First timer - how to plan for June 2021?

[COscrapper]

I have been reading the boards but not seeing specific info. I'm looking for...

We are going to visit my dad in Florida in early June, probably May 31-June 8. We have done Disney World so we would like to try Universal while we are there this time. Thinking 3 days, and will stay at one of the hotels that includes the express passes. I just don't know how I should handle this with covid going on. I don't want to plan the whole thing and then our crazy governor (Ohio) calls for some new mandate or some other wierd thing happens and we can't go, and we lose our money. I know we could use a "cancel for any reason" insurance policy, but I'm trying to figure out if we need it or how Universal would handle it. I am not having the easiest time with Universal's website. For example, there's a whole section saying they will refund park tickets, but it lists dates ending in June of 2020 - we are obviously well past that. It DOES seem that hotels can be cancelled up to 24 hours ahead of check-in, am I right? Also wondering if my dad met us there and stayed with us, could we get a Florida resident discount on the hotel? I tried looking up the rates for our dates on the website but it didn't seem to work.

Any advice on how to safely purchase tickets and resort reservations? Is trip insurance my best bet? Should I just wait a few months to buy anything? I think our park days will be June 1-3.

 

[macraven]

If your dad books the hotel room, he could show proof he is a resident in Florida be eligible for Florida’s discount.

There are specials frequently for Florida residents to book and get that discount.

There would be a one night deposit at time of booking

Call the reservation number on the website or check a few of the other threads in the hotel section for UO

I thought I had it in a sticky in the Hotel section but I will recheck.

Special deals come and go frequently for UO hotels and tickets.
If park attendance is low or hotels are not booked fully, for certain dates, new discounts for rooms could be released.

Room rates are usually cheaper M-Th.

About refunds, UO handles each situation differently.

Covid has changed the way UO handles individual situations.
I have no idea when the cancel without penalties policy will be in effect.

Presently, refunds are not an issue at the present time.

 

[cfoxga]

Hopefully this will help: https://www.disboards.com/threads/how-i-plan-a-universal-trip.3794121/

Reserving hotels directly allows for cancellation without penalty 5 days from the start. The 24 hour policy was only for a while last year.

I would not buy tickets until I was sure that the trip was happening. You can always buy tickets once you arrive. I would definitely keep an eye out for an APH rate, as it will likely save a couple hundred dollars off the rack rate...

 

[COscrapper]

Hopefully this will help: https://www.disboards.com/threads/how-i-plan-a-universal-trip.3794121/

Reserving hotels directly allows for cancellation without penalty 5 days from the start. The 24 hour policy was only for a while last year.

I would not buy tickets until I was sure that the trip was happening. You can always buy tickets once you arrive. I would definitely keep an eye out for an APH rate, as it will likely save a couple hundred dollars off the rack rate...

Yes, I did find that thread on the boards - thank you! So, can I ask you, would it be wise to go ahead and book the hotel now? How far in advance do I need to worry about the hotel? I noticed that there is this “Orlando informer” group now having an event June 4-5. We were going to do park days June 1-3, to avoid Memorial Day weekend, but now I’m wondering if that whole week will be more crowded with that event?
Lastly, if I DO book it now, can I change to an AP rate later if that works out to be a better deal?

Thanks so much!

 

[bchbetha]

Book the hotel now. Keep an eye on rates periodically. You could call and see if they’ll price match or just book the cheaper room (first- just in case!) then cancel your old one to get a cheaper rate. Much better than playing the “what if” game.
The hotels are Loews brand. You can try going at it from their site vs Universal’s (which is a frustrating website).
Wait on tickets. Sign up for Universal emails and monitor any deals.

 

[cfoxga]

As soon as you can get the room you want at a price you can live with, book the room. I've made the mistake of waiting a day and lost APH rates, so I don't wait any more. I bookmark links to all possible dates that I'm interested in and check them often. Once I get an APH rate for the room/hotel I want (usually a couple of months before the start for deluxe hotels), then I'm "done".

 

[Patches Lee]

Yes, I did find that thread on the boards - thank you! So, can I ask you, would it be wise to go ahead and book the hotel now? How far in advance do I need to worry about the hotel? I noticed that there is this “Orlando informer” group now having an event June 4-5. We were going to do park days June 1-3, to avoid Memorial Day weekend, but now I’m wondering if that whole week will be more crowded with that event?
Lastly, if I DO book it now, can I change to an AP rate later if that works out to be a better deal?

Thanks so much!

I know the Orlando Informer meet-up also has group rates for hotels June 1-9th for people attending that event. They gain entry at 5pm June 4th and 5th, so unless they purchase normal tickets or an AP your dates wouldn't be effected.
Couple years ago we reserved a room at Royal Pacific for June, the AP rate came out in March.

 

[nouvellefleur]

Yes, I did find that thread on the boards - thank you! So, can I ask you, would it be wise to go ahead and book the hotel now? How far in advance do I need to worry about the hotel? I noticed that there is this “Orlando informer” group now having an event June 4-5. We were going to do park days June 1-3, to avoid Memorial Day weekend, but now I’m wondering if that whole week will be more crowded with that event?
Lastly, if I DO book it now, can I change to an AP rate later if that works out to be a better deal?

Thanks so much!

The OI event is an after hours event and really shouldn't affect your experience. Though, if you're interested in extending your park experience, you might want to see if taking advantage of the event makes sense - there is a special hotel rate and reportedly the crowds are very low and most ride times are very short, plus I believe there are some refreshments included. I'd price it out, tbh, even if it's a single night of the Meetup.

I'm a crazy vacation person, so I always like to book my hotel early. If a good discount arises, you can typically contact them and ask to apply it to your existing reservation.