Getting around Universal: CHEAP

[yaytezIOA]

Okay, so I know the travel season is coming up. And I know that gas prices are going up, and you may want to save some cash. What are some ways to get around Universal for not a lot of money?
I have some ways, but if you have some....please post them

1.Backpack it! We always keep a cooler in the car filled with Ice and drinks. While we drive to the parks, we get the drinks nice and cold. Then stuff them in a pack. Its perfectly legal, and keeps you from spending the few dollars for bottles of water and soda. And its also healthier, as you can also stow in some fruit snacks for the kids, granola....loads of goodies.
2.Get the best ticket option: If you plan on going to the parks alot, try getting a two park prefferred pass. Sure it costs alot at first, but if you want to go back to the park later in the year, you have it. Plus renewal is just a little more than a two park one day ticket.
3.USE YOUR DISCOUNTS!: If you have AP's use those discounts! Dont be afraid to ask for them! They are available everywhere for everything, unlike disney. You can use your AP's for discounts on food, merchandise, even hotel stays. Also use AAA and government discounts. If you are a member of the military they offer really great discounts.

Anyone else?

 

[bubba's mom]

if spending the night, stay onsite. one night will MORE than pay for "purchasing an EP". ie: party of 4 people. $50 EP's EACH=$200. ride once each ride. For the same $200 you can spend the nite at onsite hotel and your entire family can get unlimited EP for 2 days!

i'm guessing Meal Deal too Erik

 

[macraven]

i stay on site and do a grocery stop before getting there.
i use car service and get a 30 minute free stop.

buy the cheap $4 styrofoam chest.
buy soda, snacks, bottle water at the grocery stop.

fill the chest with ice from the hotel.
keep it in the tub, chill the drinks.

save $$$$ this way.


if you bought a mug from years past at UO, bring it along with you for this trip.
refills can be as cheap as $1.24. if you show your ap or aaa card for the discount. don't laugh over saving the pennies, it all adds up.

i'll add more cheap ways later tonight.

 

[macraven]

don't laugh but sign up for mousesavers and get some info on universal.
i found out about the RCI set up from them.
getting discount tickets without having to be a member of that group.

they also list when some discounts for aaa and ap come out.


because of that newsletter, i bought the entertainment book for my area.
last year there was a meal and movie promo with the coupon. free meal and free movie that you redeemed the ent coupon at city walk and received the 2 tickets. one for a meal at universal parks and the other a movie ticket with no expiration dates for the movie.

this years ent book coupon is 20% off one of 4 resturants at the parks.
with the ap discount decreasing this year for food at the parks, you save another 10% for a total of 20% this year.


can i list the orlando site here that has the free coupons for universal area off site places? think city walk has some in it if i remember correctly.

 

[cheetara]

I'm finding with the orlando info site you can get some great deals with dining and hotels offsite if you have the card. . . this has helped us plan / research our trip to universal greatly!

 

[PlutoLuvr]

Well, just to expand on YaytezIOA's Number 1 suggestion -- BYOB or BYOA. We, too, drive and bring our own beers, Grey Goose and tonic. Or we just hit Publix when we get to town. This is a huge savings compared to hitting the pool bar wherever you're staying. Plus, everywhere we've ever stayed, including onsite, has plastic cups. Just find the ice machine and you're good to go.

Another biggie for us is saving on breakfast. Breakfasts at any of the parks are EXPENSIVE -- especially considering what you get and what you would pay if you just hit the grocery store or come with breakfast foods. Fruit, Laughing Cow cheese with crackers, breakfast bread, fruit/veggie muffins, Luna/protein bars ... even instant oatmeal made with hot water from the coffee machine. I'm making our breakfasts tomorrow for our trip next week. Zucchini muffins made with applesauce instead of vegetable oil, organic wheat flour and walnuts. We'll have a serving of fruit, vegetable, protein and healthy fats in each muffin. I'll freeze them and bring them down in our cooler. Easy, healthy, tasty and portable. We save about $40 a day by taking care of our breakfast needs ourselves. Of course, we keep cold stuff cold in our cooler.

Have a plan and try not to move your car too much. Gas is expensive, and traffic everywhere in Orlando is murder. If you're in your car heading to a park, think about anything you might need and get on the way or after the park. I'll make my grocery list before I leave home and keep it handy.

Pack as many folks in the vehicle as possible when entering parking lots/garages. Avoid having to take two vehicles and hence having to pay parking twice.

Refill water bottles at the numerous water fountains located all through the parks. If Florida water bothers you, keep some Crystal Light or other powder packets to add to each bottle.

Do not buy stuff like ponchos, sunglasses and sunscreen at the parks. The markup is extreme. I can get two ponchos at home for a buck vs. $7.95 at the parks.

