We got the Ent rate for less than 5 nights

[PatMcDuck]

I was the one posting about the Entertainment Book rates at the Universal hotels. I just wanted to give a final report, and try and help some of you here (like you helped me!)

Here is the deal. I called Universal again last night. I tried to call the hotel direct, but they just switched me to central reservations anyway. I asked again for Ent rate for a Fri/Sat night stay in August. Best he had was AAA, fan club rate not available. First he says Ent rate is "not coming up". When pressed, he admits that they are indeed "out" for the entire summer. I ask about the following weekend, and he mentions that perhaps I would get it if I arrived midweek. I ask about Thu/Fri night possibility, and finally he says that only if I had a longer stay, perhaps I could get that rate. I ask since I have 2 rooms, would a 3 night stay be enough? It would be that I was paying for 6 nights in a way. NO, he says, must be 5 nights or more. At this point, my husband takes over. He tells the Universal guy that no such restriction is in the Ent book as it was sold. Other hotels have their restrictions printed right in the book, blackout dates, etc. The guy says it IS subject to availabilty, and DH says you are NOT saying it is unavailable, just that you have added restrictions on it AFTER agreeing to "any room any time" to be published in the Ent Book. Tells him that it is the only reason we BOUGHT the Ent book, etc. Asks for supervisor. (meanwhile, there is no yelling, all this is very polite) Guy says hold on, then comes back and offers us the 2 night stay, at Ent rate, for Thu/Fri. DH says no, we want Fri/Sat. He goes back to supervisor, returns and offers us the Fri/Sat at Ent rate. At this point, we are so happy, we splurge and go for 3 nights, Thur/Fri, Sat at Hard Rock, Aug 14/15/16 for $125/night, and we are VERY happy!

So, you CAN get the rate, they said they had to override it in the system or something. I am impressed with Universal's guest service (and I am a Disney CM). I am looking forward to this stay SO much! With the 2 rooms(4 kids) that savings is very important. Thanks to this board for all the valuable info in helping me plan this trip!

 

[Muushka]

Thanks for the heads up.

I called USF today to book for our December trip and tried to get the ent rate for 2 nights but was also told that it had to be 5 nights. I then asked about the AP rate and it was available for $160 for garden view room. I guess I should have persisted, but the girl was so apologetic about the 5 day thingy I just couldn't do it to her! I did mention that the book does not mention any restrictions on minimum stay, but it did not work. I would have preferred paying the $125, but chickened out.

Oh well, $160 at HRH is better than any hotel in Orlando that I can think of!

 

[wdwfan]

I asked about the Entertainment Card rate and was told it was not available and I also got it was only for 5 night stay. Oh well, I was able to get the Fan Club rate at the Portofino Bay for $181 plus tax (garden view). My friend got the ent. card rate for $155 plus tax for a garden view. I wish I was able to get the lower rate, but I really missed the ball on this one. But I'm still glad that we're going. Now, how to find a discount on the 2 day pass to Universal and I.O.A?? Any help??

 

[PatMcDuck]

For tickets, I am ordering from

http://www.ticketmania.com/

I am getting the 2 day with 3rd day free for $92 (adult). I ordered Disney tickets from them last year, they came very fast.....

Sorry to hear some of you did not get the Ent book rate..... I just wanted to post that it was not impossible to get it. I understand WHY Universal wants to limit the rate, but I have a problem with them doing so well after the 2003 books were published. They also were not initially upfront about that restriction, saying rate was not in system yet (one operator told me to try again after the New Year), or that no Ent rate rooms were available. And we did not yell, screm, threaten, but we did ask repeatedly for a supervisor. (Never got one in person, all our questions were relayed by our operator). It was all professional and polite...... Someone here got the Fan Club rate of $149, if I was able to get just THAT I would have been happy. I was being quoted $168 or something.

 

[Muushka]

Someone here got the Fan Club rate of $149, if I was able to get just THAT I would have been happy. I was being quoted $168 or something.

Another heads up! I forgot to ask if that Dec rate was available for Fan Club. I will call back today. Thanks for the great info.

 

[wdwfan]

I'm using my fan club card and was quoted $181 plus tax, not $149. I wonder why I couldn't get $149 for a standard room?

 

[Letsbgoofy]

Does anyone know of a way to email Universal guest services? I understand that they want to fill their hotels, but a five day minimum seems a little much. I haven't run across any other hotels that require such a long stay in order to get the Entertainment rate.

 

[PatMcDuck]

If we did not get the Ent rate, I was going to contact the Entertainmant book people. They did have a different understanding with Universal, when the book was being edited for printing. they may be yet unaware what Universal is now requiring, and it may effect Ent book future sales, and satisfaction.

I never saw a 5 night stay required wither, just some restrictions on holiday weeks, weekends, types of rooms, etc.

 

[ksdave]

I have the ENT rate for one night, Feb. 1st, at Portofino. I made the reservation about five weeks ago. They never even tried to get me for five nights. This must either be something new, or it is just for the premium times.

 

[Muushka]

Yup, it is something new. I also got PB for 2 nights only in March and the girl helping me commented on the fact that I booked before the change for that reservation. Too bad I didn't book HRH at the same time as the PB .

