Official APH Rate Info for Universal Loews Hotel Properties

[TNKim]

You found dates in June? I was looking for 6/20 and don't see anything there yet.

No, end of May.

 

[lcc2]

Looks like AP rates for Royal Pacific just came online!

Thanks! I checked a few times this morning for my May dates and only Hard Rock and Portofino AP rates were available. I debated switching to one of them. Figures they would drop Royal Pacific when I stopped looking lol but glad I was able to call in and get AP rate applied to our reservation

 

[mickeyfan0805]

Looks like AP rates for Royal Pacific just came online!

Thanks for posting. I went back on and was able to grab Easter week at Hard Rock. AP rate for Hard Rock is $150/n less than the Savvy rate I booked late last year. That $750 in savings will go a long way!

 

[limace]

Oh man-portofino is $250 for my dates in May ($290 for my family of 5)-I wanted hard rock but it’s be $400. We have the cabana family suite booked for $390 total for three nights. Thought? I haven’t stayed at portofino before.

And now HRH has dropped-$282 for my dates. May 8-11, Saturday through Monday. Think I need EP then? I’m leaning yes-but we’d save $ and have more space at Cabana. Help!

 

[patster734]

Thanks. I just book RPR for my wife’s birthday from Saturday to Tuesday, May 15 to 18. $767.25 for the three night, including tax.

 

[Artygal90]

And now HRH has dropped-$282 for my dates. May 8-11, Saturday through Monday. Think I need EP then? I’m leaning yes-but we’d save $ and have more space at Cabana. Help!

I'm splurging on Portofino that same weekend. I don't think it will be super-crowded, but I just love the freedom of being able to ride anything anytime. Also, in my past experience traveling during "low crowd" times, waits aren't bad on weekdays but still spike on weekends. The trip where I was staying at HRH, I didn't notice a big difference in my wait times, just that there were more people around overall. The trip where I was staying at Cabana, I really missed my EP and didn't ride as many rides.

Edit: also, I think it depends on your touring style. My Universal trips are very rides-focused, so I'm happy to spring extra for the EP hotels when I go because it means I spend more vacation time on rides and less waiting in line, and I feel I'm using the perk to its full advantage. However, my family of origin is more into having leisurely breakfasts and afternoons by the hotel pool while on vacation. They're happy to ride their favorites once per trip, and they don't mind skipping rides with long lines even if it means they don't get to go on it that trip. If money is no object, of course it's nice to stay at the EP hotels, but for them the prime value hotels make a lot of sense.

 

[cfoxga]

And now HRH has dropped-$282 for my dates. May 8-11, Saturday through Monday. Think I need EP then? I’m leaning yes-but we’d save $ and have more space at Cabana. Help!

So you have CB at $130, PBH at $250, and HRH at $282. I guess you need to ask yourself how you value the following:

1. EPs for 5 people. To buy them separately would be over $500 per day. But if budget is tight, then you can work around it.
2. Proximity to the parks. HRH is very close and walkable. PBH you'd likely use the boat, which we love. CB is a very long walk, or you take the bus to CityWalk security.
3. Nicer hotel/rooms. The finishings in the deluxe hotels are nicer than the value hotels. Beds are more comfortable, walls seems a little better soundproofed, better restaurants, etc.

Personally, the EPs alone justify the deluxe hotels for us, and the other benefits seal-the-deal. We did a split stay over Thanksgiving with 4 nights at HRH and 3 nights at ESS. It was like two different trips. At HRH, we slept in late, rode everything we wanted, and still had time for pool/naps in the afternoon. At ESS, we were up extra early to get to the parks at opening, and rushed through as many rides as we could before the waits got more than 60 minutes each. We still enjoyed being there, but the extra $150 per night we paid at HRH was well worth it to us...

 

[keishashadow]

The trip where I was staying at Cabana, I really missed my EP and didn't ride as many rides.

It’s a totally different experience IMO. Aside from the EP, you are comparing a value hotel to a true deluxe resort.

Not to say it wouldn’t be enjoyable for many if that’s their end-choice, all depends on preference & budget

 

[davper]

And now HRH has dropped-$282 for my dates. May 8-11, Saturday through Monday. Think I need EP then? I’m leaning yes-but we’d save $ and have more space at Cabana. Help!

When we stayed at CB, in a 2 queen room, my wife and I felt claustrophobic in the room with just 2 of us.

