Ugh! This is so frustrating....

[mommaU4]

Sorry, but I am going nuts over here. DH and I just decided to look into taking our first trip to US/IOA. Great news, right??

Nope.

We will be driving down the last week of June. Leaving from MI on the 22nd or 23rd and arriving the 24th. I just figured we'd stay off site somewhere since we have a large family. (2 adults, 4 kids ages 6,6,10,12)

But then I started reading how crowded and hot it will be at that time and how the FOTL pass was so valuable to have.

Hmmmm, okay. So I started checking out the on-site hotels. But the rooms only allow up to 5 people in a room. So no matter how great of a rate I can come up with, I will have to double that since I will need two rooms.

I just can't bring myself to pay $400 a night (or more with tax) for a place to stay.

I'm just wondering what other large families do? Do they all just end up with two rooms and just go ahead and pay the $400+ a night?

I know the FOTL pass is totally worth it when you have one room and are paying around $200 a night. But is it really worth having to pay out $400 a night to get it?

It's just frustrating and kind of putting a damper on the planning right now since I am afraid I am going to end up off-site and waiting in huge lines.

Anyways, just had to pout a little. (sigh) Thanks.

 

[cbdmhgp]

We too have a large family like yours. 6 people in all. we stayed at RPR last year with two connecting rooms on club level. we did the : stay 4-play 4 rate. which is stay 4 nights and get 4 tickets with the room. or at least that's the way it was last year. Might want to check into that.

two years ago we had 5 people with us, so we did two to a bed and we also got a roll away bed. with kids as young as yours, I believe that it will be alright. our youngest is 14! they grow up so fast .

you should definetly try to stay onsite, FOTL is the best thing that has ever happened to Universal, nothing can beat it.

 

[macraven]

if you are planning to stay onsite in june, check the availability on the website for rooms.

someone posted previously of rph is starting to fill up.

rph is usually the lowest price of them all and the smallest sq footage wise.

robvia has a site posted in his siggie that lists the offsite hotels for those that do not want to stay on site. it's very knowledgable information he listed.

and check the stickies on the UO forums for info for costs of rooms, food, etc.

good luck with your planning!

 

[mommaU4]

Thanks guys. I appreciate the help and advice.

I did call and was quoted a AAA rate of $191.20 (plus tax) for that week @ RPR. If I only needed the one room, I wouldn't hesitate to book it! It would be worth it.

But two rooms at that price are just more then I am willing to, or can really afford to, spring for.
So, I guess I'll keep looking for other options in the area. And hope that it won't be too terrible waiting in line.

All of you with Express passes wave as you walk by me okay?

 

[lorijm23]

We stayed at HRH in a deluxe room a couple of years ago and the room was HUGE. It had 2 queen beds and a sleeper sofa and there was a ton of room left over for a cot or a blow up bed. It says they sleep 5 but you may want to ask them about since 2 of your kids are fairly young they may allow it. I would just say sneak in the blow up bed and they'd never know but no way around that since you'll have to get the FOTL pass for each. I bought a twin size double stacked mattress from Walmart for $29 and it inflates/deflates with a built in pump. It doesn't hurt to ask. The worst that can happen is they say no.

 

[damo]

Fire regulations are maximum 5 to a room when there are two beds.

 

[yaytezIOA]

It will be packed. No doubt. But if you are looking to go cheap, just get a big hotel room off site, and get to the parks early. Be at the parks at 8, and go gangbusters. Its what we do. In fact, we'll be going tomorrow morning. Leaving by 6 a.m. so we get there bright and early, and are some of the first in line.

 

[Notatourist]

Home rental ever come to mind? If you're going to stay for a week, why not rent a home for a week? They tend to be slower in the summer, it might work out for you.

 

[tropical depression]

Fire regulations are maximum 5 to a room when there are two beds.

that's not enforced during spring break or the taping of a girls gone wild dvd.

 

[bush]

It will be packed. No doubt. But if you are looking to go cheap, just get a big hotel room off site, and get to the parks early. Be at the parks at 8, and go gangbusters. Its what we do. In fact, we'll be going tomorrow morning. Leaving by 6 a.m. so we get there bright and early, and are some of the first in line.

I totally agree with this. Also, go to the back of the park and work your way forward. We just got home and earlier this week, there was no wait at MIB for the first couple of hours.

We had 6 with us and got the AP rate of $124 per night at the RPR for each room. I would also check to see if the discount is still this good.

Good luck and have fun!! We did!!

Tammy

 

[damo]

that's not enforced during spring break or the taping of a girls gone wild dvd.

If you want to shove 20 people in your room, I'm sure you can but you won't get room keys for any more than 5 (2 adults, 3 children) which you need for FOTL.

 

[tropical depression]

If you want to shove 20 people in your room, I'm sure you can but you won't get room keys for any more than 5 (2 adults, 3 children) which you need for FOTL.

it was a joke.

