Tips for 2 Days + Early Entry + Express Pass for Budget Conscious

[BewareOfDoug]

New here, but thought I would share my experience from last week. Covers using USSSA tickets, Express Passes and Early Entry topics that I did not see covered before my trip.

We were a family of 4 and these were the key things we wanted...

1. 2 Days Park to Park
2. Early Entry (only get if you stay at resort)
3. Express Pass (pay for it or get if you stay at a non Cabana Bay resort).

First off, tickets. I bought 4 2-day park to park from the USSSA Store $130 each ($520 total). This was a good deal cheaper than UT and the tickets worked great, no problems at all tying them express pass or early entry. The only catch I could find is that they expire , so make sure you buy them closer to your trip dates (the ones I got expired 9/30, so no issue for us).

Early Entry and Express Passes...
So to get the best of both worlds I did one night Cabana Bay and One Night Royal Pacific. This allowed us to check in Cabana Bay and enjoy their pools that evening, have early entry the next morning, and do all the HP stuff that express pass doesn't work on anyway. Around 11am I left wife and kids, went back to Cabana Bay, checked out, and checked into Royal Pacific (got keys, no room ready yet). Might sound hectic but it only took 45 minutes for me to get from Hogsmead to Cabana Bay to Royal Pacific. Wife and Kids then joined me for a mid-day swim break at RP and to take Express Passes pictures. Then it was another day and a half of express pass enjoyment at Universal. Second day at universal, I also left wife and kids around 11 to go check out of RP and load car.

I booked resorts through Expedia, I monitored prices for a few weeks leading up to booking, they seemed to have the lowest rates.

So total for rooms, tickets, early entry, express passes for 4...
Cabana Bay: $139.00
Royal Pacific: $284.00
Taxes were probably around $50
Parking CB : $10
Parking RP: $20
Tickets: 520

Total: $1023

 

[damo]

Thanks for detailing that. I think it is going to be a popular way to do the resort. We're staying one day at Cabana Bay and then 3 nights at RPR. We're not going to have a car, so not sure how we're going to transport our stuff.

 

[keishashadow]

OP - good plan! I prefer loading up the car before we hit the park on the last day...getting everybody involved for their own luggage tends to cut down on what they bring.

didn't know USAA sold discounted tickets to universal. We use APs but that is a nice discount for when we bring extended family along. Is the link on the USAA website under travel? We are members, I just checked but only see cruise/condo rentals

 

[damo]

Here ya go!

http://store.usssa.com/Category/66-theme-park-tickets.aspx

 

[kg66]

Can anyone book through USSA or is it membership?

 

[damo]

Can anyone book through USSA or is it membership?

Anyone can book.

 

[kg66]

Thanks Damo

 

[damo]

Thanks Damo

Not sure what the delivery charge to Ontario will be though or if they even ship to Canada. It is pretty high even for the USA. And keep a close eye on the expiry dates. They aren't like normal tickets.

 

[housemouse]

Thanks for detailing that. I think it is going to be a popular way to do the resort. We're staying one day at Cabana Bay and then 3 nights at RPR. We're not going to have a car, so not sure how we're going to transport our stuff.

I've got the day off before my vacation starts and I'm keeping CB in mind as a possible one night before stay in case the weather turns nasty and I need to fly in early. Just never know with Florida in September. I was just planning on grabbing a cab and heading over to RPR the next morning if I end up coming in a day early.

 

[Disneyof3]

What a great idea. We are tossing around staying onsite vs off. Both gives us early entry but one only gives you the express pass(didn't know until I read yours that no express in HP world) Might have to rethink this again.

 

[DutchsMommy]

Not sure what the delivery charge to Ontario will be though or if they even ship to Canada. It is pretty high even for the USA. And keep a close eye on the expiry dates. They aren't like normal tickets.

Hi - I am thinking of purchasing tickets and just emailed the USSSA store to ask if they ship to Canada (I am in Ontario too). I will post what I find out.

 

[damo]

Hi - I am thinking of purchasing tickets and just emailed the USSSA store to ask if they ship to Canada (I am in Ontario too). I will post what I find out.

See if they'll actually even take a Canadian credit card. We have so many problems using a credit card with a Canadian billing address (whether it is our Canadian or US card).

 

[DutchsMommy]

I received a reply and they will ship to Canada. The credit card should not be an issue (according to them) but I have not actually tried it out as the current exp. date on the tix is Sept 30 and we will be there in October. If/when I get a chance to try it out I will post.

 

[keishashadow]

Here ya go!

http://store.usssa.com/Category/66-theme-park-tickets.aspx

thank you! I mis-read the 1st post, thought it was USAA (military insurance/benefit website) doh. least I know why I couldn't find it.

 

[kg66]

To damo and the other Ontario poster...I also read on their site we can pre-order them before our trip and pick them up at their office with no extra charges like the other bigger ticket companies do...I will let you know!
We go in less than 2 weeks

 

[ebonyeyes]

Thanks to the OP for posting this info! I am in the beginning stages of planning our August 2015 trip and we are starting off with 2 days at US followed by 10 at WDW. First time at US for us and I was tossing around the idea of staying onsite for the express passes, being that we are only doing the park for 2 days. Was thinking RP for 2 nights but your combo will save a few bucks!

 

[HoosierDaddy71]

I found booking onsite hotels to be the cheapest via cheaptickets/orbitz. They frequently have 15-20% codes that work on the onsite hotels. We booked our night at HRH for $274 when everyone else was $294+taxes. Info can be found here and it is updated with new codes

http://www.mousesavers.com/discounts-and-deals-at-other-theme-parks-and-attractions/universal-orlando-discounts-and-deals/#hotel