What's up with the outrageous hotel rates??

[mega13]

My BF and me are staying in Orlando for ten days. We've got a fabulous discount rate at AKL witha savannah view for the first seven days. We didn't plan on renting a car, so we decided to move and stay the last three nights on Universal at one of their hotels.

I am just shocked at the prices! And I have searched the net high and low to find any extra incentives and offers. I've got a Loews number, which doesn't get me a whole lot off. I also have an Entertainment card, but nothing applies to the dates I want (Jan. 7-10)

I'm about ready to just go back to a Disney hotel for those three nights and rent a car to drive over to Universal. It would still be cheaper! I'm really wanting to stay at Portofino, but I'll take any of the three. But I don't really want to pay more than $200 a night. Any advice?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[mega13]

I really should have said "My boyfriend and I are going..."

I'm still half asleep, but I had to say something because it bugged me.

 

[Motherfletcher]

The Entertainment rates for that time should be out Monday. Call for rates then. They should be less than $200.

 

[cepmom]

I have heard that the entertainment rates will be available November 1st. I'm not sure if that is official yet or not, but hoping it is true - I'm waiting for an ENT discount for RP for our trip in August and really don't want to pay the price I already have booked ($184 HRH, AAA). Try calling Loews on or after November 1 and see if the ENT rate applies to your dates.

edited to note - motherfletcher beat me too it! we must have been posting at the same time!

 

[themepark]

I don't believe any of the discount rates have been released yet for 2005. Everyone is saying the discounted rates for the new year usually become available in November. Hang in there! Staying onsite at Universal is invaluable!

 

[mega13]

Thanks for all of the info, everyone. Question... if I call next week to get those ENT rates, should I call Loews directly or should I call Portofino directly?

Does it matter??

Thanks again! I'm thrilled now to have a better shot at this.

 

[mm6mm6]

Just to make you feel better about the Universal price, consider the following:

You already have your park tickets.

Let's say you pay $189 for a single night stay at the Universal property.

And you go to the park on a monday and stay at the hotel monday night and then you go to the park on tuesday again.

You could pay $20 each ($40) on monday and on tuesday (another $40, you're now at $80!) for Express passes to get right on every ride without waiting. And see everything at both Universal and at Islands of Adventure in two days.

But Express is included with your $189 hotel stay. So now you're really paying $109 for the hotel stay and $80 for the Express!

If you stay two nights, your paying $378 for each night and getting $120 in Express passes on your key card. So then you're paying $129 for each of your two nights.

Just a way to ease your mind over the pricing!

 

[Motherfletcher]

1-800-BE A STAR

Portofino Bay Hotel
5601 Universal Blvd
Orlando, FL 32819
Phone: 407-503-1000
Fax: 407-503-1010

http://www.loews-first.com/Loewsfirst.asp

 

[RyGuy]

I agree. The rates have been very high lately. I just had to pay $167.20 at RPR and I have never paid more than $129 to stay there. With taxes it came out to almost $200 for one night in a standard room with view of the front entrance. Granted it was a HHN weekend but last year I paid $119. I am staying at HRH next weekend and the best rate I could get was $174 and the only reason I was able to get that was because Mark Shouger helped me out. I guess a lot of it has to do with the hotels being so busy lately. HRH was overbooked by 20 rooms last weekend and so far they are overbooked by 9 for next weekend. Anybody been walked over to the Peabody lately?

 

[3for Me]

Just a quick question regarding ENT rates - do you need your entertainment book with you at the time you make the ressie - do you need some number or something - or do you just need this information at check in? (You know, sort of like Disney's AP rate?)
Thanks!

 

[Geno1129]

No, you only need your card when you check-in. We stayed at the RP last August, beautiful hotel and FOTL is incredible!!!!!!!!

 

[3for Me]

Thanks Geno 1120 for the quick answer. We have also stayed at RPR before and my family won't stay anywhere else. We did not use ENT rate last year, however, which is why I needed to know the answer to the previously asked question.

THANKS AGAIN!!!

 

[mom23guys2]

Waiting for these rates is making me CRAZY. FOTL is incredible but we are going Easter week. The rate for a standard room is $264 with or without AAA. The website says AAA rate but the rate given is really rack rate. This is for RPR. I'm Loew's Gold so would get upgraded to Pool View. Disney's BDP code is just so much better we may have to forego Universal this year unless they offer something a lot better than $264. I'm getting too caught up in watching for better rates everyday.

 

[Motherfletcher]

The rates should be available tomorrow.

 

[BriarfoxinWA]

I posted this on another thread - when I called this morning I was told no ENT rates yet. In fact the guy said that there probably wouldn't be any discounted rates for my dates 3/30-4/2 since it is considered "peak season"....

 

[Boldido]

I know this doesn't help, but I think part of the reason for the high rates is because demand is up. A lot of people had to reschedule vacations during the summer because of the fact that we got the snot kicked out of us by the hurricanes this year. That combined with more people taking domestic vacations because of the whole Iraq thing has made things a little crazy. At lease thats the explanation I got from a chatty cast member when trying to make hotel reservations at Disney.