I feel like an idiot trying to book this trip!

[ratlenhum]

I'm so used to the Disney site when booking. It's all so easy.

I'm trying to book a 4 day stay with a 4 day park to park ticket. Any of the packages I click on, even if they let you stay 4 days, automatically give you a 2 day basic ticket. there is no option to change the ticket! They do have a banner for "Create Your Own" and it says Get STarted now or call.... but there is no where to click

I don't want to call because I'm playing with dates and checking prices and don't want to have to actually talk to someone

What am I doing wrong?

 

[macraven]

it is cheaper NOT to book a package.

book the room and buy the tickets separate.
get the tickets from universal or undercover tourist.

you can buy the 4 day passes.


if you call, it will save you a lot of time.

just tell the TM you talk to you aren't sure of your dates but have a few possibilities.

have the TM check the best rates for all the dates you might go with.


many do not book when they call and ask about prices, dates, etc.

you can call back once you have played with the numbers.



you can get rates for the 3 hotels on site.
go to www.universalorlando.com

click on hotels
go check from there.

 

[ratlenhum]

Thanks for all the info! I didn't know it was cheaper not to book a package.

Do I still get the front of the line privileges if I stay on site but do not buy a package, but buy my own tickets?

 

[genmasjoy]

Yes, you have to be a hotel guest staying on site. Your room key is what is checked at the "Express" entrance to the rides. Of course, you need a ticket to get into the park, but it doesn't matter how you purchased it.

 

[SolitaryPhoenix]

Again, great info, macraven; I probably would've done the package too. Thanks!

 

[macraven]

since 1993 i have gone yearly to the darkside (and motherland)

out of all those years, i booked a package only ONE time.
it was a deal i couldn't pass up.
this was back in 2000.
the first hotel, pbh went up in 1999.
hrh 2000
rph the next year.


it is always best not to book a package.
you think you are getting something cheaper but when you break it down, you are not.

 

[bumbershoot]

Just in case you want to know how to get that ticket to change....(even though you know now it's cheaper to buy a la carte)


When you're looking at all the info that's in the package, and you see the ticket info (it's clickable, and will show you what sort of ticket it is), look to the left. There's a column of funky yellow blobby things. Click that. It takes you to other things you can buy. Find the ticket you want. Add it to your package by clicking Select. Then Remove the ticket you do NOT want. So in your case, add the 4 day ticket, remove the 2 days. They'll pop up a thing saying that you have to have a ticket for the package...but you DO have a ticket. No worries.

And that's how you do it. But don't do it.


I've bought tickets through Maple Leaf Tickets and Undercover Tourist. Both good, reputable places. I got a major amazing deal with Maple Leaf when I bought through them the first time, but have never seen them cheaper than Undercover since...but do the math for your exact trip!

 

[blackjack68]

Yep. Definitely book hotel and tickets separately.

We just got back and did Royal Pacific for $144 per night and got tickets from Undercover Tourist and saved hundreds over the "package" for that same time period.

Enjoy!

 

[ratlenhum]

Thanks everyone! This is why I love DIS people!!!

 

[Lynne G]

Yep. Last summer, I booked the hotel by calling it directly. Bought the tickets from UT and it saved me almost $100. I had no issues with the tickets and an absolutely great time at PBH. We are going back this year (plus Disney), well, because, UT is so nice with the "older" kid rides. The shows were good too. Only thing I thought was odd, was that the parks closed at 7pm the end of August last year. We thought they would open later. Oh, well. We loved PBH's pool, and hopped and used HRH's too.
I was glad not to stay at the HRH. Much noiser than PBH. My kids rather have stayed at the HRH though.

 

[macraven]

Yep. Only thing I thought was odd, was that the parks closed at 7pm the end of August last year. We thought they would open later. Oh, well.

i don't like the early closing hours either!

hopefully, the parks will stay open later more times during the year when more people start to come.

while the crowds, if any, are low at some parts of the year, it hasn't been a need to keep them open later.

ioa usually closes at 7 and the studios at 6 during fall.


disney also closes the parks early during the low seasons.

i hate that too.

last year in the fall, dhs closed at 7:30 pm and the mk closed at 7 and 8 some of the nights i was there.
the 7 closing was due to mnsshp though.