Need Opinions from Universal Experts!!!!!

[disney's daughter]

I go to Disney World a few times a year...and take my husband, adult children, and grandchildren once a year....I've been to Universal a couple of times...but, the rest of my family hasn't....

We have to go during Easter break next year...The kids are getting older and can't miss school...I stayed on site at the Hard Rock....before...and plan to stay there when I take the whole gang....I realize we will be able to utilize all the Fast Pass lanes...but, still...just how crowded is it going to be???? Will the Fast Pass lanes be long because it's a holiday?

I also glanced at the descriptions of counter restaurants..I usually picked one sit down restaurant meal each day when we'd all go to Disney...but, I noticed the counter restuarants at Universal seemed to have more varieties of food compared to Disney....I wonder if I would still need to go with the tradition and make a sit down reservation each day...or maybe only one day...? Or...should I purchase the "meal plans"?


I doubt if there would be any AAA discounts during that time????

This will be an entirely new experience for everybody...including me..(who does all the planning)......I'm sure it will definitely be interesting!

I'll be asking a few questions over the next several months....but..I have a lot of faith in the "EXPERTS"!!!!

 

[sha_lyn]

The only counter service places I really care for are International Food and Film Festival is US and Enchanted Oak Tavern in IOA. IMHO the meal plan isn't worth it, because he don't care that much for USO's counter service (or WDW or the rest of the world as far as that goes).

USO has some really great table service choices.
We always have to eat at Mythos in IOA (constantly rated the best park restaurant in the US, and as one of the best restaurants in Orlando).

In US we love Finnegan's.

 

[dr&momto2boys]

Will the Fast Pass lanes be long because it's a holiday?

....I wonder if I would still need to go with the tradition and make a sit down reservation each day...or maybe only one day...? Or...should I purchase the "meal plans"?

The lines will of course be busier, but it will still save you plenty of time.

I would choose a sit down restaurant once a day. Counter service is counter service. You'd tire of it pretty quickly. Of course don't miss Mythos and there are a lot of good restaurants in City Walk.

 

[goofy!]

The nice thing about Universal is that even during the busiest of times, you don't have to make reservations months ahead of time, with the exception of Emerils and Tchop Chop.

Usually, you can just stop at the reservation cart in one of the parks in the morning and secure a table for the evening.

We were there over Thanksgiving last year, and the only restaurant that ever had a significant wait was Margaritaville. And as long as your party is under 7 people, your FOTL privileges also work (at least most of the time) at the restaurants in both the parks and City Walk.

As for counter service - it is still counter service. But as you mentioned, it is, in my opinion, definitely a step up from Disney's counter service.

 

[disney's daughter]

We'll have at least 11 people or more...so I guess I would definitely have to make the meal reservations....For our Disney trips, I usually made one evening reservation each day...with the exception of one character breakfast...Are there any character breakfasts worth going to..and if so...would it also be like Disney...Could we go earlier than when the parks open?

 

[bubba's mom]

first of all, if you don't have an AP, carry your AAA card around w/ you at all times...it is good for eating & shopping discounts (at almost every place!)

Confisco's (IOA) has character breakfast buffet that we did in Feb.... it was great! Since it's a "smaller" restaurant, your grandkids get a lot of time with the characters...and Spiderman actually talks and interacts w/ the kids! Call ahead to make reservations.....typical buffet food (pastries/eggs/cereal/pannycakes/ftoast etc....) it was pretty good. (note: milk & juice not included in buffet price) Also, i think the RPR has a character breakfast, but i'm not too familiar w/ that one.....

 

[macraven]

when is your spring break?
ours is now this week.


the 2 weeks before easter will be crowded.

have you booked your stay yet?
i asked that because of your statement of no AAA discounts. i am assuming you mean for the hotels?


AAA is good for the parks food and merch and some city walk places.

i have not had a bad meal at the parks. one person with me did not like the food she had and took it back to the counter. money was refunded and no issue made. the employees didn't bat an eye and offered her another selection at no cost.

if you try cs and it's not what the family will eat due to taste or whatever, you have the option of returning it to the counter for a refund.

i like finnegans but if you go during the traditional dining hours, it will be crowded.
you might want to dine for that one sit down meal each day at city walk.

the menus for hrc and margaritaville, nba city, etc, have variety in their menus.

i have never been to the parks on spring break. i stay away from them.
only crowded times i have been is prime time in late june. yuck.....lots of people and sweaty.......lol

if the rates for the on site hotels are very high, you can assume it will be crowded at the parks.
if that is the case, go early to the parks even if you are staying on site.
be at the turn ticket style by 8:30. do what you can until the crowds begin around 11ish.

perhaps, and i am talking out of my head on this one, the crowds won't be as bad early morning for some families take a laid back approach to relax during spring break.

don't think the young college adults that are partying to 2 in the morning at city walk are going to be up much more before noon the next day......
just a thought.

 

[disney's daughter]

I wish we didn't have to go during Easter break...(their break starts Good Friday...and ends a week later on Sunday)...We always went to Disney a few days before President's Weekend....and the kids would miss three days of school...It's just too hard to pull them out any more and my oldest granddaughter is 14 this year...I am planning for next year's Easter break..since we already went to Disney this past February.

