13]

what we do.....I go on to Early Access. You don't use Express Pass the 1st hour.......and most of the time we can do rides for a little while without it. by mid-morning, I'm ready for a break....we head to the boats & over to check in to get our EP cards. that way I'm not so rushed in the mornings.

 

[hhoope01]

I would probably have one person get up extra early and head over to RPR to check in for the whole group (i.e. getting there between 6am and 7am). As others have mentioned, you don't need everyone at the front desk to check-in. You will get a room card for everyone listed on the reservation, though most likely the room won't be ready. No problem as the room key will still work for EPs.

What happens next depends on how early everyone wants to get up and how early you got up. You head back to Endless Summer or you could meet everyone at a CityWalk location of your choosing and then head over to the park of your choosing. As for your bags, that also depends on a few items. What I normally do is see if I can get a late check-out (i.e. 1pm or so.) If the hotel isn't too crowded, they try to be accommodating. If you get it, I'd leave everything in your room and head for the parks for early entry. Then around lunchtime you can head back, finish packing up and move all the luggage to RPR at that time. If you can't get a late check-out time, I'd pack everything up and head down to the concierge desk. They will hold your bags all day for you.

As for getting into your room at RPR, when you check-in, they will most likely ask for you phone # and text you when your room is ready. Your initial set of keys may automatically work in your room, or they may not. I've had to stop by the front desk to get new room keys and I've been able to just go to the room without going back to the front desk.

Use Uber or a taxi to get your bags to RPR. Yes that does have a cost, but it is the easiest path. I've never actually tried to get all my luggage on the buses, then go through the CityWalk security, then take your bags onto a water taxi. It might be possible, but lugging big bags through all that could be problematic, plus depending on what you have in your main bags, it could flag security. So I'd just recommend using Uber or similar to get your bags over. Of course if you have a car, then that isn't an issue. In that case, you could just check-out of your hotel in the morning before heading over CityWalk and put all your luggage into your car. Your car can stay there all day without an additional charge. So you wouldn't be in any hurry at that point. Personally, I don't rent cars much any more. Between the rental charges and the parking charges, I'd just as soon stay in the Universal bubble and spend elsewhere.

 

[usckitty]

This thread is so helpful, as I was wondering the same thing!

 

[Sue M]

Since you’ll still be packed staying only one night, I’d get everyone going in the morning, grab an Uber to move your luggage and family over to RP, when everyone’s ready to go to the parks, leave luggage with Bell Service and get your room key cards which is also express pass and head off to the parks. Not sure how many people you have, you can order a Uber van or Mears Taxi has them at no extra charge.