Hotel/Park Incentives

[STLDisney_Freak]

We are DVC owners. We are thinking about staying at our DVC resort BLT sometime but instead doing Universal/IOA/Sea World and some other things. What hote/park incentives do you miss out on with Universal/IOA if you don't stay at one of their hotel onsite? Like does the park open early for hotel guests? Is there a special dining plan you miss out on? Ahead of the line incentives?

 

[bumbershoot]

Onsite guests can enter Wizarding World an hour earlier than everyone else, every day.

You can send purchases back to your room; directly to your room, unlike at WDW where you still have to pick them up.

You get Unlimited Express Pass, which puts you in the Express Pass line for every attraction but Ollivander's, Forbidden Journey, Pteranodon Flyers, and right now at this exact moment Rip Ride Rockit (though that is changing soon). The typical EP you can buy at the parks (per person, per park, and the price varies depending on how busy they feel the park will be that day) is limited to one use per ride, so there is definite value in the Unlimited EP.

Lovely resorts, gorgeous grounds. They encourage pool hopping.


I can't even imagine staying at WDW and visiting Universal. I can totally imagine staying at Universal and visiting WDW, though. The perks are just that good at UO. So we do split stays. Though we're kind of out of points for awhile, and are considering staying at UO and spending time there and at WDW for an upcoming trip...


ETA: the meal plan is really limited, but is available for purchase by all. I think there's only something like 3 fastfood restaurants per park where it works. so if you WANT to eat at those places and it's what you would do anyway AND you have "big eaters" in your group, it might work. otherwise is probably won't. info on the "meal deal" is on the UO website, I believe.

 

[hpriamson]

You get Unlimited Express Pass, which puts you in the Express Pass line for every attraction but Ollivander's, Forbidden Journey, Pteranodon Flyers, and right now at this exact moment Rip Ride Rockit (though that is changing soon).

According to phamton in this thread, the Rip Ride Rockit express line opened earlier this week.

 

[RMulieri]

Early Entry to WWohp at IOA and , I imagine once Transformers opens at this studios this summer, early entry there too.
Priority seating at restaurants-meaning you will have minimal to no waits at busier times of year
Unlimited Express pass, which allows you into the express line (advertised as waits of 15 mins or LESS ) as many times as you want.Its good at all attractions and shows EXCEPT: Forbidden Journey, Ollivanders , Pteranodon fllyers.

Beautiful deluxe resorts ALL within walking distance and ALL with a dedicated boat service.Pool hopping between them is allowed and encouraged

I can't imagine not staying at Universal.We are staying there and going to Disney for a daytrip..

 

[bumbershoot]

According to phamton in this thread, the Rip Ride Rockit express line opened earlier this week.

I was thinking of that post but didn't remember the dates, so that's good info. I was thinking it was starting at the very end of this month.

 

[aubriee]

I can't imagine not staying at Universal.We are staying there and going to Disney for a daytrip..

I'm thinking the same thing. We love the onsite perks. I currently have ten nights booked in a one bedroom at Wyndham Bonnet Creek for our May trip, but plan on going to Universal 2 or 3 days. Even though we already have the one bedroom at BC paid for, we are probably still going to spend a couple of nights over at Universal (so will just have two rooms booked for those two nights). We love being able to just walk to either of the parks and City Walk, the unlimited Express Pass, getting into the HP World early, and having a place to go back to during the day to rest. I also like the idea of not having to drive back and forth from WDW to Universal those three days.

 

[wdw&sonny]

Not to hijack the thread, but seems like same topic...

We also are booked at Bonnet Creek for the duration of our stay which is 6 day WDW and 2 day USF. We have 3 true adults and my two children (16 and 18yo), so staying at a Universal Resort we feel would be too crowded.

But, we are considering renting for 1 night on a Friday in June, just for the perks, even though we won't sleep there. I think it would be cheaper than buying the express pass which is $70 per person per day.

Has anyone done this?
Will we be charged $50 extra for the 4 adults?
Any way to get discounts on rooms in June?
What time can we check in? Or, what time do you suggest we arrive at the resort to check in so we can get to the gate in time for the early entry?
Can we leave our car at the resort?
What about check-out the next day? Do we need to be there or can we just do an automatic check-out?

I guess many of these questions apply whether we are staying there or not, but I would like some reassurance that this is a good thing to do.
TIA.

 

[RMulieri]

Not to hijack the thread, but seems like same topic...

We also are booked at Bonnet Creek for the duration of our stay which is 6 day WDW and 2 day USF. We have 3 true adults and my two children (16 and 18yo), so staying at a Universal Resort we feel would be too crowded.

But, we are considering renting for 1 night on a Friday in June, just for the perks, even though we won't sleep there. I think it would be cheaper than buying the express pass which is $70 per person per day.

Has anyone done this?
Will we be charged $50 extra for the 4 adults?
Any way to get discounts on rooms in June?
What time can we check in? Or, what time do you suggest we arrive at the resort to check in so we can get to the gate in time for the early entry?
Can we leave our car at the resort?
What about check-out the next day? Do we need to be there or can we just do an automatic check-out?

I guess many of these questions apply whether we are staying there or not, but I would like some reassurance that this is a good thing to do.
TIA.

People do this all the time
Yes you will be charged.No way to avoid it and you can't leave them off your ressie you will not have express passes for them

AAA discounts may be available, you can sign up at Universalorlando.com for email alerts and hope to get a pincode or if you have an annual pass there is usually a discount.Other than that there is the Stay more save more rates, which don't apply to you since you are only staying the night .

I would be prepared to be at check in at 7am to get your express passes and head over for 8am which is early entry
Anyone who brings a car gets charged the nightly rate which I think is $18 per night( no way to avoid it).But if you bring you car you can leave it there.No sense in moving it to the Park garage
Not sure about the Checkout since we went to the desk.

 

[macraven]

if you book the onsite hotel for one night only, check in early and request automatic checkout.
let them know you will not be staying in the room.



you do have the option of garage parking and it would be a few dollars cheaper.
i am assuming you are leaving the parks when it closes and returning to your rental place offsite.

if you are only going into the hotel for check in, and then leave for the parking garage, you won't be charged for hotel parking.

 

[wdw&sonny]

Thanks for such great answers Macraven and RMulieri.

One last one, if we leave the car at the resort after check-in, go to the park for the day then drive back to Bonnet Creek in the evening, will we be charged parking at the Universal Resort? I think I read somewhere else that parking is only charged if the car is left over night.
Thanks.

 

[Bluer101]

Thanks for such great answers Macraven and RMulieri.

One last one, if we leave the car at the resort after check-in, go to the park for the day then drive back to Bonnet Creek in the evening, will we be charged parking at the Universal Resort? I think I read somewhere else that parking is only charged if the car is left over night.
Thanks.

If you do that you will be charged more as being a day guest. It's cheaper just to pay or if you have an AP park in the regular park garage.

 

[macraven]

day guest cost for parking is more than the hotel guest charge.

cheapest parking for you would be the garage parking.