How much does your trip to Universal cost?

[BeckWhy]

I'm curious for those who stay onsite and how long they stay.

 

[damo]

We usually stay about 3 nights. Our room averages about $160/night (although we have paid as little as $139).

We eat three good meals a day -- Breakfast about $8/person (breakfast coissants at the parks), Lunch about $12/person and dinner about $15-$20/person. Then, of course, we have to have snacks.

The real problem comes from our visits to Quiet Flight and the Mall at Millenia!!!

 

[muttngeff]

We leave in 11 days. I'm just tallying up the final cost estimate and this is NOT an inexpensive year to visit Universal.

We're staying 6 nights at PBH starting at..gulp $344 The rate drops down to a "reasonable" $294 & 264 the last two nights
(Just typing that makes me want to reach for the airsickness bag!)

I've actually done a 10 night onsite WDW at the Yacht Club, and a 14 day renting a house and doing ALL the parks cheaper than this year.

The clincher is that we're attending a function, so we had no control over the dates...so no discounts to speak of!

DH "It's only money..you can't take it with you when you go"
Me "These prices may "make me go" sooner!"

 

[AllieKat]

Last year, we stayed 6 nights at RPR. The year before, we stayed 5 nights at HRH. This year, we're only staying 4 nights at RPR. We've already taken one vacation to CA this year, we'll be in Vegas in late May and in Idaho over Thanksgiving. Needless to say, we had to cut back our nights in Orlando.

This year, our room & tickets are costing us $800 (pre tax). This is the stay & play deal, which actually works out to be a good deal for us. We were upgraded for free from a standard room to a king suite (we're Loews platinum members). We'll probably spend $600 (at the very, very most) on food, drinks, etc...it's just 2 of us. As of right now, we're planning on driving so add $100 for gas and $28 for parking. So, the total is $1528.

 

[d4est]

We stayed 4 nights at RPR, had the 5 day/2 park tickets and drove down (20+hrs). We spent roughly $2000. This was with eating out 3x/day and souvies.
ETA: This was for 2 adults and one child

 

[JessicaR]

A typical 5 night 6 day vacation staying on-site, AP's, Airfare from NY, Town Car RT transportation, Food and shopping would be around 3,500 for 4 of us.

 

[KelNottAt]

We check-in to RPR on 3/23. We booked back in September when Hurricane Frances cancelled our WDW trip.

Since this is spring break time, we must be paying top dollar: 4 nights & a 5-day pass for $1800. We are myself, DH, DD12 and DD10.

Our airfare was $600 and we're allowing $800 for meals and fun while there.

That's a total of $3200 for the trip. Ugh.

Blast that hurricane! Our WDW trip would have been much cheaper (DVC). But, they were no-refund plane tix that we had to use by 4/1/05.

Kelley

 

[marknj05]

KellNot.. we are checking into RPR on 3/23 also. Staying for 5 nights. Did you get stuck paying $274 a night also?
Getting excited, especially since it is snowing AGAIN!! in NJ. YUK!!

 

[KelNottAt]

KellNot.. we are checking into RPR on 3/23 also. Staying for 5 nights. Did you get stuck paying $274 a night also?
Getting excited, especially since it is snowing AGAIN!! in NJ. YUK!!

Yup. I think so. BTW, I made a typo in my first post...we're actually checking-in on 3/24. (We'll be visiting family in Gainesville 3/23.)

Excited? Boy, that's an understatement. I can hardly function at work. (Gotta get off these boards and concentrate.)

Also, one last thing...DD came down with strep today. Need to get to the ped right away and start that PenVK. (DS got it last week.) At least her fever arrived today instead of later this week, during vacation!!

Kelley

 

[macraven]

i have been staying at hrh the last 3, going on 4, years.

i can not resist going for halloween horror nights!!

the past 3 years i used the entertainment book for the discounted rate of $125 a night plus tax for hrh.

this year, no discounts for ent book. i heard they cancelled out on that program.

using the AAA for a discount of $224/+tax at hrh. staying 3 nights only this time during october.

past visits i stayed 4 or 5 nights. with less discounts for this oct, only staying 3 nights but can use the fotl on the day i check out of hrh

i start my trips with a 10 night stay at disney value resorts, then move over to universal hrh.
in the past have caught the $49 special with spirit out of o'hare to orlando ($109rt) those days are gone now.
towncar costs me rt: $75
hrh = varied from depending on nights there ($560-$700)
food: close to $30 per day
tickets: bought off internet, right now a sale going on 5 day pass two park for $99. woo hoo they just arrived today.

for my universal portion of the trips i drop about $1100 tops.

 

[ms.ojo]

tickets: bought off internet, right now a sale going on 5 day pass two park for $99. woo hoo they just arrived today..

Can you please post (or PM me) what internet company you bought your tickets from?? That's a great deal!

 

[JessicaR]

Universal Bonus Pass - Buy 2 Days and get 3 Days FREE!

Exclusive Online Ticket - Best Price Guarantee!

The Universal Orlando Bonus Pass is a special 2-day ticket with 3 free days! Enjoy five consecutive days of unlimited park-to-park admission (including first day of use) to Universal Studios®, Islands of Adventure and CityWalk®!


Orlando's best multi-day ticket value -- $20.00 a day for park-to-park access - compare to Disney
Unlimited club-to-club admission at CityWalk venues
Less than the price of a 2-Day 2-Park non-expiring ticket
Limited Time Offer - purchase by 03/27/05 and receive a FREE COUPON BOOKLET* for savings on food and merchandise at Universal Orlando® Resort. Please click on Complete Details for more information.


