Planning early January Trip

[darwyn99]

Hi All,

I'm planning a trip in early January 2022 to Universal Studios Orlando. We're only interested in Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. After reading all the threads, planning a trip is a little overwhelming and I've got a couple questions.

Some details of our trip. There are 4 of us going and will be there for 4 days, 5 nights and only doing Universal Studios (no other stuff in Orlando). We plan on staying somewhere onsite. We'll stay at one of top three, HRH, RPR or PBH, at least one of the nights for the express passes.

1. I've read that buying one Annual Pass is worth it for the other discounts. Is that good for 1 year from when you purchase it? So to get the discounts I'd want to buy it now so I start getting those discount emails right? I don't envision us going back to UO again within a year, so I don't mind buying the annual pass now, but if I can wait till closer to our travel date, that's fine too. What level of Annual Pass do I need to get discounts?

2. Is there real savings trying to book just one night at the top three to get the express passes and then book the rest of the nights at another on-site resort? Or is it more trouble than it's worth?

3. The consensus seems to be to not buy a package deal. So I would buy my annual pass, wait for hotel discounts and book that, then tickets are included in the hotel or is that just the express passes?

4. We're there for 4 full days (travel day there, 4 full days, travel day back). Should I get 4 days of park tickets or is there not enough to do for 4 days? Would three days of tickets be enough and then use the 4th day to lounge around the pool/hotel/city walk?

5. Not counting the Annual Pass, when should I buy the other 3 tickets (if not purchased with the Hotel)? Wait for discounts on those or wait till we're there or just purchase them at the time I book the hotel?

6. The current plan is to go Friday through Wednesday. So we'd have Sat/Sun/Mon/Tues for our activity days. I'm assuming Mon/Tues are going to be the slower days at the parks and we'd want to try and do most of our park activities those days?

Thanks for all your help!

Edit: added a question

 

[disneydreamer1980]

Tickets for 2022 aren’t available yet. I think three days is perfect, especially if you have express pass. I think doing one night at a deluxe for the express pass is a great idea. You can do one full day at each park than use the third day to do things you want to see again or just do a full Harry Potter day if you’re fans (that’s what we do). Keep in mind you’ll need a park to park ticket to ride hogwarts express. It’s worth it IMO. Not sure about the AP questions as we never had them. Have fun!

 

[CAPSLOCK]

1. Good for 366 days once activated at the parks. You can buy beforehand, but your year doesn't start til you enter a park. You can book an AP hotel rate without the AP in hand yet. Most / all of the other AP benefits are while you are onsite (ie, food / merch/ parking discounts). If you buy now, you lock in the rate in case of a price increase; however deals may come up later.

2. For 4 people and wanting Express, I think moving hotels is worth it. You get EP on check in and check out day, and the resorts will hold your luggage. But you must move luggage between hotels.
(Also, note there is an extra charge for more than 2 adults (18+) in the standard rooms.)

3. Just Express included with hotel - tickets are a separate purchase.

4. I would do 4 days of tickets. There's always stuff to do in the parks! I never plan full "rest" days though.

5. Same as AP, by purchasing you lock in that purchase price in the event that it increases; but discounts come out frequently. Often buy 2 days get 2 free. I would guess that a) there is likely a ticket price increase by Jan & b) there will be discounts you can use by Jan.

 

[TommyJK]

1. I've read that buying one Annual Pass is worth it for the other discounts. Is that good for 1 year from when you purchase it? So to get the discounts I'd want to buy it now so I start getting those discount emails right? I don't envision us going back to UO again within a year, so I don't mind buying the annual pass now, but if I can wait till closer to our travel date, that's fine too. What level of Annual Pass do I need to get discounts?

It doesn't really matter whether or not you buy now or later IMO. They don't actually start your year on the AP until you activate it on your first visit into the parks. Many people buy the AP to use it towards a hotel discount, but you don't actually have to have one at time of hotel booking. You just need to show your AP to the hotel before you checkout to maintain the AP discounted rate. Also, only the person booking the room needs an AP. The entire family doesn't need one. To note, the AP discount on hotels are edit: NOT "guaranteed". I mean that you don't automatically get the dicount. The AP rate usually because available about 3 months prior to a given date and it's for a limited number of rooms in each hotel. So you have to do a bit of "hunting" around 3-4 months out to snag an AP room.

2. Is there real savings trying to book just one night at the top three to get the express passes and then book the rest of the nights at another on-site resort? Or is it more trouble than it's worth?

For a family of 4 if you want express pass you will save a ton getting a room at one of the 3 deluxes. Express pass if purchased on it's own will cost you around $100 per person per day. You can get a room at Royal Pacific for one night for probably around $300 in January and that will give you unlimited express pass for 2 days (check-in day and check-out day). Many people who stay at one of the non-Express Pass hotels will book a "thorw away" room at say Royal Pacific and not actually even use the room. They'll just go early on check-in morning to pick up their room keys (which act as your express pass) to just take advantage of that perk. I've done this myself when we stayed at Cabana Bay and just walked over to Royal Pacific to get our keys on the way to the park. Very little hassle.

3. The consensus seems to be to not buy a package deal. So I would buy my annual pass, wait for hotel discounts and book that, then tickets are included in the hotel or is that just the express passes?

