how many days of EP do you think ??

[wendlle]

I've been undecided for months now but need to make a decision.
I'll be booking using AP rates for May.
My dates are arriving VERY early on May 3rd and leaving late on May 9th

We are very used to getting EP's for our trips, once we didn't have them and it wasn't the best trip - having said that we just don't have the cash to stay at a premier the entire time - or even half of it.
I am tossing up if we need 2 or 3 days of EP's for our trip?
We will be spending at least 5 full days at the parks, we like to take our time - enjoy the rides several times. Let the kids play in the play zones and wet areas without rushing them and we like to enjoy all the shows.

We will be splitting our stay between Cabana Bay (family suite) and a premier hotel (standard 2 queen)
Not interested in the dockside/surfside suites, we like the pools at Cabana Bay.
At the moment I have the following I'm looking at, which do you think would be best??

May 3-6 Hard Rock
May 6-9 Cabana Bay Total cost $2029

May 3-7 Cabana Bay
May 7-9 Hard Rock Total cost $1720

May 3-8 Cabana Bay
May 8-9 Royal Pacific Total cost $1334

These prices are in US $ the Aussie Dollar is only buying 60c at the moment so it adds a lot onto the top of it.
Just not sure what would be best with what we want to do?

Kids aren't up for any major rides like Velocicoaster or Hagrids, we will be doing those as Adults only using child swap (even though no kids are swapping) most other rides we will all be going on or doing maybe child swap on Forbidden Journey as the 9yo wants to give it a go but the 6yo isn't tall enough. Everything else we will be doing together as a family.
Just really not sure if we will miss those EP's or not, the money saved it quite a lot but not if it is at the expense of us not having a good time.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

You will get the most benefit from EP on weekends & Fri.

What about:
May 3-5 Royal Pacific $411/nt
May 5-9 Cabana Bay $153/nt
Total w/ tax $1,611
Or bump up to $481/nt for Hard Rock instead.

The Mon night at Hard Rock for EP on just Tuesday is kinda a waste.

 

[wendlle]

You will get the most benefit from EP on weekends & Fri.

What about:
May 3-5 Royal Pacific $411/nt
May 5-9 Cabana Bay $153/nt
Total w/ tax $1,611
Or bump up to $481/nt for Hard Rock instead.

The Mon night at Hard Rock for EP on just Tuesday is kinda a waste.

Thanks, yes I had considered that option as well, The arrival day of the 3rd is what I'm concerned about. Kids (and us) will be tired from the red eye - we leave LAX at 10pm and arrive into MCO at 5:30am so not sure much sleep will be had and it won't be enough. So we get the EP that day and we will use it I guess because the room isn't going to be ready so we need to drop our bags and do something.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

Sat will likely have the latest hours for you, and Sun maybe. You should be able to get in, maybe do the parks right away - I don't know about you, but I'm always freshest and eager that first day. Once the room is ready, go back for a nap, then probably have until 8-9pm. Though you could use that Sat morning for pool time just as easily.

It's kind of a toss up to put EP first or last.
With it first, you are freshest, probably stay in the parks longer. You're kinda breezing through things. Later when you don't have EP, you are going on the ride for the 3rd time & noticing more of the details, more likely to slow down & shop, watch shows. You're more likely to spend longer at the hotel/pool for a break, slow morning, etc.
With it at the end, you are getting an upgrade - you are looking forward to the EP & fancier hotel, rather than remembering the EP that you had a few days ago but don't have anymore. If you do nap a lot on the first day, you won't be thinking about "wasting" EP time. You could plan to spend half of Sat/Sun at the pool, avoiding the parks entirely in the busiest times of the busiest days.

Lots to consider.

 

[wendlle]

Sat will likely have the latest hours for you, and Sun maybe. You should be able to get in, maybe do the parks right away - I don't know about you, but I'm always freshest and eager that first day. Once the room is ready, go back for a nap, then probably have until 8-9pm. Though you could use that Sat morning for pool time just as easily.

