Disney pro - clueless about Universal

[Studios94]

Unfortunately, you are just outside the 30 day cancellation period. I’d have suggested a 50-50 split trip & to bank the remainder of your points.

Tickets:

Assume you don’t have a “grandfathered’ DVC discounted WDW AP in hand.

IMO Genie+ is not comparable to the onsite EP

Using UT pricing:

WDW cost of five day base tix Starting 3/25 is $584 pp, not including genie +. PH is $652.

U five day P2P tix is $335...giving you substantial savings to add on EP for at least one or two days, if desired.

Park Entry Strategy:

Don’t underestimate the amount of time it will take you to reach the U gates from WLV. I’d start out in whatever park doesn’t have onsite EE your first day.

if you have a car:

I-4 can be wildly busy in the AM to point traffic crawls along. Suggest taking surface roads, map it out beforehand, several different routes available.

the entry to the U parking garage is the largest I’ve seen, can also get backed up with those trying to make rope drop.

If you want to rope drop U your first day, I’d allot 1.15 hours from the time you leave your resort to the park gates, if not longer. you can adjust your departure time accordingly the following days. If early, can browse citiwalk and get a lay of the land for the rest of the trip.

If you are driving, I’d normally suggest upgrading at least one tix when you arrive at Guest Services, the power pass generally works. However, your trip falls over power pass black out dates at studios.

Believe you’d need to bump up to Preferred. You’d need to run the numbers & verify if it would work for you @ Guest Services. If you do decide to upgrade while in the park, don’t waste the time to do it in the morning as there is usually a long line. While they won’t refund your first day parking fee, you won’t have to pay parking the rest of the vacation.

Have fun exploring the dark side

Thanks for the detailed info!

 

[mzozzietj]

I didn't read all the other replies but wanted to add my two cents from recent experience. We are doing something similar. We have 9 nights booked at AKL in April on points. I honestly don't enjoy packing up and moving. BUT I was able to book a room at Royal Pacific for $287 (with UOAP discount). Since staying on-site gives us the express pass unlimited for two days it was a no brainer for me to get the room We will likely pack just what we need for the two days and leave the rest in our room at AKL and save myself the time of driving back and forth so it's not technically a throw away room. We had purchased two day park to park tickets back in November and our trip got interrupted with Hurricane Nicole. For us it made sense to pay a bit more to upgrade to APs for universal as it was less than the cost of one additional day. The room discount has saved us much more than the upgrade to the AP. It may be worth looking into upgrading one ticket if you do want to book a room. I think my savings for the room was about 35% for 4/16.

It was more than $100 savings for me to book the room over just getting express pass for ONE day. Since we can use it for two days, it was well worth it. We aren't huge ride people but we still enjoy express pass for simulators/shows/less intense rides/hogwarts express, etc.

 

[Studios94]

I didn't read all the other replies but wanted to add my two cents from recent experience. We are doing something similar. We have 9 nights booked at AKL in April on points. I honestly don't enjoy packing up and moving. BUT I was able to book a room at Royal Pacific for $287 (with UOAP discount). Since staying on-site gives us the express pass unlimited for two days it was a no brainer for me to get the room We will likely pack just what we need for the two days and leave the rest in our room at AKL and save myself the time of driving back and forth so it's not technically a throw away room. We had purchased two day park to park tickets back in November and our trip got interrupted with Hurricane Nicole. For us it made sense to pay a bit more to upgrade to APs for universal as it was less than the cost of one additional day. The room discount has saved us much more than the upgrade to the AP. It may be worth looking into upgrading one ticket if you do want to book a room. I think my savings for the room was about 35% for 4/16.

It was more than $100 savings for me to book the room over just getting express pass for ONE day. Since we can use it for two days, it was well worth it. We aren't huge ride people but we still enjoy express pass for simulators/shows/less intense rides/hogwarts express, etc.

I’ll check out that option. Thanks!

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

While I have been to universal and stayed on property, I found out all my info from two sources


Carlye Wiesel (though she did the really awesome everything you need to know series after I stayed on property)


And the dis’ very own Craig and Ryno.


Most things I will say they will say and more

 

[UOAP-Naples]

Pugh Two just did a YouTube video on the premier room and express pass saying it could or not save you money. Worth checking out the video cuz ticket prices are going up.

A one night premier hotel giving you two days of express pass would certainly save you money with 5 people over spring break. That tip was more for couples when the premier hotels get expensive. If you're only getting two express passes, then buying the EP separately and staying at a cheap hotel could make sense vs the premier hotel

 

[Dotluvsdisney]

What a great deal on the room! I called Universal when making my reservation recently and the cost to add on Express Pass starts at $90 per ticket and goes up to $250 per ticket depending on the crowd levels. I ended up getting a room, $750 after taxes and parking with military discount. They didn’t have any other “standard” room types when I called which was about 2 weeks prior to travel. Everything else was too rich for my blood.

 

[disneyseniors]

Hi
Not an expert,,, still learning myself but
we did a trip a few years ago and did one night at Royal Pacific Resort for 1 night which gave us Express Pass to the parks for two days...(day of check in,,, hoped an uber over from Disney at 6:30 am checked in and left a couple bags with Bell services),,we then headed to the Parks.
Stayed one night ,,again dropped our bag off at Bell services in the morning and head out to the Parks.. when we got back we just uber over to Disney's Old Key West.
You could also just use the room as a throwaway room. (As in check in /check out but don't actually stay in the room. I know expensive room ,,, but those passes (room keys) are priceless.
Feel free to ask questions and Best wishes
Mel

P.S
I personally don't find the crowds die down,,, more ebb and flow all day/night.

P.S.S.
I am also going to warn you that once you come over to the Darkside there maybe no return ...lol.
I love going to Universal now more than Disney.

So you don't lose your DVC points, I would just try and book a premium room for one night. As others have said, you get the day of rental and the day after, so 2 days of EP for one night. We did that while staying at disney. We went in the middle of our trip and it was a nice time for us to go. We got a little break from Disney and had a great time at Universal. I would book the room and USE it. There are many others who want to book rooms in those premium hotels and I would feel guilty if I only booked in name. Besides the hotels are fantastic and much better than any at Disney, IMO. You will have a great time at Universal any way you go.

 

[Amirah95]

A one night premier hotel giving you two days of express pass would certainly save you money with 5 people over spring break. That tip was more for couples when the premier hotels get expensive. If you're only getting two express passes, then buying the EP separately and staying at a cheap hotel could make sense vs the premier hotel

Who would want to go to UO during Spring Break for just two days of EP? Gonna need more than that if you’re going for more than two days. That was the point of there video.