Ok I need help from my UMA family. My son Matt wants to go to Universal Florida for his birthday in August. We never travel. So I plead for any type of advise regarding where to stay, what to see, good sites for booking flight , etc.. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance,
Marsha (and Matt)
Just go hang out with Scatter for the wknd, I'm sure he wouldnt mind >:D
Quote from: Dr.Teufel Geist on June 08, 2010, 10:32:35 PM
Just go hang out with Scatter for the wknd, I'm sure he wouldnt mind >:D
Well, I'm 3 hours away......but book me a hotel room and I'll be happy to hang with ya Marsha!!
So, as for accommodations, of course it all depends on your budget. There are a plethora of hotels within a short distance from the theme parks. And, you can of course stay right IN the parks as well. We've stayed at the Continental in Disney, and it's very nice, but pricey. Same for the Doubletree which is just outside the park. Beautiful, but better than $200 a night. It's cheaper to find a nice hotel in the next town as opposed to a nice hotel right outside the park.
If you're flying into Orlando, you should try several travel sites like Orbitz, Booking Buddy, and Mobissimo. They all search different places for fares, so you'll get a wider range of options. Always book as a package (airfare, hotel, and car together) for the best deals.
The BEST (cheapest, least crowded) day to fly is Saturday. Folks want to already BE at their destination on Sat., so it's cheaper and lighter travel. The most expensive days are Mon., Thur. and Fri........ business travelers book them solid. Forget Sunday altogether.
You can save depending on the time of day you travel as well. Early and late flights are the cheapest and least crowded.....unless you're in a main hub route. This helps with Saturday travel too.......book the earliest flight possible and you can STILL be there on Saturday for fun,you'll just begin the day at the park a bit later. When booking, put "Anytime" in for when you want to fly and it will give you the rates for all the different times of day where you are for your destination.
Also, see if you can fly into a smaller airport. A bit more of a drive could save you a lot of money if you don't mind driving 1/2 hour or so to your hotel instead of 10 minutes, and the rental cars are usually cheaper at smaller airports (and again, smaller airports mean fewer crowds and hassles).
Remember to ask for a TOTAL cost per ticket before you book...........tell them you want the price quoted to you INCLUDING taxes, fees, and baggage charges if any. An advertised rate may sound cheaper at one airline over another unless you find out all the extras. If the fees and baggage rates are higher at one airline than the other, and you don't ask the total costs of both, the final price of the seemingly lower advertised rate could fool you into picking the more expensive airline. $50 bucks for each checked bag at one airline vs no baggage fee at another can make a big difference in final price. A $150 round trip ad which doesn't tell you about their higher fees and baggage charges could wind up way more expensive than the $199 airline with no per bag charges and lower fees. Get the TOTAL price before you buy.
Whew........hope that helps LOL!!
WOW! So much I didn't even think about...Thank you! That is great info! Maybe I can convince him to want a party instead..lol
If you have AAA, they usually have discounts with Universal for tickets and for purchases in the park. You might have to go by a AAA office to get the tickets.
Ooooooo, And I'm probably putting the cart before the horse, but...........You Have to Eat Lunch at the Monster Cafe! I could stay in there all day! Also, if you get a hotel on International Drive, it's a short jaunt to the park and you can walk to nearby restaurants and shops.
Perhaps one of the old-timers here can getcha a AARP discount! I'm not elidgible....just yet
You said your son wants to go to Universal, which probably means he wants to go to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal's Islands of Adventure. It opens this Summer, so it's going to be crazy.
My best advice would be to try to book a room in one of Universal's on-site hotels. They're more expensive, but the benefits far outway the cost. With your room key, you and your family will be able to skip the long lines and go right to the Fast Pass and ride most of the rides at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure without waiting, saving you hours and hours of frustration.
Now, due to the craziness expected at Harry Potter, I doubt they'll be able to give those privileges to that area, but it will help make everything else easier. You can take a boat ride right from your hotel room to the parks.
And yeah, of course you want to eat at the Universal Monster Cafe!
Quote from: Radioactive Rod Whitenack on June 09, 2010, 11:20:26 AM
My best advice would be to try to book a room in one of Universal's on-site hotels. They're more expensive, but the benefits far outway the cost. With your room key, you and your family will be able to skip the long lines and go right to the Fast Pass and ride most of the rides at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure without waiting, saving you hours and hours of frustration.
Excellent point. Again, depends on the budget.
