which is better - SS or AAA

[rileycat]

I'm pricing out a family of 4 (2 adults, 2 kids), 7 nights standard room @ RHR & the 2 park unlimited tix.

the AAA package was $1410.74 plus they give me $100 in UO bucks, so figure $1310.74

if I price it "a la carte" thru the Loews site & get the supersaver rate (about $123/night) it comes to 975.08 for 7 nights plus the park tix ($94.99/person with my AAA discount) totals $1355.04

since both ways it seems to be fairly even - is there some advantage to booking thru Loews directly - that seems to be the jist I'm getting from the posts - maybe some possibility of a room upgrade? and if I book it "a la carte" & buy my park tix thru AAA to get the $5 discount, do I loose my FOTL access?

I'm pretty good with disney planning but this is my first universal trip so I need some insider help - thanks!

 

[damo]

There really is no benefit other than ease of booking and cancelling. Are you going during value weeks? If so, there are benefits for that as well. http://www.loewshotels.com/en/Hotel...rs/PackageDetails.aspx?XsltParams=PackageId,1

 

[rileycat]

yes - I believe it would be value season - my dates are 8/18 thru 8/25

 

[wen8jr]

It is my understanding that if you stay onsite regardless of where you buy your park tickets, you get Express Pass with your room key.

 

[macraven]

if AAA can give you a package that is cheaper than booking and buying everything separately, go with the cheaper deal.


many of us posters have the Loews YouFirst membership for the past years.

we have been booking thru loews and using our youfirst membership in order to get free amenities.
they are a welcome gift, late check out, and free upgraded rooms if available at the time of booking or checking in, which ever a person's youfirst level is, determines how the free upgrade can be done.

Loews has changed their set up for membership requirements which will leave many of us not qualifying for the amenities after this year or next.

i assume that is why many of us book direct with loews to use the perks of the loews program.

if you book thru a 3rd party, such as AAA, you are not eligible to obtain the perks listed above.


i can see myself going with AAA packages 2 or 3 years from now if they are cheaper.

anyone that stays onsite at the hotels, uses their room keys for the fotl express lines. that is an Universal perk for staying at the hotels.
it has nothing to do with loews membership.

what damo stated about perks for staying during the value weeks is listed on the UO site.
a % off based on the number of days you are staying on site.

one more thing the universal hotels are offering during the value days is if you stay 3 nights at least, your kids up to 2 of them, eat free off the hotel restaurant special menu based on the adults ordering an entree there.
that perk does not apply to the park food places, only the onsite hotels.

the hotel website:



Now - Apr 2; Apr 12 - Jun 27; Jun 28 – Oct 8, 2009
Stay 3 nights - save up to 15%
Stay 4 nights - save up to 30%
Stay 5 nights - save up to 40%; (Stay 5 nights for the price of 3!*)
Stay 6 nights - save up to 41%
Stay 7 nights - save up to 42%; (Stay 7 nights for the from price of 4!*)

Savings up to 25% are also available Apr 3 – Apr 11, 2009 (discounts vary by hotel and by length of stay).

 

[ky07]

It is my understanding that if you stay onsite regardless of where you buy your park tickets, you get Express Pass with your room key.

Your right

 

[donaldduck352]

Valid room key=FRONT OF THE LINE..I love Universal!!!

 

[pixeegrl]

Make sure if you book through AAA there is no penalty for changing your reservation. If you book with Loews all you have to do is call the hotel and change it...no penalties easy as pie. Have you called the hotel and got the AAA rate from them? I guess if you did that though you would miss out on the UO cash? Have fun which ever way you decide to go!

 

[stephensmum]

There really is no benefit other than ease of booking and cancelling. Are you going during value weeks? If so, there are benefits for that as well. http://www.loewshotels.com/en/Hotel...rs/PackageDetails.aspx?XsltParams=PackageId,1

Wow these are good savings. Last year we stayed at RPR for 1 night and really enjoyed it. We had a blue Loews card as i'd obtained it before the changes. We were thinking of going for 3 nights this year but if we went for 5 it would only be $90 more, unless iv'e done it wrong (maths not my strong point).

 

[francie57]

We will be at Universal a few days before you and we have booked through AAA. We have booked through them for years. We are at the HRH with two rooms. We book it as a room only and then buy the tix from AAA, should be a little cheaper than booking a package. There is no deposit due and you can arrange to pay ahead or we just pay when we check out. There is no charge for changing your reservation, that I know of. We had to make a change to ours this year and didn't encounter a charge.