Will we regret it if we DON'T book a night on site?

[Anal Annie]

DVC members here who want to venture over to Universal for a couple of days this summer. We will have WDW AP's and already have 9 nights planned at a DVC resort but I was considering booking a room at Universal just for the benefits to go to US for 2 days BUT.... I am in sticker shock at not being able to find any deals on the hotels.

Cheapest hotel $225
2-day base tix for 2 parks x 3 ppl = $372 (thru the Mousesavers deal)
Rental car estimate for 2 days $75
Total = $672

This was NOT what I had in mind to spend at all. Being DVC we are used to being a little insulated to the cost of Orlando hotels I guess. I spent all afternoon trying to find a deal for August and got zip. Guess we are spoiled with our DVC & AP's huh?!

SOOO my question is if we decide to NOT spring for the Universal hotel room will we regret it? Will the lines be horrid if we just show up at the normal opening time? How long do you think the waits for the more popular rides & attractions will be? Will we be looking at 2 hour waits for everything??

Thanks for your thoughts and experiences!!

 

[aprilfoolwed]

I can't answer your question - because I have the same one!

We are going for an adults-only short trip this fall. Part of me really wants to stay on site and just enjoy the trip and all the amenities, but the budget-trip-planner in me tells me to just rent a condo for MUCH less.

I have the same worries - that we will end up spending the whole day in line for Fantastic Journey or something!

Hoping for some opinions from those who have gone before!

 

[blackjack68]

In the summer, you are better off staying on-site and using the unlimited express pass for all rides but the Forbidden Journey, RipRide Rockit and Pteradon Flyers.

Fall is another story, but it depends on when in the Fall.

 

[macraven]

DVC members here who want to venture over to Universal for a couple of days this summer. We will have WDW AP's and already have 9 nights planned at a DVC resort but I was considering booking a room at Universal just for the benefits to go to US for 2 days BUT.... I am in sticker shock at not being able to find any deals on the hotels.

Cheapest hotel $225
2-day base tix for 2 parks x 3 ppl = $372 (thru the Mousesavers deal)
Rental car estimate for 2 days $75
Total = $672

This was NOT what I had in mind to spend at all. Being DVC we are used to being a little insulated to the cost of Orlando hotels I guess. I spent all afternoon trying to find a deal for August and got zip. Guess we are spoiled with our DVC & AP's huh?!

SOOO my question is if we decide to NOT spring for the Universal hotel room will we regret it? Will the lines be horrid if we just show up at the normal opening time? How long do you think the waits for the more popular rides & attractions will be? Will we be looking at 2 hour waits for everything??

Thanks for your thoughts and experiences!!

just do it.
you'll thank me later for saying that.


you plan to go during a larger crowd period.
parks are opened later and there will be more peeps in them the second week of August.

since this is the first time for your family at the darkside, enjoy it with the perks that come by staying onsite one night.

it will be hot in August.
there will be lines.
avoid the stess and tension from standing in long lines for rides.



$225 is not a bad price for a deluxe hotel.
no way you could stay at the motherland deluxe at that price.

if you don't want to swing that much money for 2 days at the darkside, make universal happen on another trip.
save up and plan for next year.

but buy your tickets now.
when disney ups their prices, the other places follow soon after usually.

I can't answer your question - because I have the same one!

We are going for an adults-only short trip this fall. Part of me really wants to stay on site and just enjoy the trip and all the amenities, but the budget-trip-planner in me tells me to just rent a condo for MUCH less.

I have the same worries - that we will end up spending the whole day in line for Fantastic Journey or something!

Hoping for some opinions from those who have gone before!

agree with the above poster if you are going the first 3 weeks of september.
crowds will not be great in that time period.
parks do close early due to lower attendance.

the last week of that month could get some crowds as HHN could start on the last weekend.

but, the rates at the onsite hotels are way cheap during that time period. i have the ap and snagged a $129 a night there before...

 

[bumbershoot]

macraven's right, that's not a bad rate, and with Universal's resorts, the price is much easier to justify as worth it than many of Disney's resorts.


To flip it around...we're borrowing 28 points from 2013 to stay one night at the Boardwalk (to do laundry...I know, silly, but Portofino doesn't have a laundry room and I don't want to go to the other hotels in the middle of the night for laundry), and then moving over to Universal.

