How I Plan a Universal Trip

cfoxga

DIS Veteran
Joined
Jul 14, 2009
I've gotten so much out of this forum over the last 3 years, that I don't think i could ever give back enough. I've been meaning to write up my strategies for scheduling a Universal trip for a long time, but just never got around to it. Hopefully it gets the points across without too much rambling. If you have any suggestions for changes, just let me know...


The key to planning a Universal Trip is getting your room booked at an acceptable rate. Unlike Disney, you don't need to make reservations for dining 6 months in advance and you don't have to reserve rides 30-90 days in advance. You really can just show up and enjoy a relaxing trip.

That does not mean that there is no learning curve for Universal. There are a lot of choices to be made that will impact how long the waits will be and how much the trip will cost. Before I get in to the steps for planning a trip, there are some general topics that need discussion:


Annual Pass Holder (APH) Rates

You will see mentions of APH all over the forums. That is because having an annual pass gives you access to some of the best room discounts available, usually 20-30% off the seasonal rate. Given the room savings alone, an annual pass is a virtual no-brainer for at least one of your group. To see if APH rates are available, simply go to this link and put in your dates:

https://res.windsurfercrs.com/ibe/d...promo=aph&iata=&group=&hotels=&ada=0&currid=0


Annual Passes (APs)

The Seasonal Pass is only $10 more than a 2-day park-to-park ticket. The only downside is the "blockout dates" that keep you out of one or both parks. If your trip does not fall on a blockout date, then I recommend getting everyone an annual pass if:

1. You plan on going more than two days to the parks
2. You might come back to Universal within 12 months

Even if there are blockout dates, all is not lost. For $50 per pass, you can upgrade to a Power Pass, which removes some blockout dates.

If you end up buying Power Passes, then you should consider upgrading one to the Preferred Pass. It removes almost all blockout dates, but more importantly, gives you lots of discounts around the parks, hotels, and CityWalk. See https://www.universalorlando.com/we...nnual-passes/uoap-types#preferred-annual-pass for details. There are other benefits like free parking and Early Entry, but if you stay onsite, those don't really matter


Express Pass (EP)

IMO, Express Passes (EPs) are the key to a relaxing Universal trip. There are VIP tours that completely remove the lines, but they are quite expensive. There are two ways to get EPs: buy them directly or stay at one of the Deluxe Hotels (RPR, HRH, PBH). When you look at the price to buy EPs separately (up to $169), the Deluxe Hotels really start to look like bargains. Because the hotels give EPs for checkin and checkout days for up to 2 adults and 3 minors, people staying offsite or at value hotels often book a "throwawy room" for one day. Check in to get your room keys early on the first day, which double as EPs, and you are set for two days.

All three of our trips have been during busy times, once for Spring Break and twice at Thanksgiving. Our first trip we stayed at Cabana Bay for 4 nights and did not have EPs. We got up for Early Entry (EE) every morning and rode until early afternoon when the parks got crowded. To avoid the crowds, we ate a late lunch and took a nap. Then we returned for the last couple of hours. We had a blast, but we felt like there was much that w missed.

For our second trip, we got a really good APH rate at Royal Pacific which gave us EPs. We were able to sleep in, ride more rides than we did on our first trip and have more free time for CityWalk, shopping, etc. We were completely sold on the value of EPs, especially compared to the price to buy them separately. For a family of four, it was like they paid us to stay at the Deluxe Hotel. So when the price of hotels jumped from $200 in 2017 to $300 in 2019, we did not hesitate to stay at the Deluxe Hotels.


So now that the basics are out of the way, let's start planning...


Step 1: How long to stay?
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I recommend getting a solid 3 days in the parks, especially if this is your first visit. While you could probably ride all of the rides in 1 day with EPs, I don't think it is a very enjoyable way to see Universal. The shows are great (especially the HP and Horror Makeup shows). The parade is nice as well. And the resorts are great to just walk around or spend time at the pools. The Universal bubble has a lot to offer.


Step 2: What are the date(s) for travelling?
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We have two kids in school, so we're limited to Spring Break, Summer Break, Thanksgiving, Christmas/New Years, and a smattering of 4 day weekends during the school year. With the exception of the 4-day weekends, these are all peak times for Universal, so getting APH rates are a must.

