So..What do I do?

[disney's daughter]

If I wanted to take ten of us next February 2007 to Universal and stay at Hard Rock....(take into consideration I am used to taking everyone to Disney...using my AP pass to get the dining discounts..and Best Rate programs...and purchasing the airline tickets early..so I can pay all year for the trip and not owe anything when it is over).....Would I be better off getting a AAA membership?...Wait for a "package deal"...which would include room and tickets....?....Go on and buy the park tickets on line...and then wait to get the rooms? I don't know which approach to take as I have only been to Universal a few times and it didn't include ten of us...I'd need three rooms...and my husband wants to stay at Hard Rock...on site...I think planning a Universal trip (and Sea World)...will be quite different from my Disney ones.....

 

[disneyfreakk]

hmm, thats quite alot of work you have ahead of you! GOOD LUCK!!

How long will you be staying onsite? I might be able to help you come up with a plan if i knew that

 

[disney's daughter]

Well...we usually stay five or six nights when we go to Disney..I don't think we would need six nights for Universal....IOA...and Sea World, though...Do you think? We always have to come in February the week going into President's weekend so the grandchildren don't miss as much school...(they get that Friday and Monday off) We'd most likely either be coming either the Tuesday or Wednesday before and come back President's Day..that Monday....

 

[phamton]

I would buy a preferred annual pass for one person. Then you can get discounts on your hotel and 15% discount for purchasing tickets for the others (you'd have to buy the tickets for 6 people with one order and the other 4 people with another order as you only get the discount for up to 6 people on tickets) and you'd also get 15% discount on all food and merchandise for everyone. Right now, there is a great deal for 5 day tickets at only $99.95 plus you get one child's ticket free for every adult ticket purchased. You can't use your AP discount on these as they are already highly discounted but it is a great deal. You could also get the Power Pass (AP with blackout dates) instead for another $10 more but you wouldn't get the free child's tickets if you did that.

 

[robvia]

AAA is worth it, most of the people on this board (including myself) got the best rate with AAA, then a few checked again using the APH (annual passholder) and got a few bucks cheaper, but mine was the same.

With 10 people, I'd call a human and discuss options over the phone.
3 days is usually enough to see both parks. The idea is you visit 1 park each day, then the 3rd day for favorites. A 4th day would be needed for SWF.

So I'd say you need at least 3 nights. Your FOTL prividledges start the day you check in, and you can do it at 7am. So you'll want to check in early your first morning, and visit a park. Your rooms may not be ready until 4pm, but you can get your magic keys and tour the parks.

 

[disneyfreakk]

I agree with phantom, get the tickets NOW while they are on sale.And you cant go wrong with buying atleast one prefered annual pass. most everyone saves more than the cost of the prefered annual pass with the discounts alone. However, you can only book one room with the APH rate. I am not sure how many rooms you can book with one AAA membership, but you might want to look into that.

 

[disney's daughter]

Would a Universal annual pass allow me some dinning discounts ....paying for ten people? Unlike Disney ....where I go several times a year....I'd only go to Universal maybe once every two years.....so if I purchased an annual pass...it would have to be so I would get enough benefits to make it worth it when I take our "group"....the one time......

 

[phamton]

Absolutely! I have an annual pass for Disney and there are many exclusions for dining discounts. Your AP for Universal will work in all the eating places except for the carts.

Here a are the benefits for a preferred annual pass:

DISCOUNTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE FOLLOWING:

Universal Studios Florida & Universal's Islands of Adventure Theme Parks

* 10% savings on single day & 15% savings on multi-day theme park tickets (up to 6 people)
* Free admission to select special events, such as Mardi Gras
* Special discounts on separately ticketed events, such as Halloween Horror Nights and Rock the Universe
* 10% savings on select VIP Tours (call 407-363-8295 to book your VIP Tour - dates subject to availability).
* 20% savings at merchandise stores and carts (excluding The Master Coin Monster and Mystics of the Seven Veils)
* 15% savings at all restaurants (excluding carts and alcohol)



Universal CityWalk Orlando Entertainment Complex

* 20% savings on a CityWalk Party Pass (up to 4 people)
* CityWalk venue discounts* are as follows:
o Air Brush Wizard - 10% savings
o Bob Marley, A Tribute to FreedomSM - 15% savings on food & beverage
o Cinnabon® - 20% savings
o CityJazz® - 15% savings on food & beverage
o Dapy® - 20% savings
o Decades Cafe- 15% savings on food & beverage
o The Endangered Species StoreSM - 10% Savings
o Get Wired - 10% savings
o Glow!® - 20% savings
o Hair Wraps - 10% savings
o Hard Rock Café® Orlando - 10% savings on merchandise, food and beverages
o Hard Rock LIVE - 2 free admissions to "Livewire" & "Jam Bando" local nights (118 and up only - call 407-351-LIVE for schedule of events)
o Horse Drawn Carriages - 10% savings
o Jimmy Buffet's®; Margaritaville® - 10% savings on savings on food, beverages, and merchandise
o Latin QuarterTM - 15% savings on food & beverages
o NASCAR CaféTM - 10% savings on food & beverages
o NBA City - 10% off food on food & beverages, one (1) free interactive game card per passholder, and one (1) $3.00 off merchandise voucher per party
o PastamoreSM Ristorante & Market - 15% savings on food & beverages, plus kids (ages 3-9) eat free for dinner with the purchase of an adult entrée (limit one (1) per party for up to $4.95)
o PPat O'Brien’s® Orlando - 15% savings on food & beverage, plus kids (ages 3-9) eat free from 4:00 PM-9:00 PM eastern with the purchase of an adult entrée (limit one (1) per party)
o The grooveSM - 2 for 1 domestic drafts
o Quiet Flight® Surf Shop - 10% savings
o Rant N Rave Jewelry - 10% savings
o Starbucks - 15% savings
o Universal Cineplex - $6.00 admission after 6:00 PM on Sundays though Thursdays AND $2.25 off admission on Friday & Saturday
o Universal Studios Store® - 20% savings



Universal Orlando® Resort Hotels

* Save up to 30% off* room rates at each of the three (3) onsite hotels (for reservations call 1 866-PASS-4-FUN)
* 10% discount at Mandara Spa at the Portofino Bay Hotel (Call 407-503-1244 for appointments)
* Save 10% at the following restaurants*:
o Trattoria del Porto® at the Portofino Bay Hotel, A Loews Hotel
o The Kitchen at the Hard Rock Hotel
o Islands Dining Room at the Royal Pacific Resort
o Wantilan Luau at the Royal Pacific Resort (call 407-503-DINE to receive discount)



Wet 'n Wild Orlando Water Park

* Save $20.00 off the regular price Annual Pass (valid for the passholder only- not applicable to the purchase of a Weekday Annual Pass)
* Save 25% off the regular price of an all-day admission to Wet 'n Wild Orlando (valid for the passholder only - blackout dates apply)
* Save 10% in the Breakers Beach Shop (excluding sundries)



Additional Discounts

* Free self-parking each time you visit, or pay for 2 hours of valet parking and get the rest of the day for free.
* Special price of $4.00 for preferred parking (regular price is $13.00)
* 10% discount at Samsonite Company Stores (call 1-800-547-BAGS for the store near you)
* Free use of kennels for one (1) pet on the day of your visit (subject to availability)
* $100 off Birthday Parties (call 407-224-BDAY for more details)

 

[PooohBear]

I read on another thread that those tickets for free days/free kids expire 12/06

 

[lindalinda]

they extended it a few days ago...so no sweatin it out now