This was never supposed to be a WDW stay; we're going to DisneyLAND for several days, then going to Universal Orlando. Period.

But...being at Boardwalk is just too close, and we're hearing the call of Kringla bakery, and grand marnier slushies, and Mission Space, and the World Showcase...and we're considering a one day ticket for Epcot. So...$265 for one day tickets for the 3 of us, and the 28 points to stay there (although we were staying there anyway, when we supposedly weren't setting foot in a WDW park).


For you, the rental car...unless you are really going to need it, I would just find other transportation. Because I don't know that you're including the parking fee at the Universal resorts (I estimate it at $15 per night...that's not THE rate, but it's close enough for my budget) in that $75. If it's just going to sit there, it's worth making SURE you need that car.



Universal's great, the Express Pass from the hotel is GREAT. We've only been at quiet times, a December and a September, and it's been absolutely fabulous...I can imagine in the summer it would be even MORE worth it.

Do it, create the budget for it, have FUN!

 

[anorman]

Yes you will regret it if you don'y stay on site. Take it from someone who has done both. We were there in August both times and while the lines were quite long without the fotl perk, the parks were a real pleasure with it. It was great to just walk right up to a ride with a long lineup and hop right ahead of almost everybody. Some lines were over an hour long and we got on in less than 10 minutes.

Take the plunge, I promise you that you will not regret it and it will be money well spent!

 

[Sandy321]

Yes you will regret it if you don'y stay on site. Take it from someone who has done both. We were there in August both times and while the lines were quite long without the fotl perk, the parks were a real pleasure with it. It was great to just walk right up to a ride with a long lineup and hop right ahead of almost everybody. Some lines were over an hour long and we got on in less than 10 minutes.

Take the plunge, I promise you that you will not regret it and it will be money well spent!

its a vacation, a "once in a lifetime" (for now! ) trip - maybe justify it with division? Divide the cost over a year...

 

[schumigirl]

just do it.
you'll thank me later for saying that.

Universal's great, the Express Pass from the hotel is GREAT. We've only been at quiet times, a December and a September, and it's been absolutely fabulous...I can imagine in the summer it would be even MORE worth it.

Do it, create the budget for it, have FUN!

Absolutely agree with both of these comments.......Hotels are beautiful and well worth every penny. Yes I think you would regret not staying onsite at Universal.

Express Pass is an absolute godsend, last August we saw waits of 90 minutes for The Hulk on one occasion (19th Aug) we were on twice in just over 10 minutes using Express Pass.

 

[disnewbie108]

DVC members here who want to venture over to Universal for a couple of days this summer. We will have WDW AP's and already have 9 nights planned at a DVC resort but I was considering booking a room at Universal just for the benefits to go to US for 2 days BUT.... I am in sticker shock at not being able to find any deals on the hotels.

Cheapest hotel $225
2-day base tix for 2 parks x 3 ppl = $372 (thru the Mousesavers deal)
Rental car estimate for 2 days $75
Total = $672

This was NOT what I had in mind to spend at all. Being DVC we are used to being a little insulated to the cost of Orlando hotels I guess. I spent all afternoon trying to find a deal for August and got zip. Guess we are spoiled with our DVC & AP's huh?!

SOOO my question is if we decide to NOT spring for the Universal hotel room will we regret it? Will the lines be horrid if we just show up at the normal opening time? How long do you think the waits for the more popular rides & attractions will be? Will we be looking at 2 hour waits for everything??

Thanks for your thoughts and experiences!!

Hi,

I have seen you offer great advice on the Cruise line forum. Please consider the advice/suggestions given here in your thread. Once you stay on site and use the Express Pass, you will be spoiled. And the price for your room is a good one. The deluxe accomodations are very very nice at the dark side. And I am a DVC memeber too, who loves all the deluxes at the mother land. In the end, it is a personal decision for you to decide with your family budget in mind. However, if it were me, an onsite stay is the only way I will tour Universal. Ever. Peak, non-peak and anywhere in between.

Good luck.

