? re: HRH discounts for July

[k&a&c'smom]

Hey!

We have stayed at HRH once before, but it was in 2001 when they first opened and we got an awesome pkg. deal. I'm not very familiar with their booking practices and discounts. There will be me (the mom), an 18-yr.-old and a 17-yr.-old on the trip.

I've just booked a stay at HRH for this July 15-18 at the AAA rate of $260+tax for a garden view room. (is that a decent rate for July?) I think I'm gonna add a fourth night, and saw the "stay 4 play free" pkg. advertised on the website. So, I wondered if I should switch to that instead - are the pkgs. usually considered a good deal? (I rarely do the WDW pkgs.)

Or, should I book the 4 nights at the AAA rate, purchase 3 $85 adult passes and hope for an AP discount later? (upgrading one $85 ticket to an AP if they do) BTW - I called the 1-888-273-1311 number to book, is there a better number to call?

Thanks in advance for any help! I'm pretty good at doing this for WDW by now, but I'm out of my depth with UO!

 

[Janet2k]

I don't have an answer for you, k&a&c'smom, but I am definitely interested in the exact same info. Hopefully, someone will come along and answer the questions for both of us (my fingers are crossed).

 

[damo]

It looks like the stay and play rate is $280/night. Working out the package, it looks like that is your better rate by about $50.

You can change your mind later, depending on what deals are available but I would book that extra day right away as the hotels are really busy in the summer.

I've already switched my deals once and it is very easy to do. Just make sure you have something booked for the length of time you wish to stay.

 

[k&a&c'smom]

Thanks for the replies. I have switched to the pkg. deal for now, and ordered the third ticket online. I guess I'll just keep my eye on the website for any changes before July.

 

[FireandIce]

I just found out about this board last week, and it pains me to discover that I must have wasted about $1000.00 by not taking advantage of the best deals possible. March 07 will be my fifth time staying on-site at US/IOA, and I am paying ( are you ready for this ? ) $337.00 a night at HRH for a garden view, stay4 play free package, w?tickets to both parks for length of stay. I am in dire need of some advice on how I can salvage some sort of dignity, and take advantage of any tips you may be able to give me. I have already applied for the Loews reward card, but it won't help me for this next visit,will it ? Is there anything I can do ?

November 03 RPR
August 04 HRH
August 05 HRH
April 06 HRH
March 07 HRH

 

[k&a&c'smom]

FireandIce - if you deduct the price you would have paid for 2/7-day unlimited tickets, (approx. $182 with online special) you are actually paying around $290/nt. with tax! Does that make you feel any better? (ETA: this, of course, presumes you are staying 4 nights; because the price of the "free" tickets stays the same, if you stay 5 nights, it's around $299 with tax; 6 nights, approx. $306 with tax; 7 nights, $310 with tax)

That's where my dilemma started - pay the AAA price of $260/nt. plus tax (total of $292.61/night) for my room, and pay separately for our tickets; or, pay a bit more for our room rate ($325/night with tax) and get 2 free tickets. As of this moment, I come out around $50 ahead to purchase the pkg. and one online special ticket. You would need to price out your particulars to determine if the pkg. saves you overall.

 

[FireandIce]

Thank you k&a&c'smom, I feel a little better, it is 4 nights. I will keep checking for deals since Damo says we are able to switch deals. I love this board !! Any more advice is welcome from all. Thanks again.

Nov 03 RPR
Aug 04 HRH
Aug 05 HRH
Apr 06 HRH
Mar 07 HRH

 

[Janet2k]

I’m going to add a few questions to this thread since I am such a newbie regarding Universal. I’ve only been there once and that was years & years ago for a day trip in the middle of a Disney vacation.

Is the $260+tax/night AAA rate at HRH that k&a&c’smom mentioned a good rate for July? Do better rates come out as the summer approaches?

What phone number should I call if I am interested in booking? Do most folks call the number on the Loews site or the number on the Universal Orlando site? Does it matter? Also, does Dreams Unlimited handle Universal vacations? (I know they handle Disney vacations because I’ve used them many times.)

Are packages in general a good idea with Universal vacations, or is booking each of the pieces separately usually the better way to go?

 

[Disneyhappy]

First off... FireandIce, welcome to the boards!

