Crowds the week of Memorial Day

[mutiger87]

I was hoping someone could comment on the crowd level/lines during the week of memorial day (Tues-Fri). We will be going this week in 2012 and are trying to decide if it is worth the expense to stay in a Universal resort for FOTL privileges. I generally prefer condos over hotel rooms anyway when traveling with the kids, so we will be sacrificing space and dollars just for that privilege. I know you can purchase express passes but those don't seem to be worth it IMO.

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[macraven]

the convenience of staying on site is just as good as having unlimited express line usage.

it is for me...

you can walk everywhere when you stay onsite.
parks, pools, city walk, cinema, eateries.


promos come out frequently for room rates.

 

[Metro West]

I was hoping someone could comment on the crowd level/lines during the week of memorial day (Tues-Fri). We will be going this week in 2012 and are trying to decide if it is worth the expense to stay in a Universal resort for FOTL privileges. I generally prefer condos over hotel rooms anyway when traveling with the kids, so we will be sacrificing space and dollars just for that privilege. I know you can purchase express passes but those don't seem to be worth it IMO.

Thanks in advance for the help!

If you're staying onsite, crowds will not be an issue with the unlimited Express access.

 

[mutiger87]

the convenience of staying on site is just as good as having unlimited express line usage.

it is for me...

you can walk everywhere when you stay onsite.
parks, pools, city walk, cinema, eateries.


promos come out frequently for room rates.

So..should I go ahead and reserve now and watch for specials? What specials am I looking for?

 

[macraven]

So..should I go ahead and reserve now and watch for specials? What specials am I looking for?

i would book now which would be rack rate.

if you have AAA, watch the rate for your dates when that comes out in december.
then call and modify your rate to reflect the discounted aaa rate.

i pay $44 a year for my AAA membership.
the discounts that i get, cover my membership costs and other things once i juggle the numbers.


there are promos that come out frequently.
this year the stay more, play more is a discount any one can book with.

at one point, it was valid for discounts for those that are staying 3 nights onsite.
then it jumped to 4 nights on site for the fall.

but, i have read where some got that room discount by booking only 2 nights.

each year the promos can change.
it can change based on the number of nights required for the promo.

the smsm is in effect thru the end of 2011.

ap room rates are available for jan and feb now.


promos will come out for room discounts.

usually when the hotels are not having as many bookings as they want, they give out promos to fill the rooms up.

check the website and loews website frequently to find out if new promos are published.

usually, someone will make a new thread to announce the new discounted rates.

what you want to do now is to guarantee a room for the dates you plan to be there.
then, watch the promos for room rate discounts.

when you see one, call and have your ressie switched to that promo.

promos are limited to a certain % of rooms.
when those rooms are filled, the promo does not exist anymore.

ie: you book a standard room.

discount rates come out and you fail to call to modify your room rate.
when you do call, the rooms you want have hit their quota.
therefore, you would have to switch to another type of room to get the discount.
book standard room
switch to standard water view.


don't worry if you have paid the one night deposit at the higher rate.
what money is left in your account will be applied to your final bill.

you will be looking for any specials for discounted room rates after you book your room.

i always book jan 1 or 2nd each year for my october stay.
one year, a special rate came out in early september.
usually, they are published months in advance.