 

[Lucky'sMom]

I am spending nearly $600 for one night at RPR this July (2 rooms, due to family size). Why? It is worth it! In that hot, humid Florida summer heat, you won't be able to put a price on not standing in the long lines for the rides. I look at like this...my vacation days are valuable and I want to ENJOY my days at US/IOA. I feel in the summer, on-site is a must. Now, we have stayed off-site even Thanksgiving week and had no problems getting on the rides w/o the express pass. I also do love staying there! There's an immersive experience that is hard to beat.

 

[Pluto0809]

I just got back from a my first trip to Universal. Being end of January there were no lines for any rides except the Harry Potter ones.

Even with that, I still loved the Express Pass and staying on site.

Getting into the Harry Potter section an hour early was very worth it. We were able to get all of the rides and the shops in that section done by 9 am. Once the park opened, the lines immediately grew to over an hour for both the Forbidden Journey and Olivanders and you could not move in the stores. I can't imagine what they would be like during summer months.

We stayed at HRH and being able to walk or catch a ferry back to our room anytime was very worth staying on site.

One thing about the Express Pass that I haven't seen mentioned was a pleasent surprise to us. For the shows with a set time, the Express Pass holders are lead into the show first and given the best seats. Being front and center for all the shows was very cool. We had front row twice for the Horror Make-Up Show.

 

[Anal Annie]

just do it.
you'll thank me later for saying that.


$225 is not a bad price for a deluxe hotel.
no way you could stay at the motherland deluxe at that price.

if you don't want to swing that much money for 2 days at the darkside, make universal happen on another trip.
save up and plan for next year.

but buy your tickets now.
when disney ups their prices, the other places follow soon after usually.

I suppose it's not a BAD price (I was just hoping to find a deal for a little off the rack rate) and it irks me that we will already HAVE a very nice DVC villa that will sit unused for a night.

Did I miss a rumor about a price increase?? Is there one on the horizon? We're getting our Disney AP's in March on that trip...

macraven's right, that's not a bad rate, and with Universal's resorts, the price is much easier to justify as worth it than many of Disney's resorts.

To flip it around...we're borrowing 28 points from 2013 to stay one night at the Boardwalk (to do laundry...I know, silly, but Portofino doesn't have a laundry room and I don't want to go to the other hotels in the middle of the night for laundry), and then moving over to Universal.

This was never supposed to be a WDW stay; we're going to DisneyLAND for several days, then going to Universal Orlando. Period.

But...being at Boardwalk is just too close, and we're hearing the call of Kringla bakery, and grand marnier slushies, and Mission Space, and the World Showcase...and we're considering a one day ticket for Epcot. So...$265 for one day tickets for the 3 of us, and the 28 points to stay there (although we were staying there anyway, when we supposedly weren't setting foot in a WDW park).

For you, the rental car...unless you are really going to need it, I would just find other transportation. Because I don't know that you're including the parking fee at the Universal resorts (I estimate it at $15 per night...that's not THE rate, but it's close enough for my budget) in that $75. If it's just going to sit there, it's worth making SURE you need that car.

Universal's great, the Express Pass from the hotel is GREAT. We've only been at quiet times, a December and a September, and it's been absolutely fabulous...I can imagine in the summer it would be even MORE worth it.

Do it, create the budget for it, have FUN!

We'll also be at BWV on that trip - our first time there. Booked 9 nights BW view. That will finish up our DVC resort hopping so we can start repeating resorts!! Well, last one until GF opens anyway.

I didn't include extra for parking but if we stay one night do we have to pay for 2 days of parking or is it by the night? I figured we'd stash our day bag in it if we just slip over there for 1 night...

If we didn't visit Universal it would be a pretty cheap trip since we'd already have our AP's...but I really think it's time we get over there. DS is going to be 15 this spring and he's been to Disney more times than he remembers but not to Universal yet at all.

Yes you will regret it if you don'y stay on site. Take it from someone who has done both. We were there in August both times and while the lines were quite long without the fotl perk, the parks were a real pleasure with it. It was great to just walk right up to a ride with a long lineup and hop right ahead of almost everybody. Some lines were over an hour long and we got on in less than 10 minutes.

Take the plunge, I promise you that you will not regret it and it will be money well spent!

SOOO do you think if we do this that we could do both parks in ONE day? Could we get by with the pass that hops to both parks or would you still plan for 2 days??

its a vacation, a "once in a lifetime" (for now! ) trip - maybe justify it with division? Divide the cost over a year...

