OT
Finally enlarged your picture
For the likes of me, could not figure out what is was but now I know
Small world
Both my neighbors have a yard sign of that
crimson tide fans
It's a discount. The normal rack rate is $279. SMSM is a discount. Not sure how to be any more clear than that. You can try to blur the lines all you want, but SMSM is a discount.
I wasn't trying to convince you about any "bang for the buck" situation. I was simply comparing rack rate vs rack rate. True apples to apples.
I love RPR...will be checking in there in 3 days. But, I believe in like/kind comparisons for fairness, too.
We've owned DVC at Disney for 15+ years, and it has long since paid for itself. Therefore, we stay at Disney deluxes for our points x maintenance fees, which equals to less than $100 per night pretty much everywhere.
You conveniently just disregarded what I said about comparing a moderate resort at Disney with no interiors corridors with a moderate resort at Universal that offers interior corridors, CL and all the benefits of a deluxe resort at Disney plus express pass. As I said earlier, you really don't want to compare prices at WL and AKL to RPR discount or no discount. As far as DVC if you held exception with me comparing SMSM I think you bringing up DVC ownership is really reaching.
Ok...you win. I've lost interest.
I'm not sure why you think I'm arguing in favor of Disney. I simply stated that comparing rack rate vs rack rate in YOUR example (RPR vs POFQ) is the proper thing to do.
The thing is you really don't need to out-spend to get the FOTL access. Take for example this scenario I just ran with random dates that both showed availability:
9/15/17-9/19/17- RPR- 2Q Standard Room- $215.20 per night-2A/2C
9/15/17-9/15/17 - POFQ 2Q Standard View- $224.00 per night - 2A/2C
IMO RPR is a step above POFQ. I'm not a fan of exterior corridors and while at Disney only stay deluxe for that reason. I've visited both for almost every year for the past 20. Truthfully at this point, my family finds Universal being a much better bang for our buck.
Or you could just go at a slower time of year and not "need" express passes.
Unfortunately, going in September is not an option for me - I don't want my struggling high school student to miss a week of school. So instead I have to go for President's week.
I had priced out 2 nights during Presidents week this past year when we were down there:
2/21/17 - 2/23/17 - RPR - 2Q standard Room - Average $389 / night - with tax $436 per night = $872
Oh, and by the way, I have a preferred annual pass which in theory gives me a room discount, but it's a holiday week, so no annual pass discount for me! Thanks Universal! So we chose not to stay on site.
Now if I look at Disney - same two nights (and again real world I would be staying at a moderate if I had a cash Disney reservation).
2/21/17 - 2/23/17 - POFQ - $237 / night with tax $530 for 2 nights -but Disney will actually GIVE me a discount, so 20% off rack rate = $425 total.
So though you found dates that were cheaper at RPR, the dates I actually needed to use, RPR is more than double POFQ ($872 vs $425)
Comparable pricing at Disney for those two dates would be Wilderness Lodge - Which with the 20% discount offered would run $443 per night after discount and with tax. Or alternately drop to Cabana Bay for $229 a night - but now I lose FOTL - which is the whole point.
But this doesn't even meet reality for me - since I own at DVC. I have a room already booked through DVC for 2018 Presidents week - Sunday through Thursday for 4 nights at AKV, value room - costing me 52 points, my points cost me $8.30 per point, so $431.60 for FOUR nights at AKV - yes that's $108 per night.
ONE night at RPR on Saturday 2/17 - will cost me $469.
FOUR nights at AKV 2/18 - 2/22 - will cost me $432.
It's not even close in my DVC reality. I'm personally beginning to wonder if I'm crazy to even stay at Universal for the one night. It's really disappointing, because I really would like to stay at Universal for even a couple nights, but I just can't justify the cost.
Edit: BTW - this huge difference in room costs based on time of year tells me that Universal has a very hard time selling these resorts at slower times of year, so they drop the price significantly.
Unfortunately, going in September is not an option for me - I don't want my struggling high school student to miss a week of school. So instead I have to go for President's week.