I didn't know that about using my AAA card for the meals at Universal and IOA...I have an AP and DDE card allowing me 20% off at the restaurants in Disney World...I was wondering what would be offerred ...That would really help...

How soon should I book the rooms? I usually book six months before for our February trips...Should I go on and purchase the park tickets on line...(to get some of the expense out of the way) or would there possibly be ticket/hotel combinations available during 'Holiday Season"....Yikes...I can't believe I'd even go during such a crowded expensive time...

 

[bubba's mom]

i would reserve your room asap, you're going at a busy time.......you will probably be charged one night's deposit (help's w/ the expense now). your AAA gets you discounts at 99% of the eateries at UO (ALWAYS ask) and at most shopping places...your UO AP will get you a bigger discount (as DSIL says: "whip that baby out everywhere" )
I would purchase park tickets in advance...some you cannot buy at the parks (like the $85/7 day ticket...only online) and usually you get a better price if you purchase them in advance!

 

[disney's daughter]

Would it be worth it for me to purchase an Annual Pass for myself to get the discounts for all the meals? I have an Annual Pass for Disney...but, I go several times a year...and it was worth it to be able to purchase the Dining Card to get the 20% off the meals...Getting 20% off meals for ten people for the week was worth it...not counting when I go alone with my sister the other times of the year...I don't think I would be going to U/IOA that often...but, if you think it would be worth it (purchase an AP for myself) to get discounts off the food and merchandise..that's what I will do...What is the discount difference between the AP and AAA?

I should get the rooms now for next year? Are they refundable if we change our minds?

Whew! I am learning all kinds of stuff!!!

 

[yaytezIOA]

If you go about three times a year...its worth it. The AP discount is better than the AAA rate, and the hotels are cheaper too with it. Parking is free, you get half off of Valet. And the perks go up with the Premiere AP, including a free HHN ticket, upgrades to suites if available on your hotels, free Express after 4pm, free bottles of water, bigger merchandise discount, and free valet. The AP alone is worth it.

 

[disney's daughter]

Do you think it would be worth it if I only went twice...but, one time..I'd be paying for ten-eleven people?
I probably wouldn't be able to use an AP discount beginning the Thursday before Easter until the day after Easter for our rooms, would I? They probably wouldn't be available for that...during the busy season...but, I'm thinking of the discounts for all those meals...It would sure save some money!....

Just for fun...I tried to make reservations..(on line) for next Easter...and it said all three hotels (on site) were unaailable....I think I have to wait a while....

 

[macraven]

it says the hotels are unavailable because it will not show availability until 12 months out.
the AAA discount shows up 11 months out while the ap rate discount will come out for the hotels about 6 months out.

i go once a year and buy the ap for universal. it is worth it.

aaa is a 10% discount in the parks for food and merch.
ap is a 20% discount for food in the parks.

 

[disney's daughter]

Oh....I thought they were the same...Hmmmm....I probably should buy the AP...Decisions...Decisions.....(My sister and I may "have" to go again...) When I use my Disney AP..I can pay for up to ten people...at a sitting....Do you know if it is the same for Universal?

 

[macraven]

i've had the disney ap before but don't know what you mean by paying for 10 people at disney.
you can't book that many rooms on your ap at disney for the ap discount.
you can book the tours on your ap for others at disney.

at uo, you can buy tickets for others with your ap discount. there is a limit per day though. i thought it was 6.
buy some one day and then the next to get around that.


i need to check the universal ap site in order to get the specifics on limits using the ap for tickets if that is what you mean.

 

[disney's daughter]

The Universal AP is probably much different from the Disney AP...I was able to book three rooms with my Disney AP....and pay for up to ten people at each meal with the Disney Dining Experience Card (purchased as an AP holder for meal discounts for sit down meals)

I did see that about buying six tickets at a time...I looked on line..but, didn't see a spot for getting a discount when purchasing the tickets had I had an AP......

I have a lot to learn....

 

[yaytezIOA]

We had a party of 20 at Mythos one day, and they took the discount off for us all....one AP. I would definately get it, very much worth it.

 

[macraven]

i never had any limits on using the ap for food discounts.

looks like yaytezIOA didn't either.

even if you only go to UO once a year and stay onsite, the cost of the ap covers itself in the long run.

you stay on site, you eat on site and shop on site.


i smell a savings.......


renewal for the UO ap is $99
for disney we are talking about a great deal more money to renew

 

[bubba's mom]

i smell a savings.......

oh...is THAT what you smell?

renewal for the UO ap is $99
for disney we are talking about a great deal more money to renew

that's what's great about UO....renewal is about the same price as tickets you would buy for each trip! ....that was one reason we decided to go for it!(plus, lots of benefits!!)

 

[disney's daughter]

Wow! That IS a savings! There are different AP's...Premium...and others...Which one were you referring to? Which one should I purchase?

Are you saying that I could renew an annual pass each year for only $99 once I paid the original amount??? That's a BIG difference compared to what I pay to renew my Disney AP....


I am beginning to like that "smell" !!!!!