So...What if I wanted to spend Christmas at Universal?

[disney's daughter]

Have any of you spent Christmas (Day including a day or two before and a day or two after) at Universal Studios? How was it?...And...If we were thinking about staying at Hard Rock ..will the prices be sky high at that time?...Should we just go on and get our park tickets on line and then get our hotel reservations..or should we try to wait for some sort of package deal?.....just my sister, her husband, my husband and me...from 55 year sold up to 65 years old... I know quite a bit when it comes to Disney...but, I am afraid..I don't know much of the "ins and outs" of Universal.... :I'd appreciate any advice...

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

We have never spent Christmas Day at Universal, but in the past we have gone 12/26/01-12/30/01, 12/19/03-12/23/03 and 12/19/04-12/24/04. I do not remember the rates being all that high. I don't remember the rate for our 2001 rate--it was part of a package. For 2003 our rate was $135/night poolview and for 2004 the rate was $144/night for poolview. I do know that the rate for 2004 spiked after our departure. I had originally booked only through 12/23 then wanted to add a night. The rate I was given was $288 to add the extra night! We did not do that in advance. When we were at the hotel we talked them into letting us have the extra night for $144, though they also told us the rate for the extra night would be $288.

 

[disney's daughter]

So...Would you recommend a package rather than to get everything separately? My sister just checked to see about how much Hard Rock would be at that time and she said it was over $344.00 per night! That is a bit steep...however..I realize what time of the year it is....

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

I have not done a package since I found these boards. When I was there in 8/03 I had length of stay tickets through my package. These cost about $135 each. When we were there, we decided to upgrade to an AP. We paid an additional $40 each and got AP's--for two years. At the time, there was a promotion going on that gave you two years for the price of one. I tell you that because lately, the best rates have been the AP rates. The rates I got in Dec. '03 and Dec. '04 were probaby Entertainment rates which I understand are no longer offered. You may want to check the AP rates for the time of your trip and see if it is worth while for at least one of you to get an AP. You will need one AP for each room.

You can also ask for a AAA discount. What type of room are you interested in?

 

[blueangel]

I just made our reservations for this christmas (22-25) at the Royal Pacific, and that worked out to 289/night. Sounded high until I though about the Contemporary reservations I'd just made... We just decided that the perks (front of the line, priority seating, parking, etc) made it worth it.

My questions is...what time to the parks close at this time of the year? We've only ever done Disney in December before.... Help.

 

[disney's daughter]

I have stayed at the Hard Rock before and I thought the rooms were a nice size...We thought the four of us would try to share a room...All we would be doing would be getting ready and sleeping....I read where the Royal Pacific rooms were a bit smaller than the Hard Rock...Should I just wait a few more months before making reservations?