How important is Express if you have early entry?

[KristenHoneymooner]

Hello all! My husband and I are headed back to Orlando in August for our 5th anniversary. We haven't been to Orlando since our Honeymoon and have never been to Universal or IOA, so I have lots of reading to do! We plan to spend two days at Universal/IOA (one day per park).

My biggest question: How essential to a good experience is Express Access? Since I have never been to Universal/IOA, I have no sense of wait times.

Staying on property sounds really great because of Express privileges, but when I actually priced it out, even the cheapest on property hotel (RP) was $280 per night I then noticed that some of the Universal partner hotels let you into the park an hour early for Harry Potter or Spiderman. We do not do most thrill rides, so WWOHP and Spiderman were the only attractions in IOA that we are even interested in. At Universal, we will do shows and mild rides -- nothing with a big drop or inversions.

So, would the cheap option of staying at a partner hotel meet our needs, since it covers the most important attraction to us (WWHOP), or are the parks so crowded in August that splurging for an onsite hotel makes more sense?

Thanks for the advice!

 

[macraven]

what dates in august?

end of august usually does not have crowds.

 

[KristenHoneymooner]

what dates in august?

end of august usually does not have crowds.

First or second week.

 

[JessicaR]

First or second week.

For your dates - express would have a significant impact on your experience. Staying on-site is great for many reasons. For a short trip that doesn't include resort time staying off-site is a good option if saving money. You can always price express as you enter the park.

 

[macraven]

the weeks you listed are still in the high season.
that means more peeps in the parks.

families are still in the vacation mode as school will start for many the last week of august.

 

[KristenHoneymooner]

Thanks for the feedback! Looking at all the options, it would be significantly cheaper to stay offsite and buy express passes for the two of us vs. staying at the Royal Pacific. But that would mean we'd miss the easy access to Citywalk, being able to walk to the park, movies at the pool, etc.

So the crowds affect all attractions, not just headliner rides? We don't do roller coasters, but will do simulator rides like Terminator and milder stuff like Simpsons.

 

[Metro West]

So the crowds affect all attractions, not just headliner rides? We don't do roller coasters, but will do simulator rides like Terminator and milder stuff like Simpsons.

In the summer most attractions have long lines just because it's busy season. There are lots of people like yourself who don't do coasters so they like to do the milder rides so the lines can get long.

 

[pigletto]

It's funny. This diehard Disney family went to UO for the first time last summer. We had FOTL and I am now so completely spoiled by it that I can't imagine going without it!!
I will happily shave things out of the Disney budget to afford to stay onsite at Universal.
If you can swing it, it's really worth it IMO. Early entry will get you into a few things and a leg up on the crowds, but that's about it. You'll be with the masses the rest of the day. FOTL though? You just walk on through and rarely wait much time at all (at least when I've been there). It is fantastic and it's made us huge UO fans.

 

[KristenHoneymooner]

Thanks for all of the replies! It really DOES sound worth it to stay at a Universal Hotel, all things considered... I was just shocked by the price, as I had heard that Royal Pacific was comparable in price to a Moderate at WDW, and $280 is more like a Deluxe price.

 

[macraven]

the UO hotels are deluxe hotels.
their services and amenities there are of that standard.

 

[RMulieri]

the UO hotels are deluxe hotels.
their services and amenities there are of that standard.

Exactly and they are more deluxe than what Disney considers deluxe imo

 

[scubamouse]

People here convinced me to go and the reviews I've read have said RPH is a deluxe resort.

Don't forget that if you stay overnight, you get FOTL for two days - check in and check out days. That's how we're justifying it. I haven't been yet but already I'm fired up to get that access.

 

[pixeegrl]

also the EP you get with your hotel stay is UNLIMITED for 2 days (with one night booking) where as the one you purchase is only once per ride....

 

[damo]

Thanks for all of the replies! It really DOES sound worth it to stay at a Universal Hotel, all things considered... I was just shocked by the price, as I had heard that Royal Pacific was comparable in price to a Moderate at WDW, and $280 is more like a Deluxe price.

You need to compare apples with apples. A deluxe hotel at WDW within walking distance of the parks is what you would compare.

Beach Club...Aug 6-8 is $370/night.

None of the Universal hotels are that much at that time.

Portofino is $339. Hard Rock is $324 and Royal Pacific is $279.




So, Universal hotels are somewhere in between the WDW mods and deluxes when there are no discounts available and at prime time.

 

[Bluer101]

also the EP you get with your hotel stay is UNLIMITED for 2 days (with one night booking) where as the one you purchase is only once per ride....

You can buy add on express, good for one ride. Or you can buy VIP tickets with unlimited express, expensive.

 

[macraven]

You need to compare apples with apples. A deluxe hotel at WDW within walking distance of the parks is what you would compare.

Beach Club...Aug 6-8 is $370/night.

None of the Universal hotels are that much at that time.

Portofino is $339. Hard Rock is $324 and Royal Pacific is $279.




So, Universal hotels are somewhere in between the WDW mods and deluxes when there are no discounts available and at prime time.

and rates can be a lot less with the AP or AAA or promos at other times of the year.

i am using the aph rate for early october for rph at $144 a night.
then switching to the promo rate for 7 nights, as the ap rate is only listed up to oct 4th right now.

there are times of the year that the hotels have lower rack rates too.

 

[ajpa]

Royal Pacific is lovely. Stay one night and get FOTL for 2 days.

 

[KristenHoneymooner]

You have all made me very eager to book at RP! Thanks!