What I do is have a folder in my browser called Universal Dates, filled with res.windsurfercrs.com links for every set of dates I am interested in going to the parks for 12 months. If you right-click on the folder and select "Open All", then I get separate tabs for each of my dates. I look at each one to see if there are APH rates for my preferred room type at my desired hotels. If I see one, then I book immediately. The cancellation policy is very good. I think you have until a week before the stay to cancel and get your deposit back. Having lost out on APH rates because of waiting too long, I learned to book first and ask questions later.



Step 3: Which Hotel to stay at?
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For us, we are only looking at Deluxe Hotels because of the EPs, but have stayed at CB on our first trip. While everyone has there likes and dislikes about each property, I can offer the following advice:

- RPR has a nice tropical theme but the rooms are quite small (335 sq ft). It is close enough to walk to the parks, but I still prefer the boats. It seemed like a good place, but something just didn't feel right about it for us. Others totally love it.

- PBH is the farthest away from the parks but have large rooms (450 sq ft). I didn't think the room size would matter to us, since we spend so much time in the parks. But the Deluxe 2 Queen room (490) felt massive compared to RPR for our family of four. I loved the old Italian theme, so the slightly dated look actually felt good. The employees there seemed much nicer, and were very proud of their hotel. I'm sure others could say the same about RPR, but I didn't get the same feel. The view of the hotel as you come in by boat is stunning. So if you are looking for a more upscale hotel, this might be your best bet.

- HRH is our next trip in mid-March 2020. The room are mid-sized at 375 sq ft and it is the closest to the parks and CityWalk. The general feel I got from the forum is that it is a hip place, but I can't give my full impression until I stay there.

- I think the Deluxe Hotels all have Priority Seating at most of the restaurant s at Universal. I don't know the details, since we've never had any problems getting a seat at one.

- CB was our first trip. That is where I learned about boats vs buses. I didn't like taking the bus to the parks/CityWalk, but I loved the the boats. At CB, it meant a fairly long walk to SF to catch the boats, but was worth it unless we were very tired. So if we were ever to stray from the Deluxe Hotels, SF would be my choice.

- I can't help much with the other onsite hotels, as I've not stayed at them nor have plans to do so.


Step 3: Planning Over
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If you are coming over from WDW, you were probably expecting discussion about dining and ride strategies. But they aren't needed for Universal. There are no dining reservations to make 180 days in advance or fastpasses to sign up for 30/60/90 days in advance. If you have your EPs, then enjoy your leisurely walk around the parks and grab a meal when you are ready. Withour EPs, then you might need to prioritize your morning to get on the rides you want, but you don't really need to plan in detail.


Hope this helps!
 
Nice! Thanks. I'll be following along to see if you add more to this. We have been doing 10 day Disney trips 4 times a year for the past 10 years or so. I am currently planning our very first trip to Universal for this fall in place of one of our usual Disney adventures. I have a club level suite booked at RPR and still have a lot of questions. Looking forward to learning about a new destination!
 
Wonderful post! This should almost be a sticky and mandatory reading for first time Universal newbies before they start asking quiestions :p

I'll add a few of our planning tips as it relates to things that might be different to how you plan but might help others:

  1. Avoid booking packages. They're almost always not worth it. Many Dis people are accustomed to booking their Disney trip as a package with tickets, hotels (and by default, transportation on the Magical Express to and from the airport). When it comes to Universal though, it typically won't save you anything and may cost a bit more. Booking the pieces separately (hotel, tickets, transportation) at Universal usually will offer more savings (or at worst cost the same as a package). But you'll also be able to cancel your hotel without penalty up to 5 days before your trip.
    1. Book Hotel early and check often. Hotel prices will fluctuate as rooms get booked, or conversely cancellations are made. We always book as early as we can if we see a price we can "live with". Then check prices frequently in the event that they go lower (which they can often do), or if APH rates come out and you can score an even better deal if you have an AP. With the first point of booking things separately, it's then super easy just to cancel and re-book.
  2. The "Dining" plan is not like Disney and typically not worth it. First major difference is that the dining plan at Universal does not work at any of the hotels. Hotels are not owned/operated by Universal. Secondly, unless you're getting the most expensive allowable items on the menu, it typically doesn't save you any money. So we just avoid the Dining plan as it's not worth the cost of using it.
  3. Shop around for tickets. Savings can be found if you look around at various sellers. Our typical go-to site is Undercover Tourist. But we also got great savings at visitorlando.com, on cyber monday. They typically do an extra 10% off their already discounted tickets on Black Friday/Cyber Monday so we got a great deal.
 


