Price increase question??

[loganpaulsmom]

Hi all, we just booked our April 2013 trip to Disney. We orginally wanted to split between universal and Disney. I looked at the pricing 3 weeks ago in the morning and it was $249 a night by that night it had gone up to $359 a night.. For those pros out there, do the prices ever go down or do discounts come out for April? If not, has anyone stayed at Disney and traveled to Universal for the day? Pros and Cons please.. Thanks..

 

[Metro West]

I'm going to move this over to the Resorts board...you'll get more responses.

 

[damo]

When in April are you going?

 

[Rip]

Hi all, we just booked our April 2013 trip to Disney. We orginally wanted to split between universal and Disney. I looked at the pricing 3 weeks ago in the morning and it was $249 a night by that night it had gone up to $359 a night.. For those pros out there, do the prices ever go down or do discounts come out for April? If not, has anyone stayed at Disney and traveled to Universal for the day? Pros and Cons please.. Thanks..

Yes, the prices can bounce around considerably but that is going to depend on occupancy.

 

[loganpaulsmom]

When in April are you going?

I going April 9th thru April 16th..

 

[Happy Fairy]

We just got back after staying in Pop. We went over to Universal on 2 seperate days after booking Mears shuttle through hotel concierge, it costs 20 dollars each for a return trip & was very easy to book return times or change time if pre arranged

 

[loganpaulsmom]

We just got back after staying in Pop. We went over to Universal on 2 seperate days after booking Mears shuttle through hotel concierge, it costs 20 dollars each for a return trip & was very easy to book return times or change time if pre arranged

That's good to know.. I'm not sure if we will make it this year but we are hoping..

 

[patster734]

I going April 9th thru April 16th..

I take it that is your whole trip dates. What dates are you planning to spend onsite at Universal?

 

[loganpaulsmom]

I take it that is your whole trip dates. What dates are you planning to spend onsite at Universal?

Well originally we were going to do a split .. First 3 days universal. But, then the price went up.. I am assuming if we were to go it would b towards the end now..

 

[Rip]

Well originally we were going to do a split .. First 3 days universal. But, then the price went up.. I am assuming if we were to go it would b towards the end now..

Always better to do Disney first, IMO.

 

[bumbershoot]

For the 9th through 12th I see a rate of $294 at Royal Pacific. More than what you originally saw, but...

I like using this site to check the Universal onsite hotels all at once. It allows me to see it all. And I can put APH into the Code box, to see if there's an AP rate at that time, for that time.


Rates can change around. April, of course, is going to be an expensive time, and if, for instance, that Royal Pacific rate is acceptable to you, I'd book it now. You can change it later if another rate comes out, even an AP rate (if you do the math for upgrading someone to an AP and the total makes sense, of course).


Doing Disney first is good because then you get the really good Express Pass at the end of your trip, and you can revel in how sad the Fast Pass concept is, LOL. But if you have a really nice room at Disney, like at DVC, where you have lots and lots of room, then doing Disney at the beginning can make the Loews rooms look really REALLY tiny.

Depends on what's the most important to any given family!

 

[loganpaulsmom]

For the 9th through 12th I see a rate of $294 at Royal Pacific. More than what you originally saw, but...

I like using this site to check the Universal onsite hotels all at once. It allows me to see it all. And I can put APH into the Code box, to see if there's an AP rate at that time, for that time.

Rates can change around. April, of course, is going to be an expensive time, and if, for instance, that Royal Pacific rate is acceptable to you, I'd book it now. You can change it later if another rate comes out, even an AP rate (if you do the math for upgrading someone to an AP and the total makes sense, of course).

Doing Disney first is good because then you get the really good Express Pass at the end of your trip, and you can revel in how sad the Fast Pass concept is, LOL. But if you have a really nice room at Disney, like at DVC, where you have lots and lots of room, then doing Disney at the beginning can make the Loews rooms look really REALLY tiny.

Depends on what's the most important to any given family!

I did my research and knew that the hardrock was the only hotel that I could walk to the park from so we were looking at that one. I know April is a busy time we usually go in April . I was just surprised the day I looked it was one price and that night it went up about 100 dollars and hasn't changed since. We did the math and to stay on property for 3 days was going to cost us so much money it's going to work out cheaper for us to stay the whole time at Disney and just decide to go to universal for one day.

 

[bumbershoot]

Ah, I didn't know you had one specific hotel in mind, nor that it was for very specific reasons.

Well, I'd keep checking. You never know what might pop up. And especially given a more busy time, I would think that the perks would really help out and make the value higher, to stay onsite for the Universal part.

Also, remember that if you stay one night you get two days worth of perks. Two days of Early Entrance and of the hotel's Express Pass!

 

[patster734]

I did my research and knew that the hardrock was the only hotel that I could walk to the park from so we were looking at that one. I know April is a busy time we usually go in April . I was just surprised the day I looked it was one price and that night it went up about 100 dollars and hasn't changed since. We did the math and to stay on property for 3 days was going to cost us so much money it's going to work out cheaper for us to stay the whole time at Disney and just decide to go to universal for one day.

I wouldn't limit myself to the HRH based upon walking distance. The RPR is closer to IOA than HRH. Also, all three onsite resorts have boat transportation to/from Citywalk/the parks.

Another option, if you're an AAA member, there could be an AAA rate available which doesn't appear on the Universal/Loews booking website. To see if that rate is available, you can check AAA.com or call the Loews hotel reservation office at 1-800-235-6397

 

[damo]

You have to remember that there are two parks and there are several different modes of transportation if you choose not to walk. There are shuttle boats and shuttle buses and there are also pedicabs that are bike pulled. Like mentioned before, RPR is under a 10 minute walk from IOA which is about the same from the Hard Rock. The Studios is very close to Hard Rock but that isn't usually where people are headed first thing in the morning when the big dash is on.

Since you are a bit past Easter, there might be some lower rates but the first few weeks of April tend to be very busy and Spring Break. However, because the parks are very busy, staying onsite is a huge perk and make your lines so much shorter....something that may be worth the extra cost in your case.

 

[sweetdana]

priceline had 239- 299 for us resorts your dates. Just booked RPR for 4/5 - 4/9 @299 a night after canceling 239 for the other resort. I think HR was 259.

 

[glocon]

One other thing to consider... if you are going during a busy time, and were going to purchase express passes because you were not staying onsite, those ep's might just add up to enough $$$ that you would be better off staying onsite.

Don't know if you have done UO before, but a trip there onsite vs. off site is a very different experience. Your visit is much enhanced by staying onsite. JMO.

 

[Phil from PA]

couple of things, check the rates online often. I started with a RPR of $260 and caught a rate of $169 that was on sale for a day or so and booked it. When you see it, call them. I always had better luck over the phone. Tell them you are an annual pass holder, have AAA, and are a Lowes First member. If you book under the code you only need to show it at check in. Good luck and RPR is my favorite of the 3.