All Guests $99.95

https://tickets.universalstudios.com/USRG/us_store_secure2.jsp?merchant=UO

 

[macraven]

Can you please post (or PM me) what internet company you bought your tickets from?? That's a great deal!

i see jessicaR gave you the link. great.

there is no catch in this promo. my tickets and coupon booklet arrived yesterday.

you have to pay extra though in this promo.

you can one of two things.
when you order click on the first box that states, $2 fee, pick up tickets and booklet at guest services in the park.

second choice is $14 overnight by ups...
which is what i did. the coupons expire 12/31/05 and i wanted them NOW!
i plan my meals around the coupons. i have the AAA and the universal FAN club card,orlandomagic card and the universal master card. those give me discounts also which are good. but in the coupon booklet there are special coupons for extra discounts for merchandise and food.
i also give away some of the coupons before i go on the disboards so others can enjoy the discounts.

the line last year was long, about a 30 minute wait at g.s. to pick up tickets.
i got there at noon and the park was closing at 5 due to hhn.
i decided then to have them delivered to me in advance.

if you are not going on the hhn hard ticket event, it is not necessary to receive them in advance and pay the extr $.

 

[JessicaR]

i see jessicaR gave you the link. great.

there is no catch in this promo. my tickets and coupon booklet arrived yesterday.

you have to pay extra though in this promo.

you can one of two things.
when you order click on the first box that states, $2 fee, pick up tickets and booklet at guest services in the park.

second choice is $14 overnight by ups...
which is what i did. the coupons expire 12/31/05 and i wanted them NOW!
i plan my meals around the coupons. i have the AAA and the universal FAN club card,orlandomagic card and the universal master card. those give me discounts also which are good. but in the coupon booklet there are special coupons for extra discounts for merchandise and food.
i also give away some of the coupons before i go on the disboards so others can enjoy the discounts.

the line last year was long, about a 30 minute wait at g.s. to pick up tickets.
i got there at noon and the park was closing at 5 due to hhn.
i decided then to have them delivered to me in advance.

if you are not going on the hhn hard ticket event, it is not necessary to receive them in advance and pay the extr $.

I'm wondering if the coupon book is any good? Can you give me a few examples of certain coupons you feel are worth while? I also have the AAA, FAN and APH so wondering is we even need this? Thanks so much!

 

[ms.ojo]

thank you both for the info on the tickets. I'd also be interested in hearing about some of the coupons. We have AAA too.

TIA! Janet

 

[macraven]

i am about two minutes out the door for work but will list some of the coupons later when i get back home.

would you rather i email or pm you privately or list them on this board/thread?


the magicorlando card, which is free, is honored at universal for 10% off.
the AAA , fan club card and universal mc also gives you % off on merch and food at the parks and some places at city walk.

i will check this thread when i get home from work to see how you want me to respond.

 

[JessicaR]

Whatever is easiest for you is fine by me! Thanks so much for taking the time to give me the info, I appreciate it greatly! I will pm you with my email if you want to go that route. Thanks again

As an aside, I didnt know magic card offered a discount inside Universal...I have one of them....somewhere! LOL

 

[macraven]

JessicaR, hi, did receive your pm but have also received others. therefore i will list the coupons here on this thread.


at universal studios:
15% off at Finnegan's bar and grill/ Lombard's seafood grille/Captain Quints (after 4pm)/ international food and film festiveal (after 4)


islands of adventure:
15% off confisco grille/ mythos / comic strip cafe (after 4)/ circus mcgurkus cafe (after 4)/ two coupons of 15% off on merchandise at any gift shops/

City Walk:
pastomore resturant free kids meal/ 10% off food at pastomore marketplace/ free admission to bob marley/ free drat, wine or soda with purchase at jummy buffetts margaritaville/ 15% off merch at universal studios store at city walk/ 2 for 1 soda, domestic draft, house wine or well brands at city jazz, the groove, or pat o'briens/ 10% off merch plus buy one specialty drink and get one free keep the souvenir glass at NBA City/
free appetizer with purchase of 2 entrees at nascar cafe/ free admission to latin quarter/ 10% off at hard rock cafe/ 10% off merch at hard rock cafe/
10% off all purchases of $15 or more at dapy or glow

hard rock hotel: 15% off lunch entrees the kitchen/ 10% off ice cream at emack & bolios (between 12pm - 4pm)

porofino bay hotel: free glass of wine with adult entree at trattoria del porto/ free appetizer platter with purchase of 2 adult entrees at mama della ristorannte/

royal pacific hotel: 10% off all lulnch entrees at islands diing room 11:00 am- 2:30 pm and 10% off jakes's american var 2:00 pm - 4:00pm
10% off all dinner entrees islands dining room 5pm -11pm / jakes american bar 5pm- 2am


there were more coupons last year in the booklet but the ones listed above coupons are better than using the AAA or universal fan club cards. i get 10% off using those two.
the carts have honored the fan club card last year when i went.

any questions, just holler............i'll come running.

 

[macraven]

the magic card is honored at city walk and at shops at universal.
i used it last year there in october. unless the policy has changed since then, i plan to take all my cards with me and use them for my fall trip.

 

[ATAfamily]

We are driving down from NH to save on airfare (there are 5 of us) and putting that money towards 6 nights at the RPR from 4/25 - 5/1. We are paying $187/night for a standard room. I am planning on getting the 4 park flex pass tickets because we are planning on doing Sea World and Wet 'N Wild also. Since we will have our car, we will have the flexibility of eating off-site which will hopefully help save some money in that area.

Deanne