New to Universal - Need Hand Holding, PLease!!

[DVCLiz]

We're finally trying Universal during our Florida vacation this year. I've booked a room at the Royal Pacific July 20 -22 and bought the Unlimited 2 Day tickets. I have some questions:

I booked online and printed out my confirmation. Do I just show that at checkin to get my tickets/room keys or will I get something in the mail?

Can we check out of our Disney hotel Friday morning, go to Universal and check in (whether or not our room is ready) get our room keys (which I assume have our park tickets on them) and use them with FOTL access all day on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday after we check out?

Do we get one FOTL access per ride, or as many times as we want to ride?

Once I drive (I'll have my own car) to Universal, will I need to leave for any reason? Can I park for the weekend? Is valet parking still available at $15 per day?

If we check out and still have a few days on our unlimted (ie good six days after checkin) tickets, we can come back into the parks, but without FOTL access, since we are no longer onsite, right?

Many thanks in advance for your help!!!

 

[damo]

We're finally trying Universal during our Florida vacation this year. I've booked a room at the Royal Pacific July 20 -22 and bought the Unlimited 2 Day tickets. I have some questions:

I booked online and printed out my confirmation. Do I just show that at checkin to get my tickets/room keys or will I get something in the mail?

Can we check out of our Disney hotel Friday morning, go to Universal and check in (whether or not our room is ready) get our room keys (which I assume have our park tickets on them) and use them with FOTL access all day on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday after we check out?

Do we get one FOTL access per ride, or as many times as we want to ride?

Once I drive (I'll have my own car) to Universal, will I need to leave for any reason? Can I park for the weekend? Is valet parking still available at $15 per day?

If we check out and still have a few days on our unlimted (ie good six days after checkin) tickets, we can come back into the parks, but without FOTL access, since we are no longer onsite, right?

Many thanks in advance for your help!!!

Your online reservation confirmation is good. You probably won't get anything else unless it is an email. Your keys for express access are good the day to check in until the day you check out and for the full days. You can check in as early as you want to get your keys and use them all day you check out. The keys give you unlimited access.

You won't need your car unless you are going shopping. Valet is still available, not sure if it is $15 or $20. It seems to change like the wind.

If you want to come back, you are on your own. Online onsite guests get unlimited FOTL access.

You seem to have it all figured out. You don't need us!!!

 

[DVCLiz]

Your online reservation confirmation is good. You probably won't get anything else unless it is an email. Your keys for express access are good the day to check in until the day you check out and for the full days. You can check in as early as you want to get your keys and use them all day you check out. The keys give you unlimited access.

You won't need your car unless you are going shopping. Valet is still available, not sure if it is $15 or $20. It seems to change like the wind.

If you want to come back, you are on your own. Online onsite guests get unlimited FOTL access.

You seem to have it all figured out. You don't need us!!!

No way do I have it all figured out - those were just my first few questions!!!!

I think we will go over early-ish on Friday, after we check out of the BCV at Disney, check into our hotel, and spend Friday, Saturday and Sunday doing as much as we can/want to with our FOTL access. Then, if we still want to come back on Monday or Tuesday, we can get in "free" with our tickets and just stand in the regular lines for anything we missed/want to do again. I'll have to stress an EARLY wakeup that day, if we are no longer going to have that nice FOTL perk!!!

Next questions - is there boat access from our hotel to the parks? I think I read there is, just want to make sure.

Meals - a big question. Since this is our first visit, should I just relax and eat counter service type meals, or should I make some reservations? Do they take reservations anywhere? What kinds of places should we go to? We love the sit down restaurants at Disney - Coral Reef, 50s Prime Time, Brown Derby, Marrakesh, etc. Are there ones you would recommend, and should we do them for lunch or dinner?

Thanks again!!!

 

[damo]

No way do I have it all figured out - those were just my first few questions!!!!

I think we will go over early-ish on Friday, after we check out of the BCV at Disney, check into our hotel, and spend Friday, Saturday and Sunday doing as much as we can/want to with our FOTL access. Then, if we still want to come back on Monday or Tuesday, we can get in "free" with our tickets and just stand in the regular lines for anything we missed/want to do again. I'll have to stress an EARLY wakeup that day, if we are no longer going to have that nice FOTL perk!!!

Next questions - is there boat access from our hotel to the parks? I think I read there is, just want to make sure.

Meals - a big question. Since this is our first visit, should I just relax and eat counter service type meals, or should I make some reservations? Do they take reservations anywhere? What kinds of places should we go to? We love the sit down restaurants at Disney - Coral Reef, 50s Prime Time, Brown Derby, Marrakesh, etc. Are there ones you would recommend, and should we do them for lunch or dinner?

Thanks again!!!

Yes, there is boat access from all the parks but it is also a beautiful walk.

I cannot stress enough that you go to Mythos!!! We eat there at least twice every visit. It is a beautifully themed restaurant in IOA. You can make reservations to the restaurants at the entrance to the parks. I've never made advance reservations but some people do.

The hotel and Citywalk restaurants are all great and have received great reviews. It is a nice reason to go over and visit the other hotels.

