Budget Universal Trip -- Advice Appreciated

[tar heel]

We're going to be taking my oldest DS down to start the Disney College Program in August. Since he will soon have some nice discount perks and we have other trips planned this fall, we decided we would take advantage of the $86 tickets and do Universal. We really need to make this a budget trip, though, because of our plans the rest of the fall. I know lots about budget ideas for Disney but absolutely nothing for Universal. We've not been before, and there are five us. Youngest is 13, and other two "kids" are "adults" according to most hotels, etc.

My questions:

Where to stay? On-site is just too much with four adults. We've stayed at Amerisuites and Summerhill Suites elsewhere and been happy. Ideally, I'd like breakfast included and not be too far away. I've also considered bidding for two rooms on priceline.

Where to eat? DH is a foodie, so all my economizing plans may go out the window on this one. Any good places to recommend? Good is as important as cheap in this case.

Any discounts that a Newbie wouldn't know about? We have AAA.

Can you take water bottles in like you can at Disney?

Thanks!

 

[Darcy03231]

If you go to www.restaurant.com you can get $25 off certificates for a lot of restaurants in Orlando for $3. When you go to check out just enter the code PRESENT. I did this for our upcoming trip. You can use one certificate per restaurant per month. Some have other restrictions (ie Sunday - Thurs only) so make sure you read what each restaurant's rules are.

 

[Spidey7]

Wish i could help but unless you just want to eat at McDonalds everyday, I haven't a clue how to really save any money. The place is a money sink hole and I just always get in the frame of mind that I'm going to drop a bundle and I do everytime. I was spending 20s left and right, sometimes 100s.

And staying onsite is so worth it though. If you don't the ride lines will be anywhere from an hour to 2, and you won't really get to ride much and spend most of your time waiting in lines which is absolutely no fun. Especially when you drop 86 bucks for tickets and get to ride 4 or 5 rides the whole day.

Staying on site we didn't waste anytime in lines and we could ride the good rides over and over again. Without it, the good rides you'll be lucky to do once or twice the whole trip.

Time is money on those trips in a way and the fast pass makes all the difference in the world, that's why its worth it to go ahead and drop 200 a night at the RPR instead of just 100 a night somewhere else offsight.

 

[tar heel]

So, are you saying it's not worth going if you don't stay on site? How do you get an on-site room for four adults for $200. I was quoted $300 and up. Given that we have Disney trips planned for October and December and that I paid college tuition last week, I'm tryng really hard not to spend that kind of $.

Our situation is that we will arrive in Orlando on Friday night (late) and our son checks in for his college program on Monday. The five of us will be together Saturday and Sunday, and Universal seemed like a good idea b/c I couldn't wrap my brain around paying $200+ for a Disney pass for a kid who will have free admission starting Tuesday or Wednesday. On Monday morning, we move oldest DS into college program housing. It's possible we would go to Universal later that day if everyone liked it. I think the other four of us would probably go Tuesday, but I'm not sure b/c we won't know when DH's training starts until he checks in. On Wednesday, we head home b/c middle DS leaves for college on Friday.

 

[tar heel]

Darcy -- Are there any specific restaurant.com places you would recommend? Taking $25 off the bill could be helpful if I chose the right places.

 

[ky07]

We went in june and stayed at the doubletree on major blvd and while they don't offer free breakfast or anything there is a tgi fridays across the street and the prices were reasonable and down from there around the corner is a cracker barrel and they had great food and across parking lot was a golden corral and if nothing else there was a burger king not too far away and we were on a tight budget too and we actually can home with money if ya can imagine that.