SW cancelled flight - now arrive 1 day earlier - WWYD

[rlduvall]

SW cancelled our 05/21 early morning flight, but allowed me to move it to 05/20 at no extra cost. One more day on vacation is always a good thing, right? We were staying onsite at Universal 05/21 - 05/23 at $216. per night at PBH. Then 8 nights Disney Vacation Club at WDW. I now also have a reservation at RPR for 05/20 - 05/22 for $234. per night, with the thought we would move over to WDW DVC 05/22. Would have to stay at a different DVC that night, with likelihood of a waitlist coming through very slim. BUT, I just saw that both US and IOA close at 6:00 p.m. 05/20, as opposed to 9:00 p.m. the next 2 nights, so we are actually losing hours at Universal doing this.

We could go to WDW DVC 1 night 05/20, then move over early the next morning to Universal and stay the next 2 nights, then on to WDW for the remaining 8 nights. This would give us more time for Universal and plenty of time for WDW, but would require a little more back and forth.

Scenario #1: 05/20 - 05/22 Universal with shortened hours first night. 05/22 - move to WDW with 1 night at one DVC, then 8 nights at different DVC; or,
Scenario #2: 05/20 - 1 night at DVC, 05/21 - early morning move over to Universal with longer hours 2 nights, then 8 nights at DVC.

We will have a rental car.
Annual passholders for both.
No preference on Universal hotels.
Seasoned Universal/WDW travelers.
Arrival day would be in park by 2:00 p.m.

What would you do? Sorry for the longwinded post and DH is no help in these type of situations.

I am also posting this on the DVC boards.

Thanks for all the insight.

 

[macraven]

i'm seeing the gradaventure on May 20th and it starts at 7:00 pm

it is for middle school kids and they have special set ups that evening, so the parks close at 6 to the public.

believe me, you would not want to be there will all the middle school kids in the parks......
it would be loud.

since you would be arriving at 2, you would only have 4 park hours at uo on that friday.
if you decided to stay with uo on may 20th, do those few hours in the park and then hit city walk for the evening.
movie or mini golf and dinner perhaps.
then an early morning to hit EE and parks all day.
option #1 only has you using your points for 8 nights with dvc

but option #2 looks better.
go from the airport to dvc.
5/21, check in early at UO for your 2 day of park fun then move over for dvc.


you have been there before so you are already aware of saturday morning traffic in getting to uo.


it's a tough decision on which way you do it.

 

[jerseygal]

Regarding Gradaventure on May 20th, any impact from that Sat May 21st through Thursday May 26th?

 

[macraven]

Those dates you listed will not be affected.
Each year universal has special events for middle school students and high school students.

Grad Bash is for high schoolers and their party dates are on (4) fridays only in april.
they get the run of the parks from 7 pm to 2 am

Grad Adventures has 3 Fridays held in May for the middle school students.
7 pm to midnight.

when the parks open on the next day/saturday, you would never know there was a late party event the night before.

 

[rlduvall]

i'm seeing the gradaventure on May 20th and it starts at 7:00 pm

it is for middle school kids and they have special set ups that evening, so the parks close at 6 to the public.

W-O-W!!! I somehow missed GradAdventure. As usual, you are a wealth of information and you saved me from myself. Certainly explains why the parks close so early.

I don't even have to obsess over it anymore. Thanks so much.

 

[macraven]

I'm always glad to help
If i know an answer, i share it with all


I guess this means you won't have to change your schedule now

WOOT!

 

[bumbershoot]

Just as a different idea (b/c if I were in your shoes I would be looking at this), I looked up Hyatt Regency at the airport, and right now at this moment, 5/20 is 195/night base rate.

Or what about the 20th at Universal, NOT adding it to what you already have booked, but as a standalone? you're willing to move anyway, but it's not fun if it totally changes your great PBH rate. I see $219 APH rate (you said you have APs) at HRH for the 20th, for instance.

I would not want to go DVC, Uni, DVC again, that would make me crazy. (and I know, since I've done this)

 

[jerseygal]

Those dates you listed will not be effective.
Each year universal has special events for middle school students and high school students.

Grad Bash is for high schoolers and their party dates are on (4) fridays only in april.
they get the run of the parks from 7 pm to 2 am

Grad Adventures has 3 Fridays held in May for the middle school students.
7 pm to midnight.

when the parks open on the next day/saturday, you would never know there was a late party event the night before.

THANKS for your reply, good to know! Seems like a FUN night for the kids! This seems a lot better than Grad nights at Disneyland as to what I understand at DL the "crowd" levels spill over into the day as well and those days are not just isolated to a Friday at DL. Was interested about a year or two in traveling to Disneyland during May and the Grad parties there SCARED me a bit, regarding crowd levels.

 

[rlduvall]

Or what about the 20th at Universal, NOT adding it to what you already have booked, but as a standalone? you're willing to move anyway, but it's not fun if it totally changes your great PBH rate. I see $219 APH rate (you said you have APs) at HRH for the 20th, for instance.

I would not want to go DVC, Uni, DVC again, that would make me crazy. (and I know, since I've done this)

Hmm. I had considered 3 straight nights but the rates were always so high. I have been monitoring APH rates and that is the lowest I have seen for HRH. And yes, it's still available this morning. That's not a bad idea . . .

 

[damo]

What about staying at Cabana Bay that first day and enjoying their fabulous resort? You could pop over to the parks in the morning since it takes the grads a bit of time to get organized and then spend the rest of the day enjoying the lazy river, pools, bowling alley, etc. We did that on our last trip and would do it again in a heartbeat. Cabana Bay is $164/night. No APH rates available.

 

[keishashadow]

Just as a different idea (b/c if I were in your shoes I would be looking at this), I looked up Hyatt Regency at the airport, and right now at this moment, 5/20 is 195/night base rate.

Or what about the 20th at Universal, NOT adding it to what you already have booked, but as a standalone? you're willing to move anyway, but it's not fun if it totally changes your great PBH rate. I see $219 APH rate (you said you have APs) at HRH for the 20th, for instance.

I would not want to go DVC, Uni, DVC again, that would make me crazy. (and I know, since I've done this)

or many other cheaper properties (several hiltons) right offsite @ airport. they provide free shuttle back & forth, could even modify picking up rental car to save a few bucks.