Help me with a list of benefits for onsite hotels:)

[mommypenguin29]

So my dh does not see the benefits of spending an extra $550 for 3 nights to stay at Royal Pacific...so he wants to know all the benefits of this hotel vs the Drury Inn (which includes breakfast, snacks, parking, ect.)...So I need your help in coming up with a great list to convince him...

Here is some info about the trip - dh, me, ds (12), dd(9) - weekend before Thanksgiving - first time going and possibly onlywith the way things are costing

I have already told him about the express passes (but in his mind this does not make the upgrade worth it and we could wait in lines - to me this makes it completely worth it - especially with 2 kids)
Nicer pools
Water Taxi or even walk to the parks

Help

 

[bchbetha]

The ability to easily go back to your room for a midday break. Simply just to change shoes, charge your phone, put on more sunscreen, change into dry clothes if you get soaked on a water ride... being right there makes it so much easier!
Early entry
I like charging back to the room
I really like having purchases sent back to the hotel
The "bubble". Love that the hotel gift shop sells official Universal merchandise.
Pool hopping
Can you split the difference and stay at Cabana Bay?
ETA- you can skip the car if you're flying in. Just take Uber (about $25 from MCO, about $20 to MCO). No parking charges. And will you really be going back to the hotel for free snacks?

 

[bumbershoot]

So my dh does not see the benefits of spending an extra $550 for 3 nights to stay at Royal Pacific

First, how are you booking? Are you looking at a package, or going through https://uo.loewshotels.com/en/booking/uo?hotel=UEPBH,UEHRH,UERPR ?


Free parking at Drury, but you'll pay to park at the main themepark/citywalk lot. (or you'll pay to park at the onsite hotel, so those two are equal)

Free breakfast, but what time does it start and is that compatible with getting to the parking lot, through security, through citywalk, and into the park?

3 day trip (to me) doesn't yield itself to pools being important, but yes, the pools are nice AND you can use ANY of them onsite.

 

[gotomu212]

The EP is worth a lot on a weekend before a holiday. It can be the difference between getting to do everything you want or waiting in a 2-hour line. 3-nights mean you get the pass for 4 days (checkin and check out day included).

The hotels are incredibly nice and themed with great pools and activities for the kids. The difference between Royal Pacific and the Drury are huge (not knocking Drury but it's not a deluxe by any stretch).

Small thing but you go through security at the water taxi hotel dock and that can save time and the line if you go through at the main parking garage entrance.

Ability to pop back and forth (takes no time to catch the taxi and go back and change and hop back as opposed to getting the car, driving to the hotel, driving back to find parking).

Better access to restaurants-won't have to drive anywhere in general. I second skipping the car.

 

[mommypenguin29]

First, how are you booking? Are you looking at a package, or going through https://uo.loewshotels.com/en/booking/uo?hotel=UEPBH,UEHRH,UERPR ?


Free parking at Drury, but you'll pay to park at the main themepark/citywalk lot. (or you'll pay to park at the onsite hotel, so those two are equal)

Free breakfast, but what time does it start and is that compatible with getting to the parking lot, through security, through citywalk, and into the park?

3 day trip (to me) doesn't yield itself to pools being important, but yes, the pools are nice AND you can use ANY of them onsite.

Looking at booking separate since I can get a better deal on tickets thru undercover tourist.

 

[mommypenguin29]

The EP is worth a lot on a weekend before a holiday. It can be the difference between getting to do everything you want or waiting in a 2-hour line. 3-nights mean you get the pass for 4 days (checkin and check out day included).

The hotels are incredibly nice and themed with great pools and activities for the kids. The difference between Royal Pacific and the Drury are huge (not knocking Drury but it's not a deluxe by any stretch).

Small thing but you go through security at the water taxi hotel dock and that can save time and the line if you go through at the main parking garage entrance.

Ability to pop back and forth (takes no time to catch the taxi and go back and change and hop back as opposed to getting the car, driving to the hotel, driving back to find parking).

Better access to restaurants-won't have to drive anywhere in general. I second skipping the car.

Thanks - we are renting a car for the week since after our weekend in Orlando we are driving to visit family 2 1/2 hours away... it is cheaper and easier to rent for the week instead of when we are leaving universal to visit family...so we will definitely have the car

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

For me, convenience is a HUGE deal on vacation. I want to spend my time doing fun things rather than dealing with a parking garage, huge security lines before you even get to City Walk, and traipsing all the way from the far end of City Walk into the park to FINALLY start the day. The value of the express pass cannot be overstated on a busy holiday weekend. Instead of waiting in lines all day, I'm spending more time doing more rides, eating in more casually paced restaurants, and taking in some shows. It turns an insanely crowded park into something manageable. Even though we don't really need a break, we save all the extremely-soaking-wet rides for one afternoon and immediately go back to the hotel to change clothes. Plus, the hotels that offer EP are themed along the lines of a Disney Deluxe.

Granted, if it is off-site or nothing, I'm going off-site, but I find the Universal "bubble" even more appealing than the Disney "bubble" because it is so compact. Once I am in my resort, I don't touch my car again until it is time to go. Everything is right there - you can be in the middle of City Walk in 15 minutes, and both parks are right there.

 

[mommypenguin29]

The ability to easily go back to your room for a midday break. Simply just to change shoes, charge your phone, put on more sunscreen, change into dry clothes if you get soaked on a water ride... being right there makes it so much easier!
Early entry
I like charging back to the room
I really like having purchases sent back to the hotel
The "bubble". Love that the hotel gift shop sells official Universal merchandise.
Pool hopping
Can you split the difference and stay at Cabana Bay?
ETA- you can skip the car if you're flying in. Just take Uber (about $25 from MCO, about $20 to MCO). No parking charges. And will you really be going back to the hotel for free snacks?

