Smart Money with DVC Stay/Express Pass?

[Stitch_Fan_79]

As DVC members, we want to use our points for next spring break trip to defray as much hotel cost as we can. However, our kids are older and with Epic its finally time to try some Universal. We know we want to also get Express Pass.

So, I noticed the 3 day ticket is something you can use over 6 days. Could we perhaps a la cart buy Express Pass for 1 day at Epic (while we're staying at DVC still)... and then at the end of our trip plan for one night at Royal Pacific for the free express pass covering two days, and use that for the other two days of the ticket (the original two parks)?

Getting two days of express pass for one night at a hotel with 4 of us is a really good deal (we save looks like ~$200-300), plus we'd be close to the parks to spend both days back to back. When we start doing more days together the value diminishes.

The other day we can check weather and such and try to plan a good Epic day. (We'll do Disney stuff the rest of the days). Gives us a break between what we anticipate bring three very long days too.

Is this doable and any other tips or insight from people who try to do both with DVC to make the best use of things? Is there something we'd not thinking of that makes this not worth it? (We're big time vs money people, so we typically will spend to save time if its worth it).

Thanks!

 

[georgina]

As DVC members, we want to use our points for next spring break trip to defray as much hotel cost as we can. However, our kids are older and with Epic its finally time to try some Universal. We know we want to also get Express Pass.

So, I noticed the 3 day ticket is something you can use over 6 days. Could we perhaps a la cart buy Express Pass for 1 day at Epic (while we're staying at DVC still)... and then at the end of our trip plan for one night at Royal Pacific for the free express pass covering two days, and use that for the other two days of the ticket (the original two parks)?

Getting two days of express pass for one night at a hotel with 4 of us is a really good deal (we save looks like ~$200-300), plus we'd be close to the parks to spend both days back to back. When we start doing more days together the value diminishes.

The other day we can check weather and such and try to plan a good Epic day. (We'll do Disney stuff the rest of the days). Gives us a break between what we anticipate bring three very long days too.

Is this doable and any other tips or insight from people who try to do both with DVC to make the best use of things? Is there something we'd not thinking of that makes this not worth it? (We're big time vs money people, so we typically will spend to save time if its worth it).

Thanks!

i can't comment on the ticket stuff, as I just bought single day Epic tickets. Spring break is going to be busy. Purchasing EP for Epic is not dependent on where you are staying, but if you are waiting to look at weather to decide when to go to Epic, I have no idea how quickly the express passes may sell out for those days. The plan for one night at Royal Pacific to get the 2 days of EP for IOA and US is a good one.

 

[DL1WDW2]

Has anybody called Universal to verify the additional cost per night for added adults to a reservation ? I am trying to remeber their policy .
I think I did this one holiday at the Hard Rock and was charged more than I anticipated for the family members to get the Express advantage.
Thanks but I don’t want to make that mistake again .

 

[keishashadow]

Has anybody called Universal to verify the additional cost per night for added adults to a reservation ? I am trying to remeber their policy .
I think I did this one holiday at the Hard Rock and was charged more than I anticipated for the family members to get the Express advantage.
Thanks but I don’t want to make that mistake again .

From 6 months ago, I’d be sure to double check

• Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, and Hard Rock Hotel: $55 per adult, per night (tax not included)
• Loews Sapphire Falls Resort and Universal Helios Grand Hotel: $25 per adult, per night (tax not included)
• Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort, Universal's Aventura Hotel, Universal Stella Nova Resort, and Universal Terra Luna Resort: $20 per adult, per night (tax not included)
• Universal's Endless Summer – Surfside Inn and Suites and Universal's Endless Summer – Dockside Inn and Suites: $15 per adult, per night (tax not included)

 

[Stitch_Fan_79]

The savings for doing the two days of EP for one night was based on a quote from the website for my family of four, so the math still works. Sounds like this is a doable plan, minus the (really good) point about Epic selling out early during spring break... we might book that ahead of time too and just hope for the best. Thanks everyone.

 

[Skywalker3]

Our Orlando trips the last few years have usually included 1-3 Universal days added onto a DVC stay, either at the beginning or end, usually the end. We often do just 1 night at premier to take advantage of the express w the room. However, now that Epic is open , I'm not sure how we'll plan the stays, but would likely still stay at Universal, not premier, that night too. We have very often driven from Disney early in the morning, like 6:30AM, checked in to hotel, got room keys, and made early entry. But then I much prefer to be in the Universal bubble for those days, not driving back to Boardwalk/Disney at the end of a long day. For Epic, we'd also likely get express separately just for it, if/when we get to go, especially if a busy time like a school break.

Happy planning!! glad y'all are trying out the 'other place.' Lots of great info here on these Univeral threads.

 

[kassonvike]

We ended up renting out our DVC points and using that money to get 7 nights at premier hotel at universal. There is a significant drop in price at 7 nights vs 4, 5, or 6 nights. I know thats more time than we need but I like the idea of being on site and just relaxing. We have 3 park tickets for entire stay and also one day at Epic. We'll see what crowds and stuff are like, if we get bored and think it will be worth while we might buy one more Epic day while we are there. I think the universal room was probably a bit more than our DVC dues but the tickets were cheaper than disney so close to a wash. I also find I don't have to plan anything for universal and we can pretty much just wing it. Its kind of liberating compared to disney vacations where I need to spend 2 days every year figuring out what the current fast pass rules/strategies are.