any chance on-site hotel rates will lower before March? - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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any chance on-site hotel rates will lower before March?
So here I sit....I've haunted the boards, read all the great advice and made our decision - this year we are going to try Universal for the first time and stay on site for all the benefits (we usually travel off-peak so I am concerned about long wait times ruining our time in the studios and IOA). My problem is the rates are out and HOLY POOP!!! they are so expensive for March! We are used to free dining and stay at mods or even Pop and the idea of paying $300 plus a night plus meals plus park tickets is killing me!
So, experts, what are the chances that there will be a promotional rate that comes up between now and then? Where would I seek out that (besides Mousesavers, which I know) and what are the chances that there will be a Harry Potter package that comes out for the new year for the partner hotels? I would be willing to give up front of the line access as long as I could get in an hour early for HP, maybe...
OR...should I just suck it up and either pay the price and enjoy the experience or pass on it and go at a less expensive time another year?
Thanks for your thoughts...I was all set for $240 and had psyched myself into it, but I am finding it hard to swallow when WDW is offering my old fav - free dining at the same time. Is there hope for a better promo or offer?
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Try for a AAA rate. That should save you a bit. Luckily park tickets are less expensive for two-three days than at Disney, and you won't need longer than that.
Have you signed up on Universal's website to receive emails? Sometimes they email special offers when they become available. And try calling their reservations center and asking if there are any discounts available.
Another thing - sign up your email address at Loew's hotels website (they own. I received a discount offer at Universal's hotels starting at $132/night through December.
If you want early entry but aren't concerned about front-of-the-line passes, the Universal partner hotels will get you that, at prices well below the on-sites.
We booked a package through Universal with early entry and breakfast at The Three Broomsticks. The hotel was under $100 a night.
Good advice below. In my experience, for March 2011, i booked Hard Rock Hotel 9 months out and in the months leading up, there were no deals to be had.
But the front of the line passes were worth it to us and we had a great time.
However, for us, we wouldn't book a week on Universal Property. We actually only did one night; i would do two at most. We toured everything we wanted to see in two days, although that may not be the same for others.
Would you consider a split stay? (this may seem weird, but we booked at WDW and kept our room throughout, leaving to spend the one night at Universal. Universal was a splurge, but we decided to keep our other room as a base so we could leave WDW at 8 am and enjoy the full benefit of two days of front of the line passes during our one night stay at Universal)
Well, we got a CAA rate for $260.10 per night and I have signed up for all the suggested emails (thanks!) so all this now to do is wait...and wait...and wait...
We are just going to suck it up if nothing better comes along and enjoy our stay. We will be spending 2 nights at Pop just hanging around the pool and DTD and relaxing before we head to Universal so that we can hit Universal hard with an early early morning c/in and a visit to Harry for the early entry hour so we will get the most out of our 3 days of park access.
The deal is done and I am happy to have the rate we've got and will look at any further discount as a bonus! For some reason $260 is a lot easier to take than $300 even though both are really more than we usually spend on a room. I think we are going to really enjoy this trip, so I am getting very excited!
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how many days do you plan to spend at universal? i got an AP and saved a bundle on our room at portofino. just a thought.
also, with the AP rate, i found a sale exactly one week before we left. i then upgraded from royal pacific to portofino (a REALLY GOOD IDEA) we paid something like $190/night for portofino, and it remains one of the most beautiful hotels i've ever experienced--if not the most beautiful. yeah...really can't think of a better one.
Unfortunately only 3 days, so I imagine an AP is not likely. While I love where I live near Ottawa and am a very proud Canadian it definitely limits the number of times we can fly us all to Florida. We did a cruise last year and the flights to get to and from Florida cost more than our whole week's cruise including our excursions and bar bill! My master plan when we retire (ok, so I'm only 43....I'm leaping ahead a bit here ) is to get an RV and park it with a season pass at FW and just enjoy a whole winter's worth of Florida. Then I may finally be able to say I've had enough!
I am happy with my CAA discount though - I had decided we would be staying on-site and had myself geared to paying $240 so from there it is just a little jump to what we got. I am really looking forward to it as it gets closer but I see you have a ticker in your sig and you're Orlando bound first. Yay you!
Unfortunately only 3 days, so I imagine an AP is not likely. While I love where I live near Ottawa and am a very proud Canadian it definitely limits the number of times we can fly us all to Florida. We did a cruise last year and the flights to get to and from Florida cost more than our whole week's cruise including our excursions and bar bill! My master plan when we retire (ok, so I'm only 43....I'm leaping ahead a bit here ) is to get an RV and park it with a season pass at FW and just enjoy a whole winter's worth of Florida. Then I may finally be able to say I've had enough!
I am happy with my CAA discount though - I had decided we would be staying on-site and had myself geared to paying $240 so from there it is just a little jump to what we got. I am really looking forward to it as it gets closer but I see you have a ticker in your sig and you're Orlando bound first. Yay you!
if my math is correct, you'll be arriving the day i leave! so yay YOU--you'll just be starting your trip whilst mine ends!
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) is to get an RV and park it with a season pass at FW and just enjoy a whole winter's worth of Florida. Then I may finally be able to say I've had enough!
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