Total noob here - please help a mom out!

[OhanaMomma]

Ok, I'm a DVC member and can plan a WDW vacation with my eyes closed. But this Universal thing has me searching ALL OVER the Internet for answers that just seem to elude me. Me, DH, and 2 DD's are staying at The Villas at The Grand Floridian from 8/24-8/31. I was hoping to take an Uber over to Universal for one of those days, but can't seem to get a price for the tickets online. I called and the agent (rude agent, I might add) just said to buy anytime tickets and wasn't helpful at all. When I said I can't find where to buy anytime tickets online, her response was "I don't know". When I search online, it always asks me for a date and August isnt available (greyed out)?
So, with that, I now hang my head down in shame and surrender to all you knowledgeable Universal gurus out there...and humbly ask you the following:
1) How do I buy a 1-day, 2 park ticket with EP online for Aug 27th?
2) Is it really cheaper to purchase hotel + tickets for ONE NIGHT than it is to simply buy tickets w/EP alone?
Thanks to anyone willing to indulge this mom. I'm sure the answer is out there, but I SWEAR I can't find it. I tried. Really. I did.

 

[Spike101]

Firstly you need to find out the cheapest price you can buy a 1 day 2 park ticket is for your family.

Secondly the (probable costs, as they do fluctuate) of EP's for all of you.

Lastly, if the one night stay in a deluxe resort (Which will give you 2 days worth of EP) is cheaper then buying the 4 EP's as an add on, its a no brainer.

Check online crowd calenders for your dates, and if they are busy the EP's will be hugely expensive, but enough hunting round the web would give you idea of prices if Universal itself isnt forthcoming with the EP prices that far in advance, I may be wrong!

Spike.

 

[Spike101]

Are the school holidays over at the end of August in Florida, if they are, you may (or probably wont) not need EP's at all.

 

[Spike101]

Just checked the crowd calender, its a 4/10 for the 27th and a 3/10 for the 28th August, from all the research I've done in the last few months, you wont need EP's, you picked a perfect date!

 

[skylock]

To buy tickets with EP, you would need to buy them closer to the date you are going. You can buy tickets without EP at anytime. EP is date specific and non refundable.

For 4 people, it will be cheaper to get a throw away room. Check in as early as 6:30am.

Is an EP needed? Not absolutely needed, but well worth the cost esp for one day of touring.

Book your hotel room and buy your tickets separately. You will use your room key from one of the hotels that offers EP as a perk as your Express pass and for early entry.

 

[schumigirl]

2 parks in one day......you’ll need the EP.

You won’t do much without it, even if crowds are lower. And if the new Potter ride has opened by then, it’ll bring crowds despite the crowd calendar.

If you are having a short visit, check the price of the EP nearer the time. Most folks use that. That gives you a better indication......the more expensive the EP the busier it’ll be.

 

[Spike101]

Just checked the crowd calender, its a 4/10 for the 27th and a 3/10 for the 28th August, from all the research I've done in the last few months, you wont need EP's, you picked a perfect date!

I should have added that 10/10 is the rank of the busiest days in the park, if you're unfamiliar with crowd calender scores, 5 months ago I wouldnt have known either!

Spike.

 

[Spike101]

2 parks in one day......you’ll need the EP.

You won’t do much without it, even if crowds are lower. And if the new Potter ride has opened by then, it’ll bring crowds despite the crowd calendar.

If you are having a short visit, check the price of the EP nearer the time. Most folks use that. That gives you a better indication......the more expensive the EP the busier it’ll be.

Oh bugger , I forgot about the new Potter coaster, but I still think that EP's wont be necessary, IOA will be busy for sure, with a little bit of overspill of muggles heading for the new ride,and Hogsmeade itself will be just jam packed, but in theory, USO should be as quiet as the calender says they will be.

And certainly getting to IOA early will help, by early I mean first ones in line, oh just kip outside for the night

Joking aside, if you do manage it, the new Potter coaster seems like its gonna be fab, oh who am I kidding, it will be amazing!

Spike.

 

[schumigirl]

It can still get busy though. When we went end of August there were days, particularly on the weekend we were extremely glad to have EP. Especially with the heat added in.

But generally it is supposed to be a quieter time......lots of Brits though as English and Welsh schools aren’t back till early September.

And yep, the new Potter ride will be amazing!!!

 

[OhanaMomma]

Thanks, everyone! I didn't even know there was a new Potter coaster opening soon! Like I said, total Disney mom. The #1 reason we are doing USO is bc both daughters are HUGE HP fans. So I'm not interested in seeing any of the other attractions, if it doesn't come to that.
Another question:
How does one actually use a throw away room? Do you need to be present for check-in and check-out? We're already staying on WDW property, so we don't really need the room. Guess we could spend one night there, but it's not really necessary.