ACTUALLY, this will be our 2nd trip this year (also going over spring break) so really, it should be our cheaper trip. And depending on how we get along over THIS years spring break we may book to go again NEXT year while we can squeeze 3 trips off our AP's.

Absolutely agree with both of these comments.......Hotels are beautiful and well worth every penny. Yes I think you would regret not staying onsite at Universal.

Express Pass is an absolute godsend, last August we saw waits of 90 minutes for The Hulk on one occasion (19th Aug) we were on twice in just over 10 minutes using Express Pass.

Not really booking this to enjoy the resorts while we have a perfectly fine DVC unit to sleep in BUT the 10 minute thing vs 90 minutes standby sounds like the kind of info. I was looking to document with this plan!! THANKS! Wait times are the kind of info. I was looking for!!

Hi,

I have seen you offer great advice on the Cruise line forum. Please consider the advice/suggestions given here in your thread. Once you stay on site and use the Express Pass, you will be spoiled. And the price for your room is a good one. The deluxe accomodations are very very nice at the dark side. And I am a DVC memeber too, who loves all the deluxes at the mother land. In the end, it is a personal decision for you to decide with your family budget in mind. However, if it were me, an onsite stay is the only way I will tour Universal. Ever. Peak, non-peak and anywhere in between.

Good luck.

Thanks...I am seriously considering it - I was looking for the justification to spend the extra money & I was hoping to pay just a little less on the room. I am a bargain hunter & despise paying rack rates. Definitley spoiled having our accomodations covered by DVC. Today, after rechecking all of our flight options AGAIN I went to book flights and before I could squeeze the trigger the darned things went up. Not a LOT but right in front of my eyes. $10 more pp. They're already so much more than previous years. It's just annoying and I'm feeling nickle and dimed to death.

 

[Brian Noble]

If I understand the question correctly, you're considering booking a throw-away room for two days of access, but you'll still be staying in your DVC villa. Is that right?

If so, there are a couple different ways to go. You could do the per-person express passes. Those are only once per attraction, but depending on the precise time of year, could be less expensive. There are also VIP tickets, which include unlimited express---however, with three of you, I bet that will cost more than the room.

Finally, if you are an AAA member, you can probably knock a few more bucks off that room cost.

It's not the end of the world if you want to skip Express, but you'll want to avoid the middle of the day (or spend it in shows). In August, you'll want to do that anyway, 'cause it's so darn hot.

We're in the same boat. We have a week in a 2BR at HGVC-Sea World this summer, and I'll be darned if I'm going to cram the four of us into a hotel room (or spend what it costs for two rooms). I'm probably going to get a room for one night as a throwaway to cover two days. But, we're also spending a good chunk of that week at Sea World, Aquatica, and Wet-n-Wild, so we may just do the water parks during the day, and the theme parks in the mornings before crowds build, or the evenings after they start clearing out a little bit. Probably more evenings than mornings with my want-to-sleep-in children. Don't really know yet.

 

[Anal Annie]

If I understand the question correctly, you're considering booking a throw-away room for two days of access, but you'll still be staying in your DVC villa. Is that right?

Kinda...sorta...except that if we pay $225 for the room and we're already there then we'll sleep over so we can be there early for the early entrance to the Harry Potter thing. That will be the night we "waste" our DVC villa. But I am NOT packing & moving for 1 night. Rather than a week (7 n) vacation I have planned & booked 9 n to allow for 2 days at Universal.

If so, there are a couple different ways to go. You could do the per-person express passes. Those are only once per attraction, but depending on the precise time of year, could be less expensive. There are also VIP tickets, which include unlimited express---however, with three of you, I bet that will cost more than the room.

Finally, if you are an AAA member, you can probably knock a few more bucks off that room cost.

Not a AAA member (it costs more I think in our area so I've always passed on the membership whenever the offers come).

It's not the end of the world if you want to skip Express, but you'll want to avoid the middle of the day (or spend it in shows). In August, you'll want to do that anyway, 'cause it's so darn hot.

We're used to vacationing in FL in August. That is our "normal" summer vaca time.

