Wanna help me plan our 1st onsite stay??

Jennasis

DIS life goes on
Joined
Jun 11, 2000
We are planning a spring 2018 trip to USO. We've been to USO before but haven't stayed onsite or even done more than a single day visit (did both parks in 1 day). This trip we want to do a proper stay and enjoy all 3 parks and the resort. For budget reasons, we are hoping for Cabana Bay...though it IS a bit of a bummer that we can't get Express Pass (without paying extra for it). How do we go about looking for deals on rooms? Do they ever even HAVE deals on rooms lol?

Originally we were going to do a Thursday through Sunday, but since we drive it would mean not arriving until late afternoon and losing most of our first day. So now we are going to try fro a Wednesday through Sunday so we will have 3 full days in each park.

We are only 2 adults. As a DVC owner, my Disney-fu is strong, but I have no clue about shopping for or booking a Universal trip...and honestly their website kind of blows as far as booking (but so does Disney's LOL).
 
I usually book hotel stay directly through Loews website: https://www.loewshotels.com/royal-pacific-resort

Other than the annual passholder rate, the best rate they have is the "stay more, save more" rate - this page gives an overview of the discount you will receive: https://www.universalorlando.com/we...special-offers/stay-more-save-more/index.html

This rate does sell out, so it is possible when you search you will not see it.

Sometimes it is worth it to book the CBBR stay and pay for even 1 day of Express Passes.
 
It looks like for our dates, the current staymore save more rate is $137.20....is that a good deal for May? I have no clue about their pricing.
 


It looks like for our dates, the current staymore save more rate is $137.20....is that a good deal for May? I have no clue about their pricing.

Since you are going in May, local schools do day field day trips to the parks on Fridays in that month.
also grad bash/grad adventure will have a few May dates where the studios will close early .

I would have to pull up last years site for them to see the pattern it has been in past years for which event for May dates you could expect.

Cbay won't fill up due to the middle school and high school events but only Friday crowds could be increased when you are there.


I am not on top of the Cbay rates but need to pull that hotel up for dates and rates and see if you have a good smsm price or not.
 
Since you are going in May, local schools do day field day trips to the parks on Fridays in that month.
also grad bash/grad adventure will have a few May dates where the studios will close early .

I would have to pull up last years site for them to see the pattern it has been in past years for which event for May dates you could expect.

Cbay won't fill up due to the middle school and high school events but only Friday crowds could be increased when you are there.


I am not on top of the Cbay rates but need to pull that hotel up for dates and rates and see if you have a good smsm price or not.

I got an email for a stay save and play rate that looks to be around $137/night for some of the trip and $140ish for others. I priced the trip out with tix on the USO site at $1170 for two adults. That's with 4 day tix (park-to-park, all 3 parks).
 


That rate is fine, but not outstanding for a standard room. I would say that $115/night would be a good rate. Nothing wrong with booking it and then watching for AP rates. You can get a seasonal pass for about the same price as the 4 day tickets. That might give you a rate that is better. Check out the date and rate thread...I'm seeing some better rates that people got last year with the AP rate on a standard room. Depends when in May you are going, too.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/official-2017-hotel-date-rate-thread.3569374/

May is kind of like September. Check out rates for September and see what they are like with and without an APH rate.
 
If you do want to splurge a little one budget trick is to book a night at one of the EP hotels. That one night will get you 2 days EP (check in and check out day). It can be a pain to switch rooms but for 2 days of unlimited EPs it can be worth it.

You can also book something now through Loews site and then keep checking for APH rates. You can cancel up to 3 days before without penalty on their site. Then if a great APH rate came out you can call and update the reservation or cancel and switch hotels if the APH rate makes it worth it. You don't need the pass to reserve the room so you can book it and then get buy the AP.
 
Buying a Seasonal Pass gets one APH benefits? And is it really worth it to upgrade for an additional $60+ tax for the seasonal pass (vs a 4 day ticket) to get an APH rate on the room? Will the room discount make up the heftier ticket price (and then some)?
 
Buying a Seasonal Pass gets one APH benefits? And is it really worth it to upgrade for an additional $60+ tax for the seasonal pass (vs a 4 day ticket) to get an APH rate on the room? Will the room discount make up the heftier ticket price (and then some)?
3 park 4 day ticket...gate price... $344.99
3 park seasonal pass...$383

So $40 difference. AP discount can be 30%. Since you don't have to have the AP in hand to book a room at the APH rate, you can book normal rate and then watch for a rate change in rooms and then just call and get your rate changed. You can then upgrade your ticket at the park to actually get the annual passes.
 
3 park 4 day ticket...gate price... $344.99
3 park seasonal pass...$383

So $40 difference. AP discount can be 30%. Since you don't have to have the AP in hand to book a room at the APH rate, you can book normal rate and then watch for a rate change in rooms and then just call and get your rate changed. You can then upgrade your ticket at the park to actually get the annual passes.

Sorry, I read the AP price as $383 + tax. Was that price of $383 the total price?
 
Sorry, I read the AP price as $383 + tax. Was that price of $383 the total price?

No, but both the normal ticket and the ap ticket will have the similar tax, so I didn't include it. Online ticket prices for tickets, not APs, are $20 cheaper than gate prices. So when you upgrade an online ticket, Universal will add $20 to their worth in the exchange. Even if you purchase tickets for UT, Universal will give you gate value for them in an exchange.
 
Buying a Seasonal Pass gets one APH benefits? And is it really worth it to upgrade for an additional $60+ tax for the seasonal pass (vs a 4 day ticket) to get an APH rate on the room? Will the room discount make up the heftier ticket price (and then some)?

Seasonal pass gets you the ap discount benefit at least.

But you don't buy it until know you there's an ap rate for your dates and have booked it.
 
Seasonal pass gets you the ap discount benefit at least.

But you don't buy it until know you there's an ap rate for your dates and have booked it.
AP rates seem to come out awfully late...or rather close to the travel dates. If I'm going in May it would make me nervous to wait until January/February to book while waiting for an AP rate. Should I book a rake rate room only through Universal direct and hope for a better rate and call to have the price adjusted? I seem to recall a really good room rate for CBBR came out around October. It was such a good rate it prompted us to seriously consider booking (it was under $100 iirc).
 
I would book room only early if it looks good. You can always have it changed if an AP rate comes out (if you do get a decent AP rate, then you'll have to get the AP of course, but, like bumbershoot said, I wouldn't get the AP until you knew you'd use it for a discount.)

I always book my room as early as possible, then keep an eye out for rate drops or AP discounts.
 
Yes, always book when you are happy with a rate and then watch for a better one. Same with tickets or APs. I would anticipate a price change between now and May.
 
Would you consider staying off site?? My family stayed one night at the DoubleTree prior to checking in at Portofino Bay. To be honest, if it weren't for the express pass, I personally prefer the room at DoubleTree over my deluxe room at Portofino. DT is a Universal Partner Hotel so it offers complimentary shuttle to the park. The shuttle will drop you off/pick up at the Universal Citywalk. When we stayed at DT during first week of August, the room was only $99 per night...

Also, at Universal, since the park and hotels are separately owned by different companies, a vacation package won't necessarily give you the max discount.
 

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