New to the Universal Thing!

[jgperkin]

We have done TONS of trips to Disney.. Now DD is old enough and tall enough to experience Universal and IOA. She LOVES Harry Potter and we were thinking this summer (late Aug.) would be a good time to check it out. How do you get a "deal" to go to Universal? Or... is it really that much more than Disney? I can't seem to "navigate" myself very well around their website and I just don't know where to begin on dining etc. If anyone can give me some help I would greatly appreciate it!

 

[damo]

Don't purchase a package. Get your tickets through undercovertourist.com and book a room at www.loewshotels.com

Don't do any dining packages. Just do your own thing as the meal deals only include 3 counter service restaurants at each park.

You can check out the dining sticky here... http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2681315

 

[AJA]

Are you staying onsite? If so check for the Stay More Save More rate (if staying 3 days or more) and/or the Annual Pass discount for onsite hotels. The AP (only 1 adult needs the AP) also offers dining discounts and discounts at the shops.

Universal hotels do not book up as early as Disney so it's still early for a August 2013 discount. We usually book 3-4 months out at the earliest.

and just like damo said, don't waste money on a package or the meal deal.

We've found Universal to be MUCH less expensive than Disney. Of course just like Disney if you are only going 1 or 2 days you are going to pay a premium, it gets cheaper (per day) the longer you stay. We like to think of our Universal trips as a "true relaxing" vacation. We stay 7 nights but have plenty of down time/lazy days/pool days. Staying and playing 7 days at Universal was way less expensive than Disney for our family of three.

 

[elovell]

Also be sure to register your email on the Universal website. I received an email with a 40% off PBH.

 

[peg2001]

is it really that much more than Disney?

We will be paying twice as much to stay onsite at Universal than we do at Disney. However, we are paying about half as much for tickets for Universal than we do for Disney (purchased at Undercover Tourist). So, it all works out to be about the same price overall.

 

[damo]

We will be paying twice as much to stay onsite at Universal than we do at Disney. However, we are paying about half as much for tickets for Universal than we do for Disney (purchased at Undercover Tourist). So, it all works out to be about the same price overall.

That's because there are no value resorts at Universal...only deluxe. However, you can often get RPH for about $170/night.

 

[auprincess]

sorry to hi-jack ~ but what is an ideal age/height to go to Universal? We've done several Disney trips, our next trip isn't until 2014. Our oldest will be 9 then (although she is very tiny ~ just now maybe 44 inches at 7). So my husband was thinking of taking her for a day at Universal while I spend another day at MK with the younger 2.

I'm new to this forum/thread of DIS ~ so if there is somewhere that explains all this, I'd love to be pointed in the right direction. Thanks!

 

[RMulieri]

sorry to hi-jack ~ but what is an ideal age/height to go to Universal? We've done several Disney trips, our next trip isn't until 2014. Our oldest will be 9 then (although she is very tiny ~ just now maybe 44 inches at 7). So my husband was thinking of taking her for a day at Universal while I spend another day at MK with the younger 2.

I'm new to this forum/thread of DIS ~ so if there is somewhere that explains all this, I'd love to be pointed in the right direction. Thanks!

We brought our 44 inch tall 8 yr old this past Jan.She had a blast.She couldn't ride everything, so we used child swap alot.But we had such a good time we are going back this year

 

[ultimate_ed]

Don't purchase a package. Get your tickets through undercovertourist.com and book a room at www.loewshotels.com

Don't do any dining packages. Just do your own thing as the meal deals only include 3 counter service restaurants at each park.

While I can understand not getting a dining package, I'm curious about your advice not to purchase a hotel + ticket package through the site and instead get them seperately.

I've been playing around with scenarios for a trip I'm looking at for next June and I'm keep coming up several hundred less going through Universal vs. going through Loews + Undercover Tourist.

 

[brenda1966]

I think the cost really depends on whether you do a week stay or a partial week. So far, my trip to FL where I spent 3 nights at US/IoA and stayed onsite is my most expensive trip there ever. We spent half the week at Disney, in the budget hotels, using their transportation, and using a few days off old non-expire passes. I didn't get a rental car either, I used a taxi to get to US and then to the aiport. Since there are not "budget" Lowes hotels, that hotel cost really took a big bite out of my budge. That said, we loved our stay there. We got our US tickets through undercover tourist.

If I was booking a trip to US for next summer, I would not be pricing it out now except to get an idea. I would not book this far inadvance. You don't need to. 2 years ago Costco had great deals on 3 day passes -- they were sold only on the east coast however.

I'm sure you'll enjoy US, especially if you stay onsite. Just be ready for it to be as expensive as Disney. When we spent 4 days, 3 nights there we really got our fill. I don't think I could spend a full week there. There's not enough to do in the evenings -- maybe summer is different, but in October there isn't. And with 4 days in the parks we got to do everything we wanted over and over and over and over.

 

[damo]

While I can understand not getting a dining package, I'm curious about your advice not to purchase a hotel + ticket package through the site and instead get them seperately.

