Need advice for first US/IOA trip

[scotthart]

My family and I (DW, DS8, DD4, DD1 1/2) are WDW vets who travel to Orlando 3-4 times per year. We always say that we are going to take a day or two each trip to see Universal, but we can never seem to find the time. I have decided that the only way we will ever make it to US/IOA is to plan a trip and stay on-site. I have read the Universal guide books I have no idea what the best way to book a room and/or package is. Is it better to buy a package deal with room and admission media together? Deal directly with Universal or use an agent? I think we would really enjoy Portofino Bay it appears to be a gorgeous resort. I was planning three full days for the two parks, will that be enough time? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Planogirl]

We're staying onsite for the first time this year too. I have seen the resorts though and they are really nice. Portofino is very pretty, the quietest of the group and also the furthest out. Not that this is a big deal since everything is within walking distance and they have boat service to Citywalk.

I did a lot of research and discovered that it seemed best to deal with Loews directly as far as room goes. Their website loewshotels.com is helpful for pricing and you can book through them too. I called their 800 number instead and checked on rates using both AAA and Entertainment discounts. The lady was as nice as she could be and I ended up booking with the Entertainment discount. Now I just have to order the card which I want anyway.

In the past, I've ordered passes through the Universal website. I like the 5 days for the price of 2 deal but then we won't go more than once a year. I chose the option of picking up the passes at the kiosks in front of Universal and it worked like a charm.

Three full days was enough for us during a quiet time but I could have spent even more. It just depends on how well you enjoy the parks and what you consider a vacation. For me, it's running from ride to ride. You'll have front of the line since you'll be staying onsite and from what I understand, it won't matter much how busy the parks are if you have that.

 

[themepark]

You won't have to worry about rushing around from ride to ride since you will have FOTL access. You should be able to do and see alot in 3 full days. If you would like to have time to enjoy the hotel, I would schedule an extra day for pool lounging. I agree that it would be best to book the hotel through Loews. The best deal on tickets is the 5 days for the price of 2. You can purchase this ticket online for $86.95 using this link: http://themeparks.universalstudios.com/kraft/

 

[LuvTigger]

I will be staying on site for the first time this October. I checked a variety of sources: online thru Loews and the Universal website, the Entertainment Book website, and several hotel websites(supposedly "discount," but they didn't turn out to be).

Some websites were better than others, but I ended up booking by calling 1-800-BE-A-STAR. I asked for several different rates and the Entertainment rate ended up being the best. They also had AAA rates available, and All Access (this is for the Hard Rock Hotel, so All Access probably woudln't apply to Portofino).

If you can find a good deal on an annual pass, they also offer great hotel discounts, and it might be worth it to purchase one AP to save some on the hotel. Also, if you can get a Fan Club Card, they offer good discounts with those as well.

So calling directly ended up being a better option for me. However, on the website, you can enter AAA and APH discounts to see what the rates will be like. The ENT code did not work on the website, but was available when I called.

3 days should be plenty for a leisurely stay, and I agree that purchasing passes separately is probably a better deal.