I've been to Uni (on both coast) a few times....and my favorite thing about planning an onsite stay for this spring? I just found my rates, booked my hotel,got my tix all set,and then I'm going to show up and enjoy myself :rotfl: I really appreciate not having to worry overmuch about a million details.... (I'm looking at you Mouse) I know the parks have their own 'flavor' different from Disney,and I'm good with that.
 
Nice! Thanks. I'll be following along to see if you add more to this. We have been doing 10 day Disney trips 4 times a year for the past 10 years or so. I am currently planning our very first trip to Universal for this fall in place of one of our usual Disney adventures. I have a club level suite booked at RPR and still have a lot of questions. Looking forward to learning about a new destination!
Disney and Universal have different approaches towards creating their "bubbles". In the end, I prefer the cozy nature of the Universal bubble. I have started planning a Disney trip for next year, and I already feel overwhelmed by all of the choices.

Since you have your room secured with EPs, you really are done with the required planning for Universal. If you have a specific night and time you want to book a restaurant, you can certainly do that. But you are setup for an enjoyable trip.

Did you get a discount off of the Seasonal Rate for your room? It looks like the "Stay More Save More" (SMSM) rates have been replaced with "Be A Savvy Traveler" (BAST?) rates. If you are less than 30% off of the Seasonal Rate for your room, then the APH rate might save you a bit more.

Don't hesitate to ask your questions, as there are lots of helpful folks on this board...
 
Wonderful post! This should almost be a sticky and mandatory reading for first time Universal newbies before they start asking quiestions :p

I'll add a few of our planning tips as it relates to things that might be different to how you plan but might help others:
Thanks TommyJK. I am hoping that this is something that first time planners find useful. I really like your idea of comparing Disney planning to Universal, as there seem to be many folks trying Universal for the first time after years of Disney. I'll try to incorporate that into the original post.

I'm still not sure how to best present all of this information. I keep thinking a FAQ might be cleaner. I figured it was better to throw this post out as a straw-man and let it evolve...
 


Disney and Universal have different approaches towards creating their "bubbles". In the end, I prefer the cozy nature of the Universal bubble. I have started planning a Disney trip for next year, and I already feel overwhelmed by all of the choices.

Since you have your room secured with EPs, you really are done with the required planning for Universal. If you have a specific night and time you want to book a restaurant, you can certainly do that. But you are setup for an enjoyable trip.

Did you get a discount off of the Seasonal Rate for your room? It looks like the "Stay More Save More" (SMSM) rates have been replaced with "Be A Savvy Traveler" (BAST?) rates. If you are less than 30% off of the Seasonal Rate for your room, then the APH rate might save you a bit more.

Don't hesitate to ask your questions, as there are lots of helpful folks on this board...
Thank you for the reply! I did get a SMSM rate. I checked when the BAST came out for the sake of comparision and my rate is over $200 per night less than the new promotion. I'm very pleased. We plan to get one of the less expensive APs since they seem to be a good deal. I'll continue keeping an eye out for AP rates for my dates. They don't extend that far yet.
 
CFoxGa and TommyJK
You both did a very helpful post that will be beneficial to all the newbies !

I read it days ago but sorry I’m late in posting here
 
Thank you... we are looking at going over Thanksgiving break, our girls have big birthdays this year and we want to surprise them. We definitely want to stay at a Deluxe because of the time of the year. I'm hoping to book something soon.
 
Thanksgiving is a great time to go, with the holiday decorations up. You get to see the park in full dark because of the earlier sundown, which is also nice. We've been twice (Sat-Wed) and the crowd levels varied from pretty high to extreme. There was one afternoon that even the EP lines were too long (> 40 minutes), so they definitely came in handy.
 

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