Janet2K- I think $260 is the going AAA rate for the HRH this summer. I was amazed when I called a week ago for prices on all of the resorts to find that HRH cost more than than PBH. I booked club at PBH for $327/night. RPR Club level was $271 and HRH Club level was $368. I am thinking of switching to RPR because we actually like their club level better than HRH and we like the shorter walks to the park vs PBH. Of course the kids like HRH better but economics won out on this trip. The kids are old enough that they can go hand out at HRH pool if they want to since pool hoppingis allowed. If you have an annual pass, APH discounts should be available as we get closer to summer.
Gook Luck!

 

[LakeAriel]

I got a garden view room at PBH for $215 plus tax AAA. It is in the second half of August 2007, so I guess that is their slow season?

 

[k&a&c'smom]

Lake Ariel - that is the very question I've been hoping to have answered. (what are the "seasons" and what types of discounts one might reasonably expect for each season) When planning for our WDW trips, I can usually discover what the rack rate is for a certain timeframe, then find the discounted rates available and choose what works best for me. With UO, I'm totally in the dark, and can't seem to find what the best rates are for my vacation. For instance, with WDW I know that for value season you can get a 15% discount on a deluxe resort, during regular and peak seasons it will be a 10% discount (if available), and if there is an AP discount, it will probably be announced about 3 months prior. I can find the dates for each season and the rack rates for those dates, so I can get a feel for what I'm looking at, moneywise. If there is a good website out there with this type of info for UO, please, please someone point me to it and I'll be glad to do my own research!

I've seen posts where others have stated they got their HRH room for, say, $150/night with AP rate, but can't determine if this is recent, if it is tax included or plus tax, whether it is an aberration or a fairly common thing, if they usually announce AP rates (or better pkgs.) early or only as the date approaches, whether it is best to call Loews or Universal Resorts directly for accurate information (or if they are one and the same). I can't find out if AP rates are usually a set amount (eg, $80/night) or if they are a percentage, or if it varies - and can't find how often AP's are offered, or if there is a pattern.

I've read many of the threads on this board, but there aren't a lot of them so most of my questions remain just that: questions. I don't want something for nothing, don't mind paying for my vacation and will pay full price if that is the only option. But, like anyone, if there is a discount to be had, I'd as soon have it as not and the best discount available, please! I hate that feeling you get when on a plane and your seatmate states "I booked this flight for $75!" and you refuse to respond with "gee, that's great, I booked mine for $300!" lol

***ps - to all loyal UO fans out there, please don't take this as a slam against UO or your board, I'm just floundering around trying to learn the ropes. I hope the learning curve is a gentle one.

 

[LakeAriel]

Lake Ariel - that is the very question I've been hoping to have answered. (what are the "seasons" and what types of discounts one might reasonably expect for each season) When planning for our WDW trips, I can usually discover what the rack rate is for a certain timeframe, then find the discounted rates available and choose what works best for me. With UO, I'm totally in the dark, and can't seem to find what the best rates are for my vacation. For instance, with WDW I know that for value season you can get a 15% discount on a deluxe resort, during regular and peak seasons it will be a 10% discount (if available), and if there is an AP discount, it will probably be announced about 3 months prior. I can find the dates for each season and the rack rates for those dates, so I can get a feel for what I'm looking at, moneywise. If there is a good website out there with this type of info for UO, please, please someone point me to it and I'll be glad to do my own research!

I've seen posts where others have stated they got their HRH room for, say, $150/night with AP rate, but can't determine if this is recent, if it is tax included or plus tax, whether it is an aberration or a fairly common thing, if they usually announce AP rates (or better pkgs.) early or only as the date approaches, whether it is best to call Loews or Universal Resorts directly for accurate information (or if they are one and the same). I can't find out if AP rates are usually a set amount (eg, $80/night) or if they are a percentage, or if it varies - and can't find how often AP's are offered, or if there is a pattern.

I've read many of the threads on this board, but there aren't a lot of them so most of my questions remain just that: questions. I don't want something for nothing, don't mind paying for my vacation and will pay full price if that is the only option. But, like anyone, if there is a discount to be had, I'd as soon have it as not and the best discount available, please! I hate that feeling you get when on a plane and your seatmate states "I booked this flight for $75!" and you refuse to respond with "gee, that's great, I booked mine for $300!" lol

***ps - to all loyal UO fans out there, please don't take this as a slam against UO or your board, I'm just floundering around trying to learn the ropes. I hope the learning curve is a gentle one.

