Help! Is room-only discount my best bet?

[Marthasor]

Hi! Complete US newbie here ready to book an onsite stay! We are planning on staying at the HRH from August 26 - August 31. It looks like the "Best Days to Vacation" is my best discount bet. Is that right? And if we do that, we then have to buy our tickets separately, right? We can't turn that hotel discount into a package by adding tickets.

Also, if we have to buy our tickets separately is there any advantage to buying them online before going? Or is it the same price to buy them in the hotel lobby. We have an AMEX card - any advantage to using that? We are also AAA members if that makes any difference.

Basically we want to stay at HRH 8/26 - 8/31, 5 people in party (2 adults, 3 children, 14, 13, 10), 4 day park to park passes, as cheap as we can get it!

Thank you SO much for any information/advice you can give!

 

[pixeegrl]

There is really no advantage to buying a package, you are correct. If you sign up for the mousesavers newsletter (it comes out on the 15th of every month) you can get a 4 day park to park ticket for only $150.95 and that includes tax and free shipping. This is the cheapest I have found. If you buy it online from Universal they are $168.28 and that includes tax and shipping. They are even higher at the gate I think. We are staying at the HRH the week before you Show your AAA card at the restaurants to get a discount. Your stay more save more rate is the cheapest and will mostly likely remain so but if you do find a cheaper rate all you have to do is call and ask to have it changed to the lower rate.

 

[Marthasor]

There is really no advantage to buying a package, you are correct. If you sign up for the mousesavers newsletter (it comes out on the 15th of every month) you can get a 4 day park to park ticket for only $150.95 and that includes tax and free shipping. This is the cheapest I have found. If you buy it online from Universal they are $168.28 and that includes tax and shipping. They are even higher at the gate I think. We are staying at the HRH the week before you Show your AAA card at the restaurants to get a discount. Your stay more save more rate is the cheapest and will mostly likely remain so but if you do find a cheaper rate all you have to do is call and ask to have it changed to the lower rate.

Thank you SO much! I subscribe to Mousesavers - didn't realize they sold US, too! Great tip!!

I just looked at Mousesavers and we will save over $100 by purchasing through them. I'm just wondering - I saw something called a "3-park unlimited" ticket for just about $26 more - looks like it includes Wet n Wild, but I'm confused as to how many days are on the ticket. Is it 14 days of admission? Thanks!

 

[pixeegrl]

yep, and that makes it an even greater deal! If we didn't already have our 7 day tickets that they used to sell then that is the one I would purchase. It is a 14 consecutive day ticket. I see you have three kids like us and I would recommend the Deluxe room as it's 500sq ft vs 375sq ft and includes a sleeper sofa. For us it's worth it to pay a little more for that extra space and bed. The PBH has standard rooms that are 450sq st and are about $37 cheaper for a standard room but I like having the extra "bed" and room a Deluxe at HRH offers since our kids are 17, 14, and 10.

 

[damo]

Another thing to watch is the Annual Pass rates at the hotels. Since you are going the end of August, there are often great AP rates that may make it worth your while to purchase one AP. I would keep an eye on the AP rates by entering the code APH in the code box when you look online at www.loewshotels.com

 

[pixeegrl]

Another thing to watch is the Annual Pass rates at the hotels. Since you are going the end of August, there are often great AP rates that may make it worth your while to purchase one AP. I would keep an eye on the AP rates by entering the code APH in the code box when you look online at www.loewshotels.com

Damo, if the OP finds a better rate with the AP and has already purchased the 3 park ticket is it upgradeable to an annual pass at the parks like a regular 2 park ticket?

 

[macraven]

Damo, if the OP finds a better rate with the AP and has already purchased the 3 park ticket is it upgradeable to an annual pass at the parks like a regular 2 park ticket?

i'm not damo but you can upgrade tickets at guest services.

the price you paid for the 3 park tickets to the preferred annual price is what you pay.

 

[macraven]

i don't know the rate of the 'best vacation promo' you mentioned.

are you referring to the stay more save more promo?



since you have a 5 night stay, that would be the best rate out there at the present time.


watch the ap rates before you change your booking.

then, figure out the cost of one ap/preferred, the discount it would allow you per night at the hotel, before you decide to purchase it.

the AAA card you have has the same benefits that the ap allows for park and merch discounts. you get 10% off by showing the card at the time of ordering food, or making a purchase.

AAA sells discounted tickets also.
i don't have the figures of them but i believe that UT is a better discount.