does universal hotels have a free shuttle from the airport?

[andychris14]

If universal doesn't have it already, do you think they will since disney has the magical express? We will be there in August and are beginning to plan. We would love to stay on universal property for a couple of days without a car. I see that the cost of the hotels are much more expensive than the disney hotels. Do they offer a magical express from the airport? How about a free shuttle from the hotels? Thanks

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

No free shuttle, don't know if they are planning on one either.

 

[damo]

There is no shuttle from the airport but there is free boat and bus shuttle from the hotels to the parks (which can be very easily walked as well). Although the hotels are more expensive than some of the hotels at Disney, you have to remember that all the hotels at Universal are deluxe and include front of the line privileges with your room rate. That means automatic fast pass all day.

 

[lindalinda]

I believe there is also a free shuttle to Seaworld and WetnWild

 

[robvia]

No free shuttle. The suits are behind the times. Disney has been doing the free shuttle for what, 2 years now? They take the people like cattle directly to the budget resorts (All Stars).

Meanwhile, USF/IOA resorts cost much more. Yes, I know they are luxury resorts, but the people don't care. They want the budget rooms, which is why I made my offsite hotel web pages here. You can walk from some of these.

http://www.nogodforme.com/offsite.htm
http://www.nogodforme.com/hiltongardeninn.htm
http://www.nogodforme.com/Amerisuites.htm

If you ask me, the suits need to look into the 4th budget hotel, and the free shuttle to/from the airport. The 4th hotel can go next to the RPR, or they could knock down the buildings where the Delta Resort used to be and start over.

 

[macraven]

that free disney shuttle is about to change by what i read recently.

remember when mears shuttle cost about $32 rt from mco to disney?
i read that disney magic express will start charging in the future like they did with the mears program. magic express no longer takes walk ons. prior reservations only now allowed on the busses.

i did a package with universal one year and it had a deep discount. room and tickets and free shuttle.
i checked the site again and it shows the shuttle of quick silver for $14 from hotel to mco or vice versa with a discount for round trip services.

i need to reread that site, maybe it was not 14 but 18 a one way trip....
either way, its cheaper than town service, taxi or car rental for me as i go solo.

yes, it would be great for universal to have transportation provided.
i always do a three leg trip on town service. i do disney first, then transfer to universal, then mco at the end.

i save the best part of the trip for last. universal spoils me.........

 

[robvia]

Good information.

I'm noticing the price of the limo services is dropping too.
I don't know if that's because people are reading my advice to rent the car, or there is more competition because of the magic express.
I do agree that changes are happening, and we're seeing it.

The Universal suits need to do something. People want things made easy. They want their transportation from the airport taken care of, for free. Universal could match Disney if they offer free transportation for onsite hotel guests who can prove they have a reservation.

But I don't think Universal wants to get into the transportation business. Still, they could hire a company like Mears to do it. But it needs to be free, not complicated. People want to get off their plane, walk to a pick up spot, and have a bus waiting to take them directly to the hotel with no hassles.

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

People want things made easy. They want their transportation from the airport taken care of, for free. Universal could match Disney if they offer free transportation for onsite hotel guests who can prove they have a reservation.

But it needs to be free, not complicated. People want to get off their plane, walk to a pick up spot, and have a bus waiting to take them directly to the hotel with no hassles.

With only 3 hotels, my guess is that Universal does not have the volume to make this available 24/7. Still, I would be happy with a voucher that I could use with 2 or 3 transportation companies Universal has hooked up with. The transportation company would likely be available around the clock, and guests could make their own reservations. Just don't offer the mears cattle cars! However, I would not like to see the rates at the on-sites go up to accomodate this.

BTW I am hearing that ME might not continue to be free for much longer.

 

[macraven]

thats what i was told when i was in disney in october.
that a price will start for the ME program.

they got people used to the idea with that perk and their hotel occupancy has risen this year for the off season.

i received a notice that in order to use the ME bus , you have to prearrange and put your ressie request in prior. no more walk ons or last minute decisions of using it.

a cm told me the trial run of free service had a closure date. based on how many people were using the ME would determine when to cut off free service and the amount they plan to charge for it. i was told since they handle the luggage for you as a perk and deliver it to your room, it was different than the original mears service.
i used it for one trip to disney resorts in sept and never again.

they forgot to do my luggage and i had to lug it at the airport and put it on the bus. then i waited in line for 45 minutes before we boarded as disney wanted a full bus load before going. all together it took me over 1.5 hours to get to the hotel. i am going back to town service.

i switched over to hrh after my disney stay. i always have to end my holiday with universal. they spoil me too much.