I'm in the same boat! I am a former Disneyholic who went to Universal studos on a day trip during my Disney trip 5 years ago! That's it! So I started reading these boards and looking at the onsite hotels. I think the FOTL idea will be wonderful. With the fast passes I would enter the park, almost run to the very other side of the park, hope there were fast passes left and then visit other parts of the theme park. It was very commando. The idea of a fast pass for each ride next summer sounds great to me. I think the AAA rate is a substantial savings. I also was very pleased to learn of the "one free child's pass, per adult" since it will be two adults and two children for exactly three nights. Worked perfectly...That's all I can share as for now but am anxious for every tidbit..Oh Yes, the dining. I think we will do the meal plan and eat counter service while at Universal and full course meals at Disney. Except for one breakfast with Spiderman, I couldn't withhold from my 6 year old Grandson!

 

[damo]

Hotel prices seem to be supply and demand at Universal. The high seasons are October, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring Break and Summer (until mid august when lots of schools start).

Best times to go seem to be September, early November, early December, the time up to spring break and the time between spring break and summer.

We have gone in mid December and early May to very low crowds. The good thing about staying onsite is that you don't have to worry about the crowds. The only thing is that the crowd size tends to drive up hotel price (of course).

Use this website to test out dates and check out rates
https://universalhotels.ibe.netbooker.com/web/FrontController.nb4

Use AAA as a rate code since it usually doesn't come up on its own. Many other rates will.

 

[k&a&c'smom]

Janet2k - I accidentally left you off my last post, sorry! Looks like you have the same questions that I do - we'll learn together! I used the number on the UO website, it is not the same phone number that is on the Loews site, but I don't know if that makes a difference. I assume it's like CRO where they have many different numbers for the same thing.

LakeAriel - I know what you mean, our last trip to UO was nearly 6 years ago, we really enjoyed FOTL access - I wish WDW had it. (although, with so many more resort rooms, it probably wouldn't work as well at Disney) I was so disbelieving that it was real, we didn't use our room key for the first couple hours we were in IOA, we stood in the regular line! Finally, I sent one of the kids up to a park employee and they told us how they work - what a great deal!

My kids are too old for any of the "kids free" pkgs., at UO or Disney. Phooey!

damo - thanks a lot for all the info you've provided, it's been a great help. Unfortunately, I have to vacation in the summer for a while yet, with HS and college kids - so, it looks like no low-season for me yet!

 

[k&a&c'smom]

I wanted to add to my own thread, since others seem to be having the same problems I'm having - and maybe my ramblings will strike a chord with someone.

I played around in the UO website this morning, and found some of the info that I'd been looking for. My problem had been that I saw the two green highlighted captions at the top of the opening page, "Need help planning?" and "need a price?" and clicked on hotels under "need a price?", which sent me to a page that asked for my vacation dates, etc. After entering this info, a page came up with prices for "stay 4, play free" and separate prices for "seasonal rates", but I did not find anywhere to click for the dates of the seasons, or explanations of the deals. Only links to choose one of the rates.

Today, I did this again, same results - so I went back to the opening page, and noticed links below these highlighted captions which read "theme parks", "hotels", "shows", "night life", etc.

Now, I'm not an internet novice, and I did try these links previously, but did not find what I was looking for. When I clicked on "hotels" my first visit to the page, I saw the link for "rates and offers" to the right, clicked on it, and only saw the "featured deal" of "stay 4, play free" advertised.

Today, when I got to that page, I noticed something I hadn't previously - that at the top of the page, there were subtitles: "featured offer", "seasonal rates", "super saver", "florida resident rates". I clicked on the "seasonal rates" link, and voila! there were the seasons. I felt like I'd scored a touchdown! *I also felt like a dunce, what a dichotomy, *

So, there are pages on the UO website that explain the seasons, the super saver rate, etc. You just have to dig to find them!

damo - I tried to use the link you provided, but could not get it to work. I run Mozilla, so I tried it in Explorer as well, still couldn't get it to work. Is it possible there are two characters inverted?

 

[damo]

Hmmm...not sure what happened with the link. I think it just got truncated somehow. Here it is again.

https://universalhotels.ibe.netbook...UEHRH+UEPBH+UERPR&lookAndFeelId=969&locale=en

 

[k&a&c'smom]

Thank you so much! Yes, that was very helpful!

 

[nymomof3]

just thought i would add what we are paying in July at rpr with aaa i think it was like $197 i might be off a dollar or 2 i can't remember exactly but that was the best rate i could find.