Hotels for Prenight stay

[luvsvacations]

I am looking for a reasonably priced hotel for the night before checking into Hard Rock - any suggestions??

 

[Motherfletcher]

Try Hotwire here:
http://www.hotwire.com/hotel/index....tel-index&pgoodTypeCode=H&inputId=hotel-index
Plug in your date and look for something in the Universal area. We've got Wyndham 3* for $31/night.

 

[travelin' tigger]

It's a few minutes from US/IOA. Stayed there last year and thought it was a good value. Spacious, CLEAN room - and under $50.

HTH!!!

 

[robvia]

How much do you want to pay?

It all comes down to your "dive" level.

Here are the hotels across the street. Visit the web site for each one to check rates.
http://www.nogodforme.com/offsite.htm
Hilton Garden Inn is here, really nice, fairly new, but probably about $100. Motel 6 located next door is also new, but would be a boarderline dive.
http://www.nogodforme.com/hiltongardeninn.htm
Best Western Movieland is located across from WnW, it doesn't have hotel smell. I recently stayed there. That would be less money than the BW across from the parking garage.

If you want to completely save money and just want a bed for the night, then it would be the Days Inn, or the Hojo Plaza Resort.

 

[luvsvacations]

OK Thanks - I will take a looks at those. Just want something that is clean and convenient.

 

[Sprunkn7]

I have stayed at the Days Inn Main Gate. Cheap, about $40, but I had an eye on my car all night. There was a creepy guy walking around and I was uncomfortable. He may have been a guest, I'm not sure. No problems, but I refused to walk to the car myself. The plus is the cost and it has Dennys attached. The rooms were ok for a one night stay. Park close to the front or under a light. Sorry, I don't mean to scared you off, it wasn't that bad, and I actually booked there for a night in Oct because I wasn't going to have a car. Just cancelled because I'm staying at a friends house instead.

 

[LauraAnn630]

Since we are planing to go the week of X-Mas do you think staying off-site is a good idea? I dont know if there will be large crowds?

 

[robvia]

It depends on how you like to tour the parks.
If you arrive the parking garage at 08:00am, get to the gate first, and go commando style, you can take a lap of walk on rides in the morning. This works any day of the year. Then you leave, go back to your hotel room, rest, and come back at night.
If you sleep in and show up at 11am, then it's another story. That's when everyone is there. 11am-4pm is rush hour at the parks.
If you want to be in the park during the afternoon, then it would be a good idea to stay onsite.
Plus the parks stay open late Christmas week, so you could come back at night, use your magic keys and never wait.
If you can save up the money for onsite and think of it as a splurge, then do it. Otherwise, you stay across the street, be happy you are saving money, and show up early each morning.

 

[LauraAnn630]

Universal and IoA stays open late the week of X-Mas? How late do they stay open? TIA

 

[mslclark]

Try any of the hotels on Universal Blvd, it's close and most of them are fairly new. We stayed at the Sierra Suites on Universal Blvd. It was a great room that slept 6 and had a full kitchen.

 

[robvia]

Park hours are here
http://themeparks.universalstudios...._park_hours.html&year=2005&month=12&year=2005
From December 26th, thru the 30th, IOA/USF stays open until 11pm.
On New Years eve they stay open until 1am.

Your best plan here is to arrive early in the morning, take a lap of walk on rides, then go back to your hotel for the afternoon to eat lunch and rest. Come back that evening to tour the parks and get more rides as the tired are leaving. You can do it, just remember that the crowds are huge from 11am to 4pm. When you show up early, you can get on the major rides before the crowds arrives, and then you come back later that evening as many are leaving.