Need advice - Will it be worth it for us to stay onsite?

[nicolep91]

Hi everyone! I haven't been here in a few years. Our last trip to Universal/WDW was in 2003 and we split our time between what is now the Nick Hotel and the Royal Pacific. I see things have changed quite a bit since then!

We plan on visiting this November and we are doing a family trip - we will be meeting my brother and his family and my parents for a day at Epcot and they will be meeting us for a day at Universal Studios. We will spend a day on our own at IOA before driving to the beach for a couple nights. We were originally thinking of staying onsite again since we loved the convenience and the FOTL pass. However, the rest of my family will be staying at WDW, they won't have the FOTL pass. We will spend a day at IOA without them but I don't know if it will be worth paying for an onsite hotel for the 3 nights we were thinking of staying, for really just 1 day of FOTL. The AAA rates I've been quoted are $239 for RPR or $269 for HRH. We can get the Nick Hotel for $189 but I'm thinking my kids might be too old for that (they are 12 & 9). Are there some other nice places nearby or what would you do?

 

[damo]

Is it going to be during Thanksgiving that you will be there? If so, then I suggest you stay onsite.

 

[nicolep91]

No, we will be there Nov. 4th - 7th. When we stayed at RPR in 2003 it was also in the beginning of November and I do remember that the lines were short and at times, they didn't even have FOTL holders use a seperate line because there was no need.

Like I said, I just hate to spend a lot of extra $$ for basically 1 day of FOTL use. I thought about just staying for 1 night but then I would be staying in 3 hotels and that is just too much moving around for us.

 

[damo]

No, I wouldn't worry about it for those dates. You should be fine! Just get there early with the whole group so you don't have to compete with any crowds. You can get really good prices at that time of year though.

 

[macraven]

No, we will be there Nov. 4th - 7th. When we stayed at RPR in 2003 it was also in the beginning of November and I do remember that the lines were short and at times, they didn't even have FOTL holders use a seperate line because there was no need.

Like I said, I just hate to spend a lot of extra $$ for basically 1 day of FOTL use. I thought about just staying for 1 night but then I would be staying in 3 hotels and that is just too much moving around for us.

once hhn is over at the end of october, you will not have lines at the parks.

normally i say stay at the on site hotels but from what you have explained, i don't blame you for staying off site.

geez, moving to 3 different hotels will really cut into park time.


go and have fun.


since you have not been to UO in the last 4 years, you might run out of time doing your favorites and new things.

and i complain on only making 1 or 2 trips a year to the park........
i could not make it 4 years in between trips

 

[nicolep91]

Thanks for the advice everyone! If I can get a great rate onsite, I would definitely rather stay there but so far the cheapest I've been able to find (AAA discount - which I will need to buy a membership) is $239. I just can't justify paying that much for 1 day of FOTL. I'm glad to hear the lines shouldn't be too bad though.

Does anyone have any thoughts on where we should stay offsite? I was thinking about just Priceline-ing it and trying to get the Peabody or something swanky for a decent price.

 

[damo]

Nicole, I think rates will go much lower than that by the time the date comes along. Just keep watching as you get much closer.

If you get Priceline you can't change your mind if Universal hotels cheapen up. I would hold off for a while since things shouldn't be anywhere near full during that time.

 

[macraven]

Thanks for the advice everyone! If I can get a great rate onsite, I would definitely rather stay there but so far the cheapest I've been able to find (AAA discount - which I will need to buy a membership) is $239. I just can't justify paying that much for 1 day of FOTL. I'm glad to hear the lines shouldn't be too bad though.

Does anyone have any thoughts on where we should stay offsite? I was thinking about just Priceline-ing it and trying to get the Peabody or something swanky for a decent price.

wow, $239 for AAA membership?
what part of ohio do you live?

i'm in the chicagoland area and for one person you can get it for under $50 and then if you add on other drivers you pay $10 more pp.
if you sign up on line, the sign up free is waived.

check on line for the amount, i have never heard of AAA being that high.
and only sign up for the basic, don't do the add ons. pm me if you have questions on how to do it.

at that rate, you would be better off buying the AP at UO.

last november, the rates at rph dropped to $179 a night after hhn was over.
i'm talking about the first week of november when the rates dropped.

 

[nicolep91]

wow, $239 for AAA membership?
what part of ohio do you live?

i'm in the chicagoland area and for one person you can get it for under $50 and then if you add on other drivers you pay $10 more pp.
if you sign up on line, the sign up free is waived.

check on line for the amount, i have never heard of AAA being that high.
and only sign up for the basic, don't do the add ons. pm me if you have questions on how to do it.

at that rate, you would be better off buying the AP at UO.

last november, the rates at rph dropped to $179 a night after hhn was over.
i'm talking about the first week of november when the rates dropped.

No - the AAA membership isn't $239, I meant the cheapest onsite room I could find was $239 with a AAA discount. I don't have the membership yet so I would need to purchase that to get the rate. Sorry for the confusion! I'm pretty sure the rates for AAA are pretty consistent throughout the States.

If I could get a room onsite for $179 we would prefer to do that. When about do you think they'll go down? I'm one of those planning freaks who need to have things in order somewhat in advance!

Thanks!

 

[Darcy03231]

Nicole:

I just booked on Hotwire and got the Sheraton Studio City for about $60/night including all taxes. Its right across the street from Wet n' Wild and about 3/4 mile from US/IOA. I limited my search to the Universal area, picked a 3* at $45. I've had very good luck with Hotwire. I never pick anything below a 3* and have ended up at the Hyatt (a couple of times), Wyndam (a couple of times), Sheraton and Doubletree.

Darcy

 

[macraven]

No - the AAA membership isn't $239, I meant the cheapest onsite room I could find was $239 with a AAA discount. I don't have the membership yet so I would need to purchase that to get the rate. Sorry for the confusion! I'm pretty sure the rates for AAA are pretty consistent throughout the States.

If I could get a room onsite for $179 we would prefer to do that. When about do you think they'll go down? I'm one of those planning freaks who need to have things in order somewhat in advance!

Thanks!

i just booked a king suite for oct 4th and am paying $191 w/ tax for it.
the next 3 nights i will be there that fare does increase. using the loews card for the free upgrade. booked a garden room and paying for that cost.

since you will be there in early november, the rates should be going down at that point.
hrh has the highest rates followed by pbh then rph.
last year i booked with AAA rph and got the room for $149 plus tax per night.
if you are hoping to get the room for $179 /night, check out pbh or rph rates. the rates dropped in the last 2 days and this morning when i booked it was down, therefore, that's why ii booked today.

call universal resorts daily for the rate it is going for on the day.
book when it comes down.
or, book now and call and modify your charges/rate