This isn't necessarily USO-related, but try to time it so that you fill up your tank at the Hess station across from DTD or on the way out from the WDW parks. These WDW Hess stations have been the cheapest gas we've ever been able to find in Orlando.

Unless you're going to USO at a crazy busy time, do not assume you'll need to pay for EPs. We've gone in September, February, March and May, stayed off site and never felt a need for EPs -- waits ranged from 5 to 30 minutes. You can always purchase them once you're in the parks and can see what the waits are. And don't always trust that big screen at the entrance to the parks indicating what the waits are. We went once and it said Spiderman had a 40-minute wait. We headed straight over and waited maybe 10 minutes.

Every hotel we've ever stayed at has "in-room pizza delivery" at a much higher markup than what we've ever paid for pizza delivery at home. Get a local phone book, even from the front desk if necessary, and call a local pizza joint for delivery. It might mean you'll have to meet the pizza guy/gal in the lobby, but it's often a very large savings, especially if you're getting a couple pizzas. Same for Chinese delivery. There is a very good Chinese restaurant right outside of USO called 68 that delivers. They use organic veggies and meats, and brown rice is offered instead of sticky white.

 

[LEO_Magic]

My wife & I usually stay on-site. We save money on EP, kennel back here in Miami, close to everything. We take a cooler on our trip. We bring beers & bottles of water. If your cooler at the hotel runs out of ice, there's an ice maker. We budget enough on where we eat.

 

[ChrisFL]

Buy an old van for $50, throw a mattress in it, now you've got your vehicle and your hotel room in one!

 

[macraven]

Buy an old van for $50, throw a mattress in it, now you've got your vehicle and your hotel room in one!

kewl
i like the way this dude thinks....
but does it have a port o pot included?

 

[Motherfletcher]

Travel alone. I went to Universal Studios once and didn't buy anything. That could not happen with the wife or kids.
Traveling alone makes the van parked down by the river more appealing as well.

 

[AlexandNessa]

Go during the off-season. Avoid Spring Break and Christmas week, and Universal is cheap. Sorry, that's about the only budget tip you'll ever see from us. We tend to avoid the "b" word while on vacation!

 

[FayeW]

We always carry water and juice boxes in backpack in the park. When we are at Universal we will order one large pepperoni pizza a Louie's, and it is enough for the 4 of us to share (great pizza, too). Lunch for 4 of under $20.

 

[yaytezIOA]

Well, just to expand on YaytezIOA's Number 1 suggestion -- BYOB or BYOA. We, too, drive and bring our own beers, Grey Goose and tonic. Or we just hit Publix when we get to town. This is a huge savings compared to hitting the pool bar wherever you're staying. Plus, everywhere we've ever stayed, including onsite, has plastic cups. Just find the ice machine and you're good to go.

Flasks are also important. I had to take my two kids, plus 3 other kids....all under 4 to MK last year . There was one parent who did not partake, but the rest of us.....we were happy.

 

[damo]

Order appetizers for your meals. One volcano nachos easily feeds 2 or 3 for lunch.

 

[englishteacha]

I agree with eating breakfast on your own. I have to eat in the morning, and while I love going out for breakfast, it takes time and money that I could use elsewhere on vacation! We stay in a condo so we have cereal, milk, juice, muffins...whatever we decide to get at the grocery store. I don't usually cook anything hot...too lazy on vacation! We also don't buy water (and usually don't bring any with us). Every time we see a water fountain, we get a drink. Most of them taste just fine, and I'm not stuck lugging around bottles all day. I also get water at CS restaurants-almost every theme park I've been to (and that's a lot of parks) will give you water if you ask for it.

 

[bubba's mom]

Order appetizers for your meals. One volcano nachos easily feeds 2 or 3 for lunch.

(sorry.....couldn't resist!)

 

[tikkipoo]

I saw those nachos on the menu and thought they sounded good...but OMG! They look sooooo goooood! I love nachos Unfortunately, I'm the only one that would eat it.

 

[tikkipoo]

I agree with eating breakfast on your own. I have to eat in the morning, and while I love going out for breakfast, it takes time and money that I could use elsewhere on vacation! We stay in a condo so we have cereal, milk, juice, muffins...whatever we decide to get at the grocery store. I don't usually cook anything hot...too lazy on vacation! We also don't buy water (and usually don't bring any with us). Every time we see a water fountain, we get a drink. Most of them taste just fine, and I'm not stuck lugging around bottles all day. I also get water at CS restaurants-almost every theme park I've been to (and that's a lot of parks) will give you water if you ask for it.

Do the CS give you water with ice? Water in Orlando tastes a lot better with ice than straight from the fountain.

 

[yaytezIOA]

Orlando water is just.....bleh...its a conspiracy to sell 7 dollar bottles of water in the hotels.

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