Help/Opinions???

[Beauties n the Beast]

I was able to find a great package deal for Universal....which gives you the choice from several area hotels including the 3 on-site US hotels. Well our budget would love the lower priced but still nice hotels.....and my impatience would absolutely love getting FOTL privileges especially since we have never been. I will be traveling with my DH and our 2 daughters, ages 6 and 10. We will be there the week of August 6th. I guess my question is, if we will be there at least 4 days, is it worth paying a few hundred extra just to get FOTL privileges? I know the package does offer early entrance for the parks, which I think I read is really just the Spider Man ride?
Any suggestions/opinions/comments for a first-timer??

 

[Flyin2MCO]

It's worth the extra $$ not only for express access, but also for the overall experience your family will have by staying on site. That week should still be realtively busy since I believe many schools systems start the following week, so express access will be good for minimizing wait times. Even better, any of the three on site resorts will give you a more relaxing, efficient and just plain better vacation.

 

[bubba's mom]

ABSOLUTELY stay onsite...it is definately worth it. you will be there during the busy season and FOTL will be worth that extra money spent.

also, please be sure to price your trip a la carte.... tickets, hotel (use AAA discount if you can) etc, can usually be the same amount OR even cheaper than "packages" UO offers......

ETA: you will also love the fact you can walk to the parks (or boat)...you work at YOUR pace.....and, to go to the parks in the morning, back to your room for afternoon swim and back to park at nite is 100% relaxing and will take you about a half hour from park to pool! (that includes getting to your room to change!) There are SO many restaurants you can WALK to at City Walk..... I wouldn't go and NOT stay onsite.....

 

[Beauties n the Beast]

thank you for your suggestions!! I am heavily debating this, it is a big price difference!! We will be driving down from MD also, in order to cut costs. I will also be looking at "a la carte" to compare pricing because I am not booking until I am sure I've gotten the best deal for our money!!

 

[Flyin2MCO]

One idea to consider is to time your arrival late and stay the first night in a close-by offsite hotel and the remaining nights at an onsite resort. Check out early from the offsite and get over to the onsite, where you can stow your belongings (and maybe even check in to a room if its available)...You'll get your express access card even if your room isn't ready. This will save a bit of money and still give you express privileges for the day...

Are you guys coming down from DC metro?...we've done the drive from NOVA in about 13 or so hours...we're wiped that first night so you really don't miss out on much by doing that hotel strategy I described above.

 

[t-and-a]

One idea to consider is to time your arrival late and stay the first night in a close-by offsite hotel and the remaining nights at an onsite resort. Check out early from the offsite and get over to the onsite, where you can stow your belongings (and maybe even check in to a room if its available)...You'll get your express access card even if your room isn't ready. This will save a bit of money and still give you express privileges for the day...

That's exactly what we do! It works out great, it seems like a waste to check in late to an onsite hotel and miss out on a day of FOTL. I pack a duffle bag with one change of clothes for each person so we don't have to unload all of the luggage at the first hotel.

 

[mamato4]

We are coming from MD too, but decided to fly since we only have a few days to spare.. What we did is book a really cheap hotel the first night and then stay on site for just one night and it gave us 2 days of FOLA and ended up being $10 cheaper than if we would have gotten the express passes.

 

[Beauties n the Beast]

thanks again for your tips/suggestions. i have a lot to think on, huh?
I am coming from the Baltimore area actually. We drove down two years ago to stay with family in Sarasota FL area and that took us about 17 hours. So we're ready for a shorter drive, and a nice relaxing stay!!