 

[schumigirl]

Thanks, everyone! I didn't even know there was a new Potter coaster opening soon! Like I said, total Disney mom. The #1 reason we are doing USO is bc both daughters are HUGE HP fans. So I'm not interested in seeing any of the other attractions, if it doesn't come to that.
How does one actually use a throw away room? Do you need to be present for check-in and check-out? We're already staying on WDW property, so we don't really need the room. Guess we could spend one night there, but it's not really necessary.

You do need to check in. That’s where you’ll get your room keys which are your EP for everyone registered in the room.

You’ll already have paid so no need to go back to check out.

You don’t even need to enter the room.

 

[OhanaMomma]

Excellent. Thank you!

 

[Spike101]

It can still get busy though. When we went end of August there were days, particularly on the weekend we were extremely glad to have EP. Especially with the heat added in.

But generally it is supposed to be a quieter time......lots of Brits though as English and Welsh schools aren’t back till early September.

And yep, the new Potter ride will be amazing!!!

I remember watching a Vlog that was from that time of year when someone said "Is there anyone in Britain who isnt in Orlando right now?"

Makes me wonder how the CM's cope with all our different accents, something I'll have to ask when I'm out there (7 weeks and a day away!)

 

[OhanaMomma]

Does anyone know when Express Pass tickets for August go on sale?

 

[bumbershoot]

Planning for Universal is massively different from planning for Disney. It is simply unnecessary to buy tickets or plan like that this far out. Especially since UO isn't letting you. I just went through the Tickets page on their website, which has suddenly changed in the last 2 hours to look different, and they aren't selling past June. So it's going to be a couple months before anything goes up for sale there.

And if you're looking to buy express passes for 4 people, you TRULY need to look at a room.


Universal is like Disney in that sometimes their website has issues. And IMO that's something that is going on right now.

2) Is it really cheaper to purchase hotel + tickets for ONE NIGHT than it is to simply buy tickets w/EP alone?

For 4 people? Almost certainly. Plus, booking a room at one of the deluxe resorts gives you *unlimited* express pass from checkin through closing time on checkout day. I mean, you'd still need two day tickets, but that's a bargain. And any room onsite gives you early entrance to a wizarding world during each day of your trip. For the new coaster, if it's open, that would likely be needed, because it's unlikely to have EP that soon.

How does one actually use a throw away room? Do you need to be present for check-in and check-out?

People used to do throwaway rooms at Disney, too. You need to check in. And then... nothing. Just like at almost every hotel in America (and beyond), checking out is simply not necessary any longer.

 

[TommyJK]

Looking at August 27th, one night at Royal Pacific right now is listed at $309 ($347 after tax). That will undoubtedly be cheaper than buying 4 unlimited express passes for the family. 2 Park Unlimited Express Passes start at $99.99 and that's for the least busy days. If the day you go is busier (or expected to be busier once the dates become available to buys them) It'll be more.

So definitely cheaper to buy a one night throwaway room from RPR for that date if you're looking to get Express Passes

 

[OhanaMomma]

Thanks everyone! We decided to just take 2 nights out of our WDW trip and stay at UO for 2 nights. We're staying at Royal Pacific, so we have the unlimited EP and we also purchased our 2 day, 2 park, park-to-park tickets through Undercover Tourist, so all we need now is to look at dining, I guess? We saved over $140 going this route!

 

[bchbetha]

You don't really need to look at dining. It's not like Disney. One of the restaurants in your hotel, Jake's, would be great for dinner one night after the parks. You can book Mythos for lunch (it's nice) but even if you just do counter service stuff, you'll be fine. The Harry Potter ones, Simpsons land and Thunder Falls Terrace are good. You don't have that many meals to worry about.

 

[DisneyMom93]

I agree about not worrying about dining, unless you want to do Fine Dining and want to make an advance reservation, like at Palm.

I would though look at the different menus at the parks in advance for the dining options, just so you know which quick meals you're not interested in, or would like to do. I really hate doing that last minute in the park when we want to pick a place to eat.

 

[bumbershoot]

we also purchased our 2 day, 2 park, park-to-park tickets through Undercover Tourist

Can you please make sure that those tickets won’t be expired by August? I believe that Universal does it the same as Disney with expired unused tickets, where they would let you use the cost as a credit towards used tickets, but it’s still worth making sure that you won’t have that hitch in your plans.

And make a solid plan on where to keep those tickets between now and then.