questons from a newbie

[caroline1851]

Where do you normally stay? It seems as though (as opposed to Disney) that the 3 choices are super expensive-are there cheaper options that are still nice resorts?

Are there ever deals with the passes that include Universal, IOA, SW, Aquatica and Wet 'n Wild?

Where can you find a list of restaurants and menus? Are all restaurants on Univeral's version of the meal plan? How much is the meal plan and what does it include?

How much did your most recent trip cost? (if you don't mind) Our family is 4 (2 adults, 2 kids) and I'm trying to get a rough idea of what most people spend. We're looking to go for 5 nights.

Thanks so much for all of your help,

Caroline

 

[ky07]

Where do you normally stay? It seems as though (as opposed to Disney) that the 3 choices are super expensive-are there cheaper options that are still nice resorts?

Are there ever deals with the passes that include Universal, IOA, SW, Aquatica and Wet 'n Wild?

Where can you find a list of restaurants and menus? Are all restaurants on Univeral's version of the meal plan? How much is the meal plan and what does it include?

How much did your most recent trip cost? (if you don't mind) Our family is 4 (2 adults, 2 kids) and I'm trying to get a rough idea of what most people spend. We're looking to go for 5 nights.

Thanks so much for all of your help,
It all depends on what time of year you go caus we are a family of 4 and usually on a real tight budget and I winde up spending $3500.00 to $4000.00 andthat does sound like alot but its not.
If I can't afford to stay onsite I usually find something close to universal that is nice but not expensive and if I can I try to spend 2 days at a offsite hotel and 3 days onsite.
As far as tickets to all those places you can get what they call a flex ticket but never got those because we never rent a car and keep our trips mainly Universal only cause we find we never get bored and find plenty to do and the flex tickets are pretty expensive in my book.
The meal deal is not worth it if you don't eat alot plus its all fast food and I like having more of a choice.
Hope this helps

 

[macraven]

If you have the AAA card and go during low season, you can get a room at RPH for about $130 on some dates.

i stay on site at disney and universal.
i find universal hotels affordable for certain times of the year.

staying at the values all sports is now $112 a night during regular season for me. for a bit more, you can get a deluxe hotel at universal.

the meal plan and ticket info is in the stickies and on the universal website.
the meal plan is only good if you do like the menus that are involved with that promo and you eat a lot.
i like the meal plan but i am in the minority.

some UO packages have tickets included for the park but it is always cheaper to book everything separate.

UO does have some packages for the partner off site hotels.
quite a few have used them and seem satisfied with them.
they don't include the fotl though.

 

[Metro West]

Are there ever deals with the passes that include Universal, IOA, SW, Aquatica and Wet 'n Wild?

Where can you find a list of restaurants and menus? Are all restaurants on Univeral's version of the meal plan? How much is the meal plan and what does it include?

I'll answer the questions above. Since I live here, I don't spend much on a trip and I don't stay in the hotels.

Here are the details on the meal deal. It's only good at several restaurants per park and you have to eat a lot of food for it to be a good deal.

http://www.universalorlando.com/tickets/meal-deal.html

Here is the information on the Orlando Flex Ticket that would include the parks you listed:

http://www.universalorlando.com/tickets/orlando-flexticket.html

 

[Darcy03231]

I just booked a trip for 5 nights going in April for one adult and two teens. If you go Sunday through Thursday the on-site hotels are a bit less expensive. Also, right now they're running a promotion if you stay 3 nights you get 2 free.

We're staying 5 nights at the Hard Rock = $898.20. While it would have been a little less expensive to book Royal Pacific ($830.70) they didn't have any rooms left with 2 queen beds.

7 day unlimited admission tickets = $300.00 (I can buy them through my local AAA office for $100.00 each).

Airfare = $600.00

Roundtrip transfer from airport = $100.00

When on vacation for the three of us I average about $100 a day for food, drinks, snacks, etc. unless we decide to eat somewhere really expensive (like Emerils). So $500.00 for meals.

Total for 5 days for us will be about $2400.00. It will actually be $2,300.00 since I won one of the tickets in the Superbowl giveaway.

I really don't buy any souvenirs and the kids have their own money for what they want to buy. The only other things for us will be tickets to Blue Man Group at $64/each, movies one night at $10/each and we'll probably go out on I-Drive and play minigolf one night and maybe go to Funspot. So, about another $300 on other entertainment, but you don't have to do those things if you don't want to.

 

[caroline1851]

If you have the AAA card and go during low season, you can get a room at RPH for about $130 on some dates.


UO does have some packages for the partner off site hotels.
quite a few have used them and seem satisfied with them.
they don't include the fotl though.

I really should look into the AAA card..... Is there a list of what's considered low season or does it pretty much run parallel to Disney?

Is there free transportation to all the parks from off site hotels that are nearby? What if FOTL?

 

[caroline1851]

7 day unlimited admission tickets = $300.00 (I can buy them through my local AAA office for $100.00 each).
.

Unlimited admission to just Univeral and IOA? Or does it include Sea World, Aquatica and Wet 'n Wild?

 

[caroline1851]

Here are the details on the meal deal. It's only good at several restaurants per park and you have to eat a lot of food for it to be a good deal.


http://www.universalorlando.com/tickets/orlando-flexticket.html

So you can eat all day at the park for $21? Isn't that a good deal? Do they serve breakfast also? is this food any good? Are the lines typically long? Of course, if the food is lousy then it's not a great deal. How is the food? When we went to Disney, we did the meal plan with Table service meals included because we enjoyed the relaxation that provided...

