Expensive!!!

[mh1973]

I am trying to price out a Universal/Sea World trip and I am coming up with about $4000 total!! That is alot of money for a vacation. I am figuring in 2 nights at RP with one annual pass and 3 regular 3 day passes, this comes to $1000 for 2 nights plus tickets. Then the Discovery Cove tickets for 4 of us would be about $1300. Then about $700-$800 for a Sea World hotel for 5 nights. Then another $1000 for food and gas. Holy Cow!!!!!!!!! I guess I will have to either cut out Universal or Discovery Cove, and just do one or the other. Has anyone been able to do this kind of trip for less money? We are a family of 4 and we would be driving from Birmingham, AL.

 

[tricky1]

Lets see, the price for hotel stay vary but this is a for instance.

7 nights at RPR 5/29-6/3 1280.00tax included
4 flex tickets good for 14 days
Universal,IOA, seaworld
wet & wild,aquatic water park 1038.00
parking at RPR 118.12
-------------
$2436.12

Forgot the aph
for room discount 279.00
--------------
2715.12

Since you will have a car, sea world and the water parks are a very short drive.
also you will be able to visit the pools at hardrock(underwater music and slide) Portfinio(slide and water fall)


Or use the stay more save more rate, add $12.00 per night and subtract
the 279.00 for the aph.

 

[mh1973]

Thanks. Although when I price it out for 7 nights with stay more save more I am getting $1500. Where do you buy the flex tickets?

 

[tricky1]

http://www.officialticketcenter.com/discount-flex-tickets-orlando.aspx

Sorry for mistake, I had 6 days instead of 7 when checking.

 

[Ohiodislover]

I purchased the flex tickets from Maple leaf tickets. 3 tix incl shipping was 750.00. Not sure how that compares. Delivery was super quick, and I had them within 3 days.


We chose the VIP tour at seaworld as a compromise for not doing Discovery Cove. Won't swim with dolphins but at least they can feed and play. $100/pp

Our 7 nights at RPR, was 1900 incl tax. stay more save more, April 17-24. We were going to switch hotels after 4 nights, but it was only about $100 more to stay with that special.

I gave my girls the choice of Discovery Cove or the more pricey onsite hotel. They decided the FOTL access and early entry was worth it.

Have fun with ur vacation. THings add up fast don't they?

 

[jackal]

I purchased the flex tickets from Maple leaf tickets. 3 tix incl shipping was 750.00. Not sure how that compares. Delivery was super quick, and I had them within 3 days.



Our 7 nights at RPR, was 1900 incl tax. stay more save more, April 17-24. We were going to switch hotels after 4 nights, but it was only about $100 more to stay with that special.


Have fun with ur vacation. THings add up fast don't they?

Can ask how you got that rate of 1900? I just plugged your dates with the stay more, save more and it was $2700 for the 7 nights

 

[Ohiodislover]

Can ask how you got that rate of 1900? I just plugged your dates with the stay more, save more and it was $2700 for the 7 nights

I booked 2 weeks ago. Standard room/2 queens. I booked straight thru the universal website.

Rate was 237 S-Th, and up to 251 on Fr-Sa. plus tax, and required a 1 night deposit. I must have really lucked out.

 

[IdesOmarch]

Just my opinion, but my recommendation would be to cut out Seaworld. THere is so much to do at Universal, with the 2 parks there, and particularly with the new Harry Potter section. I like Seaworld, but can do without it. You can easily dedicate an entire week to Universal. There are many things to do, great parks, great resorts with great pool areas, City Walk etc. And another cheaper way to add an additional day or 2 is to add a beach day and go to cocoa beach for a day or 2 to break it all up, for another option. That would basically only be the cost of the hotel and your food.

 

[jackal]

I booked 2 weeks ago. Standard room/2 queens. I booked straight thru the universal website.

Rate was 237 S-Th, and up to 251 on Fr-Sa. plus tax, and required a 1 night deposit. I must have really lucked out.

That is a GREAT rate. Especially right before Easter. We booked the 23rd through the 2nd of May and ours was over $300 a night. I booked about two weeks ago as well. Congrats

 

[tfoster]

Just my opinion, but my recommendation would be to cut out Seaworld. THere is so much to do at Universal, with the 2 parks there, and particularly with the new Harry Potter section. I like Seaworld, but can do without it. You can easily dedicate an entire week to Universal. There are many things to do, great parks, great resorts with great pool areas, City Walk etc. And another cheaper way to add an additional day or 2 is to add a beach day and go to cocoa beach for a day or 2 to break it all up, for another option. That would basically only be the cost of the hotel and your food.

I second this recommendation. We were just there in December - stayed five nights on-site at Universal and then two nights over by SeaWorld. If I had a do-over, I would have cut out the SeaWorld part of the trip and just stayed at PBH and Universal.

 

[bumbershoot]

I could be wrong, but from the highway it seems that Universal and SW are VERY close to each other. So I'd stay at Universal (with the option to add days to tickets in case you fall in love with it as we did) and do SW as a couple day trips.

 

[mh1973]

We would maybe want to do Aquatica or the Disney water parks. Should I buy the Flex ticket?

 

[aml3679]

My husband and I will be there in March (my 50th) and I originally booked a package that cost $1700. That was for 4 nights at the Royal Pacific Hotel with the Harry Potter Package. The hotel is nice, but in order to save some money, I decided to cancel the package and book everything separately.

