So it looks like it’s going to be a mother-son trip in July! My son is completely into Harry Potter, so I have promised a visit to Universal as well. Is it worth staying on site at Universal for a couple of days? Also looking into staying at POP for the Disney side of the trip but have never stayed there before. Last summer we were at Riverside, and our trips prior to that we always stayed at Contemporary. Absolutely loved POR, but POP would be at least $1000 cheaper and I can put that money towards Universal. Any thoughts/advice concerning POP for me and my 10 year old? Also, would it be better to stay the entire trip at Disney and drive to Universal for 2 days or to stay on-site at Universal and then transfer to Disney? Thanks and hope this made sense!
Never been to Universal, but if you stay in certain hotels, you get the Unlimited Express Pass included with your stay. Stay one night and you get it for check-in and check-out days.
I would price what the difference would be to buy an express ticket and staying at Pop vs. the cost of staying at one of the hotels that give you the express pass.
One night at one of the Universal deluxe resorts will give you two days of express pass.
Pop is great since the refurb. It is much more important to stay deluxe at Universal for the included express passes.
No, don’t do this. Stay onsite at both, you will not regret it.
We personally like to go to WDW first, then end at Universal. Once you have used express passes at Universal (plus you can sleep in, miss early entry, and actually relax/enjoy your time), you will not be as excited about WDW and it’s FPP system, higher crowds, pain in the butt transportation, and need to rope drop. We love WDW, don’t get me wrong, but Universal is so much easier.
We’re at Pop now and really like it. It works great for our party of three. We are not spending a lot of time at the resort though. Rooms are nice, food court is good and the buses are all fast and don’t share.
Just to clarify - If we stay one night at Universal, then that means we can get 2 days worth of express passes with our tickets? One day on check in day and one on check out day? So if we stayed 2 nights then it would mean 3 days of express?
Yes that is correct.
Thanks everyone! Now-any advice on the best way/website/way to make the reservations for universal? Directly on their site or somewhere else? The Disney part I want to reserve in the next day or so due to the uncertainty surrounding ticket price increase, and I’m very familiar with Disney. Universal is another story entirely…
Just got my Universal tickets from Undercover tourist, 4 days for the price of 2, it was cheaper than directly with Universal, they are proper tickets and I don’t feel comfortable using some sites.
Are you staying on site at Universal? I don’t see on their website how to book on site hotel only without also adding on the tickets through them. By default it keeps selecting the 3 park 2 day tickets to add to the hotel, and I want 2 park 3 day tickets - can’t figure out how to change it in the cart…
Are you trying from this page?
Thanks - not sure what I was looking at before but from this link I can book hotel only. Thanks!
That sounds like a game changer to me!
When I booked mine 3 weeks ago, I was able to remove the ticket options and add back what I wanted. Should be options for you to do this.
Yes, but I booked the hotel through British Airways at the same time as I got the flights