Sky high hotel rates

[Gentry2004]

Definitely agree but I also think this bubble will burst. There is high demand right now with travelers that needed to reschedule past trips as well as those who are just happy to be traveling again so they will pay whatever. But with those trips dying off as well as rising inflation cutting people's discretionary funding long term I don't think these rates will last...

I also agree that its a bubble. My husband's entire raise this year was more than eaten up with increased healthcare premiums, etc. so it feels like we actually lost money.

 

[tink2424]

I also agree that its a bubble. My husband's entire raise this year was more than eaten up with increased healthcare premiums, etc. so it feels like we actually lost money.

Sorry to hear that. I also have a similar situation where I started a new job and it is more money but I don't see much of it due to taxes and inflation... Hopefully it won't last but yeah I think travel is still going to be on shaky ground for the next few years at least when inflation really starts to set in in the US and maybe WW.

 

[MomOTwins]

I definitely think there is a lot more demand from Disney "refugees"--I'm one of them--visited Universal twice in 2021, first at Portofino, then Royal Pacific. Next trip staying at Sapphire Falls. I'll upgrade to a premier for the right price, but not at $600. I don't think I'd be willing to pay much more than $400 for them. I am the kind of person willing to pay $600 for a deluxe at disney though, and here's the difference:

(1) At disney deluxes, the rooms are large and almost all of the deluxe resorts comfortably sleep 5, with "real" bedding for all (as opposed to the $39 a night rollaway for the 5th person at Universal that barely fits in the room and makes an already quite small room uncomfortable cramped).
(2) The disney deluxes have more of a transportation benefit relative to the disney mods and values--the deluxes often are walkable or have boat transportation compared to bus only at lower tiers. That means it feels more than a true upgrade than at Universal, where the lower-priced hotels are all pretty convenient to the parks--and sapphire falls even has a boat.
(3) For at least some disney fans (including me), who are used to parks that are more about the atmosphere than the rides, and attractions that are not really "thrill" rides, the express pass is a nice to have but I'd be fine without it. I don't do coasters that go upside down, and a lot of the rides were a bit too ugly/scary for me (Mummy, Jurassic World, Forbidden Journey, and Kong especially) and the more tame stuff felt too geared to kids (Minions, Seuss, Transformers Spidey). The second time we went to universal, I basically only did four things: (1) Hagrids, which doesn't even accept express pass (2) Gringotts, (3) Flight of the Hippogriff, and (4) just spending time in the Wizarding World playing with wands, snacking/drinking, and exploring shops. I realize this is not everyone's experience coming from Disney, but I don't think I'm alone among the Disney refugees--there are a lot of people like me used to just hanging out in World Showcase having a low-key day, exploring Pandora, or wandering out Galaxy's edge with a ronto wrap---or, importantly, just spending a day without a park ticket at a deluxe resort--who don't really put a huge value on express pass.

I don't question that there is a ton of demand for the Universal premier resorts now because everyone is coming over from Disney for the first time and premier seems like a natural choice to people who view it as Disney deluxe accommodations but with unlimited fastpass. But I don't think it'll last. With the exception of Wizarding World, nothing else at Universal appealed to me in the way Disney does. Wizarding World along is good enough I'm going back in a couple of weeks and likely will be back again to use my annual pass one more time, but I definitely won't be paying $600 for a premier hotel. I'll stay at a lower budget one or stay at disney and uber to universal for the day.

 

[CTDisneygal]

We were going to switch half our trip to US. The lowest deluxe at US priced out at double ($764 or $746, I can’t remember) the nightly rate I am paying at AKL.

we all want to do US, but for those prices, not going to happen.

 

[Nabas]

We were going to switch half our trip to US. The lowest deluxe at US priced out at double ($764 or $746, I can’t remember) the nightly rate I am paying at AKL.

we all want to do US, but for those prices, not going to happen.

What nights at Universal are you looking for?

 

[CTDisneygal]

What nights at Universal are you looking for?

Anytime between 4/20-4/28

 

[Nabas]

Anytime between 4/20-4/28

We are looking for some of the same nights.

Universal has not yet released Annual Pass discount rates for those nights. If you have not already purchased your tickets, it might be worth it to buy at least one annual pass to get a hotel discount.

No need to decide until Universal releases Annual Pass rates for those nights, which might be in a month or so.

 

[CTDisneygal]

We are looking for some of the same nights.

Universal has not yet released Annual Pass discount rates for those nights. If you have not already purchased your tickets, it might be worth it to buy at least one annual pass to get a hotel discount.

No need to decide until Universal releases Annual Pass rates for those nights, which might be in a month or so.

Thanks for the info. I was looking at the various AP options last night and saw there weren't any AP rates for the resorts when I searched. Assumed, incorrectly, that the rates were all taken. I never even considered the thought they may not have been released.

I will table the decision until they're released, although that's dreadful for the planner in me. Lol

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

Thanks for the info. I was looking at the various AP options last night and saw there weren't any AP rates for the resorts when I searched. Assumed, incorrectly, that the rates were all taken. I never even considered the thought they may not have been released.

I will table the decision until they're released, although that's dreadful for the planner in me. Lol

If you’re a planner, one thing about US that’s different then Disney is that booking early often gets you a much lower rate. I just booked the weekend before Thanksgiving for $340 a night. RPR is $300 a night for those dates.

 

[CTDisneygal]

If you’re a planner, one thing about US that’s different then Disney is that booking early often gets you a much lower rate. I just booked the weekend before Thanksgiving for $340 a night. RPR is $300 a night for those dates.

Good to know. We didn’t originally plan US for this trip, otherwise I would have looked back in August when I booked Disney.

 

[MLB1974]

Does anyone know what the last week of June is like for rates historically?