Just got back from taking my grandson to Star Wars Weekend at Disney and I agree that staying on the property is sooooo much better than starting and ending a long day in a ton of traffic. Plus, you can go back and forth from the hotel to the park to drop things off and rest and swim!! You are gonna have a lot of fun, but remember to pace yourself. I always forget and wear myself out on the way to the park, by challenging younger members of my party to race me ! And I think you can upgrade or buy fast passes at Universal, so there are lots of different ways to move through the lines if they are super long. I'm excited for you guys! :)
yes O have been eyeing the on-site hotels..seems worth it. We will see what the hubby says...And thanks for all the great info! I knew you guys would not let me down!
I am starting to worry about the Harry potter land causing big crowds..but I guess I have to expect that..and I am dying to see it! Matt and the hubby have season passes to Universal Hollywood cuz that is Matt's favorite place to go. He never tires of taking pics with Frankenstein and the Mummy...so you KNOW he wants to eat at the Monster Cafe! ;D
I go each year to Florida as our family has a condo there. I usually fly because I always thought it was such a long drive but my wife did a check on Mapquest and from where we are in Virginia it is only a twelve hour drive. My point is it may be worth checking on the distance from where you are and drive instead. With the money you could save that covers the extra cost of staying in a hotel onsite which i also happen to recommend. I have stayed at the Disney Polynesian and it was totaly awesome and worth the price. Also, check with a travel agent. Some of our best trips were booked through them and with their help you may find something reasonable that meets all your needs.
I have never been to Universal, Monster Cafe huh? I will have to check that out. I am going myself in August and again in December so will have to trek on over to Universal.
How are all the other rides? Their web site does not give you the best info.
there are lots of package deals out there for Universal and Disney. thats the way to go if you have a big crew. Consider doing a timeshare demo too, they are a pain but you can often get free passes to the parks for putting up with them for 2 hours.
Some great advice here.
That said, I'm all for on site-hotels, especially if they let you get into the park early.
Also, it makes running back for a nap or a quick shower much easier and practical.
After much arguing, chair-throwing, etc.. the flight and hotel are booked! Thank you to everyone for all the great help! We will be there during Matt's birthday weekend (Aug 22) thru to the middle of the week. Very excited! Can't wait!
And now I go back to packing for SD Comic-Con this week. Matt is already down there.. Argh so much to do! ;D
Marsha, will you adopt me? I'd like to do all of this stuff too! ;D
Bring lots of sunscreen. Wear a light colored hat even if you think you look stupid. Bring plenty of money it's expensive. Make sure to get lots of water, not pop, to drink. Pop does not hydrate you. You won't be able to bring a wagon in for a picnic lunch.
Quote from: michblk on July 22, 2010, 11:18:34 AM
Marsha, will you adopt me? I'd like to do all of this stuff too! ;D
If you promise to keep your room clean than yes!
Quote from: ChattyLMS on July 22, 2010, 12:02:43 PM
Bring lots of sunscreen. Wear a light colored hat even if you think you look stupid. Bring plenty of money it's expensive. Make sure to get lots of water, not pop, to drink. Pop does not hydrate you. You won't be able to bring a wagon in for a picnic lunch.
Thanks! My Matty is soo light and burns quickly! Maybe this will be my excuse to buy us all the straw Denver Broncos hats I saw at the mall!
Go to Universal California its 10 times better since that is where all the movies were made Universal Florida is smaller and no movies were ever made there, and In LA at that studio you will get to see a lot of stars there and see a actual movie being filmed, the tour is great they have so much land there and a lot of old sets even the Old Horror classic Town from Frank meets wolfman.
Stars1100
I always though Universal Florida was bigger and has more rides. I've been to both and though CA has fewer attractions.
Is CA really bigger?
Quote from: Gillfan on July 24, 2010, 10:54:24 PM
I always though Universal Florida was bigger and has more rides. I've been to both and though CA has fewer attractions.
Is CA really bigger?
You are right as far as the rides are concerned but believe me the main one in California is much bigger,
it may have a few less rides then Florida but there's still a lot of them in CA. The main theme park was started in CA and keep in mind that all films from Universal are filmed at the Universal lot which is CA, not to mention Universal bought more land over the years which expanded the theme park, I have some Pictures that I took when I went there and I will post them with in a few days, some of the pics are from the actual War of the World Remake set and from Jaws. If you are going to take a trip trust me go to CA to the main one.
