New To Universal-traveling In Oct-do We Need To Stay Onsite At That Time Of Year?

[MADMAC2]

HI! NEW TO UNIVERSAL. WILL BE TRAVELING THERE ON OCT 5-6 FOR HHN. ARE THE CROWDS ENOUGH THAT STAYING ONSITE WOULD BE NECESSARY? I KNOW FOTL IS A WONDERFUL PERK, BUT RATES ARE SO HIGH. I'M WONDERING IF WE STAY OFFSITE WILL IT BE SO CROWED, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO RIDE MUCH. ANY OPINIONS?? PLEASE HELP!

 

[robvia]

Welcome aboard.
In October, during the day, crowds are light. But in the afternoon, everyone shows up for HHN around 4pm just before the parks close. You can easily tour the parks without FOTL if you arrive early.
Staying onsite would make it easy for you to walk back and forth to your room. This is nice at the end of a long evening of drinking.

 

[disneyfreakk]

robvia is right, it is possible to tour the parks in Oct. without staying onsite but it makes life alot easier! Also, the prices should be dropping. Last year they offered stay 3 nights get the 4th night free as well as a loews discount code offered to the public which was 15% off of 3 nights or 20% off for 4 nights or longer. I used the 4 nights with 20% off and my rate for club was $279.20 a night. not bad considering the rack rate for club was $349/ night. There were also AAA and APH (prefered Annual pass holder) discounts.

Here is my sugestion : Book online now with either the AAA or APH, whichever you have. I have never paid a deposit on our room booking though the website even tho they tell you there will be a deposit. ( i havent booked for this year yet, so please dont hold me to this! But in the last 3 years of staying at the HRH, this has been my experience. Then keep checking the prices. You have until 5 days before check in to cancel your reservation. Keep in mind that you get really good discounts off of your HHN passes with the prefered annual pass. We saved around $15-$25 on our HHH tix last year.