Talk to me about switching hotels to get the EP

[EmJ]

Its common practice among people who post here, but probably not in the "real world" of Universal visitors. Most people don't consider it because it seems counterintuitive to get a hotel room you won't use. But it can make financial sense. When calculating the cost, keep in mind that if your third person is over the age of 18, they do impose an extra person charge for the night so that should be factored into any cost considerations. But even still, its usually cheaper than buying two days worth of unlimited EP for each person. If you have an AP, there are often great AP rates on the rooms as well.

Thank you! Our third person is only five We’re out in the big square states and returning to US for the first time in nine years! We are very excited, but I have a lot of homework to do. Things have changed since 2010!

 

[skylock]

We all ways get a throw away room. We travel with a large group so we stay together in a larger condo or house.

We usually do not use those rooms but this last time my son wanted to stay in city walk after we left so he actually used the on property room. I am pretty sure he was planning to drink a lot that night so it worked out well and he just met us at the gates the next morning.

 

[EmJ]

I have to say, the idea of a throw away room has blown my mind, lol. I explained it to my husband and he was like, “That’s a thing?! You can do that?!” So we are both very excited.

 

[optstud]

Has anyone done a split day where the deluxe were at the beginning and end of the stay and value in between. Then you could get 4 days of express pass for 2 nights of deluxe. Would bell services hold your luggage overnight? Example- RPR-CBR-RPR. We would just pack a day bag to stay at cbr knowing we would return to RPR the next morning.

 

[macraven]

Bell services will hold your luggage overnight
Tell them you are switching hotels but will be checking back in to this hotel and you need them to keep your luggage for the day after

As long as they know, it will not be a problem

 

[macraven]

Thank you! Our third person is only five We’re out in the big square states and returning to US for the first time in nine years! We are very excited, but I have a lot of homework to do. Things have changed since 2010!

For the cost of a throw away room, it’s more likely cheaper to pay for the one night premier hotel than to buy the unlimited ep for 3 people

And the one night throw away room, allows the ep for the day you check in and out of the hotel

 

[skylock]

I have to say, the idea of a throw away room has blown my mind, lol. I explained it to my husband and he was like, “That’s a thing?! You can do that?!” So we are both very excited.

I have been going since the first year they opened. I never used EP because, I honestly do not mind waiting in line, but then came the year I bought a VIP tour for my son's bday. I was not real happy with the tour part, (could have had a lot to do with the family we were paired with because others were happy with their VIP tour), but after the tour we were given EP for the rest of the day. We loved it, so the next year I bought stand alone EP for my son's birthday. It opened up a whole new way to see the parks.

No more getting up for rope drop. We usually do not get there before 10. No more rushing from ride to ride. We are able to have a leisurely lunch. We are actually able to enjoy and appreciate a lot of the stuff we never stopped to look at because we were in a rush to get to the next must do thing. And rarely need to stay till they close. Has any one else noticed how dark that place gets at night?

Anyway, back to the story. The next year I was checking out how much the EP was going to be. That was again in June because that was when we did our yearly trip during that time. The price per person was so high I started looking around for ways we could cut that down. I had checked the hotel rates just because I liked the idea of staying on property, and it was cheaper than just the passes were going to cost me, but we still liked the idea of staying in a condo because of the laundry, kitchen, and extra bathrooms. So I called the hotel and the guy told me I did not actually have to stay in the room to get the perks. That was my Bingo moment. Have been doing it every year now.

A lot of people feel it is cheating, but I am paying the exact same thing I would pay if I was actually using the room. And sometimes as I posted somewhere else, sometimes we do use the room.

 

[NMK62303]

Thinking about staying one night at Sapphire Falls and then switching to PBH the next morning. Does everybody have to be at PBH that next morning to get their EP's? Or could I just walk over and check us in and get the EP's and bring them back? One of the teenagers wants to be at Hogsmeade ASAP and another wants to sleep in and go to the pool LOL! TIA!

 

[skylock]

Thinking about staying one night at Sapphire Falls and then switching to PBH the next morning. Does everybody have to be at PBH that next morning to get their EP's? Or could I just walk over and check us in and get the EP's and bring them back? One of the teenagers wants to be at Hogsmeade ASAP and another wants to sleep in and go to the pool LOL! TIA!

Only need one person to pick the room keys up.