Research and more questions. What would you do?

[damo]

For the other posters talking about keeping cool in the heat of the summer....there are amazing water rides at IOA that I highly suggest doing. They really keep you cool.

 

[Melanie230]

For us staying onsite is key. We don't do it just for the FOTL pass. We do it for many reasons. We love that we can get back to our room in less than 10 minutes to cool off, change clothes, grab something we need for later in the day, or just go to the pool for a little while. Being able to not worry about getting in the car to drive over, or walk an extra 15 minutes to our hotel especially if it is during the day and you are planning on returning is such a perk. The hotels are just amazing. I do recognize that it can be very expensive to stay onsite, but we try to make sure we look at every deal we can find. So onsite is truly not just a FOTL freebie for us...there is so much more to it.

 

[AnjieNet]

From what I remember, the discount wasn't huge ($5-10 a night) but the extra perks were great. I think the Harry Potter extra hour was more due to our hotel being a partner rather than the AAA but we got it so that's all that mattered. With AAA, we got priority seating to 4 or 5 shows in both parks which was nice to get first pick of seats and get out of the sun earlier than the rest. We also got City Walk party passes so we didn't have to pay cover to any of the bars/clubs - I definitely recommend City Walk at night, it was great! We also got free souvenir cups, first fill free. We didn't really want to carry them around the park and they're nothing special but we got them on the way out one day which was great for free.

I bought the Unofficial Guide Beyond Disney and followed their suggestions exactly... it was perfect! It seemed like we just beat the crowds everywhere. The book is basically everything in Orlando that's not Disney - so Universal, Sea World, non-Disney waterparks, local restaurants etc. Highly recommended.

Thanks for the information! We usually go through AAA and I love the deals we've gotten with WDW and DLR. Happy they offer them with Universal too. We are considering staying onsite as we want the extra hour but we won't necessarily need the FOTL as we are going in September (right? We shouldn't need it this time of year?). Doing a partner hotel for a bit cheaper and still getting the extra hour sounds good. We'll look into it as well as getting the book.

 

[damo]

Thanks for the information! We usually go through AAA and I love the deals we've gotten with WDW and DLR. Happy they offer them with Universal too. We are considering staying onsite as we want the extra hour but we won't necessarily need the FOTL as we are going in September (right? We shouldn't need it this time of year?). Doing a partner hotel for a bit cheaper and still getting the extra hour sounds good. We'll look into it as well as getting the book.

Here is the link for getting the offsite hotels with the early entry package.

http://www.universalorlando.com/Flo...ok.aspx?ComponentId=10368&SourcePageId=7805#4

When I called Universal to ask about early entry and offsite hotels, I was told that the only way you get early entry when staying offsite was to purchase one of these packages through them.

 

[AnjieNet]

Here is the link for getting the offsite hotels with the early entry package.

http://www.universalorlando.com/Flo...ok.aspx?ComponentId=10368&SourcePageId=7805#4

When I called Universal to ask about early entry and offsite hotels, I was told that the only way you get early entry when staying offsite was to purchase one of these packages through them.

Interesting that I couldn't even find a mention of the early entry by booking an offsite hotel on the website! A nice way to shuttle people into staying onsite, I'm sure!

 

[damo]

Interesting that I couldn't even find a mention of the early entry by booking an offsite hotel on the website! A nice way to shuttle people into staying onsite, I'm sure!

All you have to do is click on the packages tab at the top and it comes up. They aren't hiding anything. They certainly do talk about offsite and onsite.

http://www.universalorlando.com/Florida_Vacation_Packages/bf/vacation_packages_overview.aspx is the direct link.

You could also click on packages or the big link on the bottom left on the main page and it will lead you there. Also there is a huge link on the first page that says The Wizarding World of Harry Potter exclusive vacation offer that take you to a page with both offsite and onsite hotels. Also if you search "early park admission" it will take you to pages with offsite and onsite.

This is what it says, "Stay as long as you want in your choice of on-site or partner hotels, choose the theme park ticket for you and select from a wide variety of add ons."

Then it says, "Select the hotel of your choice and add theme park admission to enjoy both Universal Orlando's theme parks! Plus, receive Early Park Admission to Islands of Adventure!"

Universal doesn't own their onsite hotels.

Remember that just booking an offsite hotel won't get you early admission. You have to book a PACKAGE. Also remember that Universal calls it "Early Admission" not "early entry" like Disney...so you won't find references to early entry.

 

[reelmom]

I just posted yesterday that there was no way I'd pay to stay onsite at universal but then I found out that staying one night allows express pass for two full days. I did the math and this might really work out for us. Please look at my two options and tell me what you would do.

Dates: Sunday Jan 22 and Monday Jan 23rd.

Stay in universal resort hotel Sunday night and only get 2 day base tickets but we will have express passes both those days.


Dates: Sunday Jan 22-Monday Jan 23rd and thursday 26th

Do not stay in universal resort and get 3 day park to park access tickets and no express passes.


Thanks so much for any advice or opinions. Just some background. We are not fans of lines or huge crowds which is why we take our kids out of school to do these trips. The difference between the two options is about $100 more to stay in the universal hotel once I account for all the parking charges that we would normally have and taking off a day and leaving out park to park access.

Sorry so long winded. I guess the overall question is with the express passes will we be able to see and do everything in 2 days instead of going 3 and not having them?

Thanks,
Debbie

I believe that you still have to pay for parking when staying onsite.

 

[AnjieNet]

Ah, that's where I went wrong. I wasn't in the vacation packages section. But they really should have that listed as a "Benefit", add park admission and you get Early Admission. I wouldn't have known without this thread by just looking at the partner hotels and it's quite a benefit to me.

 

[macraven]

That's too funny, that was what I was referring to when I said I was going to study!!! I could have sworn it was a sticky, but I looked when you posted and saw it wasn't there. Didn't it give tips for the left lane and right lane? I want to know the Mummy secret too!!!!!

to put the info here would be too long and ot.
i made a new thread, something from the past....2005

the info is in that thread.

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

Also, for those that may not have AAA. The first time we stayed at universal, the AAA resort discount was actually more than the AAA membership...so it was like getting a free year of AAA!