Book Directly with Universal or...?

McFlea

Mouseketeer
Joined
Mar 10, 2010
Hello All - Universal newbie here with a booking question. Like most here, I'm very familiar with WDW, but haven't been to Universal in 20+ years. I'm taking my mom for a mother-daughter trip in November, staying at Cabana Bay. She is in her 70s, so her teens and 20s were during the 50s and 60s and I think she'd really enjoy the theming. Question is regarding how to book - I've priced air/hotel/tickets separately and as packages. I'm finding best pricing to be booking all directly with Universal or with Delta Vacations. The price difference between the two for air/tickets/hotel is ~$50. For those that have booked a package directly with Universal, that includes air, how was your experience? Or conversely, how is the experience booking hotel with an airline? I'm just unsure which would be better to hold our reservation.
Any advice is appreciated. TIA!
 
ETA: I'd forgotten about AAA. Looks like the same price as booking through Universal, with a few AAA perks added in. I've asked for a quote, we'll see.
 
Hello All - Universal newbie here with a booking question. Like most here, I'm very familiar with WDW, but haven't been to Universal in 20+ years. I'm taking my mom for a mother-daughter trip in November, staying at Cabana Bay. She is in her 70s, so her teens and 20s were during the 50s and 60s and I think she'd really enjoy the theming. Question is regarding how to book - I've priced air/hotel/tickets separately and as packages. I'm finding best pricing to be booking all directly with Universal or with Delta Vacations. The price difference between the two for air/tickets/hotel is ~$50. For those that have booked a package directly with Universal, that includes air, how was your experience? Or conversely, how is the experience booking hotel with an airline? I'm just unsure which would be better to hold our reservation.
Any advice is appreciated. TIA!

I planned my trip fairly last-minute, and was quite satisfied with going as a bundle directly with Universal. I booked air, hotel, and tickets package over the phone. The representative was great and spent probably 45 minutes entering different choices into the system to get the best prices and options (ended up flying out of one airport and back into another to get the times I wanted).

I don't know if you are planning to rent a car for your trip, but my bundle included free airport shuttle to and from MCO. We also bought trip insurance which was much better than regular trip insurance that covers things like a hurricane or death. I can't remember all the details, but it basically gave us the option to cancel it all for no reason in particular, though I think airfare would be given back in airline credit rather than cash.

I think you and your mother will enjoy the theming of CB - it is very well done. It is a fairly large resort, though, so my advice would be to request a room semi-close to the lobby, unless your mother is one of those awesome power-walking septagenarians . We were pretty far off in the Americana wing, and I felt like I was walking miles of corridors to get there. It was extremely inconvenient to run back to the room for something.
 
I would never book a package with air. Just couldn’t do it.

Packages have cancelation policies and even change fees that I don’t wish to deal with

I book everything separately. Room through loewshotels. Tickets through Universal or a site like undercovertourist. Air through the airline.
 


Totally agree with bumbershoot

Penalties of $50 each time a change is made by you to the package when you book with uo

If the airline makes a change, that is not in you for any charges
 

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