Would this be possible for FOTL?

[torinsmom]

DS15 and I are spending 7-10 days in Orlando in July, doing Disney and US/IOA. We are staying at a condo for $500/week. I am wondering if I find a party of two staying onsite at Universal during the time we will be there, could they add me to their room in name only, so we could get the FOTL wristbands? I mean, technically, each room is eligible for 4, right? Of course, I would give them a gift card for their help. NO flames please; just trying to save some money. Cheapest I can find for one night onsite is $249!

Marsha

 

[Moon Child]

We stay onsite every time we visit US/IOA but I'm sorry, that's just not right

 

[DIZNUT57]

You really have to be kidding right? There is no way that is a good idea.Maybe you could purchase the express pass for 1 day.

 

[torinsmom]

Yeah, nevermind. I was also forgetting the fact that the FOTL is on the room key. I wouldn't want anyone to have my room key, and I wouldn't want to have someone else's either. The thought just kind of popped into my mind, because when we went to Great Wolf(Just me and DS), I got two extra bands for my cousin and her daughter to join us(they were local).

Any ideas for cheaper onsite? Are there ever good deals on one night during the summer? The Express pass is pricy for just one ride per attraction.

Marsha

 

[Jonny_Duck]

DS15 and I are spending 7-10 days in Orlando in July, doing Disney and US/IOA. We are staying at a condo for $500/week. I am wondering if I find a party of two staying onsite at Universal during the time we will be there, could they add me to their room in name only, so we could get the FOTL wristbands? I mean, technically, each room is eligible for 4, right? Of course, I would give them a gift card for their help. NO flames please; just trying to save some money. Cheapest I can find for one night onsite is $249!

Marsha

I personally don't see anything wrong with this...I buy hotels almost every trip and do not sleep in the room. So maybe I am doing something wrong by paying $200 a night and not sleepin there and still getting FOTL? Idk...

But yes they are allowed 5 ppl in the room. Only fault would be someone willing to give out their room key. If you don't know room number I am not so sure it matters. They also charge you I believe $25 per person in room past 2 so they will be paying more to have that room key.

Idk if they will have a lot more specials or less because of Harry Potter...But you could play the wait and see to see if anything comes up.

Other option is to get there early and get everything you want out of the way and then later in day you can know whats worth waiting in line for to ride a second time.

It will be hot and crowded that time you will most likely rly want that FOTL.

If condo is refundable you could possibly drop it and do 6 nights in hotel and one night in Uni hotel for the FOTL.

 

[torinsmom]

I personally don't see anything wrong with this...I buy hotels almost every trip and do not sleep in the room. So maybe I am doing something wrong by paying $200 a night and not sleepin there and still getting FOTL? Idk...

But yes they are allowed 5 ppl in the room. Only fault would be someone willing to give out their room key. If you don't know room number I am not so sure it matters. They also charge you I believe $25 per person in room past 2 so they will be paying more to have that room key.

Idk if they will have a lot more specials or less because of Harry Potter...But you could play the wait and see to see if anything comes up.

Other option is to get there early and get everything you want out of the way and then later in day you can know whats worth waiting in line for to ride a second time.

It will be hot and crowded that time you will most likely rly want that FOTL.

If condo is refundable you could possibly drop it and do 6 nights in hotel and one night in Uni hotel for the FOTL.

We went in July last year. Got there early and didn't have a problem doing everything we wanted. We used the single rider lines a lot as well.

I think my concern is that now onsite guests will get to enter the parks an hour earlier, so even if we get there when they officially open, there will be lots of people in front of us.

We may do seven days in the condo and then one onsite, but it just hurts my brain to think I will be paying 1/2 the 7 night condo cost for ONE night in a hotel.

So, they really charge more for more than TWO people? That seems wrong, since many families have 4 people. I also hate that they charge more than the Universal parking garage to park at the hotels.

 

[Magpie]

So, they really charge more for more than TWO people? That seems wrong, since many families have 4 people.

Children 17 and under are free if they're staying in the same room as an adult - so most families only pay for 2 adults.

 

[Purseval]

DS15 and I are spending 7-10 days in Orlando in July, doing Disney and US/IOA. We are staying at a condo for $500/week. I am wondering if I find a party of two staying onsite at Universal during the time we will be there, could they add me to their room in name only, so we could get the FOTL wristbands? I mean, technically, each room is eligible for 4, right? Of course, I would give them a gift card for their help. NO flames please; just trying to save some money. Cheapest I can find for one night onsite is $249!

Marsha

You would have to find a single parent with a minor child because any more than 2 adults in a room get charged extra. We were going to add our names to the room we bought for our relatives just so we could take the grandkids through and we couldn't because of the extra charges.

As for giving out a room key, the person who books the room can designate if a name can charge anything to the room so the people saying it would be risky are wrong. They could add your names and say that nothing can be charged to the keys.

 

[Jonny_Duck]

You would have to find a single parent with a minor child because any more than 2 adults in a room get charged extra. We were going to add our names to the room we bought for our relatives just so we could take the grandkids through and we couldn't because of the extra charges.

As for giving out a room key, the person who books the room can designate if a name can charge anything to the room so the people saying it would be risky are wrong. They could add your names and say that nothing can be charged to the keys.

