Is an onsite hotel really worth the cost?

[agbyrom]

We will be visiting Universal Studios for the first time in February. We are seasoned Disney travelers but have decided to try something new. After much research we are still undecided about where we should stay. If we choose an onsite hotel vs. a luxury home w/private pool we will pay double for accomodations. I know onsite privaleges include FOTL but is it really worth it? Just curious

 

[cdpa4d]

In a word....ABSOLUTELY!!!!

You will be spoiled by the front of the line perk. It saves you so much time. The extra time you will have can be spent at your resort pool, or spending extra time during a meal. It makes the whole Universal experience much more relaxing IMO.

Definately stay on-site, you won't be sorry!

 

[Daddio]

I always feel bad walking past the hundreds of people who have been waiting patiently in line for the popular rides. But, getting to the very front of the line and on to the ride without having to stop at all tends to make bad feelings disappear rapidly.

This alone, makes it worth every penny spent to stay onsite. We can do two parks, twice through in one day.

Be warned though! Do it once and you'll be hooked forever.

 

[antmaril]

Absolutely worth every penny. FOTL is the best perk ever!

 

[bjakmom]

Last Saturday on Columbus Day weekend we waited in the longest express lines yet - 30 mins for Spiderman, Hulk, Fire/Ice, Jurassic park - but the regular lines were at an hour and more. We have been spoiled when going off-season/no holiday by walking right in with FOTL - but even so we LOVE staying on-site at Universal. We agree that FOTL makes for a much more relaxing visit. If $$ is a big consideration (the homes ARE really nice, my sister has done that and loved having all that room and her own pool) and you are not going over Pres week, then you might find that early Feb is quite doable at USF - and you could always purchase an express pass book if you find the lines are long.

 

[kellyanne731]

This alone, makes it worth every penny spent to stay onsite. We can do two parks, twice through in one day.

Be warned though! Do it once and you'll be hooked forever.

I'm planning a somewhat extended vacation to Disney/Universal next October. We'll be at US/IOA on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and probably staying onsite. Since we'll only have about 2 1/2 days there, I really want to make sure we'll be able to see everything.

 

[agbyrom]

Can someone tell me the difference in the FOTL and the express pass? I keep reading about these but I'm unsure if they are the same thing or totally different.

 

[allie&mattsmom]

We were just there last weekend and stayed onsite. It was so worth it! We walked on every ride. The only one we had to wait for was the river rapids ride, which had a 20 minute express pass line. Everything else was walk right on. We loved the convenience of the quick walk to the parks and citiwalk. It was great. When we go back, we will definitely stay onsite again.

 

[rpbert1]

Can someone tell me the difference in the FOTL and the express pass? I keep reading about these but I'm unsure if they are the same thing or totally different.

may be wrong but you can ride as many times as you want with FOTL while with the express pass you can only do the ride once, maybe someone can confirm this

 

[Sprunkn7]

True about Express Pass. Once per ride. Front of line is anytime, all day unlimited. To answer the onsite hotel question....YES... it is worth every penny. To get the whole Universal expierience, park your car and forget about leaving for your stay. I am spending a little more this year for club room in HRH and can't wait!!!! If money is a major concern ( when isn't it?, a five night stay at Universal is about an 8 night stay at a moderate Disney hotel), you can certainly stay in plenty of great places around. My personal preference is onsite at HRH at Universal($$$), but in order to stay onsite at Disney I have stayed at All Star Sports($) instead of not going at all. To me its a state of mind. Wake up and play time is at your doorstep!!

Good Luck! Where ever you stay I'm sure it will all be good!

 

[Denna B]

Last year we went during a "slow" time in January. We went on the MIB (Men in Black) ride 3 times while those in line still were waiting. One guy complained about seeing us pass him 3 times to an attendant who recommended he stay on-site next time. As a previous poster said, you will be spoiled after you experience the FOLT perk.

 

[markh]

FOTL is an unbelievable perk, but that's not the only benefit of staying onsite. The Universal hotels are luxury hotels, and the whole complex is set up so that the hotels are only minutes away from the parks. You are able to have a relaxing theme park experience via fotl, and still have plenty of time to relax and enjoy some good old R&R. We think fotl is wonderful, but only part of the whole vacation experience that the onsite hotels offer.

 

[Motherfletcher]

Be warned though! Do it once and you'll be hooked forever.

That is the only downside. We haven't been back to WDW in 2 years now and we used to go at least 4 times a year.

 

[markey]

My son who has been to WDW numerous times had never been to Universal. He and his family went with us this year, because we keep telling him how great Universal/IOA really are. We always stay on site and we booked RPH for all of us. He was amazed at the hotels location to the parks, glad to stay off the busses. FOTL just blew him away, all he could do for the whole time was smile. Both my son and DIL said it was the best vacation they ever had, and we still got our Disney fix by going on the Wonder cruise. Our GS was in love with all the adult rides. I would never stay any place else but on site.