For $200 less, we got:

5 nights at the Hyatt Place at Universal with Breakfast, free internet and parking (it may not be as nice as the Royal Pacific but we are staying 1 extra night and don't have to pay for parking or breakfast).

3 day two park admission with express passes (we originally had 3 days with a 1 park admission for each day and no express passes).

1 day at Sea World with a VIP tour (sorry, I do not agree with those who say skip Sea World - it it well worth going - that is my opinion though).

2 tickets to Blue Man group.

A rental car for a week - we are headed to Bradenton for the second half of the week to spend some time with my father-in-law and his wife.

 

[damo]

My husband and I will be there in March (my 50th) and I originally booked a package that cost $1700. That was for 4 nights at the Royal Pacific Hotel with the Harry Potter Package. The hotel is nice, but in order to save some money, I decided to cancel the package and book everything separately.

For $200 less, we got:

5 nights at the Hyatt Place at Universal with Breakfast, free internet and parking (it may not be as nice as the Royal Pacific but we are staying 1 extra night and don't have to pay for parking or breakfast).

3 day two park admission with express passes (we originally had 3 days with a 1 park admission for each day and no express passes).

1 day at Sea World with a VIP tour (sorry, I do not agree with those who say skip Sea World - it it well worth going - that is my opinion though).

2 tickets to Blue Man group.

A rental car for a week - we are headed to Bradenton for the second half of the week to spend some time with my father-in-law and his wife.

Another way you could have done it is to purchase 1 annual pass at $229, then your hotel rooms would have cost $189. Still not as cheap as Hyatt Place but closer in proximity.

 

[jackal]

I guess I am thinking my $3,900 trip is really not that badly priced now. I was concerned, but for $3,900 we are getting 9 nights at RPH for 3 adults and 1 child in Club Level and 7 days Park to Park tickets. For another $850 I got discovery cove day with free admission to Sea World for 7 days as well.

No AP because the AP discount is blocked out for Spring Break (end of April). I would definitely pay a little extra to stay onsite especially during this busy of a time. I think it's worth a few extra bucks.

Actually, no offense, but I think the $1,700 5 night offsite stay for 2 people is kind of pricey.

 

[IdesOmarch]

Keep in mind for budgeting, I think you guys are only discussing the hotel, park tickets etc., Seems we blow through another easy 1000 for any trip on food, gas, parking, drinks here and there, souviniers, etc., etc., and seems like I have to really watch things to keep from going over another 1000 for all the miscellaneous stuff.

 

[jackal]

Keep in mind for budgeting, I think you guys are only discussing the hotel, park tickets etc., Seems we blow through another easy 1000 for any trip on food, gas, parking, drinks here and there, souviniers, etc., etc., and seems like I have to really watch things to keep from going over another 1000 for all the miscellaneous stuff.

Thanks, IdesOmarch. I was budgeting another $100 a day for food and incidentials. We are doing Club level so that will be our breakfast and a lot of our drinks and snacks. I think I am going to up our budget to about $125 a day for food as DH would like to try a few restaurants at City Walk. Souveniors will be seperate along with cab rides.

 

[keishashadow]

I am trying to price out a Universal/Sea World trip and I am coming up with about $4000 total!! That is alot of money for a vacation.

I am figuring in 2 nights at RP with one annual pass and 3 regular 3 day passes, this comes to $1000 for 2 nights plus tickets.

Then the Discovery Cove tickets for 4 of us would be about $1300. Then about $700-$800 for a Sea World hotel for 5 nights.

Then another $1000 for food and gas. Holy Cow!!!!!!!!!

I guess I will have to either cut out Universal or Discovery Cove, and just do one or the other. Has anyone been able to do this kind of trip for less money? We are a family of 4 and we would be driving from Birmingham, AL.

deals are hard to find during spring break period

7 nights total lodging needed: skip the package & price it out yourself (check AAA & AP rates) and be flexible with the 2 nights you're pricing, mid week is usually less expensive

U tix: unless AP is a huge hotel discount, just buy standard tickets, check out undercover tourist & AAA

Discovery Cove: amazing indeed! did u search for a current AMEX code. We saved a ton last October & don't have their CC just bought gift card in appropriate amount of the AMEX website.

SeaWorld Hotels: Many in the area should be less than the amount you state if you're willing to dig abit, check out reviews on tripadvisor. The Sheraton Vistana & Villages are in the general neck of the woods & you can usually pick up a 1 BR in area of $100 or less a night, no TS presentation. If you are interested in TS checkout sheraton's website, many times they throw in attraction tickets, etc. with heavily discounted stay & sometimes no presentation needed!

FYI Your figure of $1000 for gas and food seems very low to me. We typically allot $50 pp/pd, which includes beverges & snacks.

 

[mischief32]

We are going the end of May/beginning of JUne. I just upgraded to CLub level so that will save us alot on food. We are staying 7 night at RPH with orlando flex tickets(plan to Seaworld/Aquatica) for a little over $2800(2 adults and 1 child). WE paid the same price for a moderate hotel at Disney. WOuld would nver be able to afford club level at the deluxe hotels at disney. My husband wanted to do soenthing different since we have been to Disney the past two years. I am very excited since we have never been to Universal but always wanted to.

 

[sejejoemmiev]

Where do you buy a APH to get discounted hotel rooms? We are going to Universal with 2 of our kids. Do we need 1 AP or 4 for the room discount?