How early to book Universal Resorts?

[catsinawindow]

We are beginning to think about planning our summer 2023 Universal trip. It's our first time at Universal and will be my family (5 people), my sister's (2 people), and my brother and his wife (2 people). We will likely get 3 separate rooms unless we can get a good rate on a nice, big suite. We are leaning towards a Premium resort, possibly Royal Pacific.

My question is how far ahead I should be thinking about booking our room? Is it like Disney where rooms are pretty much booked a year out? Also, I see quite a few people talking about AP rates. If we are planning on 3 park days, 4 nights is there any reason to looking into or consider getting an AP?

 

[hhoope01]

I normally try to book as far out as I can. While that far out they won't have the AP rates or possibly other discounted rates, you can normally cancel the reservation up to 5 days or so before your actual stay. Other than having to put down one night's rate for deposit, there aren't really any financial issues to worry about. And yes, the Premier hotels do have a tendency to fill up their lowest priced rooms (or all their rooms). Sometimes very quickly.

Then you should check the rates maybe once or twice a week to see if any lower rates pop-up. If so, grab a new reservation and cancel your old one. If nothing better ever comes up, then you've locked in your original rate and don't have to worry about the hotel rates going up or rooms selling out.

As for an AP, if you end up going more than once over a 365 day period, then an AP will quite often save you money on park tickets alone. But you don't have to have an AP in hand to make a hotel reservation using an AP rate. You will need the AP when you check-in. And note that AP rates, if they show up at all, tend to only do so a couple of months or so before the dates in question. So it is very doubtful you would see AP rates a year out from your stay. If your not sure about getting an AP, note that only one AP is required per room. So you wouldn't have to get APs for everyone if your only purpose for the AP is the discounted room rate. I wouldn't purchase the AP right now since you don't know if there will even be an AP rate for your dates nor how much better the rate might be. Later if you see a great AP rate that would save you money, you can make the reservation and then purchase an AP after that.

 

[catsinawindow]

I normally try to book as far out as I can. While that far out they won't have the AP rates or possibly other discounted rates, you can normally cancel the reservation up to 5 days or so before your actual stay. Other than having to put down one night's rate for deposit, there aren't really any financial issues to worry about. And yes, the Premier hotels do have a tendency to fill up their lowest priced rooms (or all their rooms). Sometimes very quickly.

Then you should check the rates maybe once or twice a week to see if any lower rates pop-up. If so, grab a new reservation and cancel your old one. If nothing better ever comes up, then you've locked in your original rate and don't have to worry about the hotel rates going up or rooms selling out.

As for an AP, if you end up going more than once over a 365 day period, then an AP will quite often save you money on park tickets alone. But you don't have to have an AP in hand to make a hotel reservation using an AP rate. You will need the AP when you check-in. And note that AP rates, if they show up at all, tend to only do so a couple of months or so before the dates in question. So it is very doubtful you would see AP rates a year out from your stay. If your not sure about getting an AP, note that only one AP is required per room. So you wouldn't have to get APs for everyone if your only purpose for the AP is the discounted room rate. I wouldn't purchase the AP right now since you don't know if there will even be an AP rate for your dates nor how much better the rate might be. Later if you see a great AP rate that would save you money, you can make the reservation and then purchase an AP after that.

Thank you for all this very helpful and detailed information! We're booking the resort with credit card points and it appears the rooms are available 11 months out, so I'll be keeping an eye out for our travel dates! Am I correct in understanding that you can book AP rates without an AP in hand and pick one up after the fact (before checkin) if it makes sense monetarily?

 

[hhoope01]

Correct. If AP rates are available, you can make them whether you have an AP in hand or not. But you will need to actually have an AP to show during your stay.

And as I mentioned before, you only need one AP per room. So you don't necessarily have to purchase an AP for everyone.

 

[cfoxga]

RPR is definitely the cheapest route for 3 regular rooms, but HRH and PBH are much better for suites. Suites are more likely to have APH rates, so it might end up being cheaper with 1 or 2 suites...

 

[Lynne G]

Book it now. I booked the end of September 2023 last month, and already the rate has gone up quite a bit.

Room only reservation is a one night deposit, that you get fully refunded until 5 days before you are to start your stay. Hence, if you decide not to go, or change dates, you have time to do so.

I always book at least a year out or more, if I can, as then I have all that time to check for a better rate. If I do find a better rate, I call to see if I can change to it, or book that rate as a new reservation, than cancel what I had. Also, for me, by booking far out, at least I know how much I need to budget far in advance.

 

[kittercats85]

Book it early - there’s cancellation on it so there’s nothing to lose! I booked mine like a year out. Then I upgraded to Club Level. Prices went up on everything and suddenly the standard rooms were going for more than I was paying for my club level room since I’d booked so far out when there was a great deal.

