Poor Planning support for 2013?

[DryCreek]

Howdy folks,

just wondering why it is that the people at Universal can't book into 2013 yet? I am probably spoiled by Disney, but i would have assumed that I could be able to at least look at pricing and room availability for Jan/feb of 2013 by now. I sent them an e-mail, and their response was:
Hello,



Thank you for contacting Universal Parks and Resorts Vacations. I apologize for my delay. Unfortunately, I am unable to confirm an exact date when our 2013 rates and availability will become available. Based on previous years, we expect to have more information on your preferred travel dates in August and September.



If you should need additional assistance, please feel free to reply to this email or you may contact a Representative at 1-800-407-4275. Representatives will be available Monday through Saturday 7:30 am to 10:00 pm EST and Sunday 9:00 am to 9:00 pm EDT

I was kinda' disappointed at this news. I like to start planning our vacations well in advance. Sometimes our in-laws or our son decide that they'd like to join us, so I like plenty of time to be able to "enhance" our reservations.

Is it still worth it to spend at least twice the nightly rate to stay at one of the on-site hotels, versus staying at one of the partner hotels within walking distance?

 

[damo]

Howdy folks,

just wondering why it is that the people at Universal can't book into 2013 yet? I am probably spoiled by Disney, but i would have assumed that I could be able to at least look at pricing and room availability for Jan/feb of 2013 by now. I sent them an e-mail, and their response was:
Hello,



Thank you for contacting Universal Parks and Resorts Vacations. I apologize for my delay. Unfortunately, I am unable to confirm an exact date when our 2013 rates and availability will become available. Based on previous years, we expect to have more information on your preferred travel dates in August and September.



If you should need additional assistance, please feel free to reply to this email or you may contact a Representative at 1-800-407-4275. Representatives will be available Monday through Saturday 7:30 am to 10:00 pm EST and Sunday 9:00 am to 9:00 pm EDT

I was kinda' disappointed at this news. I like to start planning our vacations well in advance. Sometimes our in-laws or our son decide that they'd like to join us, so I like plenty of time to be able to "enhance" our reservations.

Is it still worth it to spend at least twice the nightly rate to stay at one of the on-site hotels, versus staying at one of the partner hotels within walking distance?

The hotels are run by Loews who don't book that far in advance.

 

[Bluer101]

Also booking this far out you would be paying top dollar rack rate. As it gets closer the rates normally drop. So when they release rates you book at the top rate. Then keep checking all the way up to you leave. If the rate drops, just call and they will change it.

You ask if it's worth it to pay almost double the rate of an offsite hotel. Now if you are referring to onsite at $175-$250 per night, then for us yes it's worth it. It all depends how much do you value your time. Staying offsite, time to commute to the parks and time waiting in lines. Even if you wait in line 15 more minutes per ride that adds up. Plus staying onsite is relaxing.

We stay always onsite regardless of on or off season. It's just too convenient.

 

[macraven]

i read on some threads where peeps have booked for jan and parts of feb....






for me, it is worth it to stay onsite.
it is more than just going to the parks, it's an awesome vacation for me to stay onsite and enjoy the hotel and activities.
the atmosphere and ambiance of the hotel is important to me.

going on a solo trip, i feel extremely safe and secure onsite.
everything that i need or want is on the premises.
that alone, is worth it for me.

i'm going early october and the ap rates are at $144 a night.

doubletree is $99 a night, only a $45 savings.

i don't have to think twice which place is better for my needs.

 

[damo]

Online, it seems you can book into the first week of January right now. This is normal for Loews for this time of year.

 

[DryCreek]

Also booking this far out you would be paying top dollar rack rate.

Well, not to belabor the comparison to booking Disney, but they acknowledge that January and February are a part of their value season and will adjust their rates accordingly. Pretty much the same for booking into Disneyland too.

I can see that staying onsite seems to have advantages, as does staying onsite in WDW (not so much so at DL, though). If you book through Universal directly, and stay at one of their partner hotels, are you eligible for some of the perks offered to onsite guests? I looked on Google Earth and it seems that there are some hotels within an easy 5 to 7 minute walk from the entrance. They are showing rates as low as $79 per night during that time frame. I'm not opposed to paying extra to stay onsite, but the extras have to make it worthwhile for me. At WDW, there's just simply no question about that. Book in at POR and all is well. We do not do the deluxe hotels as we only need a place to sleep and shower. I guess that I forgot to mention that we do theme parks commando-style. We are there at rope drop, then after lunch retire to the room for a "recharge" (nap) and then close the park down. We are good with a clean, but plain room if it leaves us more money to take another vacation later in the year. A quick 5 to 15 minute walk each way isn't unacceptable to us. We are used to it. In fact, we don't even work our cattle on horseback any more, just walk out to the pastures and call them up. It's easier on the old backs now doing it that way.

