Going 12/26-01/01 - crowds, EP, hotels...lots of questions

[unixadm]

We are DVC members and are staying at Saratoga Springs 12/26-01/01. My wife and I went to US back in 2000 (when she was pregnant with my first), but haven't been there with the kids.

We are not doing WDW this time and decided on US.

I purchased the 7 day passes for Universal and started looking at Universal Express Pass.

First...will we even need the EP? My kids will be 5 and 7. We won't be hitting any of the big roller coasters....but they definitely want to see Spiderman and a few of the other popular things. Our plan is to get to the park at opening, hit the big things, stay for lunch, then go back to SSR for some relaxing. Since we will actually have 5 days to hit the parks, I think we can hit a little at a time each day before the long lines hit....am I wrong? How bad will the crowds be at opening?

The problem is that the Universal Express Pass is $55.99 per person per day during the peak season, so it is $238.52 per day for the 4 of us...that's $477.04 for two days on top of the ticket price!!!

I thought about buying one day, spending a day or two scoping out which rides are just too long to wait for, and hit those on that one day....but that just seems so expensive, especially since you can only go on each ride once (and I know my kids will want to ride something again if they really like it).

Then I see that I can get a room for one night at Royal Pacific for $319 + tax....it would be $358, but would give us two days of EP with no limit to the number of times we go on a ride....definitely cheaper than buying two days of the limited EP. If I went this way, we wouldn't use the room for the night, but could take a break and use the pool later in the afternoon, change, etc before we go back to our home resort at night.

Does that make sense? Is it worth it? Am I correct in assuming that we can check in early in the morning to get our room key even though the room may not be ready so that we can use EP the first day...then also use our room key the next day even though we checked out to use EP?

Is the RPR walking distance from US? We stayed at Portifino Bay last time and it was an easy walk (or boat ride)...but that is more expensive.

Also, are there only a limited number of EP's sold per day? If I was to hold off on a decision for a while, would the EPs not be available during that week? If they aren't limited, then are the EP lines going to have very long waits anyway because there are so many people buying them?

 

[tropical depression]

RP is maybe a five minute walk from the parks, and there's the boats as well. once you check in, the room keys are good at the parks. they expire the day you check out when the parks close.

the RP will sell out that week, so you might want to consider booking the cheapest rate you can while it's available.

there are are limited amount of EP's sold each day, something else to consider.

 

[unixadm]

Thanks....I just booked the one night at RP....I have plenty of time to cancel if I decide not to do the room....but I see that HRH is sold out, so this may be next.

I assume that I can check in at 8am even though the room isn't ready so I can get EP for the day? I know at Disney I have checked in early in the morning before going to the park so I get our KTTK and have charging privledges, put park tickets on the key, etc.

 

[tropical depression]

I assume that I can check in at 8am even though the room isn't ready so I can get EP for the day? I know at Disney I have checked in early in the morning before going to the park so I get our KTTK and have charging privledges, put park tickets on the key, etc.

they'll even check your bags that early and bring them to your room when you call for them, not that you'll be using that option.

 

[unixadm]

I'm actually thinking that we may end up using the room for the night....just leave the majority of stuff back at our DVC villa and have an overnight bag for Universal.

That way, we could stay at US in the evening, then just walk back to the hotel....then the next morning get up, have some breakfast and walk back to US. Spend the day (using EP), then head back to our DVC villa.

 

[bubba's mom]

I'm actually thinking that we may end up using the room for the night....just leave the majority of stuff back at our DVC villa and have an overnight bag for Universal.

That way, we could stay at US in the evening, then just walk back to the hotel....then the next morning get up, have some breakfast and walk back to US. Spend the day (using EP), then head back to our DVC villa.

That is what I would recommend....the perfect plan! You will absolutely NOT be sorry AND will love the 2 days of FOTL....you WILL need it! (AND, you will be quite the hero in your kids' eyes!)

 

[swilphil]

Definitely stay in the room. RPR has a great pool. My kids are 5 and 7, and I had a hard time getting them to leave the pool.

 

[damo]

Even though that is prime time, keep watching for discounts on the room and call the reservations office to lower your rate if some come up.

 

[unixadm]

Which hotel would be a better choice with the kids, and possible pool option in the late afternoon......RPR or PBR? HRH is not available. PBR is $70 more than RPR. My wife and I stayed there back in 2000 and loved it, but that was without kids. If there was an advantage to PBR over RPR that makes it worthh $70 more, then I could switch to that.

 

[Spidey7]

First off I would suggest to blow off SS and do the onsite Universal hotels the whole time. I think you will be just as happy with either RP or Portinfino as SS.

But if you can't do that, yes that plan is a good idea.

As for which is better RP or P? That's a tough call, I personally like the P better because it has kind of a waterfall thing over a castle that has a slide in it. Is it worth the extra $70?? Dunno tough call.

With that being said the last 3 times I went I stayed at the RP. It has a great pool too and a splash zone/ship type thing for the kids. So I'm not sure which the kids would like better, probably a coin toss.

I've just stayed at the RP because its cheaper and I like the Asian/Tropical theme there, very cool. Portifino is technically a little nicer and more elegant, and it is fabulous. If money was absolutely no object, I would probably just switch back and forth a few days at RP a few days at P, but I digress, hope this ramble helped a little.

Oh and BTW, I think the restaurants at the RP are better than the P. The P seems to be almost strictly an Italian theme. Which is all well and good but for me pasta/pizza is great for a few days, but not something I want to do the whole time. The RP has a little more variety with their spots and Jakes is great and almost never crowded, (at least when I've been there.)

 

[unixadm]

We're staying at SSR since we are DVC members and are using our points. If we were paying cash, I agree that I would consider staying at RPR or PBR for several days instead of 1 night.

 

[macraven]

i check in at the onsite hotels around 7:30 in the morning.
they store my luggage, i get the hotel key, go and do breakfast then at the park by 8:30.


you can have any TM call the hotel for you to see if your room is ready.
if it is you will have to talk as you need to give the pw.
or at least that is what i did last year. they will tell you your room number

once you know your room number, you do not have to stop at the front desk.
you can go directly to your room. your keys are activated once your room is ready