 

[limace]

Thanks all! HRH would be a no-brained for us-that’s where we stayed last time and we loved it-if we weren’t traveling with five this time. That makes the question a little more complicated as we have a family suite at cabana.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

And now HRH has dropped-$282 for my dates. May 8-11, Saturday through Monday. Think I need EP then? I’m leaning yes-but we’d save $ and have more space at Cabana. Help!

You could consider Sat. night at HRH and move over to CBBR for the last 2 nights (you'd then have EP for the whole weekend).

 

[limace]

You could consider Sat. night at HRH and move over to CBBR for the last 2 nights (you'd then have EP for the whole weekend).

Good idea. We don’t fly out til Tuesday but that would give us EP for the weekend days which I assume are busier?

 

[keishashadow]

When we stayed at CB, in a 2 queen room, my wife and I felt claustrophobic in the room with just 2 of us.

It wasn’t the styling of the room or smallish size for the two of us that was an issue. The square footage struck me as similar to SF resort, which we love & wish it offered EP even if at a higher price point.)

All things considered, if one is happy with the early entry hour, wants/needs lower price and is ok with a value sort of hotel for a few days, it’s nice to have the option

 

[keishashadow]

Good idea. We don’t fly out til Tuesday but that would give us EP for the weekend days which I assume are busier?

Looks like you will be there Mother’s Day weekend, if so, yes there usually is an attendance bump that particular Fri, Sat & Sunday.

Additionally, not sure how it roll this year but, in the past dining slots have always seemed to fill up quickly for that weekend, especially the (then) special ‘mother’s day’ buffets at the resorts.

 

[mvansear]

Woooohoooo just booked RPR aph rates for memorial day weekend...Did some thinking and since we usually stay club level (did it a week ago and it's different for covid but still great), looked at hrh. There were no club aph rates at RPR so we switched to HRH got club with aph and decided to splurge on 2 rooms. Canceled the RPR reservation. We have stayed HRH club before and gotten a deluxe queen room...anyone know if they ever have those deluxe rooms w the aph discount...was not there this morning

 

[BorderTenny]

Universal must be more confident in their ability to fill rooms in the spring. Checked the AP rate for a night at RPR either side of my day off nearest my birthday (weeknights last third of April), and it's $50 more than the FL resident rate I paid Christmas Eve! Guess I'll save myself some money and just do a day trip.

 

[hhoope01]

Just a note, the base room at PBR is 450 sqft in size. A family suite at CBBR is 430 sqft in size. And the Deluxe rooms at PBR are 490 sqft.

Personally, I'd go with with the PBR room at $250. You get a lot of room in PBR plus you won't have to deal with the buses.

 

[shawthorne44]

Good idea. We don’t fly out til Tuesday but that would give us EP for the weekend days which I assume are busier?

Weekends are much busier.
We are doing something similar the week before you. Split-Stay with some in a Cabana Bay Family Suite and one night each in two premier hotels. With a Drury Stay between the Premier stays for the $$ savings and free dinner and breakfast. But, then we have car and can move easily (and are cheap).

One argument against spending the money for the premier for your entire trip is that while most of the rides are included on the EP (all except Pter.Flyers and Hagrids), people spend lots of time slack-jawed walking slowly through the HP areas. Then if you get a wand, that can take a couple of hours to do all the spells and find the hidden ones. I like to spend time in SeussLand. It is just so stinking happy. Then there is the time waiting in line for Hagrid's. Hagrid's does have virtual lines on busy days. For example, it had it yesterday, but not today.

Are you planning on the waterpark? Cabana Bay has that 5 minute walk to it, whereas everyone else has to take a bus.

Of course, if Cabana Bay didn't have passholder rates and the premier did, then the small price difference might not be worth changing hotels.

 

[keishashadow]

Checked the AP rate for a night at RPR either side of my day off nearest my birthday (weeknights last third of April), and it's $50 more than the FL resident rate I paid Christmas Eve!

Not sure that’s a oranges to oranges comparison as two very different sort of rates.

My understanding is that FL residents rates are among the lowest offered, generally beating AP ones.

Know many of us non-locals felt compelled to wait it out but eventually pul the plug on our typical holiday travel to Orlando. Possibly that hotel metrics were so low they decided to ‘dump’ rooms via FL resident rates

Regardless, enjoy that BD celebration, with the two different categories of rates you are eligible to book might be able to find something, perhaps after the normal cancellation period kicks into play.

 

[Seeker615]

How do you look up rates for APH? Is there a code you need?