New Gift Card Dining offer and Epic Universe

[wendlle]

so, with the new Dining Card offer ending on April 10th, this has me thinking that my May visit will be impacted by Epic Universe opening.

I was really hoping to get some good AP rates for May, I'll be at a premium resort at Universal May 3-8 then one of cheaper ones, either Dockside or Cabana Bay May 8-16 BUT i'm thinking maybe I should book these now? And change if I get an AP rate.

What would the chances of there even being AP rates if Epic Universe opens in May??

I'm bummed my visit doesn't qualify for the gift card because coming from Australia the dollar is so low, I could have REALLY used that $1K gift card

 

[Keladry84]

If you book hotel only, it’s 100% refundable until about 5 days before the trip. So no reason not to book now to lock the current rate in. If a lower rate comes up later, you can cancel and rebook. I’ve got a tentative one in late May right now to lock in rates, and will rebook if an ap rate drops. Or if Epic is not open then, I might cancel……my thought was as soon as an opening date is announced, rates will jump in price pretty quickly, so it’s best to have a hotel sorted before an announcement if you know when you’d like to go. In your case you are going either way, so I’d go ahead and book to protect yourself from a possible price jump if Epic does happen to be open while you are there.

 

[CastAStone]

What would the chances of there even being AP rates if Epic Universe opens in May??

Hard to say. If everyone thinks it’s going to be mobbed no one will go, that’s what happened with the Galaxy’s Edge launch at WDW - they were set up to handle insane crowds in September and October and they got crickets - huge last minute discounts and weeks on end of Touring Plans measuring 1/10 crowds at all 4 parks - and then January and February were absolutely insane, which would have continued except, well, you remember March of 2020.

So it wouldn’t surprise me if predictions of EU causing insane crowds and packed hotels in spring of 2025 turn out to be greatly exaggerated and then summer/fall draw the crowds.

 

[wendlle]

Hard to say. If everyone thinks it’s going to be mobbed no one will go, that’s what happened with the Galaxy’s Edge launch at WDW - they were set up to handle insane crowds in September and October and they got crickets - huge last minute discounts and weeks on end of Touring Plans measuring 1/10 crowds at all 4 parks - and then January and February were absolutely insane, which would have continued except, well, you remember March of 2020.

So it wouldn’t surprise me if predictions of EU causing insane crowds and packed hotels in spring of 2025 turn out to be greatly exaggerated and then summer/fall draw the crowds.

perhaps, but I also think that Disney and people overestimated how many people were interested in Galaxy's Edge.
Most trips I go I skip it, at both Disneyland and HS, and when I do venture in there it's a dead zone outside of the que for Rise and some people wanting to go to Oga's.

I think Epic is going to blow Disney out of the water - and that's coming from a Disney super fan. Universal are putting in what people have been asking for, Disney like to do their own thing - usually the complete opposite of what fans want (unless it's Tokyo where they are doing things 100% right)