Cheapest way to try Universal?

[mikewdw]

Looking at different ideas for our kids senior trip. We have been to WDW many times and love it! Since they are seniors just thought universal might offer them some great rides they havent done before. What is the cheapest way to try the park. On site/off site, pros cons, any discount available? Anyone like us who are big Disney fans and their Universal experience? Any info appreciated.
thanks
mikewdw

 

[Skippyboo]

There’s currently a ticket deal. 2 days free when you buy 2 days park tickets. You can price onsite hotels versus offsite. If you’re flying in, onsite might be easier since you have transportation to parks from the hotels. I like the Drury inn as offsite options because it has a lot of included food with the room stay.

 

[nighttowll]

Sadly, there's no real cheap way to "try" Universal. It usually works about the same whether you buy a 2 day ticket, 4 day ticket, 5 day ticket, or season pass because Universal runs buy 2 days get 2 or 3 free deals all the time, and these tickets are usually only about $50 less than a season pass.

However, the cheapest ticket is a one day no hopping ticket. You never see discounts for these, though. The buy 2 get X free is the main deal Universal offers. The next cheapest would be a 2 park no hopping ticket. Note, with this ticket, you cannot ride the Hogwarts Express between parks.

The cheapest places I have seen to purchase tickets from are Undercover Tourist, Triple A South (if you are in a southern state), and Costco. You just have to compare prices to see which is the best deal. It's usually Undercover Tourist but not always.

Something else to keep in mind is that you can always upgrade tickets. You can do so at Guest Relations and certain kiosks in the parks. This means you can purchase the cheapest ticket and then decide day of if it's worth paying the price difference to upgrade it or not.

As far as onsite verses off-site hotels. It really depends on what you are looking for. Universal has some great deals on their resorts, especially if you have a season pass and can get the AP discount or if you are ok with staying at one of their value locations that are located off-property. I've also had luck with renting condos for very good prices from Vista Cay which is super close to the parks.

If expense is the number one factor, look at the two offsite properties (Surfside Inn and Suites & Dockside Inn and Suites). These two consistently have the lowest prices. They offer free bus transportation to the parks which is reliable and fast (only about a 10 to 15 minute ride). The properties are nice and clean, so you know you're not getting a roach motel.

If you are thinking of purchasing Express Passes, you may want to look at staying at a Universal premier resort instead. These resorts are very expensive, but they give EP to everyone in the room for the length of your stay starting at park opening on your check in day and going through park closing of your check out day. Considering that EP can run up to a couple hundred per person per day, staying at a premier resort can be worth the extra expense on the room. Many people book what is called a throw-a-way room where they book one night at a premier resort for the 2 days of EP that gives them, but don't actually sleep there. They stay at a cheaper resort or somewhere cheaper off-property. Some people do split stays. This is the one big way you can say a ton of money if you were planning to buy EP.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

I save money staying onsite with the AP discount - as mentioned, it's not too much more to upgrade one ticket to the Seasonal AP (check blackout dates). The room discount, for shorter stays, can be quite significant, and I find it cheaper than staying at a reasonably nice/close off-site hotel. Plus then you don't need a car or any of those expenses. Although having a car opens up more dining options, so something to consider also.... but you have to save a fair amount to offset the parking/rental fees. There are also some cheaper options onsite to help with food costs. And since CityWalk is right there, you aren't stuck with in-park options all the time.

Single rider lines are generally very effective at Universal (except Rip Ride Rocket, Velocicoaster, and Hagrids). They are especially great for when teens (and adults) want to ride multiple times in a row.

 

[ClapYourHands]

Universal requires much less planning than Disney. There’s no making ADR 60 days out, no getting up to book ILL or staring at your phone for genie plus.

You either are standing in a standby line (which moves faster than Disney standbys because universal does not weight it as heavily towards the express, as Disney does toward the lightning lanes) or you have express pass.

For Express pass, you just walk up to the entrance and enter that line. That’s it - no planning, no booking, just get in the faster line. You can either buy the express a la carte or get it for your family by staying in one of the premier resorts (Portofino, Hard Rock, or Royal Pacific) which all tend to be less expensive than corresponding Disney Deluxe. The other onsite hotels get you in for early park admission but do not offer the express. However, for a longer stay (3+ days) you can do everything without express.

Also, keep in mind that everything is more compact. You can walk to the parks from all but the furthest hotels (Surfside and Dockside), and there is allowed pool hopping (except for Surfside and Dockside) amongst the resorts. The two parks are right next to each other so very easy to park hop, and the Hogwarts Express is both a themed ride and a mode of transport to the other park.

You can save more with offsite hotels, but might lose a chunk of the savings once you pay for ride share or parking (currently $30 per day). Unlike WDW, only the two highest tier APs have included parking with the passes. In my family, I have a preferred pass for the discounts, and everyone else has a seasonal pass because it’s cheaper and we don’t care to travel at crowded times.

It’s honestly a fantastic park for teens and young adults. If your crew has done WDW, I think they’ll enjoy the change to new rides and shows at Universal and you will probably enjoy the easier planning and lower prices.