Stars1100
Quote from: Gillfan on July 24, 2010, 10:54:24 PM
I always though Universal Florida was bigger and has more rides. I've been to both and though CA has fewer attractions.
Is CA really bigger?
Yes California is much bigger keep in mind that the one in CA is the Main theme park, while it has few less rides it has much more attractions and over the years Universal had purchased more land. All movies from Universal are filmed there Including many of the Universal Towns from the Monster Classics. And of course you have many stars that are there for many events. In a few days or so I will post some pics from when I went there.
Stars1100
Marsha,
My advice to thee would be--if at all possible--wait until October. You will have smaller crowds at the Harry potter attraction and you will have the benefit of being able to attend one of the Horror Nights. Sure, your son will have to miss some school but he'll be spending quality time with you!
PLUS you'll have the benefit of added discounts. The tourist trade is hurting. THe Bride and I are going to Disney World in October for 2 weeks. BEcause attendance is so low Disney is offering free meal plans for people staying 5 days or more--well, we got a ton of money back ad food is always a big part of a trip like that. So look for similar bargains from universal for FALL tours--that is if you and your son can wait a few months.
Good luck!!
Does anyone know if Monsters' Cafe has reopened? I've been to Universal Orlando three times since the beginning of 2009 and it was closed completely in May of '09 and '10 and in Oct of '09 it was closed during the day and only open at night during the Halloween Horror Nights event. >:(
They weren't doing anything in terms of renovations or changes, just keeping the doors closed to cut costs. While I don't disagree with the logic, I just wish they would have chosen another restaurant to close. I just booked my trip for this October and am really hoping they've reopened it.
Well we fly out friday morning. thanks to everyone and all their great advise. Wish us luck!
oh and early happy birthday wishes to my monster kid, MATT! The big 1-0!!!!
I'm certain that you guys will have the time of your lives! Universal Orlando is a wonderful place to visit with a birthday boy. We took our son for his 13th birthday, soon after they had opened, and he had a blast. He's 28 now, and we are taking him and his wife and little guy to Universal next Spring. Take tons of pictures so that when you go back when he's a grown-up, you can go back to the park and take his picture again in the same spot :) Have a fantastic trip and a special birthday celebration!
Wish we were going with you!! Have a great time and post pics!!
Thanks! I just removed the comic con pics to make room in the camera!
We are back home! It was sooo much fun! But i do want to chop off my legs cuz they are so sore! Again thanks to everyone for the advise and well wishes.. Staying at the on-site hotel was totally worth the cost!
Monster Cafe was still closed :( They claimed they were doing renovations...Sure...
Advise for someone planning to go during this time....However many days you are staying, take double times that in outfit changes. We ended up doing some laundry over there cuz we had to shower and change twice a day due to humidity,, and yes it rained but it always lasted about 30 min. Other than that, we loved it and hope to go again in the future!
Pics will be up soon! (And ok I cried when I entered Hogwarts..I'm a nerd)
Quote from: Marsha on August 27, 2010, 07:56:14 AM
Advise for someone planning to go during this time....However many days you are staying, take double times that in outfit changes. We ended up doing some laundry over there cuz we had to shower and change twice a day due to humidity,, and yes it rained but it always lasted about 30 min. Other than that, we loved it and hope to go again in the future!
That's exactly what we did last year when we went to Disney World in August. Took a lot of light material t-shirts and shorts, and changed every day about mid-afternoon after a swim. Really helps you get your energy back.
Glad you had a great time, but it's too bad the Monster Cafe was closed. I really hope it doesn't disappear.
Quote from: Marsha on August 27, 2010, 07:56:14 AM
We are back home! It was sooo much fun! But i do want to chop off my legs cuz they are so sore! Again thanks to everyone for the advise and well wishes.. Staying at the on-site hotel was totally worth the cost!
Monster Cafe was still closed :( They claimed they were doing renovations...Sure...
Advise for someone planning to go during this time....However many days you are staying, take double times that in outfit changes. We ended up doing some laundry over there cuz we had to shower and change twice a day due to humidity,, and yes it rained but it always lasted about 30 min. Other than that, we loved it and hope to go again in the future!
Pics will be up soon! (And ok I cried when I entered Hogwarts..I'm a nerd)
So glad you all had fun Marsha!! Can't wait to see the pics!
Still working on weeding thru the pics.. but matt wanted me to share his favorite..
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4107/4965874991_61a7b36489_m.jpg)