 

[Jon360]

Can you guys stop pressing this issue. There are many hotels in the entertainment book where it is almost impossible to get a discounted room.

Any hotel has the right to restrict the number of or how many nights are required to get a room at the discounted rate.

Your purchase of the Entertainment book does not guarantee you the right to a discount at a specific hotel. It is soley based on availability as directed by the hotel.

So if you whine and complain to Entertainment and Loews and force them to do away with the 5 night minimum, then guess what folks, they will just completely do away with all of the inventory for the Entertainment rates and spoil everyone's opportunity to get the discount.

Stop trying to spoil something good. Just because it worked one way last year doesn't mean that the hotel doesn't have the right to change it this year. Your purchase of the Entertainment book does not guarantee you any discount at any of their hotels unless it is specifically available when you call them.

It makes perfect sense to me why they would want to give the biggest discount to guests staying the longest.

 

[PatMcDuck]

Hey, relax already. I can ask for a better rate if I want to. I posted here because I thought that this board was a place to exchange information about how to get a better deal, etc. And I sure will not be pressing any complaint of any sort, as I was able to get the rate upon asking, with no yelling, threats, etc. And I am booking 2 rooms for 3 nights, so this was not a one room one night request I was making, I am paying for 6 room nights, just not over a 5 day spread.

As for what Universal is doing, I do have a problem with it. Other hotels list their restrictions in the book. And remind you of them as soon as you ask for the rate. This is not what Universal is doing. That is just my opinion, I understand that yours is different. To me, unavailable means that all Ent book rate rooms are gone for the night I asked for, whether they were ever available or not. In this case they ARE available, if 5 nights in a row. Which I understand that to you, means they are indeed unavailable.

As for us spoiling it for the rest of you, that is crazy. How many people spend 5 nights+ in a Universal hotel? A very small %. Universal will likely drop out of the Entertainment book, or put the 5 night limitation in there for 2004, no matter what someone like me does. Or maybe they will just leave it how it is now, what do I know?

And I would absolutely agree that Universal should "reward" the small # of guests who DO stay at their hotels for 5+ nights with a great rate, either thru the Universal Fan Club, or thru a restricted Entertainment book rate. I was surprised they were in the book to begin with. No more posts from me on the subjust, I was just trying to help.

 

[ksdave]

I appreciate the information from Pat. The only reason I bought the Entertainment Book this year was because of the discount at the Universal hotels. If this will no longer be available, except for a five night stay, I will not be buying it in the future.

 

[Jon360]

There is never a guarantee that the Ent. rate will be available during your stay.

I would suggest only purchasing the book after you secure the Entertainment rate for your exact stay.

 

[Muushka]

Gee, I thought we were having a "discussion",
until we were arrested by the WHINNING POLICE .

I for one am grateful for the original post. I was informed BEFORE I called for a reservation. I don't like surprises.

We own at DVC and only stay at a USF hotel for 2 or 3 nghts. My only reason for buying the Ent book was also to receive the hotel discounts at USF.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Pat, thanks for sharing with us. The only reason I got the entertainment book was to book RP. The only reason I want to stay at RP is to take advantage of Front of the Line. (sorry not sure of the correct name)

Jon360, you're right, a hotel has the right to restrict the way in which a discount is used. However I think ALL restrictions should be clear from the start, not changed midway. If people don't agree with the change, they should complain.

 

[Muushka]

Originally posted by Jon360

I would suggest only purchasing the book after you secure the Entertainment rate for your exact stay.

Might I suggest that hotels make their changes BEFORE the ent books are printed?

 

[Jon360]

"Might I suggest that hotels make their changes BEFORE the ent books are printed?"

I don't have an Entertainment book in front of me but I'm sure it says that the hotel offers are subject to change at any time without notice.

You find out really quick the details of the offer when you call them up to book your hotel reservation. Whatever is printed in the book is meaningless until you call and make an actual reservation with the hotel.

The fact of the matter is the Universal hotels are selling out and do not need to be giving away Entertainment rates for short stays. This seems like a very logical business move to me. Why don't you go over to Disney World and ask them for their Entertainment book rates?

I tried to book a hotel in Seattle for March and the Entertainment rate when I called them up was $209 and the normal rate on their website is $149. How fair is that?

 

[disneyjunkie]

Originally posted by Jon360
Why don't you go over to Disney World and ask them for their Entertainment book rates?

Disney has AP rates, DC rates, codes, and AAA rates. I don't believe any of them have been changed midway thru a use year or period. If a code comes out that has to be booked between March 1 and May 25, the terms are not changed on April 5.

I think we all agree that Universal has the right to to place limits on how the discount can be used. Some of us just think they should have made the change when the new entertainment books became valid, not a month later.

 

[PatMcDuck]

To be fair, after much reading, I found this from the Ent Book : "All information was correct at the time of printing and is expected to be in effect through the expiration of the directory. However changes beyond our control may affect the information prior to the directory expiration."

However, earlier it says that the agreement is to honor the rates until the hotels are 80% full. It also encourages you to ask for more information from the hotels if the discount is said to be unavailable.