I would do park restaurants for lunch and citywalk and hotel restaurants for dinner.

The Boulangerie and Croissant Moon are great breakfast croissant places (egg and cheese and bacon is my personal favourite) and they have excellent sandwich platters for lunch that are very reasonable.

 

[DVCLiz]

Thank you so much!!! I am getting pretty excited - this is our most major, super-duper trip ever - 2 weeks, with a 3 night stay at a Sea World hotel to begin with (2 days Sea World, one day Discovery Cove) followed by a 5 night BCV stay, then our first-ever Universal weekend, and finally a 4 night stay at VWL.

I know a lot about Disney but practically nothing about Universal - so I really appreciate your help!!! I can't wait to see it in person!!!

 

[Julma]

It sounds like your plan is a good one. Sign up for a Loews Rewards Card (I don't think that is the exact name). This will get you a welcome gift, newspaper and access to the fitness center. Who are you traveling with? I have a couple other suggestions if you are traveling with kids.

 

[DVCLiz]

It sounds like your plan is a good one. Sign up for a Loews Rewards Card (I don't think that is the exact name). This will get you a welcome gift, newspaper and access to the fitness center. Who are you traveling with? I have a couple other suggestions if you are traveling with kids.

No small kids - they are 13 and 18. One of the challenges of this vacation will be to get them up in the morning before noon!!! They are both roller coaster riders (and I am NOT!!!) so I think I will have plenty of time to people watch and soak in the atmosphere while I am waiting for them. But they still love all the classic MK rides like Small World, Peter Pan, etc. so I know they will want to do some of the little kid things, too. We're basically open to anything!!!

 

[Julma]

We have a 14 & 16 year old. What I would suggest is checking out the Club Level. We loved it. We stay at that level almost everywhere we go. We also stay at BC at Disney and don't do Club, too constrictive with times. Our thought is (usually) the price difference can be easily justified, especially with two teens. I know you have a big trip and adding an extra expense is not what you were thinking of, but do the math and just see if it makes sense. They have great breakfast choices (if the kids are sleeping you can bring them back a plate), water and sodas to bring to the park, snacks all day, beer, wine and apps (enough choices to make a meal out of) from 5-7 and then desserts later in the evening. Plus it gives the kids somewhere to go, when the room is seeming very small. The room has internet access and two large TV's. We eat breakfast there, eat a sit down lunch and then dinner (including lots of beer and wine) in the club. Then back for dessert in the late evening. Universal is so much smaller than Disney that it is easy to head back to the hotel for a couple of hours and then head back to the parks.

Also if everyone has to get ready at the same time, make use of the fitness center. Nice showers and they have everything you may forget up in your room. It saves a lot of "bumping" into one another.

Hope this helps.

 

[gschmerl]

WE also eat at Mythos a couple time each time we visit US. You children would also probably love the Hard Rock Cafe at City Walk.

 

[DVCLiz]

Thanks for all the tips!!!

 

[Motherfletcher]

Staying at RPR its easy to self park. I would eat at Tchoup Chop for one dinner. Need ressies there.

 

[JohnnyB2]

Have a great trip? But,remember at Universal with the FOTL access there is no need to rush(as at some other parks)so relax and have fun.

 

[DVCLiz]

Have a great trip? But,remember at Universal with the FOTL access there is no need to rush(as at some other parks)so relax and have fun.

Thanks! I'm really looking forward to this perk....

 

[macraven]

We're finally trying Universal during our Florida vacation this year. I've booked a room at the Royal Pacific July 20 -22 and bought the Unlimited 2 Day tickets. I have some questions:

I booked online and printed out my confirmation. Do I just show that at checkin to get my tickets/room keys or will I get something in the mail?

the email confirmation is all you will receive.

Can we check out of our Disney hotel Friday morning, go to Universal and check in (whether or not our room is ready) get our room keys (which I assume have our park tickets on them) and use them with FOTL access all day on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday after we check out?

yes, this is exactly what i always do. leave disney early 7 am and arrive at hrh by 7:30. check in, get the hotel key, store the luggage. if you have the package or a super saver, then you will have the tickets on the card. otherwise, tickets are separate.
fotl access for the parks valid on check out day at the hotel

Do we get one FOTL access per ride, or as many times as we want to ride?
no limit on fotl access if you stay on site

Once I drive (I'll have my own car) to Universal, will I need to leave for any reason? Can I park for the weekend? Is valet parking still available at $15 per day?
loews hotel charge for parking is $15 per night stay. valet parking has additional charge. you can come and go from the parking lot at anytime. or, you can have the car sit the entire time. no difference on parking charge. the $15 covers it all

If we check out and still have a few days on our unlimted (ie good six days after checkin) tickets, we can come back into the parks, but without FOTL access, since we are no longer onsite, right?

if you have days left on your passes you can use them before the expiration date. it does not matter where you stay for them to be valid. you would be garage parking at this point.

Many thanks in advance for your help!!!

hope you have a great time!
come back and let us know how your vacation went after it is over.