I had priced out 2 nights during Presidents week this past year when we were down there:
2/21/17 - 2/23/17 - RPR - 2Q standard Room - Average $389 / night - with tax $436 per night = $872
Oh, and by the way, I have a preferred annual pass which in theory gives me a room discount, but it's a holiday week, so no annual pass discount for me! Thanks Universal! So we chose not to stay on site.
Now if I look at Disney - same two nights (and again real world I would be staying at a moderate if I had a cash Disney reservation).
2/21/17 - 2/23/17 - POFQ - $237 / night with tax $530 for 2 nights -but Disney will actually GIVE me a discount, so 20% off rack rate = $425 total.
So though you found dates that were cheaper at RPR, the dates I actually needed to use, RPR is more than double POFQ ($872 vs $425)
Comparable pricing at Disney for those two dates would be Wilderness Lodge - Which with the 20% discount offered would run $443 per night after discount and with tax. Or alternately drop to Cabana Bay for $229 a night - but now I lose FOTL - which is the whole point.
But this doesn't even meet reality for me - since I own at DVC. I have a room already booked through DVC for 2018 Presidents week - Sunday through Thursday for 4 nights at AKV, value room - costing me 52 points, my points cost me $8.30 per point, so $431.60 for FOUR nights at AKV - yes that's $108 per night.
ONE night at RPR on Saturday 2/17 - will cost me $469.
FOUR nights at AKV 2/18 - 2/22 - will cost me $432.
It's not even close in my DVC reality. I'm personally beginning to wonder if I'm crazy to even stay at Universal for the one night. It's really disappointing, because I really would like to stay at Universal for even a couple nights, but I just can't justify the cost.
Edit: BTW - this huge difference in room costs based on time of year tells me that Universal has a very hard time selling these resorts at slower times of year, so they drop the price significantly.
But it's kind of disingenuous to compare a DVC rate because if you're a member, you paid more up front when you joined. That amount should get added into your tallies when you say how much per visit you spend. It might just be $432 for this visit but how much have you paid in just for the privilege of membership? Kwim? It just isn't a comparable comparison.
Not knowing if your schools start before or after Labor Day, I chose Thanksgiving 11/22/17-11/24/17. I played it safe not knowing how long your break is and this way no discounts at all applied. You can always play with discounts. That's why I chose rack rates for both. Bottom line is I've never gotten a better deal at Disney. We always stayed Deluxe and always CL. Even staying at PBH CL which is our preference we save a huge amount of money when comparing to our preferred Disney resort. To each his own.
By the way, I tried to originally pull up rates for next President's Day but for some reason the Disney site would only let me book until the end of 2017.
Can I just ask why people who seem to hate Universal come over here to seemingly do nothing but compare it (unfavorably) to Disney? I don't get it and it's really disheartening to read. There are a ton of places on this board to talk about how wonderful Disney is and bash Universal - please don't bring it here.
Wish I could like this post more than once.
It really does get old and yawn inducing hearing how bad Universal are at certain things........in some folks eyes of course........
Universal is awesome! I know you agree I'll be there in five weeks and plan to have another great trip!
I certainly do!
Only five weeks till your trip.......wow.........bet you can't wait........
Can I just ask why people who seem to hate Universal come over here to seemingly do nothing but compare it (unfavorably) to Disney? I don't get it and it's really disheartening to read. There are a ton of places on this board to talk about how wonderful Disney is and bash Universal - please don't bring it here.
Universal is awesome! I know you agree I'll be there in five weeks and plan to have another great trip!
We did a four night stay at the HRH with the two day + two days free park to park tickets last week. It was our first time in Universal since 2009, pre-HP.
We THOUROUGHLY enjoyed our stay... but it still doesn't come close to Disney for us.
1 - HP - there is nothing in the Disney parks that matches Diagon Alley. It's a 10/10. Best theming in Orlando in my opinion.
2 - Ride seats - the big but (maybe pun intended? ) to the above is that I couldn't ride FJ. I'm a big guy, but there are zero rides that I can't ride at Disney. Not being able to ride FJ, RRR, Hulk (three major headliners), and Dragon Challenge is really ridiculous. There's really no excuse for it whatsoever.
