Completely Confused by Universal

[mrsmarilyn]

I'm a wiz at Disney, can do that in my sleep. I'm trying to plan first trip to US and am completely lost. How can I tell what is an on property hotel vs off? Their website seems to show both?! How can i get discounts? where to find annual pass rates vs visitor rates? Do they have GAC equivalent? Do they offer free parking to handicap drivers?

I've read threads on this board and feel just as confused as when I started. Is there a US-For-Idiots thread or book somewhere I can read??

 

[damo]

There are three onsite hotels: Royal Pacific, Hard Rock and Portofino. http://www.universalorlando.com/OverviewPages/Hotels/3worldclass.aspx

The website shows partner hotels as well.
http://www.universalorlando.com/Flo...s.aspx?ComponentId=12202&SourcePageId=10638#7

When booking a package, the website will give you the option of booking onsite or at a partner hotel.
http://www.universalorlando.com/Florida_Vacation_Packages/bf/vacation_packages_overview.aspx

You can find the AP rate by entering APH in the promotion box. Yes they have an equivalent to a GAC and I do not believe there is free parking for drivers with a handicap.

There is a book on Universal by Kelly Monaghan available at amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Universal-Orl...0905/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1294447242&sr=8-1

 

[MinnieForMe]

Hi:
If you drive in, everyone parks in a parking garage and there is no free parking. I'm assuming if you stay on site that there is a water shuttle as we saw something similar when we were walking in.

They are not as handicap friendly as Disney is! We were there five years ago and I was not happy at all with the way I was treated. We couldn't even find employees to tell us how to get into shows. We reluctantly returned two years ago and were pleasantly surprised. They seemed to be training their employees much better in regards to handicap guests.

A silly note: They require you to turn on your lights to park in handicap parking when you enter the garage. Don't forget to turn them off! We had a nightmare experience with our battery going dead and no one in the parking garage or at Universal willing to help us. Thankfully, AAA sent a locksmith as the battery loss deactiviated the remote for keyless entry. What a mess!

You'll have a great time if you remember "This is Not Disney" and is a whole different experience!