It's just one thing after another.....

[sunshine1010]

Well, I called Loew's to make a reservation and they transferred me to the Universal Reservation Line. Talked to a very nice lady, and made my reservation. I got my confirmation number. I'm all set!!!! ....so I thought.

From what I'm understanding, I was supposed to get a confirmation email. I never did so I called Universal Reservations and they stated that they were having to email all the confirmations for this year before they sent the confirmations for next year (my trip is 2009/March). This made no sense to me. I'd feel more 'secure' if I had something in my hands to show that I talked to someone.

I got a little nervous (.....you gotta know me)....so I called again and confirmed everything. Everything is fine. The confirmation number matched, all is good.

Well, I go to Loew's site just to look around. I put in my info and they state I have no reservation listed. To top it off....the Loews First portion of the site has to have a different password of the main Loews website. This ...again...makes no sense.

Soooooo, I called Loews and told them that their site stated I didn't have a reservation, but that Universal reservations stated I did....and would that be a result of Loews transferring me to Universal to make the initial reservation. He said no.....the Loews website is always 'messed up', they are always doing maintenance on it, and to NEVER trust their website (to always call them and/or call the particular hotel itself)...........niiiiiiiiiicceee

Just had to share this funny little adventure.....

 

[calgarygary]

Well, I called Loew's to make a reservation and they transferred me to the Universal Reservation Line. Talked to a very nice lady, and made my reservation. I got my confirmation number. I'm all set!!!! ....so I thought.

From what I'm understanding, I was supposed to get a confirmation email. I never did so I called Universal Reservations and they stated that they were having to email all the confirmations for this year before they sent the confirmations for next year (my trip is 2009/March). This made no sense to me. I'd feel more 'secure' if I had something in my hands to show that I talked to someone.

I got a little nervous (.....you gotta know me)....so I called again and confirmed everything. Everything is fine. The confirmation number matched, all is good.

Well, I go to Loew's site just to look around. I put in my info and they state I have no reservation listed. To top it off....the Loews First portion of the site has to have a different password of the main Loews website. This ...again...makes no sense.

Soooooo, I called Loews and told them that their site stated I didn't have a reservation, but that Universal reservations stated I did....and would that be a result of Loews transferring me to Universal to make the initial reservation. He said no.....the Loews website is always 'messed up', they are always doing maintenance on it, and to NEVER trust their website (to always call them and/or call the particular hotel itself)...........niiiiiiiiiicceee

Just had to share this funny little adventure.....

Making a reservation through Universal is not making a reservation through Loew's but you will have a reservation. You have a confirmation # so stop worrying. Also, LF is different from having your login for the Loew's site so yes, there are 2 separate steps involved.

 

[macraven]

Making a reservation through Universal is not making a reservation through Loew's but you will have a reservation. You have a confirmation # so stop worrying. Also, LF is different from having your login for the Loew's site so yes, there are 2 separate steps involved.

 

[sunshine1010]

Okay......thank you.

Just having that confirmation from you guys makes me feel better.

 

[macraven]

sunshine, just relax and the trip will be wonderful

you are not going until next year.
things can change in the meantime. i mean really change.

what we advise now may be different next spring when you go to universal.

touring plans may have to be readjusted by some of us here when things start to open for the potter island.
right now we know the guests will have to take a bridge to get around the park as parts will be closed off when the construction for potter goes into full force.

that bridge is not on any park maps yet. don't know how they will redo enchanted oak either for dining.

once i go and see the changes, i may suggest people to start in seuss land instead of hulk/spidey sections first when you go to the parks. there are things that have not happened yet but i know will and have to see the impact of the crowds then.

more people will be doing universal once potters island is open.
it could change the mode of crowds completely in the beginning.
what if everyone got to the parking garage at 7:45 like i always suggest.
what if everyone lines up at the turnstile at 8:20 like i suggest.

when everyone is doing that, crowds will change the effect of what we have been advising for years in how to avoid the crowds.....

even express pass lanes may be different for potter......we don't know at this point cause it hasn't happened yet.


we can assume and speculate the "what ifs" now, but it would only be spinning our wheels.

i don't want to sound negative but i i don't want to give out info that you count on and then be disappointed when it or if it changes next year.


the loewsfirst program is being enhanced as of the 15th.
posters say what they were told and what will be eliminated or added but until loews sends out official announcements, we are spinning our wheels here.
they could make adjustments and change everything that has been rumored.

don't count on anything until it happens officially.

the entertainment book used to have a contract with the loews hotels onsite.
many of us got rooms for hrh at $125 a night. then about 3 years ago only the rph stayed in the ENT program. even though they stayed, the program was no longer a great discounted room but a rebate plan thru ent company, not the hotel.
every once in awhile a poster will ask about the entertainment rates which they had 6 years ago. when programs change and they are not aware of it, we end up rehashing the same thing over and over as some of the posters just don't believe what we tell them. kwim??

getting back to your statement about loews hotels' website always messed up, i have not had that experience.


plan what you want to now for your next year's trip.
to me half the fun of the vacation is in the planning and dreaming about it.
but, relax. your room ressie is secure.

 

[goofy!]

What Mac said.

It has been my experience that if you make phone reservations, they are never available via the website. The only times I have ever been able to pull my reservation up through net booker is if I actually made the reservation on line through net booker. Net Booker is strictly an online reservation system.

I have reservations for Thanksgiving week that I made via the Portofino directly and I cannot pull it up online.

But relax. As long as you have your confirmation number, you should be fine. You can always call periodically to check the rate and your confirmation number. If you don't have an e-mail by say, November, then start calling them and ask to send you one.