 

[bumbershoot]

"If you book through Universal directly, and stay at one of their partner hotels, are you eligible for some of the perks offered to onsite guests?"

If you book a package you can generally get Early Entrance. But the biggest perk (beyond the gorgeous resorts and relaxing surroundings, and being encouraged to pool hop) of staying onsite is the unlimited Express Pass. you cannot get that in any other way (unless the VIP tickets include it but I'm not sure about that at all); the Express Pass you buy is limited to once per each participating ride.


WDW *just* released 2013 dates; I'm sure Universal won't be far behind! Be sure to use this site to book a room-only reservation (that's almost always cheaper, along with buying tickets through Uni or through a place like undercover tourist). it allows you to see all 3 hotels at once.


For me, I'll easily stay offsite at DLR (am typing this from the Park Place Inn right now!), I'd consider staying offsite at WDW (we always have a rental car anyway), but I've never even for a moment thought about offsite at Universal. The Express Pass Plus is TOO GOOD to pass up. Oh, and when you have your packages sent back to the resort, they are delivered *to your room*, unlike Disney!

 

[DryCreek]

"
If you book a package you can generally get Early Entrance. But the biggest perk (beyond the gorgeous resorts and relaxing surroundings, and being encouraged to pool hop) of staying onsite is the unlimited Express Pass. you cannot get that in any other way (unless the VIP tickets include it but I'm not sure about that at all); the Express Pass you buy is limited to once per each participating ride.


WDW *just* released 2013 dates; I'm sure Universal won't be far behind! Be sure to use this site to book a room-only reservation (that's almost always cheaper, along with buying tickets through Uni or through a place like undercover tourist). it allows you to see all 3 hotels at once.


For me, I'll easily stay offsite at DLR (am typing this from the Park Place Inn right now!), I'd consider staying offsite at WDW (we always have a rental car anyway), but I've never even for a moment thought about offsite at Universal. The Express Pass Plus is TOO GOOD to pass up. Oh, and when you have your packages sent back to the resort, they are delivered *to your room*, unlike Disney!

Thanks for the insight. I doubt we'll be in the pool any - January or February usually finds the water too cold for even my wife's liking. I don't even get into our pool here in Texas until the water is well above 85 degrees or so!

The Express Pass does sound like a great perk during crowded times - but is it really necessary during the slower winter months? The last time we were at WDW (2009 - early February)we only needed FP for the most popular rides (i.e. TSM and Rockin' Rollercoaster).

Funny, but we will never consider staying offsite at WDW again. We did it for too many years just trying to save money. It didn't take long to figure out how much more we spent in car rental, parking and aggravation. Even when we visit DLR (two thumbs up to BWPPI) we take the Grey Line DLR Express bus instead of renting a car. I am also looking into some form of limo/shuttle to get to our hotel for our Universal Orlando vacation too. It would be great if they had something that compared to the DME, but I know that probably isn't so.

Again, I'm not so much a tightwad as one who likes to be able to save some money on a vacation so that I can take another one later in the year. My dream has always been to stay at the Disneyland Hotel, but after pricing it out and finding that my wife's membership in some rewards club could get us a room for $89.10 a night at the BWPPI, I had to take a pass on fulfilling my dream - even after the new and amazing refurb the buildings have undergone. The only benefit would have been one more early admission over our stay. By purchasing our tickets through the DL website, we were afforded almost as many perks as were offered to their hotel guests, but with the exception of the Grand Californian, we were much closer tot he parks. Heck, we even had less of a walk to get into the parks than we had getting to the bus stop the last time we stayed at POR!

With the money we saved on lodging for that trip, we have been able to drag the RV down to Galveston twice so far, with another visit scheduled in September to watch the Christening of the U.S.S. Fort Worth.

Hopefully we can get room rates onsite at around the $129 to $149 per night break point when compared to offsite hotels! Sounds about right for two adults and no kiddos?

 

[Metro West]

The Express Pass does sound like a great perk during crowded times - but is it really necessary during the slower winter months? At WDW (in early February)we only needed FP for the most popular rides (i.e. TSM and Rockin' Rollercoaster).

You should be OK w/o Express during most of January and February.

 

[macraven]

OP, did you read this thread?

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2940158

 

[damo]

One of the biggest advantages to staying onsite at Universal, IMO, is that you can walk everywhere. You don't have to wait for any buses or park your car. Add express in there and early admission and it is just such a great relaxing vacation. There are some times in Jan/Feb where rates are still quite high like President's week.

 

[DryCreek]

OP, did you read this thread?

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2940158

Well, yes and no.
I followed it for a day or two when first posted, but haven't kept up with it. I have read the whole thing now and see some encouraging news. Going over to the US Orlando website now....