Universal Endless Summer Resort - Surfside and Dockside Inn & Suites

[rhino4evr]

The fast pass system will continue to sway visitors to Disney Hotels rather than UOR hotels. At least in my case.

Personally, I would never want to do both in one vacation, but hey I'm a local. So I guess that's the big difference.

 

[Scott W.]

The fast pass system will continue to sway visitors to Disney Hotels rather than UOR hotels. At least in my case.

Personally, I would never want to do both in one vacation, but hey I'm a local. So I guess that's the big difference.

As somebody who’s booked Pop Century for a week and Hard Rock for 8 days in September. I can see both sides.

Disney provide a level playing field for all guests staying on site but the hotels offering Express Pass at Universal are providing a much more premium feel. My wife loves to plan our holiday out and Disney is planned to the day, Universal is a far more laid back.

 

[Ridgepole]

As somebody who’s booked Pop Century for a week and Hard Rock for 8 days in September. I can see both sides.

Disney provide a level playing field for all guests staying on site but the hotels offering Express Pass at Universal are providing a much more premium feel. My wife loves to plan our holiday out and Disney is planned to the day, Universal is a far more laid back.

Pool

 

[Mad Dog]

As somebody who’s booked Pop Century for a week and Hard Rock for 8 days in September. I can see both sides.

Disney provide a level playing field for all guests staying on site but the hotels offering Express Pass at Universal are providing a much more premium feel. My wife loves to plan our holiday out and Disney is planned to the day, Universal is a far more laid back.

What happened to the Swan & Dolphin? I thought you were booking that. .............You'll probably be at the parks all day at Disney so no need for a good hotel anyway.

 

[bob albert]

It is not an unseasonable take that 7 days is a long time for 2 dry parks and 1 water park and probably not what most visitors are booking even if the rates are best for that.

 

[Scott W.]

What happened to the Swan & Dolphin? I thought you were booking that. .............You'll probably be at the parks all day at Disney so no need for a good hotel anyway.

I was close to booking but then once I seen that there’s a resort fee plus a parking fee, it put me off. It was costing about $700 more to stay here compared to Pop Century and the recent renovations there look good too. Plus being from the U.K., I still get free parking plus free parking at the parks which is a huge plus. I’m still half tempted to get the magical express but this gives me more options.

Like you said though, Disney will be more park orientated so it’s really just a place to sleep and it’s right next to the I4 so it makes it easier to leave the area for food or trips to Walmart.

The money saved made Hard stock a no brainier and it worked out about $500 cheaper than Royal Pacific which was my first choice. Hard Rock’s close proximity to CityWalk is another huge bonus since it doesn’t have the food court like CBBR and Tim Tracker’s recent video completely sold me. In the highly unlikely event I see him (my wife would freak out, she’s a huge fan) I definitely owe him a beer.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

All uni needs to do is buy all of the surrounding lake property and convert the area as a value area. Rename the lake to "Value Lake" :grin:

 

[Mad Dog]

I was close to booking but then once I seen that there’s a resort fee plus a parking fee, it put me off. It was costing about $700 more to stay here compared to Pop Century and the recent renovations there look good too. Plus being from the U.K., I still get free parking plus free parking at the parks which is a huge plus. I’m still half tempted to get the magical express but this gives me more options.

Like you said though, Disney will be more park orientated so it’s really just a place to sleep and it’s right next to the I4 so it makes it easier to leave the area for food or trips to Walmart.

The money saved made Hard stock a no brainier and it worked out about $500 cheaper than Royal Pacific which was my first choice. Hard Rock’s close proximity to CityWalk is another huge bonus since it doesn’t have the food court like CBBR and Tim Tracker’s recent video completely sold me. In the highly unlikely event I see him (my wife would freak out, she’s a huge fan) I definitely owe him a beer.

Cool. I remember telling you about those hidden fees for S&D. You will not believe how close you're to the park once you stay at Hard Rock. The walk is so short, and the security lines non existent, I really wonder why anyone takes the water taxi, except for the fact it's almost like a ride.....and, another plus, underwater music at the Hard Rock pool.

 

[rhino4evr]

As somebody who’s booked Pop Century for a week and Hard Rock for 8 days in September. I can see both sides.

Disney provide a level playing field for all guests staying on site but the hotels offering Express Pass at Universal are providing a much more premium feel. My wife loves to plan our holiday out and Disney is planned to the day, Universal is a far more laid back.

Anyone can buy express pass. Yes it's a nice perk, as is early entry, but it isn't a requirement like Fast Pass basically is for popular rides.

Would you want to stay in UOR if you were trying to get fast passes for Pandora, SW Land, Etc? No.

 

[Scott W.]

Anyone can buy express pass. Yes it's a nice perk, as is early entry, but it isn't a requirement like Fast Pass basically is for popular rides.

Would you want to stay in UOR if you were trying to get fast passes for Pandora, SW Land, Etc? No.

Anyone can buy a night in the cheapest Disney hotel, probably for less than the cost of Express Pass if you’re comparing like for like.

 

[Mad Dog]

Fast Pass & Express pass are really two different creatures that don't really lend themselves to comparison. Express pass at Universal doesn't really have a major impact on increasing stand by line wait times like fastpass does at WDW. Express pass numbers are fairly limited since it's an expensive option via purchase or deluxe hotel room rates.

 

[Scott W.]

I’ve been thinking about this. What would happen if you book a Disney hotel, get your FP 60 days out and then cancel your hotel within the 30 days that the non onsite guests book their passes.

Would the FP still be valid?

 

[JoeCamel]

I’ve been thinking about this. What would happen if you book a Disney hotel, get your FP 60 days out and then cancel your hotel within the 30 days that the non onsite guests book their passes.

Would the FP still be valid?

Last I heard they closed that loophole but the "book a camping spot at Wilderness and make your fast passes" is still in force.

 

[Scott W.]

Last I heard they closed that loophole but the "book a camping spot at Wilderness and make your fast passes" is still in force.

I thought that seemed a little too easy

 

[Mad Dog]

I’ve been thinking about this. What would happen if you book a Disney hotel, get your FP 60 days out and then cancel your hotel within the 30 days that the non onsite guests book their passes.

Would the FP still be valid?

People did that until a couple of months ago. Lots of gaps in the FP system.

 

[Frank Drackman]

It is not an unseasonable take that 7 days is a long time for 2 dry parks and 1 water park and probably not what most visitors are booking even if the rates are best for that.

Not sure if this means they are jumping up to 7 days as I think it use to be around four days for the discount to kick in.

Anyway, I would think anyone visiting Orlando for a week or more would not mind staying at one location. I’ve stayed at Pop before and went to UNI more than the WDW parks during that stay,

I’ve also met a lot of folks from overseas in the UNI parks that are there for two or three days...a day at Sea World....a bus to Bush Gardens for a day...I mean there can be a lot to due in Orlando and if someone is going to fly to Orlando, they may want to stay long enough to visit more than just two dry parks and if the price is right, I could see folks willing to stay what, within 15 miles of a variety of things to do.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

From Bio,

 

[AlexanderMBush]

DP, from Bio,

 

[AlexanderMBush]

TP, from Bio,

 

[ragerunner]

Universal Orlando Endless Summer Resort construction update- with paint testing and art engravings