 

[robvia]

We do both, off site, then "splurge" once a year and stay onsite. Most people on these boards look at the cost only to justify where to stay. Of coarse staying off site can save you money. But staying onsite gets you, FOTL, You'll "feel" like you're a part of the action, great pools that have a lot to do, and you can walk back and forth to the parks.

For example, how many of you go swimming when you visit an off site hotel? We don't. Yet when we visit an onsite hotel at USF or Disney, that's the big thing after visiting the parks. If we stay off site, we just come back to the room, watch TV, and go to bed. It's not going to kill our vacation, but having it onsite is nice.

It's a "feeling" thing, and judging it by the dollar value doesn't work. Just like people who don't want to rent a car because of the money. In that case, it's a "convience" thing. The rental car lets you ping pong between Disney and IOA, visit grocery stores, and you can come and go as you please. It's worth the extra money, but many still use the shuttles because they want to save money.

 

[Mad4Dizne]

If the cost of staying on-site means your budget is too strained to thoroughly enjoy the trip, then definately stay off-site. If money is no object--stay on-site! We have previously either done day trips to Universal or stayed on-site (Club level HRH-due to a super rate!!!); This year there was no way I could justify paying to stay on-site at the rates we could get. We extended our trip in order to make sure we see what we want, and even doing this we still spent far, far less than staying on-site. Besides, you can always go and check out the resorts and/or get a meal in one of their restaurants and see for yourself, if it might be worth it to you. Honestly the rooms were ok, nothing extravagant. (Peabody rooms were nicer)Also, while we used FOTL, it really wasn't necessary when we went (off-season)...just get to the park early and you should be fine. Whatever you decide, have a great trip!!!!

 

[macraven]

i was at universal the columbus day weekend and on that saturday i had only a line wait of 10 minutes.

maybe the other poster that went the same weekend of me was in the hulk line when it broke down and then there was a wait for it.

i will always stay on site........totally and completely spoiled by fotl !!!

what i really enjoy at universal is the parks are walkable from the on site hotels. also the water taxi option and busses to each hotel. for off site hotel guests, the parking lot empties to the walk way to city walk, movable sidewalk inside it.

at disney, to get anywhere, you have to take a bus.......can anyone say 45 minutes of your day is gone going from one park to another?

 

[bjakmom]

macraven - maybe it was the timing we used on Columbus Day Sat that put us in such long FOTL lines - we usually hit the parks at opening, but this day was DNeph's b'day and we went to the Spiderman b'fast from 9:30 = 10:30. We went right to Spiderman and were shocked that the express line was literally out the door ! I've never seen that before - I asked the TM at the line what was up and he said "it's really busy today !" (DUH!) We waited a full 30 mins to get on. Then we walked around to Popeye's and again the express line was posted at 30 mins - I waited with the baby for everyone and it was 35 mins from the time they got in line until they came under the bridge (I got a great photo, though!). Next to Dudley and another wait of just over 30 mins - to JP and the FOTL line took them 25 mins. By the time they got around to Fire/Ice the wait was much less - we then waited at least 10 mins for Cat/Hat (I've never not walked onto that one!). They headed for Hulk and said the wait wasn't bad, but when they were next in line it went down and that was why I waited so long for them - they finally exited everyone down the outside exit - so that line wasn't as long like you said, they just waited that long hoping it would come back up. Sun everyone went to USF and said lines were much shorter - on Monday morning we walked onto everything we wanted to do. It was a strange thing to me, too, that the express lines were so long - I wondered if more people had purchased express passes since it was a holiday weekend. The FOTL lines were still less than 1/2 the posted time of standby - glad to hear you had a better experience than we did, because until this trip we have never stood in an FOTL line for more than 5 or 10 minutes - usually don't wait at all ! And I agree - I love staying at USF after WDW because it feels soooo good not to have to spend so much time waiting for and riding the buses !!

 

[tclowe]

When we went to Orlando this past May, we stayed at Deluxe resorts in Disney and then moved to Marriott Grande Vista and visited Universal. Oh, I was so jealous of this father and son who kept passing us in the separate line in the Men in Black ride. They obviously had FOTL access and we didn't. By the time we finished our ride, those guys must have went through the ride at least four times.

After we came out of the MIB gift shop, I looked at my husband in the eye and said we are staying on-site next time. So, for our upcoming December trip, we are staying at Disney deluxe resorts (for the great decorations) AND RPR. Then for our February budget trip, staying at POFQ moderate resort in Disney AND RPR. Told hubby that I would rather pay $250 per night to Universal hotel vs. Disney hotel! Oh, in February, we will at Universal for President's weekend. I would die waiting in those long lines during such a peak weekend. FOTL is the way to go.

 

[macraven]

hi bjakmom...wow you did have some waits there !!

in the last 15 trips to universal, i have never had those type of waits except for the hulk due to it breaking down....

only a certain number of express passes are sold per day. looks like they over sold the day you had great long lines or else everyone at the on site hotels were at the park then. when the hotels are sold out like they were on that saturday, its a good chance many will be at the parks.

if that happened to me, the long waits in line, i would be thinking what the heck is going on.