I've been playing around with scenarios for a trip I'm looking at for next June and I'm keep coming up several hundred less going through Universal vs. going through Loews + Undercover Tourist.

Deals aren't out yet on the Loews site for June. Also, if you book a package, you are locked in and if the hotel prices change, you are out of luck. Also if you want to make any changes closer to your vacation, you will incur costs to make those changes.

Look at this year's date and rate pages to find out what kind of rates were available this year and use that as a guide as to what you can expect next year.

That is weird that you are coming up with prices that are several hundred dollars less since the Universal packages just use the rates that are currently available through the Loews site. I've just done a comparison right now using the two websites and the room price quoted in the package is identical to the room price quoted on the Loews site. I did a comparison for June 17-20. It included 2, 2 day base tickets. So for 3 nights, they include a 2 day/ 1 park ticket. If you book that rate, you are locked in at that price.

Perhaps you can give me the details of what you are trying to book.

 

[Metro West]

Since we're drifting to hotel questions, I'm going to move this to the Resorts board.

OP...once you've decided on a package or not, please feel free to start a new thread with any park related questions you might have.

 

[ultimate_ed]

Deals aren't out yet on the Loews site for June. Also, if you book a package, you are locked in and if the hotel prices change, you are out of luck. Also if you want to make any changes closer to your vacation, you will incur costs to make those changes.

Look at this year's date and rate pages to find out what kind of rates were available this year and use that as a guide as to what you can expect next year.

That is weird that you are coming up with prices that are several hundred dollars less since the Universal packages just use the rates that are currently available through the Loews site. I've just done a comparison right now using the two websites and the room price quoted in the package is identical to the room price quoted on the Loews site. I did a comparison for June 17-20. It included 2, 2 day base tickets. So for 3 nights, they include a 2 day/ 1 park ticket. If you book that rate, you are locked in at that price.

Perhaps you can give me the details of what you are trying to book.

It's true that, at this point, I'm just looking to get some budget numbers. We're booked on a cruise on the Disney Dream in June and have been looking at going to Universal for a few days before the cruise, as we've never been there.

It's true that I found the same price for the hotel going through Loews as I saw from Universal as part of the package. The difference was in the tickets - 2 day base tickets did come out about the same, but, since the package includes the unlimited express pass, that amounts to about a $400 savings compared to buying the tickets seperately and adding the unlmited express pass to those tickets. I left my notes at home and the Universal ticket site is "down for routine maintenance" now, so I can't rebuild the exact numbers, but it was on that order.

 

[damo]

It's true that, at this point, I'm just looking to get some budget numbers. We're booked on a cruise on the Disney Dream in June and have been looking at going to Universal for a few days before the cruise, as we've never been there.

It's true that I found the same price for the hotel going through Loews as I saw from Universal as part of the package. The difference was in the tickets - 2 day base tickets did come out about the same, but, since the package includes the unlimited express pass, that amounts to about a $400 savings compared to buying the tickets seperately and adding the unlmited express pass to those tickets. I left my notes at home and the Universal ticket site is "down for routine maintenance" now, so I can't rebuild the exact numbers, but it was on that order.

If you are staying onsite, unlimited express is included no matter where you purchase your tickets. You don't need to buy a package to get it. Anyone who stays onsite at one of the three hotels automatically gets the early park admission and unlimited express access perk.

The only time you need to get a package through Universal is if you are staying offsite and want to get the early park admission. Then you need to purchase an offsite package through the universal website where you will be given a special code on your tickets that you pickup at the park.

 

[brenda1966]

Oh My! Don't buy express passes if you are staying onsite!!! That cost is baked into your hotel costs. You get it for staying in one of the 3 Lowe's hotels. That why we pay so much to stay there.

 

[Roast]

Thanks for the information here. Very helpful.

 

[ultimate_ed]

If you are staying onsite, unlimited express is included no matter where you purchase your tickets. You don't need to buy a package to get it. Anyone who stays onsite at one of the three hotels automatically gets the early park admission and unlimited express access perk.

The only time you need to get a package through Universal is if you are staying offsite and want to get the early park admission. Then you need to purchase an offsite package through the universal website where you will be given a special code on your tickets that you pickup at the park.

So, how does that end up working? Does the hotel just give me an express pass when I check in to the hotel? Or does my hotel key act as the express pass?

 

[ultimate_ed]

So, how does that end up working? Does the hotel just give me an express pass when I check in to the hotel? Or does my hotel key act as the express pass?

Ah, nevermind. It had been a while since I read the FAQ and I apparently didn't catch on that it's part of the room key and everyone in the room will get one.

Thanks.

 

[damo]

Ah, nevermind. It had been a while since I read the FAQ and I apparently didn't catch on that it's part of the room key and everyone in the room will get one.

Thanks.

Yup. There are special photo booths set up at the hotels and at Guest Services in the park where you get a photo ID taken that will serve as your express pass.

So that is why we don't recommend a package! There's really no advantage at all and actually can be quite a disadvantage if you want to make changes such as taking advantage of lower rates that come out.