We're in the same boat. We have a week in a 2BR at HGVC-Sea World this summer, and I'll be darned if I'm going to cram the four of us into a hotel room (or spend what it costs for two rooms). I'm probably going to get a room for one night as a throwaway to cover two days. But, we're also spending a good chunk of that week at Sea World, Aquatica, and Wet-n-Wild, so we may just do the water parks during the day, and the theme parks in the mornings before crowds build, or the evenings after they start clearing out a little bit. Probably more evenings than mornings with my want-to-sleep-in children. Don't really know yet.

If we just buy the 2 day / 2 park base ticket that doesn't allow the hopping between parks can we still come & go in & out of the 1 park that day? We can, right? We just can't visit the other park, right? We ALWAYS park hop at Disney and I can't imagine NOT hopping but I know people DO it. I'm thinking since it's all new to us we can manage to stay occupied in 1 park. There is a $16 difference per ticket between hopping or not or not hopping.

 

[bumbershoot]

Annie, they charge per night. At midnight, it was explained to me. So as long as your car is gone from the lot BEFORE the following midnight, you'll get two days of parking in the hotel lot, for that one night stay.


OOh, BW view, nice! We went with standard, as we get in late and *thought* we'd be leaving bright and early the next morning. Then it became "we'll swim" (b/c the clown pool isn't anywhere near as scary as I thought it was, and I'm phobic about clowns), then it became we'll enjoy the resort, and then some bright person (um, that would be me) realized how close we'd be to Epcot and started justifying a visit because DS is studying China and blah blah blah....

Anyway, we liked our other ONE night stay in a BW studio, and are looking forward to the 1 bedroom. I know you'll enjoy it!


And I think you'll enjoy Universal, too. you can always add the hopping to your ticket if you find you want it. I'd probably do the two days, just to make sure you've got it all. But then...our first stay at US had 4 park days and we left wanting more, and our first WDW stay involved 10 park days and a bunch of other days, etc. We like a longer time in a park than many others.

 

[ruthgator]

If you don't do the park hopper, you can't do HP on your US day....

 

[macraven]

If we just buy the 2 day / 2 park base ticket that doesn't allow the hopping between parks can we still come & go in & out of the 1 park that day? We can, right? We just can't visit the other park, right? We ALWAYS park hop at Disney and I can't imagine NOT hopping but I know people DO it. I'm thinking since it's all new to us we can manage to stay occupied in 1 park. There is a $16 difference per ticket between hopping or not or not hopping.

you could buy a one day 2 park ticket.

if you decide that you need more park time, upgrade that ticket at guest services that are located INSIDE the park.

you would pay the difference to make that original 1 day/2 park ticket to a 2 day/2 park ticket.

if you do it that way and you won't waste money if you decide not to do the park early the next morning for parry hotter.

you must upgrade your tickets before you leave the park if you are on the last day ticket.

if you leave the park, they are not upgradable.


but what ruthgator said was good.

you are not going to be checking into the hotel at 7 in the morning so the early entry for day #1, will be a wash regardings parry hotter before the crowds.

there are some discounts out there for 2 day/ 2 park tickets.
(those are the hopper tickets.)

in one of your other threads, i mentioned transportation options.
for the 3 of you, it would be $57 if you used the Mears shuttle round trip on 2 different days to go from the motherland to the darkside.

that is cheaper than a car rental and parking.



i say listen to the crowd here and go for it.......

 

[mcjw2011]

but buy your tickets now.
when disney ups their prices, the other places follow soon after usually.

Wait, when did WDW raise their ticket prices?

I probably should buy another US/IOA park hopper soon...

 

[macraven]

Wait, when did WDW raise their ticket prices?

I probably should buy another US/IOA park hopper soon...

no one has raised their ticket prices yet.

disney usually increases prices each year.
when that happens, the others follow suit.
that's all i'm saying....



last year, universal raised the ap prices on march 1st which through many for a loop.

over the years since 2003, i went from $99 a year renewal fees, to $109 renewal fees, to last year a huge renewal fee..........new cost for renewals went to $170.xx/includes tax.

 

[mcjw2011]

no one has raised their ticket prices yet.

disney usually increases prices each year.
when that happens, the others follow suit.
that's all i'm saying....

Got it.