As for the LoewsFirst program, that is a frequent stay program, so yes, it has a completely different login than the hotel. Every hotel program I belong to has a completely different login for their perks programs. So, again, relax, that has nothing to do with your reservation.

Just keep asking questions and have a great time planning!

 

[keishashadow]

OP - trip is a long way off (im surprised they have their rates loaded into the system already), relax it's universal...stressing is not allowed for onsite guests

if ur a smrt cookie; you'll keep checking ur rate for codes etc. I've been known to change my ressies more than a few times every trip for what i feel is the best value; always nice to have a room booked though as a backup

as far as i can determine:

*checking rates on universal web site takes u to the same one that loews uses; just is easier in that u can bring up all 3 resorts @ once for pricing

*there are @ least 3 different telephone #s i know of to call for U onsite/Loews general ressie # & Loews rewards #...the confirmation can be accessed from any of them by providing it to a representive...unless ur looking for a reward upgrade that u r eligible for by status/rate plan; really doesn't matter who u call

 

[sunshine1010]

Macraven ang Goofy,

You two are the Buddha's of Universal planning. It's great to have people (everyone included here on the boards) that help people like me. I own DVC, and I know all about Disney,...but Universal is something I want to do with my family.

I know Disney isn't Universal and Universal isn't Disney. I know you can have a good time whether you plan a vacation or not.

I've been to Universal one time in my life and that was forever ago. In fact, I barely remember it. I remember Jaws, and walking down a street that looked like a city, ....I think I ate at the place called Mel's (not sure thought), and the only other thing I remember is some King Kong thing.

I'm excited to go there for a week. To go to the parks. To stay a day or two at the resorts and swim, swim, swim. To sleep late every day. To eat at new restaurants. To go on wild rollercoasters, and to experience new theme park things. The best part is that it will be with my family.

Now....about the Potter thing. I have heard of it, but I COMPLETELY forgot about it. Is this theme park part of Universal?...or something you would have to pay for? When is the opening date?

 

[macraven]

harry potter island will be added sometime late 2009 or early 2010.

i have seen many dates around those i listed.

IOA has different themes or "islands"
marvel land, seuss land etc........
the theme of the land groups all rides, attractions, cs with the same flow.

this is the site for ioa
http://www.universalorlando.com/ioa_index.html

there were books (Harry Potter) written about a boy who i guess became a wizard.
then there were movies made from the books.

sorry, but i got a tag about potter some years back when the first movie was being made. i was stupid enough to say i wasn't into potter and all that junk. wasn't then and still not.....

getting back to your question, how ever universal develops this new island will be terrific. they will theme it to the original books/movies to bring it alive thru rides, entertainment, style, shows, etc.

many are hyped on potter stuff so even though it's not my thing at all, i will be a part of the fun as universal makes everything better.....

you would not pay any extra for that island.
when you have a park ticket, you are allowed into all the islands of the park.
you would only buy your food, souvies, etc like you would in any other park.


sorry to say but King Kong my idea of a real man, was laid to rest years back. he bit the dust and is gone.......

 

[coastergirls]

I never got an email confirmation last week either. I was told it could take up to 24 hours. Well after 72 and it wasn't there I called. I like to know that the dates and rate etc are correct. Bit of an inconvenience when you have to call from the UK. I am usually able to go online and check the reservation and cancel it online I couldn't do it on either site. Anyway when I called they said I couldn't view it online and gave me some rubbsh I didn't understand.
I have used net booker before so that could have explained why I could view it previously.
Anyway they sent it again and I got it 2 days later. So we are all set 3 nights club at RPR on 14th September.

 

[macraven]

I never got an email confirmation last week either. I was told it could take up to 24 hours. Well after 72 and it wasn't there I called. I like to know that the dates and rate etc are correct. Bit of an inconvenience when you have to call from the UK. I am usually able to go online and check the reservation and cancel it online I couldn't do it on either site. Anyway when I called they said I couldn't view it online and gave me some rubbsh I didn't understand.
I have used net booker before so that could have explained why I could view it previously.
Anyway they sent it again and I got it 2 days later. So we are all set 3 nights club at RPR on 14th September.

i hear youse on wanting an email confirmation.
if i don't get one, i call and i call and i call..........

it happened only once to me and that was 3 years ago.
i was told it was a computer glitch.

in case there are errors when you sign in, your confirmation letter will uphold your rate you agreed to when you made the ressie.

one time at rph, the rate i made my ressie with was not into the system at the hotel.
my confirmation letter showed i was to pay $60 less per night than what popped up on their screen.

that confirmation letter saved me.
it was honored and i paid the cheaper rate.

 

[ky07]

I never got an email confirmation last week either. I was told it could take up to 24 hours. Well after 72 and it wasn't there I called. I like to know that the dates and rate etc are correct. Bit of an inconvenience when you have to call from the UK. I am usually able to go online and check the reservation and cancel it online I couldn't do it on either site. Anyway when I called they said I couldn't view it online and gave me some rubbsh I didn't understand.
I have used net booker before so that could have explained why I could view it previously.
Anyway they sent it again and I got it 2 days later. So we are all set 3 nights club at RPR on 14th September.

I made my ressie for RPR thru AAA and did the same thing you guys did and the reservation line told me not to worry that the room was reserved and I didn't recieve my email confirm until a month before we were to go.

 

[Tizzy_Meliss]

When I booked at HRH I received my confimation 1 day later via email, but I can't retrieve my ressie online? Oh well, as long as I have my email, I should be good to go. Oh and they never charged my credit card.