 

[mommaU4]

It will be packed. No doubt. But if you are looking to go cheap, just get a big hotel room off site, and get to the parks early. Be at the parks at 8, and go gangbusters. Its what we do. In fact, we'll be going tomorrow morning. Leaving by 6 a.m. so we get there bright and early, and are some of the first in line.

So you don't use the FOTL pass then?

Well, that gives me some hope. I think that's what we'll have to do. Just plan to be there at opening and hit all we can in a few hours and leave for the day to do other things.

Hopefully it won't be too bad.

Thanks for the info and have fun yourself!

 

[mommaU4]

I totally agree with this. Also, go to the back of the park and work your way forward. We just got home and earlier this week, there was no wait at MIB for the first couple of hours.

We had 6 with us and got the AP rate of $124 per night at the RPR for each room. I would also check to see if the discount is still this good.

Good luck and have fun!! We did!!

Tammy

We don't have an AP. We don't go that often. In fact, this will be our first trip ever to US/IOA.

We used to live in SoCal and had passes to the Universal out there, so I am really excited to see how they compare!!

Home rental ever come to mind? If you're going to stay for a week, why not rent a home for a week? They tend to be slower in the summer, it might work out for you.

Thanks, I did look into that. Still might, but we'll see.

Actually there are lots of nice hotels we are thinking about that will fit 6 people in one room (usually a family suite of some sort) but we wanted the FOTL pass.

However, I don't want it bad enough to pay 400 bucks a night for it.

Maybe if I win the lotto between now and then....

 

[mommaU4]

that's not enforced during spring break or the taping of a girls gone wild dvd.

Taping of Girls Gone Wild???

Disgusting! You'd never hear of such things at Disney. What kind of heathen resort is this?















Then again, sounds like a fun place, maybe we should stay there!!




kidding

 

[mommaU4]

OKay, I just had an idea!
We'll be arriving late on June 24. So I'm thinking for that first night, I'll just find some cheapo hotel to stay at.

Then the next day the 25th, I'll check into RPR (with the 2 rooms), but only for 1 night.

But if I understand correctly, that will give me use of the FOTL pass for that day, the 25th and the 26th. Right??

We can use it those two days, go on everything we can, and find out what we like and don't like.

Then for the remainder of the trip, I'll book another fairly nice hotel close to US/IOA and we can go back early in the mornings and just hit the things we like. Because by then, we'll already know what's worth waiting in line for and what isn't.

How does that sound?

How early can I check in on the 25th, get the FOTL passes and head to the park? Anyone know?

TIA for the help!

 

[cbdmhgp]

the plan sounds fine.


Check in at RPR is at 4:00 pm. In the past though we have dropped our luggage off with the hotel and we ask for our room keys. You can go to the parks early before your room is even ready.

 

[tlinus]

That sounds like a great plan!! In October I drove from the Nick hotel to the HRH to check in at 8AM - our room was ready (it was a Thursday Morning) and we got our room keys. I went back and got everyone in the car and off we went to the HRH - we used this as a pool day anyway because we were staying 4 nights. Why not go check in as early as possible so you have your keys and FOTL - chances are 50/50 that your rooms will be ready too

Just leave Dh with the kids at the overnight hotel and go yourself at 7 or 8am!!

 

[Holly Goheavy]

I think that's a fabulous idea. Even though we only live 2 and a half hours away, we're planning on leaving here around 5 am to get to the hotel by 8ish (with a 4 year old boy and a 16 year old girl it'll take us that long between bathroom stops and breakfast) so we can check in, get our room keys and hit the parks before they open.

I think you'll find that it really is worth the money for even just one night-have a wonderful time!!

 

[macraven]

this is what i tell people that stay off site during crowded times at the parks.

be at the parking garage at 7:45. they open at 8:00. the lines to park get very long and you can beat that car crowd by waiting for it to open.

then, be at the gates around 8:15. most times the guests are let into the park at 8:30ish. when i go in october, and i stay on site, i go at 8:15 and in the park way before the official opening time. not much on crowds on the dates i go and still get in early.

not all rides are open at that time of the morning but you will find ones that are. you will lhave the rides to yourself going that early.

at IOA, you can do repeat rides on hulk, dr. doom, spiderman, dueling dragons or seussland.

the entire family can go on pt flyers with little wait that early in the morning.
at the studio side, jaws and T2 won't open until 10 but you can still get on MIB, mummy, jimmy neutron and others.

you can easily do the parks even with crowds when you are going without express pass. some people head to the back of the parks as they are empty before 11:00. they go against the crowds.

eat at off times maybe 11 ish for lunch and dinner at 4:30 or after 6:30 to avoid crowds.

you can do it......you'll have fun !

the secret to avoiding long waits in lines is to start early. also, skip around the rides with long lines. the park is not that big where you waste a lot of your day backtracking.