 

[Good&Plenty]

I've been watching the rates at HRH (for a middle of August stay) for a while. Today was the first time since I have been monitoring that the rates fell from absurdly high levels to high but reasonable levels. The rates also seem to change often from day to day.

 

[Lilias]

We just last-minute decided to stay onsite at Universal the weekend following our week-long Disney trip next month (just gonna chill at the resort/city walk) and my eyes bugged out of my head at the prices, haha. Granted, we used to be passholders and generally go to Universal for OI Meetups now, so we're used to paying like... ~$200 a night for Portofino. Portofino would be $684 a night during my dates!

So I just paid $329 a night for Sapphire Falls and considered myself lucky, even though I think that one is like ~$125 during meetups (I can't really remember, but I know it was less than 200 lol).

Hot. Dang. I knew spring break-y times would be more, but geeeez.

 

[lisam70]

We just last-minute decided to stay onsite at Universal the weekend following our week-long Disney trip next month (just gonna chill at the resort/city walk) and my eyes bugged out of my head at the prices, haha. Granted, we used to be passholders and generally go to Universal for OI Meetups now, so we're used to paying like... ~$200 a night for Portofino. Portofino would be $684 a night during my dates!

So I just paid $329 a night for Sapphire Falls and considered myself lucky, even though I think that one is like ~$125 during meetups (I can't really remember, but I know it was less than 200 lol).

Hot. Dang. I knew spring break-y times would be more, but geeeez.

I know it’s crazy!! I paid $115 for SF beginning of December AP rate. Keep waiting for lower I want to go end of April/beginning of May but worried I’ll never see that again

 

[Lilias]

Right?? And that was the Seasonal rate! I don't think it gets much lower than that when you don't have an AP, so I think I'm stuck with it :x I hope it calms down for you in the next few months! Maybe. Eep.

Staying those nights at a Disney hotel is of course much, much worse, haha. Which is why we decided to just chill at Citywalk for a few days instead of try to extend our Disney trip. I lucked out and rented points for BWV waay back before this crazy inflation or whatever-it-is with the prices started.

 

[TommyJK]

Anytime between 4/20-4/28

I think the big problem you're seeing is that all of the "Be a savvy traveller" rates for the deluxe/premium resorts are booked up. Be a Savvy Traveller is what their "stay more, save more" discount used to be. If you stay for 3 nights or more they have quite good discounts. But they don't make every room available at that reduced rate. Once the set number of rooms they designate at that rate are booked, you're stuck with rack rate, which then continues to rise in price as dates get closer, more rooms get booked.

Looking at your dates, RPR only has the Captain's Presidential Suite with the Savvy Traveller discount left, and even for rack rate rooms, RPR only has Standard Queen or Presidential Suite, no other room types available. HRH and PBR don't have any Savvy Traveller rates left, and not many other room choices at rack rate left either.

What it comes down to is for your dates right now, things just seem really heavily booked.

As others have noted, it really pays off to book really early. As an example, I'm looking at rooms just before Christmas which is typically quite busy, but if I book now (I'm considering it) I could get a Waterview Room at RPR for $260/night or a Club Level Room for $322 a night. Or on the budget end of things I could get Endless Summer for $83 a night, CB or Aventura for $118/night or SF for $164/night

 

[Nabas]

I know it’s crazy!! I paid $115 for SF beginning of December AP rate. Keep waiting for lower I want to go end of April/beginning of May but worried I’ll never see that again

We also are waiting for an end of April discount. Looks like they are only up to the first week of April.

For a weekday, it’s looking like something around $180 for Sapphire Falls with discount.

A year ago, you could find the Royal Pacific for around that price.

 

[asuburbanman]

I just booked a last minute one night trip next week to Royal Pacific. It was $208. Figure I’d never see those rates again. I’m going solo to decompress from work. We booked for March at like $415 on a Saturday at RP. Insane that there is such a drastic difference a month apart (I know weekends are usually more).

 

[cfoxga]

I just booked a last minute one night trip next week to Royal Pacific. It was $208. Figure I’d never see those rates again. I’m going solo to decompress from work. We booked for March at like $415 on a Saturday at RP. Insane that there is such a drastic difference a month apart (I know weekends are usually more).

I've been watching Feb 18-21 (President's Day), Mar 14-18, and Apr 2-9 (Spring Break for our county), and the prices are in the $600-750 range for deluxe resorts. There have been very few APH rates, and there are not many choices for rooms even at full price. As long as they sell out the hotels, I would expect this to become the "new normal" for peak pricing...

 

[ladyderks]

I've been watching Feb 18-21 (President's Day), Mar 14-18, and Apr 2-9 (Spring Break for our county), and the prices are in the $600-750 range for deluxe resorts. There have been very few APH rates, and there are not many choices for rooms even at full price. As long as they sell out the hotels, I would expect this to become the "new normal" for peak pricing...

Our spring break is that same week, and prices are crazy. Planning on going during our September break instead, and prices that week are pretty decent using the savvy traveler rate.

I found it interesting that last year - our break was the 3rd week in September, and I remember looking at the following week and wishing our break was then - because that week had better pricing and availability, and we would have stayed a week had the prices not been so crazy (instead of doing one park day tacked on to the end of our Disney Trip).

This year our break is the 4th week in September. Out of curiosity, I checked pricing for the 3rd week.
339/389/397 across the 3 premier resorts Sunday - Friday. No ST rates available.
Pricing for the 4th week (Sunday - Friday) is 254/310/303 with the ST rate, so I’ve booked that.
Kind of hoping our county keeps September break at the 4th week - it’s a big price difference! Wonder why there’s such a difference in pricing between those 2 weeks. No holidays, not busy season