Rates at Universal Orlando on-site hotels
Universal Orlando: This is a question about rates at on-site hotels and whether they may go down later in the summer season.
My husband and I are planning on going to Universal Orlando for the first time in our lives around July 21, 2010 and spending 3-4 nights. We really want to stay on-site, but the hotel rates seem extreme. I know that the benefit of the front of the line access is tremendous, but the prices seem so high. The cheapest room I can find (and I have looked ALL OVER the Internet at every hotel site I can think of) is $224 a night for three nights at the RP.
My question is: Is it possible/likely that this rate will go lower as we move later into the season, or should I go ahead and book at this price? I keep hearing that hotel rates around the country are exceptionally cheap, and I know I can find 4 star hotels off-site for under $100, so I wonder if the rates on the on-site hotels will go down if I wait.
Thanks for any help!
From Rob P
Posted May 21, 2010 at 3:23 AM
August is possibly one of the cheaper month's to go.
You might be able to get a competetive " per night" price from someone like Virgin. I know that booking from the UK you can get a room at the RP in August for the equivalent of $ 120.
So I'm fairly sure that you'd get a similar deal through a travel company in the US.
Thanks, Rob.
However, I am finishing my teaching certificate and hope to be employed in August. That is probably why rates go so low in August. Most kids in the U.S. start school in early August and Universal tries to encourage travel in that month.
I am probably stuck with the 3rd week in July and wondering if rates ever go lower then.
I have never seen the rates fluctuate. They usually are set well in advance. Anything short of calling when you get closer to the time you are staying and finding a last minute deal you can expect to pay what the website says. July usually is a busy month so they know that people will pay those rates happily. In my opinion it is way better to stay on site because the money you save going off site doesn't make up for the convinience of never having to get in the car. Once you get to the Universal hotels you never have to leave. Also the room key is your express pass to the front of the lines which in July is very necessary. Hope this helps.
In my experience, July is one of the absolute busiest months. I've never seen the rates of the hotels change much, but especially for your first time at the parks, the fast-pass line access is definitely worth the money. I would go as far as saying the club-level rooms in the hotels are well worth the extra money you spend.
I, too, have wanted to stay on-site at Universal but haven't wanted to pay that much, even with the "free" front of the line option.
Today I got an email from Universal Orlando with a special code offering rates at the Portofino Bay Hotel for $182 per night. It's for travel between June 11 - August 14 for certain nights and must be booked by June 13. When you book, it says I have to enter my email address as well as the special PIN included in the email. I'm guessing when they say for certain nights they mean weeknights, not Friday or Saturday.
Maybe you can call which ever on-site hotel you want to stay at and tell them that a "friend" of yours got this email and how can you qualify for that rate?
Good luck.
Kids get in free for a Universal Orlando on site hotels,also if you know a prefered or priemer passholder they can get you park tickets(up to 6 people)for 50 percent off.
I could not find a discount when we stayed last year.
But, have you thought about just staying one or two nights at the Universal Resorts. You get front of the line access on the day you check in also. You can check in early at the hotel and head off to the parks. You won't be able to get in your room until after 4:00, but you'll have two days of front of the line access.
It's a little inconvenient to switch hotels later, but you will save a few hundred dollars.
Just a suggestion.
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