You should already be calling them to see if they have any good rates with the Entertainment card, AAA, Loews members, or the Universal Fan Club etc... those are some of the ways to get discounts.
We went the beginning of December last year and called in February or March and got the Entertainment rate of $117 for the HRH and this year we called around the same time and got a Universal Fan Club rate of $99 for standard or $139 club level for the new hotel, RP.
Good luck!