Just got a quote for Jan 12-15 through MVT). Pricing blew my mind (in a good way). Highly recommend checking that out!
Also, I recently saved a ton of money on my trip next month by booking the front end of it through Costco. Staying 4 nights at CB in a poolside interior suite (no more interior poolside suites available for my dates to compare, but a poolside exterior suite for the same dates is currently $859.50 total w/Savvy Traveler discount), and 5 day, 3 Park, Park-to-Park tickets ($2172 for 3 adults and 2 kids on website) — total package through Costco is only $2142. That’s a HUGE savings - basically getting the room for free. Plus, I get a $59 gift card to Costco.
Buy tickets before February of the year you are going to avoid getting caught in the annual price increase
a) Use a discount site like MVT or Undercover Tourist for discounts on tickets
b) Tickets are generally good through 12/31 of the year they are valid for, but the cost can be applied toward future tickets if you don’t end up using.
Reserve a placeholder hotel as early as possible to make sure you have a place to stay
Look for AP or seasonal hotel rates - they are released 3-6 months in advance, but keep an eye out for changes in that pattern. Rebook your room with a discount when released.
a) You do not need to have an AP at the time you book AP rates; you generally need to present an AP at the counter when you check in. Last time I did this my AP had not been activated yet and they never asked me to prove I later did activate it, but they could ask to see your activated AP at some point during your stay, otherwise they can charge you the regular rate.
Universal resort pricing is a real rollercoaster… I will say, though, that the “seasonal rate” prices I saw for Royal Pacific in September were in line with what I paid with black Friday rates in early December 2021 (like $387/night for weeknights, around $400 weekends), and they definitely charge extra for 3rd, 4th, and 5th guests in the room.
That said, if you book it now and then find a cheaper rate later on you can just cancel. I usually do that at least twice per trip.
I also just saw in a blog where they said a club level room at HRH in March 2021 was $679 on a weeknight, and my rate for a club level room there next month is $585 for the weeknights and $614 for Friday. I didn’t get any discounts (it was literally the only thing available except Cabana Bay ), so I think rack rates have stayed mostly stable and you’re just missing a discount.
I will definitely keep an eye on rates and lasibotnxontact MVT. Our dates are not locked down yet, so we have some flexibility. I’m leaning now more towards getting annual passes and going in August 2023 and then again June 2024 to get two trips’ worth.
I took a look at Royal Pacific. When I stayed there 3 years ago, standard rates were about 285. For the same room this year, rates are 390 without any discounts. I’ve booked other rooms to come back a few weeks later, and prices are up 30-40 a night at the premiere hotels.
Yeah… I think they don’t always say when there’s a discount and I think they just change the seasonal rates at will based on capacity (like airlines). Like, my rooms in Dec 21 at Royal Pacific were $382, and that rate popped up on Black Friday but the confirmations don’t say anything about a discount. I know it had to be discounted though, because that’s the rate that was showing for mid-September this year, and September is always cheaper than December.
Because it’s in my head now, I looked up our last package price from 2019, because I know I priced out the same thing for this year…
The package in September 2019 came to $3279 for 4 nights with 4-day tickets at Portofino, 4 adults. For the same exact package but with a child added on this year it would have been $3896, or a $619 difference. When you consider the fact that the child’s ticket is $305 and then they charge $35/night for the rollaway in a club room that takes the actual difference down to $172, which isn’t that much given how much the price of everything else has gone up.
PSA: If you see anything under $400 for a premier resort, snatch it up ASAP! Anything in the $400-500 range is also good and may be the best you get these days. Over $500 is probably just the regular rates unless you’re in a holiday period, but may still be worth it for the value of Express Pass.
I think that was the regular rate 3 years ago (made a mistake earlier when I said 2), because the rate I made for the rooms were APH rates at 184 plus tax. And in my experience, barring covid, APH rates are usually 35% off the regular price.
Also, in my experience early December is one of the cheapest times of the year, about the same as September. I did a quick price comparison, and December and September had the same cost.
It makes sense that Universal would consider September and October to be peak season, now that I think about it. HHN is a huge draw, and they block hose dates out from the military discount rate offers.
Due to school, we can’t go late August but are thinking 2nd week of August when Florida schools go back. This year our school starts on the 22nd, so I anticipate next year starting anywhere 21st-23rd.
MVT rates are awesome if the days work for you. I think the rooms I have come out to about 50 percent off.
For my days in December (3-5), rack rate is 447, APH rate is 291, and my MVT rate is 219.
), so I think rack rates have stayed mostly stable and you’re just missing a discount.