It's kind of a toss up to put EP first or last.
With it first, you are freshest, probably stay in the parks longer. You're kinda breezing through things. Later when you don't have EP, you are going on the ride for the 3rd time & noticing more of the details, more likely to slow down & shop, watch shows. You're more likely to spend longer at the hotel/pool for a break, slow morning, etc.
With it at the end, you are getting an upgrade - you are looking forward to the EP & fancier hotel, rather than remembering the EP that you had a few days ago but don't have anymore. If you do nap a lot on the first day, you won't be thinking about "wasting" EP time. You could plan to spend half of Sat/Sun at the pool, avoiding the parks entirely in the busiest times of the busiest days.

Lots to consider.

yes, this is also my issue.
I know the busier days are the weekends most likely, but perhaps we could do those days not at the parks so much, I have an AP and the Hubby and Kids are getting the 14 day UK tickets so we can come and go as we please.
At least with the EP even on the quieter days we should be able to hopefully breeze thru the lines and just go to the parks on the busier days without the EP and just do some of the kids areas which we find are usually quieter anyway, and the shows which don't need an EP anyway.
hmmmm

 

[CAPSLOCK]

I like to gauge by how busy Universal thinks it will be.
This is EP Unlimited pricing, if that helps:



Unless you really like Hard Rock more than Royal Pacific, that $400 extra for option 2 vs 3 is a lot for EP on a Wednesday. Although obviously still much cheaper than buying EP outright.

You could always do a premier on the first and last nights, though that would be moving hotels twice. And not having a "home" on Sun if someone wants a resort nap while you're still adjusting to the time change.

 

[wendlle]

I'm not set on Hard Rock, I just don't want Portofino - too far to walk. We've stayed at Royal Pacific twice before and enjoyed it, Hard Rock was the cheapest when I booked before, I'll go with whatever Premier is cheaper out of RP and HR.

I don't want to have to move twice with the kids, we are already going to 4 other hotels after our Universal stay over the next 3 weeks so we are moving around enough as it is.

 

[keishashadow]

May 3-7 Cabana Bay
May 7-9 Hard Rock Total cost $1720

JMHO CB is huge, if you aren’t set upon a certain building or floor for your suite; might get lucky and be able to check in early.

If anything, you could do the parks for a couple of hours and come back and hang out at the pool, there are dressing rooms.

Doing a premier for the last two nights will give you a solid 3 days of EP before moving onto wherever is your next stop that evening

I'm not set on Hard Rock, I just don't want Portofino - too far to walk.

The boat service there has always been on point for us. We enjoy them, along the line of an attraction of sorts, especially if you get an entertaining captain

Hard Rock was the cheapest when I booked before

Interesting, it’s consistently been the highest for us since covid.

 

[wendlle]

JMHO CB is huge, if you aren’t set upon a certain building or floor for your suite; might get lucky and be able to check in early.

If anything, you could do the parks for a couple of hours and come back and hang out at the pool, there are dressing rooms.

Doing a premier for the last two nights will give you a solid 3 days of EP before moving onto wherever is your next stop that evening

The boat service there has always been on point for us. We enjoy them, along the line of an attraction of sorts, especially if you get an entertaining captain

Interesting, it’s consistently been the highest for us since covid.

I noticed when playing with dates, all the premiers change as to which is cheaper, very odd but like I said whatever is cheapest I will go with.
I'm leaning towards doing the CB portion at the start, I've stayed there before and we did enjoy it even though it's large, I think having the EP at the end even though they may be quieter days than at the beginning will give us more mileage - we will focus on Volcano Bay while at CB and maybe do some of the early mornings then swim at the resort during the peak of the day.

 

[zillayen]

We were just there last week and did one night at PB in a throwaway room which gave us EP for two days. It was plenty of time for us but we have also been several times and don't need to ride every ride in the park. I would do whatever is cheapest and easiest for you to transfer luggage.