3 -- rest of the parks -- Springfield is great. Otherwise after the HP areas, there's a big drop off in quality. That's where as a whole, Disney still way exceeds Universal for us.
4 -- Hard Rock Hotel -- GREAT hotel. Liked it a lot. I agree overall there isn't a strong tie in with theming to the parks, but the HRH has its own unique theme. The people there were super friendly. The biggest complaint we had was the club lounge was too small. Not nearly enough seats, so we had to being the food back to the room a few times, which we really haven't had to do at any of the Disney resorts.
5 - security lines on the walkways/boat launches/etc, instead of at the parks -- genius.
6 -- Rides -- Universal has their target niche with the action rides. It's not our preference. This is probably where it's the most subjective. I like coasters, but my wife doesn't. Plus as I said above, I couldn't ride most of them at UO, while I can ride RnR, EE, etc, with no problems. Gringotts and The Mummy are both world class rides though.
7 -- Frozen Butterbeer -- damn that stuff is good.
8 -- there's nothing at UO that wows you like Cinderella's Castle and Spaceship Earth (the Epcot globe). The dragon is amazing, but the universal parks didn't have the wow factor of the WDW parks to us. Again, all subjective.
Overall we'll probably come back to UO eventually, but we'll go to WDW many many times before then.
EP is the answer.......you never have to stand in insane queues with it.
I was on a thread on the DVC boards talking about booking and having to understand DVC - and it brought me back to this thread:
At Disney - you get an advantage by being smarter/wiser/planning ahead more than "the other guy". (FP+, ADR)
At Universal - you get an advantage by spending more money than "the other guy". (FOTL via $$/On-site hotel)
I've always preferred to out-think than to out-spend.
Unfortunately, going in September is not an option for me - I don't want my struggling high school student to miss a week of school. So instead I have to go for President's week.
I had priced out 2 nights during Presidents week this past year when we were down there:
2/21/17 - 2/23/17 - RPR - 2Q standard Room - Average $389 / night - with tax $436 per night = $872
Oh, and by the way, I have a preferred annual pass which in theory gives me a room discount, but it's a holiday week, so no annual pass discount for me! Thanks Universal! So we chose not to stay on site.
Now if I look at Disney - same two nights (and again real world I would be staying at a moderate if I had a cash Disney reservation).
2/21/17 - 2/23/17 - POFQ - $237 / night with tax $530 for 2 nights -but Disney will actually GIVE me a discount, so 20% off rack rate = $425 total.
So though you found dates that were cheaper at RPR, the dates I actually needed to use, RPR is more than double POFQ ($872 vs $425)
Comparable pricing at Disney for those two dates would be Wilderness Lodge - Which with the 20% discount offered would run $443 per night after discount and with tax. Or alternately drop to Cabana Bay for $229 a night - but now I lose FOTL - which is the whole point.
But this doesn't even meet reality for me - since I own at DVC. I have a room already booked through DVC for 2018 Presidents week - Sunday through Thursday for 4 nights at AKV, value room - costing me 52 points, my points cost me $8.30 per point, so $431.60 for FOUR nights at AKV - yes that's $108 per night.
ONE night at RPR on Saturday 2/17 - will cost me $469.
FOUR nights at AKV 2/18 - 2/22 - will cost me $432.
It's not even close in my DVC reality. I'm personally beginning to wonder if I'm crazy to even stay at Universal for the one night. It's really disappointing, because I really would like to stay at Universal for even a couple nights, but I just can't justify the cost.
Edit: BTW - this huge difference in room costs based on time of year tells me that Universal has a very hard time selling these resorts at slower times of year, so they drop the price significantly.
But it's kind of disingenuous to compare a DVC rate because if you're a member, you paid more up front when you joined. That amount should get added into your tallies when you say how much per visit you spend. It might just be $432 for this visit but how much have you paid in just for the privilege of membership? Kwim? It just isn't a comparable comparison.