As noted above, you don't need to buy your AP early to get the AP rate. The best strategy IMO is to book your room now at a regular rate so you can lock in a room at a rate you are ok with, then when AP rates become available try to book a room with AP rate, and just cancel your original reservation (since you can cancel without change fees like you would if you do a package). It covers your bases. Tickets are not included in hotel rate, so you would buy those separately whenever you please

4. We're there for 4 full days (travel day there, 4 full days, travel day back). Should I get 4 days of park tickets or is there not enough to do for 4 days? Would three days of tickets be enough and then use the 4th day to lounge around the pool/hotel/city walk?

3 or 4 days would be fine. With 4 days it gives you greater opportunity to say take mid-day breaks back at the hotel which is the method we prefer to do Universal, especially with the hotels beig so close to the parks.

5. Not counting the Annual Pass, when should I buy the other 3 tickets (if not purchased with the Hotel)? Wait for discounts on those or wait till we're there or just purchase them at the time I book the hotel?

Personally I would wait until Black Friday/Cyber Monday. The various 3rd party ticket sites usually have additional discounts on top of their already (slightly) discounted tickets

 

[CAPSLOCK]

6. Yes, Mon/Tues should be slower (unless Mon is MLK day). In an ideal world, the EP hotel night would be Sat night or Sun night. Sun night has the added bonus of being cheaper. On busy days, I aim for more shows, and/or a break mid day and taking advantage of lower crowds in the evening.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

Personally I would wait until Black Friday/Cyber Monday. The various 3rd party ticket sites usually have additional discounts on top of their already (slightly) discounted tickets

Yes this!

 

[darwyn99]

You guys are awesome! Thanks so much for the information!

Here's a stupid idea, maybe. It looks like we wouldn't get in till the evening on that Friday (Jan. 7) and then our flight leaves Wednesday (Jan 12) in the morning. Has anyone stayed at an "airport hotel" on your arrival date and then gone over to your deluxe hotel in the morning, checked in (assuming they hold your bags) and then go out to the parks? Then on the day before departure, check out of the deluxe hotel (assuming they'll hold your bags), enjoy your last day at the park, then shuttle/uber/taxi back over to an "airport hotel". That would eliminate 2 nights at a deluxe hotel, and if I did my math right, save me approximately $300 to $400 dollars. Is that plan feasible or would that be more hassle than it's worth?

 

[Lynne G]

Nope, I checked in after midnight with a delayed flight. Was nice to wake up already there. No matter the time I come, never but for a cruise. Then I stayed at airport hotel and drive to port the next day, embarkation day. For parks, nice to be there already. And I’d you are coming in later, and jet them know , you might get your room ready when checking in.

 

[TommyJK]

You guys are awesome! Thanks so much for the information!

Here's a stupid idea, maybe. It looks like we wouldn't get in till the evening on that Friday (Jan. 7) and then our flight leaves Wednesday (Jan 12) in the morning. Has anyone stayed at an "airport hotel" on your arrival date and then gone over to your deluxe hotel in the morning, checked in (assuming they hold your bags) and then go out to the parks? Then on the day before departure, check out of the deluxe hotel (assuming they'll hold your bags), enjoy your last day at the park, then shuttle/uber/taxi back over to an "airport hotel". That would eliminate 2 nights at a deluxe hotel, and if I did my math right, save me approximately $300 to $400 dollars. Is that plan feasible or would that be more hassle than it's worth?

This is entirely doable and many people do it this way. Is indeed a $ saver and like you said, you could get there first thing in the morning and have your luggage go into the baggage services while they get your room ready while you enjoy the parks. Same thing in reverse on checkout day.

 

[hhoope01]

Since late night and very early flights tend to be a little less expensive (sometimes a lot less), I've been booking airport hotels quite often. We will usually use points to stay at the MCO Airport Hyatt. No, buses, no waits (other than getting our bags), extremely convenient. But I do travel for work and have Hyatt points. So that helps a lot. There are a number of airport hotels with complementary shuttles as well. Those can be a little less expensive. We've stayed at a few of those over the years as well.

We will normally have Tony, Uber, taxi pick us up from the hotel around 6am the morning after we arrived. That gets us to the on-site hotel in time to pick up our keys, drop off our bags at the Concierge and then head over to the parks and/or get breakfast. For our check-out day, I do try to get a late check-out, but now that there is no Loews elite program, it is more of a challenge getting it very late. But I've still, mostly, been able to get a 1pm checkout (after asking, begging, showing them my crying daughter, etc.) If we get the late check-out, we'll head back to the hotel around lunch-time, to eat, pack up and check-out. We'll give our bags to the concierge again to hold and then head back out to the parks for one last hurrah. After that, come back, pick up our bags and use Tony, Uber, or a taxi to get back to the airport and check-in to our hotel. We'll normally eat dinner at the airport. And for the last few years, my daughter and I will head over to the massage/nails place in the airport. I'll get a nice foot massage and she'll usually get a pedicure (my wife will get one too if she is with us).

One caveat to this. If you can't get an APH rate, a lot of the times, there is usually a stay more nights, get a better per night rate available. So it might not hurt to check what adding an additional night to your on-site hotel might be. If it reduces your 'per night' rate enough, it still might be cheaper to get an extra night at the on-site hotel.