stay on site or not next Thanksgiving

[brendaanna]

We are going to USO next Nov. for Thanksgiving 2007. Is it worth it to stay on site to get the express pass for Thanksgiving Day and the Friday after. Or how busy are these days? We have a much better deal off site but I don't know how busy it is.

 

[robvia]

It's not only the FOTL or UEPs (Unlimited Express Passes), but the pools, walking to/from the parks, and the "action" you "feel" while staying onsite.

Most people on these boards will tell you to stay onsite, unless the cost difference is huge and you're on a budget.

 

[think*tink]

We just returned from a great time at Universal. We were there from Nov. 16th to Nov. 25th. We went to MVMCP & visited family first then we stayed at Portofino Bay Hotel (great annual pass rate) from Nov. 20th for 4 nights. It was well worth it every penny. Everything was pretty much walk on with the Express Pass (we got with our room key) until Thanksgiving. Friday was just as bad. The Mummy, MIB, Spiderman (all major rides) had at least a 30 minute wait even with the Express Pass. Alot of people were buying the Express Pass for the day when they entered the park. If you waited until later in the day alot of those were used up. I would definitely reccomend staying on site anytime!!! We're really glad we did during this holiday.

 

[macraven]

when you go to UO during holiday times, stay on site.

parks are crowded then. you lose a lot of time standing in line unless you have fotl hotel key card. even then, there will be some waits.

goofy! posted about her waits at thanksgiving also and stated the waits on those two same days. without that folt availability, it would have been very long waits throughout the day.

if you buy the express pass and stay off site, you will only have one chance per ride to use the fotl.
hotel guests do not have any restrictions on repeating rides.

think of the cost of the express for your family. what if the ep would cost $45 per person on that holiday? what if there are 4 in your family so all need the ep? right there that cost for buying express passes would total $180.

apply that cost to what you would for a room on site.

and, when you stay on site, your room key is used for the fotl privledeges for the day you check in and for the day you check out until park closing.

stay on site for thanksgiving day, use the fotl key for that day and the next day. just a perk from universal loews hotels for all their guests..

 

[jillybeene71]

We were there from Nov 22 - 25 and boy was it crowded...I was expecting it to be less crowded on the Wed and Thanksgiving day...not!!! Wednesday surprised me, the express lines were longer than what we experienced 4th of July week. But we still had the best time...the atmosphere is so awesome, the decorations are beautiful...did anyone see that Christmas tree by they mummy ride? I am sooooo happy we decided to go for Thanksgiving. Also, did anyone see the tree and gingerbread town and train at the Royal Pacific? We stayed an extra night just to see the gingerbread town around the tree all set up. The hotel was gorgeous.

 

[Melisa1]

I would definately stay on site! The hotels are sooo nice and convenient to get to and from the parks. Not to mention the express pass.

 

[Darcy03231]

If you're only going to be there for a few days and its a holiday weekend I would stay on site. The only time I stay off site is when we're there for an extended period of time (more than four-five days) as it becomes way too expensive.

 

[Tizzy_Meliss]

I would definitely stay onsite. This was our first T-day trip to Orlando, we did both Disney and US/IOA and not only will we not return to Disney on T-day week, but we'll always stay onsite and use FOLT passes at US/IOA. T-day was busy at the US, but Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were even busier. At night we did notice since the park was open later on Friday and Saturday the park started to empty out at around 7 PM, but you still had a long wait for Mummy, Back To The Future, Jimmy Nuetron and Men In Black. Plus Friday at the Hard Rock they had all kinds of fun things going on for the kids, cookie decorating, Santa, games at the pool.