Has anyone booked a hotel room just for the perks, not stayed?

[JennCa]

I am looking to go to US/IOA both parks in one day in July anywhere between July 14-20 and already am staying at Marriott Harbour so don't want to actually move hotel but I was thinking of the perk of unlimited FOTL might make it worth it to book a hotel room just for the benefits since it is so hot in July and I am only going one day with my 9 year old and want to crank through as much as possible with the FOTL.

Has anyone done it? How does the on site hotel FOTL pass benefit compare to the ones you buy? I know we won't be able to see anything even if we do, but wondering if anyone has...

Jenn

 

[damo]

I am looking to go to US/IOA both parks in one day in July anywhere between July 14-20 and already am staying at Marriott Harbour so don't want to actually move hotel but I was thinking of the perk of unlimited FOTL might make it worth it to book a hotel room just for the benefits since it is so hot in July and I am only going one day with my 9 year old and want to crank through as much as possible with the FOTL.

Has anyone done it? How does the on site hotel FOTL pass benefit compare to the ones you buy? I know we won't be able to see anything even if we do, but wondering if anyone has...

Jenn

Not sure of the price of the hotel for one night but you can get the same unlimited express pass access with the VIP ticket (not the VIP tour). You should compare the two prices. If you were going for two days, staying onsite would be better because you get two days of unlimited express access with one night's stay. You would also get early park admission that you won't get with the VIP ticket.

here is the link to the VIP ticket...remember it includes your admission price as well

http://secure.universalstudios.com/webstore/Shop/ViewItems.aspx?CG=UOVIP&C=VIP

 

[madelyn]

We are also staying @ Marriott Harbour Lakes the week before you are and I have made a reservation for HRH for Monday night. But I have a family of 5 and the price of Express pass for that many people definitely makes the on-site room worth it. However, turns out my brother and sister are now with us so I'm not sure if I want to pay for 2 rooms on-site for 1 night. Plus I had booked with Annual Passholder rates and there is not much available for Monday night. There is lots available Sunday night. And some for Tue night. The thought was to book another on-site night either Sunday or Tuesday and if I got the Express passes issued to my brother and sister (and me if I have to be in the room to get the annual passholder rate) for Sun or Tue night. That would give us all Express Pass access for Tuesday. My brother and sister fly out earlier and only plan for 1 day at the Universal Parks. That would then give my family Express pass for Wednesday or Sunday (depending on if I got the 2nd night either Sunday or Tuesday). But not sure if that would work and not sure if I want to spend the extra money since we already have the 2 bedroom unit @ Harbour Lakes. But, if I do get the on-site room(s), a few of us will likely stay in the on-site room while the others will drive back to Harbour Lakes (and avoid having to pay for parking).

 

[madelyn]

Not sure if 2 days @ Universal Parks will fit into your schedule but if you have an AMEX card you can get discounts on the Express tickets starting w/ the 2-day. So with the discount, a 2-day ticket will not be much more than a non-discounted 1 day

http://www.universalorlando.com/Theme-Park-Tickets/Special-Offers/American-Express.aspx

 

[5forDis]

We stayed at Royal Pacific in April (the last week) even though we had a condo for 1 week through our timeshare. We thought about not using the room but decided to stay there (great pool, close to Universal). We loved it & loved that we had 2 days of early entry/express passes with 1 night stay. I can't imagine not having the early entry for Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

I wasn't expecting to love the RPH, but after the parks, the kids went up to the room, changed into bathing suits & swam in the pool. They had so much fun. We ended up eating dinner poolside (great service and food) & then to the room to shower, go to bed, & up at the parks the next morning. I found the service & friendliness of the RPH to staff to greatly exceed Disney's Grand Floridian (we stayed there 1 night at the end of our vacation). The room at RPH was about 1/3 of what we paid at The Grand Floridian and nicer in every way (staff, room, pool)---GF is probably prettier from the outside & the main lobby, other than that RPH is much nicer, cleaner. AND I am a huge Disney fan---I didn't expect Universal's hotels to impress me

 

[rlduvall]

Last June, we stayed at the Animal Kingdom Villas, but half way through our trip stayed one night at RPR. We didn't check out of the AKV room, just "ate" the points, packed a small overnight bag and enjoyed the two days at Universal. We loved it and are doing that again this year - albeit two nights [which is bugging me to eat those points, but I don't want to pack up and move]. For me personally, it's a more immersive experience if you stay on property for the entire duration. We ate at CityWalk that night and just felt like a part of it all.

 

[bumbershoot]

Last June, we stayed at the Animal Kingdom Villas, but half way through our trip stayed one night at RPR. We didn't check out of the AKV room, just "ate" the points, packed a small overnight bag and enjoyed the two days at Universal. We loved it and are doing that again this year - albeit two nights [which is bugging me to eat those points, but I don't want to pack up and move]. For me personally, it's a more immersive experience if you stay on property for the entire duration. We ate at CityWalk that night and just felt like a part of it all.

Maybe for your next-next trip you can do Universal at the end of your trip, and just move on over? We don't mind split stays, and we had Universal in the middle of our very first Orlando trip, but it got much less complicated once we put Universal at the end and didn't have to move *back*. But to me, the one who packs up for our moves, figuring out what to pack in an overnight bag would be far more complicated than just tossing it all in bags and checking out.

 

[rlduvall]

Maybe for your next-next trip you can do Universal at the end of your trip, and just move on over? We don't mind split stays, and we had Universal in the middle of our very first Orlando trip, but it got much less complicated once we put Universal at the end and didn't have to move *back*. But to me, the one who packs up for our moves, figuring out what to pack in an overnight bag would be far more complicated than just tossing it all in bags and checking out.

I know what you mean - but our flight home leaves so early we wouldn't have gained any extra time doing it at the end of the trip [we will have 3 full days at Universal doing it this way] and I love using the RAC for our luggage to the airport. And we can't do it at the beginning because DH will be us then and we doesn't want to do Universal. BUT, next time I am definitely going to do it at the beginning of a trip so as not to waste precious DVC points.