Well true...unless you care if they take all your stuff out of room or not. My clothes are not worth that much so I wouldn't heh.

As far as the hr early thing...tbh I doubt its a perk many will even know or care much about. The benefit of staying onsite is getting to not rush out to the parks. So you should be ok on that front.

 

[bubba's mom]

I also hate that they charge more than the Universal parking garage to park at the hotels.

It's $15 either place...unless you have a preferred or premier AP...then, parking is free in the garage.

 

[torinsmom]

It's $15 either place...unless you have a preferred or premier AP...then, parking is free in the garage.

Actually, the website says $14 for regular parking in the garage. It's only $1 cheaper, but still...... Seems like they could have free parking like the Disney resorts for guests of the hotels. For a week, that's an extra $105, you know? I'd be tempted to park at one of the hotels across the street and then take a cab over.

I don't think I'll worry about FOTL. I am happy with my 2 bedroom condo for $500/week. We'll just get there early. We'll be in Orlando for at least 7 days, and have the 7 day passes, so we should be able to hit everything we want to. We aren't big Harry Potter fans, so that should help.

Marsha

 

[Purseval]

Well true...unless you care if they take all your stuff out of room or not. My clothes are not worth that much so I wouldn't heh.

You really think someone with as many posts and as well known on this board torinsmom would meet with a fellow DISer for the purpose of stealing from them?

As far as the hr early thing...tbh I doubt its a perk many will even know or care much about. The benefit of staying onsite is getting to not rush out to the parks. So you should be ok on that front.

That would be true today. It wouldn't be true in July when Harry Potter is open and your room key doesn't get you more than 1 FOTL during regular operating hours.

Actually, the website says $14 for regular parking in the garage. It's only $1 cheaper, but still...... Seems like they could have free parking like the Disney resorts for guests of the hotels. For a week, that's an extra $105, you know? I'd be tempted to park at one of the hotels across the street and then take a cab over.

Depending on where your condo is you could take the bus to Universal for cheap money. You have months to plan and see if it's feasible:

http://trip1.golynx.com/

 

[torinsmom]

You really think someone with as many posts and as well known on this board torinsmom would meet with a fellow DISer for the purpose of stealing from them?

Thanks, Purseval. I am definitely not a thief.

I guess I didn't even think the bands would have a room number on them, and are they your room key too? I was thinking more of the EMH bands they used to give out at Disney I guess. I was just thinking if it was just DS and me staying onsite and I knew another single parent and child who could benefit from the FOTL, I wouldn't mind. As I said though, I am nixing the idea of even trying this, and not even considering staying onsite. At this point, I think I could swing it financially, but DS wants his own room, and I want the kitchen.

Marsha

 

[bubba's mom]

Seems like they could have free parking like the Disney resorts for guests of the hotels.

There are people who like that they do charge for parking at the onsite hotels. I don't have a car, and I don't want to pay to park a car that I don't have there.

Unlike Disney who builds the parking rate into the price of the room, so you have no choice whatsoever.

 

[bubba's mom]

I guess I didn't even think the bands would have a room number on them, and are they your room key too? I was thinking more of the EMH bands they used to give out at Disney I guess.

idk why you are thinking about wristbands? Your room key (alone) is your express pass (fotl)...there are no wristbands involved unless you are getting the Meal Deal.

 

[torinsmom]

Depending on where your condo is you could take the bus to Universal for cheap money. You have months to plan and see if it's feasible:

http://trip1.golynx.com/

We're driving down, so we will just drive to Universal. I don't mind paying the parking fee; I just don't like that they charge for hotel guests to park after charging that much for rooms. Does anywhere else in Orlando charge? Maybe Disney does somehow build it into the rates, but they do have more reasonably priced hotels to choose from. Even if I could afford to stay onsite for 7 nights, I am too much of a cheapskate, LOL. I would be thinking about what I could have spent that extra $175/day on.

Marsha

 

[bubba's mom]

Absolutely there are other places in Orlando that charge for parking. Don't forget...UNIVERSAL doesn't own the hotels (like Disney does), Loews does. And ALL Loews hotels charge for parking. Luckily, the ones at Universal are rather cheap compared to some of the other cities' Loews. And, you definitely get a better deal at the Universal onsite hotels than Disney hotels.

 

[Purseval]

We're driving down, so we will just drive to Universal. I don't mind paying the parking fee; I just don't like that they charge for hotel guests to park after charging that much for rooms. Does anywhere else in Orlando charge?

Marsha

The only Universal area hotel I can think of off the top of my head that charges is the Peabody but there are probably others.

 

[Metro West]

Absolutely there are other places in Orlando that charge for parking. Don't forget...UNIVERSAL doesn't own the hotels (like Disney does), Loews does. And ALL Loews hotels charge for parking. Luckily, the ones at Universal are rather cheap compared to some of the other cities' Loews. And, you definitely get a better deal at the Universal onsite hotels than Disney hotels.

 

[funhouse8]

If I were you I would book a Hotel room for one night, which would give you two days of express pass and early entry and just leave the condo empty that one night. Whatever you decide, have fun!