Well we did it! We booked a Dbl Queen Club Level room (7 nts SMSM) , plus our air for late June!! I'll keep an eye out for possible AP rates (for Club level at RPR, HRH, and PBR). It's pricey, and will be a little cramped for the 5 of us, but we're going to use an air mattress, and I think we're really going to enjoy the Club level lounge room. We had a Family Harbor room on the Carnival Vista cruise ship and we really enjoyed the Family Harbor lounge - similar idea to the Club level room (though the Family Harbor lounge also had ice cream!)
Still have a number of questions though ...
Are Dbl Queen Club level rooms as likely as any other types to have AP rates come out?
I haven't seen anywhere to get APs except through Universal (non-FL resident). We'll want the Seasonal Passes since the blackout dates for the 2 park ones won't affect us, but we might have one person get a higher level pass for the food/merchandise discounts. Is it best to just buy them when we get down there (where? at the hotel or the park?), or to order them in advance, or to order tickets and then upgrade them when we get down there? (And is the upgrade cost simply the difference between the cost of the ticket we bought and the AP cost?)
Is the Luau only on Saturday nights? How far in advance can and should we book tickets for that? And where would we go to book those?
What nights are the WOK Experience dinners? How much are they? Or does the cost depend on what you put into yours? Do you need reservations, or just come
What nights do they do the torch lighting ceremony? Is it right at dusk?
Thanks so much for all the info! It's been so helpful to read everyone's experiences and advice!