Question about changing Univeral reservations

[pigletto]

Hi there,
I have searched for an answer to this question but I am having no luck. I have a Harry Potter package booked for the end of April that I have paid about 600 dollars on.
I want to switch my reservation to the AAA rate and buy my tickets through Undercover Tourist instead. The dates would remain the same, I would just be switching to a room only reservation.
Does anyone know if they will just transfer what I have already paid on to the new room only reservation? Or will I need to cancel altogether, wait for a refund, and rebook with a new deposit?

 

[damo]

You have to read the fine print in your reservation. You can't change a Harry Potter package to a room only deal. You'll have to completely cancel and book separately. You should be be far enough out to avoid any penalties. Just cancel the whole thing and book by calling at the Universal Resort hotline at 1-888-464-3617. The place where you book packages and the hotel only booking line are two completely different companies. One is a travel agency and one is just the hotel hotline for the three onsite hotels. You can book using the AAA rate through the hotel hotline.

This is what it says on your reservation...


Revision Fees:
Once deposit and/or full payment is received, a $50 revision fee per transaction, plus any applicable services fees or price increases, will be assessed for any changes made to the reservation including, but not limited to, dates, air carrier, hotel, and ground transportation. If your vacation includes airline reservations, air change fees apply, plus a $50 per reservation revision fee and any other fees or price increases imposed by the airline will be charged. Fees are non-refundable. Certain types of airline reservation changes, including name changes, are prohibited based upon restrictions imposed by the carrier.

Cancellation Fee for Bookings:
DAYS PRIOR TO ARRIVAL - PENALTIES
46 days or more - Full refund*

45-0 days - $200 fee per reservation, plus fees imposed by hotel, airline and/or other components

*Additional Terms & Conditions apply regarding transactions including air travel, Halloween Horror Nights, Blue Man Group, VIP Tours and Discovery Cove.

Refunds:
Please allow 2-3 weeks for processing refunds.

Deposits/Payments:
We accept American Express®, MasterCard®, Discover® Card and Visa®. For final payment we also accept personal checks, travel agency checks, money orders and cashiers checks. We will not accept third-party checks. Payments must be made in US ($) dollars. Reservations booked within 45 days must be paid with a credit card.

For reservations that include air travel, the total price of airline tickets are due at the time of booking and must be paid in full, in addition to a deposit of per reservation as described below:

DAYS PRIOR TO ARRIVAL - PAYMENT
46 days or more - $50 per person deposit, plus cost of Airfare, Vacation Protection Plan & select add-ons due at time of reservation

45-0 days - Full payment due at time of reservation. (restrictions apply)
FINAL PAYMENT SHOULD BE SENT TO:
Universal Parks & Resorts Vacations
Attn: Accounting Department
P.O. Box 691717

 

[pigletto]

Thank you so much for the detailed answer!! I appreciate the help.

ETA) Thank you again. I wanted to give an update with my results. I called in and got a AAA quote for my 2 day stay in a standard room at RPR. Booking the AAA rate and ordering the 3 day park to park tickets through Undercover Tourist save me a little over $180.00 dollars. Not a huge amount, but that savings mostly pays for our week long car rental! All we lose by cancelling the package and doing it this way is the Harry Potter Three Broomsticks breakfast that was part of our package. No big loss there. Our dates are fairly busy, so I'd much rather take advantage of early entry and get in the lines than waste time eating anyway!
As you advised, I am still over 100 days out from our trip so there was no fee to cancel.

 

[macraven]

Thank you so much for the detailed answer!! I appreciate the help.

ETA) Thank you again. I wanted to give an update with my results. I called in and got a AAA quote for my 2 day stay in a standard room at RPR. Booking the AAA rate and ordering the 3 day park to park tickets through Undercover Tourist save me a little over $180.00 dollars. Not a huge amount, but that savings mostly pays for our week long car rental! All we lose by cancelling the package and doing it this way is the Harry Potter Three Broomsticks breakfast that was part of our package. No big loss there. Our dates are fairly busy, so I'd much rather take advantage of early entry and get in the lines than waste time eating anyway!
As you advised, I am still over 100 days out from our trip so there was no fee to cancel.

i think a little over $180 is a huge amount.
but then, i am cheap.

i always tell newbies not to book packages.
you can get better prices by booking room and buying tickets separately.

i'm happy damo gave you the info to do so!

that $180 can buy you lunch at 3 broomsticks with money left over for a wand ..........or 2

 

[pigletto]

I was thrilled with saving the 180!! :good vibes
And I appreciate the help. I know Disney discounts like the back of my hand, but Universal is all new to us still. We went for 2 day visits last trip but didn't stay onsite. My kids are 15 and 8 and they LOVED Universal. My husband is far more into thrill rides than the rest of us so he really enjoyed himself as well.

Since I posted yesterday we did a lot of reading about AP's. I think we're going to get 3 non resident power passes and one Preferred AP! We'll be able to get a second trip out of them this year so it makes sense

 

[macraven]

Since I posted yesterday we did a lot of reading about AP's. I think we're going to get 3 non resident power passes and one Preferred AP! We'll be able to get a second trip out of them this year so it makes sense

sounds like a great plan!

 

[bumbershoot]

Pigletto...if you're already planning on a Preferred AP, make SURE you go onto the loewshotels website and pop in APH as a discount code. That's the AP rate, and if they have one, it will show it. (if it doesn't show up, then there's no AP for that time, at the time you're checking)

Be sure you know your AAA room cancellation policies, and it can't hurt to check to see if AP rates pop up. But only check until you can't cancel the AAA room of course.

If you do get an AP rate, you just show the AP at checkin or sometime that day; you don't have to have it to make the reservation.


The preferred AP is going to be great, because you get discounts on so many things there! The TMs, in my experience, are great about asking if you have an AP before you pay for stuff, but make sure the question is asked before buying anything!

 

[macraven]

AAA also gives you a 10% discount off of food and merch in the parks.

if you pull up the citywalk website, you will see many of the restuarants also honor the AAA for the discount.

preferred AP allows 10% but not all restuarants at city walk will honor it for a discount.

 

[pigletto]

Thank you so much for the tips! I am learning alot.

We are going this time on April 28th and 29th. I am not seeing an APH rate for those dates yet. Hopefully something will come. If not, I will use the AAA code I was quoted yesterday ( I think it was 246 for the 28th and 228.00 for the 29th in a standard RPR room).

Our next trip has much more flexibility as far as dates and I'll be able to watch for a decent rate and then book. This time we were locked into our dates because of a flight sale. Next time we can drive