Splitting a Trip - Lodging Decisions

[C_leen]

Hello everyone!

I am planning a surprise trip to Universal Studios for DS age 11. I have NEVER been to the darkside! JK Rowling converts another...

Trip dates is late PM arrival on Wed 10/3, departure Wed 10/10. Somehow planning to split the trip with WDW, but I really don't want to feel constantly rushed. I am willing to miss things at WDW (Might not park hop this trip. Probably going to skip Epcot in favor of HS, AK, MK). Initial plan is to stay onsite at Universal.

Question 1: Am I crazy to spend so much on lodging to just go straight to Royal Pacific on eve of 10/3? Since I am traveling without DH, I feel it might help me not feel so rushed to have to get up from cheap hotel 10/4 to get to US for check in ASAP. It would be nice to wake up and know we are where we need to be. I'd like to start the trip on the new thing and then segue into what is familiar to me. But I can switch it up if need be.

Question 2: Am I crazy to seriously consider basing the entire trip from Royal Pacific? With the decreasing cost the more you stay, It ends up being a $40 difference. The other hotel I was looking to transfer to at WDW area is Holiday Inn in Downtown Disney. I was considering their freedom from fees daily rate of $139. I realize I'd have the effort of car rental, driving, and parking fees which would add up versus just transferring to Downtown Disney with a hotel that has an OK bus system to WDW.

Question 3: How busy is Columbus Day week?

Question 3: Should I consider trying to rent points and get a DVC if I am spending so much already?

Question 4: What other good hotels near Disney do you recommend?

Question 5: Is Harry Potter open at night if this halloween stuff is going on? I heard HP is neat at night?

Thanks everyone for helping me make some decisions to firm this trip up!



'Leen

 

[bumbershoot]

The Halloween Horror Night parties are held at the Universal park, not Islands of Adventure, so HP won't be affected.

If you're not planning to stay onsite at WDW, I'd just stay at Universal. Definitely.

There's a lot to be said to not having to pack up and move early in the morning, so I don't think it's a mistake to head straight to RPR that night!

So far our best "stay before the stay" experience has been at the Hyatt at the airport (the one IN the airport), but that's not generally a 'budget' option. So if you can't do that for cheap, I support the decision to just head straight there.

I'm not sure of the hours in October, but remember that "night" might simply mean *when it gets dark*, not actual night-night.



If you don't have this website, it's a good one to check the onsite hotels quickly: http://www.loewshotels.com/en/booking/uo?hotel=UEPBH,UEHRH,UERPR

You can check it routinely, and throw "APH" into the "Code/IATA" box to see if there are AP rates. If there are, and if the total makes sense (compare the upgrade to AP - the discount on the hotel to the rate you're getting) then changing your rate is possible.

 

[mjohnson96]

We stay onsite at RPR pretty much every trip to Universal, except this year we are trying PBH We have stayed offsite for the first night several times after flying or driving in and there always seems to be an issue, Days Inn is very scary. we love staying so close to Universal and the resorts are very nice with lots of fun things for the kids to do!

I would not suggest just staying at RPR honestly it can be a pretty long drive to and from WDW and would not make mid day breaks that easy. Have you looked into renting timeshare points just for your disney stay? We are doing 4 nights at PBH and then we got a 3BR unit at Bonnett Creek through vacation upgrades for $150 and that includes your tax and parking at the resort. They have busses but heard they do a mid day break. When I was looking at the rates, we could have gotten a 1BR for $90 but since we had 3 families that would not have been enough room don't like my sister that much!

For the WWOHP It is pretty amazing at night. DH and I left the kids with my sister and mom last year and had a blast seeing everything at night. As the park gets closer to closing the area will clear out and that was when we were able to see the stores and pick up items for the kids to take home.

Hope you guys have a great trip!

 

[macraven]

op, the studios will close at 5 on hhn nights and ioa at 7 pm.

on non hhn night, studios closes at 6, ioa at 7.

i'll be there around the same time period you will be and can say that the motherland will have more crowds on monday, columbus day than the darkside.
have done both on that date.

it might be better for you to make it two separate type of vacations.
stay at the motherland for that portion of your trip.
move to the darkside when you will be doing those parks.

that is the way i schedule mine.
makes it less of a hassle and you don't lose park time traveling back and forth.

in the long run, you might be better off if you check in to the onsite hotel instead of switching the next morning.

you can be relaxed from the start of the first day in the parks.

 

[C_leen]

Thanks everyone for your input. I have decided on RPR. The rate isn't too bad for 4 nights. I had decided on Holiday Inn in DTD but something had me hesitating. Got a pin email today which landed me at Coronado Springs for WDW trip. I think DS will love pool and it also solved transport back to MCO!!! Leen