Thanks - we will have a car due to driving to visit family after... the one reason I was looking at an onsite hotel was because of express passes...otherwise I wouldn't care as much But I forgot about the early entry!

 

[robl45]

convenience is definitely important. I haven't been to universal in years, but from reading here, it doesn't sound like much fun to park, then go through city walk to finally end up at universal. Not to mention the express passes. See how long waiting in line remains fun for. Maybe your kids are different, but mine aren't that great about waiting in line especially hour plus lines. Granted my son needs to learn patience, but he doesn't even want to wait if its 20 minutes.

 

[Charade67]

The last time I was at Universal was also near Thanksgiving. We did not stay at a Universal resort. We got to IOA as soon as it opened to the general public and still had to wait an hour to ride Forbidden Journey. Later in the day the wait time increased to 2 hours. I am really looking forward to having express passes on my upcoming vacation.

 

[bchbetha]

Thanks - we are renting a car for the week since after our weekend in Orlando we are driving to visit family 2 1/2 hours away... it is cheaper and easier to rent for the week instead of when we are leaving universal to visit family...so we will definitely have the car

Does it work out cheaper even after factoring in parking?

 

[macraven]

stay on site
make it a total vacation and enjoy everything that you can cover at UO, hotels, city walk, etc

if this is a one time trip, don't waste time with traveling back and forth offsite hotel to universal.

i find it more enjoyable not to have to factor all the down time for a vacation.

Drury Inn is a decent place and nice perk of the food.
You would only be able to hit the breakfast and would miss the afternoon popcorn and snacks and the dining period at that hotel.

You need to factor in the travel time of going back and forth when staying offsite.

the shuttles at DI are good but not ongoing through out the day.
First one would get you to the park once it has opened.

Stay onsite and use the early entry for all hotel guests

 

[damo]

The best value does not necessarily mean the cheapest. Time is money. You can get a heck of a lot more done when you aren't standing in long lines. Everyone will have a much better time if they are able to do more activities than standing in lines. You will have more time to actually do things OTHER than be in line such as, enjoy the resort, take more time to have leisurely meals, not have to get up at the crack of dawn to beat the crowds, be able to leave the park to go back to the hotel to change after getting SOAKED during the water rides, actually hang around to watch some street performances and characters because you aren't rushing from line to line.

 

[mommypenguin29]

Thanks everyone - I am putting together a better list for him and thinking I can convince him

 

[Mama Lo]

May I make a suggestion?

Did you check for annual pass rates? I just looked and saw that the least expensive hotel that give EPs is PB with a total rate of $919 for 11/16-11/19.

Maybe you could upgrade one of your tickets to get the AP rate to make it less expensive.

 

[Cindy B]

IF you do onsite hotels, you can drop off and return the rental car at either Royal Pacific, Hard Rock or Portofino. Just hand the rental car keys to the valet and they will return it for you- No car charge for extra days, no parking fees for extra days as well. (just did this at Royal Pacific)

You will be going at a busy time. It will be crowded and the EXPRESS pass will be worth every penny. Obviously if you do Sapphire falls or Cabana Bay, no express pass but one hour early entry. You will still have to wait in regular lines.

If you can swing it, go for the hotels that offer express pass. If you can really do it, try for club level, - breakfast, lunch snacks and appetizer dinner is included (plus free beer and wine for two hours for mom and dad).

Offsite: you will be paying for parking-, and you will be paying for parking at the hotel, but the parking prices at Sapphire and Cabana bay are cheaper. Sapphire Falls does have the water taxi, but NOT express (it would be nice if they did) .

 

[mommypenguin29]

I am happy to report we will be staying at Royal Pacific! Woo hoo, so excited!

We will still have the rental car with us, since it was cheaper to pick up at the airport and pay for parking vs picking up on our departure day before we drive to visit family!

But I am looking forward to a fun few days at Universal!

 

[gotomu212]

IF you do onsite hotels, you can drop off and return the rental car at either Royal Pacific, Hard Rock or Portofino. Just hand the rental car keys to the valet and they will return it for you- No car charge for extra days, no parking fees for extra days as well. (just did this at Royal Pacific)

You will be going at a busy time. It will be crowded and the EXPRESS pass will be worth every penny. Obviously if you do Sapphire falls or Cabana Bay, no express pass but one hour early entry. You will still have to wait in regular lines.

If you can swing it, go for the hotels that offer express pass. If you can really do it, try for club level, - breakfast, lunch snacks and appetizer dinner is included (plus free beer and wine for two hours for mom and dad).

Offsite: you will be paying for parking-, and you will be paying for parking at the hotel, but the parking prices at Sapphire and Cabana bay are cheaper. Sapphire Falls does have the water taxi, but NOT express (it would be nice if they did) .

Really?! That's amazing and I had no idea. Does this apply to certain companies or any of the local rentals?
PS this is why I love these boards, no matter how many times you go you can always learn something new!

 

[macraven]

Thought it was for the car company rentals that are on site at the hotels

But call the hotel to make sure

Things change since I last rented cars at UO hotels

 

[damo]

Thought it was for the car company rentals that are on site at the hotels

But call the hotel to make sure

Things change since I last rented cars at UO hotels

Really?! That's amazing and I had no idea. Does this apply to certain companies or any of the local rentals?
PS this is why I love these boards, no matter how many times you go you can always learn something new!

It is only Hertz that is there. You can't return other company's rental cars. It is sometimes quite a bit more expensive to do a pick up or drop off there, so check it out carefully. The Hertz hours there are very short, so the valet guys take over.