 

[macraven]

Unlimited admission to just Univeral and IOA? Or does it include Sea World, Aquatica and Wet 'n Wild?

The free shuttle is to Sea World, Aquatica and Wet & Wild for the on site hotel guests.

The schedule would be with the front desk TM's.

Last fall there were 2 morning departures and return time periods.

The number and times of the departures may change based on the season.


came back to add i misread your question.
I was thinking of shuttles and you were thinking about tickets.

Tickets for the other 3 places listed above is a separate charge. they are not included in the universal park tickets.
there was a promo last year that wet & wild was included but that promo is now gone.

 

[macraven]

So you can eat all day at the park for $21? Isn't that a good deal? Do they serve breakfast also? is this food any good? Are the lines typically long? Of course, if the food is lousy then it's not a great deal. How is the food? When we went to Disney, we did the meal plan with Table service meals included because we enjoyed the relaxation that provided...

no breakfast with the meal deal.

there are 3 restaurants in each park that participates in the meal deal promo.
you should check the menus on the allears.net website to see what each place offers.
beverages are not included in this meal promo.
beverages has a promo deal also separate from this one.

I like the promo and love the food at Louie's and IFFF.

therefore, i only do the promo at the studios side.

 

[macraven]

I really should look into the AAA card..... Is there a list of what's considered low season or does it pretty much run parallel to Disney?

Is there free transportation to all the parks from off site hotels that are nearby? What if FOTL?

you can get, depending on the season up to 35% off the rack rate at the onsite hotels if you book with the AAA card.
you don't have to have the card to book but need it when you check in.

my membership fee is $40 a year for the AAA card.
you also get 10% off of food and merch in the parks and most places in city walk restaurants.

The seasons are listed on the uo website page.
i don't remember the low season dates off the top of my head.

If you stay off site, you need to check with the hotel if they provide a free shuttle, or if there is a charge.
using the off site shuttles can be time consuming as some hotels share shuttles.

fotl is front of the line.
onsite guests get that as a perk for staying in a loews hotel.
off site hotels do not have that perk.

express pass plus aka epp can be purchased by anyone.
you are limited to rides and attractions for only one time.
they can be purchased at gs or stores in the park of the day you want them.

if the park is not crowded, you don't need to buy them

 

[patster734]

I really should look into the AAA card..... Is there a list of what's considered low season or does it pretty much run parallel to Disney?

Is there free transportation to all the parks from off site hotels that are nearby? What if FOTL?

Yes, get an AAA card! Even if you can't get an AAA rate for an onsite hotel, you can use your card to get food and souvenier discounts at both parks and Citywalk!

FOTL means Front Of The Line! Onsite guests receive unlimited access to the Express Lines on most of the rides at Universal Studios and IOA.

Here's a list of Universal's offsite partner hotels: http://www.universalorlando.com/florida-vacation-packages/partner-hotels-nf.html

Here's a list of Universal's seasonal dates: http://www.universalorlando.com/hotels/rates-and-offers/seasonal-rates.html#top. Many of these rates can be reduced through Super Saver, AAA or possessing a preferred or premiere annual pass.

 

[Cdn Friends of Pooh]

Another option would be to look at the cost of staying at a Disney value resort and renting a car for the length of your trip. It may be a lot cheaper than staying onsite at US or one of their partner hotels, and a big advantage would be you could come and go as you please rather than be at the mercy of any free shuttles.

 

[Metro West]

So you can eat all day at the park for $21? Isn't that a good deal? Do they serve breakfast also? is this food any good? Are the lines typically long? Of course, if the food is lousy then it's not a great deal. How is the food? When we went to Disney, we did the meal plan with Table service meals included because we enjoyed the relaxation that provided...

See Mac's response but I will also add that since breakfast is not included, you would have to eat a lot of food to make it worthwhile. You can buy lunch for a lot less than $21.00/pp and the restaurants are limited. The food is pretty good especially at Louie's...love the pizza! The lines will depend on when you go...around noon...yes the lines are long but if you go earlier or later, they shouldn't be too bad.

 

[Darcy03231]

There is an Orlando Flex Pass that gives you 14 days unlimited admission to Aquatica, SeaWorld, Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and Wet n' Wild for around $235. Flex Plass Plus gives you all of those plus Busch Gardens for about $275.

We were in the Orlando area for 16 days in August 2007 and bought the Flex Passes and thought they were a great value for the money. At the time they didn't include Aquatica (wasn't open yet) so we got ones for SW, BG, US, IOA & WNW.

 

[oliver200137724]

If you have big eaters than the meal deal is a great option. I have a 17 year old that is 6'5 and 276 and he eats allthe time and it works out great for us.
and when you get the sipper cup. you can bring it back for the rest of the trip and get refills for less than a $1.00. The food is great. " Louis' is the best.

 

[avic77]

My family of 5 (6 including grandma who is coming as well but I dont count her since she is a free ticket and will pay for her own meals) will be going the end of April staying offsite in a condo unit.
5 Days Hotel + universal/food/gas/parking= $1330.00
Gas $150.00
Food $350.00
Condo 2 bedroom $330.68 (no frills used easyclicktravel mystery hotel)
5 Universal 2 parks 7 days tickets $ 492.75

I will add more to the food and of course suvvies but Dh agreed to pay the above out of our income tax. I think total we will spend is about $1500.00