 

[catsinawindow]

Book it early - there’s cancellation on it so there’s nothing to lose! I booked mine like a year out. Then I upgraded to Club Level. Prices went up on everything and suddenly the standard rooms were going for more than I was paying for my club level room since I’d booked so far out when there was a great deal.

Thanks! I'm planning to book the resort with credit card points, so I'm watching the calendar like a hawk so I'm ready to book once the dates are available (looks like ~11 mo out). Still deciding between Royal Pacific and Hard Rock, seems like there are pluses and minuses to each.

 

[truetink]

I'm currently seeing rates of more than $800/night and well over $1000/night for premier resorts the week before Easter. Does anyone have a guess about whether that will come down with discounts or just continue to increase in price as we get closer?

 

[cfoxga]

I'm currently seeing rates of more than $800/night and well over $1000/night for premier resorts the week before Easter. Does anyone have a guess about whether that will come down with discounts or just continue to increase in price as we get closer?

Wow, that is crazy expensive! Hard to say for sure, but prices have been continuing to go up for major holidays over the last 9 months. My guess is that if they continue sell out the deluxe resorts, then prices will continue to increase and discounts will be harder to come by. No APH rates for me on our 3 trips this year

 

[truetink]

Wow, that is crazy expensive! Hard to say for sure, but prices have been continuing to go up for major holidays over the last 9 months. My guess is that if they continue sell out the deluxe resorts, then prices will continue to increase and discounts will be harder to come by. No APH rates for me on our 3 trips this year

Sorry about the no APH rates but thank you for the reply! It is crazy and I agree that they may realize they can price that way now. I didn’t think I would ever mouth the words that Universal’s hotel pricing may force me into a Disney hotel, LOL.

 

[Captain Morgan Sparrow]

Holy cow! I booked for Spring Break 2023 in May.

I just checked, and the SAME ROOM (actually garden view, instead of pool view, so a DOWNGRADE) is 26% more expensive now!

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

Book as early as you can. I used to book 6 months out. This year I booked 10 months out to get a similar price. Resorts are filling up faster this year.

 

[Magical2017]

I'd book early. When I first booked Portofino, it was in the $400s and all three premiere resorts were available over the MLK weekend. Now I looked for our 5 nights and Hard Rock is no longer available, and RP is now in the 600s. PB is in the 500s.

We also have a suite at Dockside but I am going to release that. The room has gone up by almost $100 per night since we booked.

 

[DL1WDW2]

I just booked at Dockside and got 5 nights 2 bedroom pool side family suite for Thanksgiving week under $1000 including tax and fees. Thankfully we already have APs.
I got the Florida rate online and then called to ask about AP discount but nothing was available for APs . I will probably keep cheking with a 6 day cancel policy. …

 

[saskdw]

I would book as early as you are ready. It's a different game right now than years past.

We are always there a minimum of 10 nights so qualify for the "Stay More Save More" Discount of 30%.

We went to Orlando for 2 weeks every December from 2008 to 2017. The times we stayed at Universal resorts we could book 4-5 months out no problem.

This year I started looking for a room at Royal Pacific in February. I looked every day or two for months and there was never a discounted room available there at any point. We ended up booking a Deluxe room at Portafino Bay that had a 30% discount for mid December.

A couple weeks ago I decided to look and see if rooms were available for December 2023. We snapped up a King bed waterview room at Royal Pacific with 30% discount was only $299 per night.
Seems like a there is already not much left for discounted rooms. Were very happy with what we got.

 

[catsinawindow]

Thank you all for the push to book early, we now have Royal Pacific booked for our August 2023 dates. Prices aren't great, but I'll keep an eye on them and rebook if they drop. At least I'm locked in if they go up.

Related question: how far ahead should I be thinking about buying the theme park tickets? Is it like Disney where they raise rates at a fairly predictable time each year and it's good to lock in the price before then? I see UO has a "2 for 4" park day deal with tickets right now (doesn't apply to our travel dates, of course). Is it worthwhile holding out on purchasing tickets in case a deal like this becomes available for summer 2023? Right now I'm thinking of ordering for my third party seller (Undercover Tourist) if that makes any difference.

 

[LadybugsMum]

We're going in May 2023 and I just booked it a couple of weeks ago once I nailed down the dates.

 

[BostonEd]

I am looking at dates in April which don't currently have either Savvy Traveler or AP rates. I understand the logic of booking now anyway, but won't that affect Loew's decision making as to whether or not to offer discounts? If everyone books ahead "just in case", then the hotel will look full, and therefore there's no need to offer discounts. Right?

 

[macraven]

Right…!