APH rate for June 2023

[HsimSleepy]

Hi, I’m so glad I found this forum! I haven’t been to Universal Studio for 20 years and I am planning a family trip for June 2023. I was getting quotes from a travel agent until I discovered the Seasonal Pass (same price as the 3 days park to park ticket that I was quoted) and APH rates!

Travel date: June 13-18 (May add 2 nights if it make sense)
Hotel: Royal Pacific (express pass) or Cabana Bay (affordability)

I’m thinking the ideal for us may be 3 nights at Royal Pacific to get express pass then 2-3 nights at Cabana bay to save $$ and just chill at the park for those days without worry about rides.

Questions I have
1. Do they usually have APH rate for June travel dates for Royal Pacific and Cabana Bay?
2. Can travel agent book APH? I feel bad for leaving my agent now after all her quotes
3. Is all nights at Cabana Bay with paid express pass for 3 days better option than split day with Royal Pacific?
4. There is savvy rate of $181 for Cabana right now, should I book that as backup?

Thanks for advice!

 

[AJA]

Your plan sounds ideal for a first time (in a long time) family trip.

All the hotels should have APH rates but they can go quickly so plan on checking at minimum every other day until you get your dates booked.

Express Pass can be $200 (or more) each person per day so unless you are traveling alone, the deluxe hotels are always a better price than paying for Express.

A split stay between Deluxe and Cabana Bay is a great way to experience the rides while you have express and then have time for exploring the Harry Potter areas, City Walk, restaurants and shopping.

Five+ days, especially long days in the summer, is plenty of time to enjoy the parks and have relaxing vacation days.

It wouldn’t hurt to make a room only reservation for Cabana Bay now. You can always cancel and rebook when APH rates pop up. But you will know your covered just in case.

Room only is always the best deal for us since we have AP’s. Usually packages aren’t a better deal at Universal.

I like having full control of our reservation so we don’t use a travel agent.

You have to run the numbers and consider your group to know what the best “split stay” might look like for you. For us, if we were going in a busy summer week we might stay at Cabana Bay for the entire week, but make a one night reservation at the cheapest Deluxe as a throwaway room, checking in at 6am for our hotel key/express pass but not actually switching resorts that one night. You get express the day you check in and check out so that one night “stay” gives your group two days of express.

There are tons of threads here discussing both actual split stays and a one night throwaway room.

Even at a busy time 5+ days is plenty of time to enjoy Universal no matter what you decide.

 

[HsimSleepy]

Thank you so much for the extensive reply and happy holidays! After further thinking I think I will postpone our trip to August 2023 so we can use the seasonal annual pass again in June 2024 to maximize the value. I’m considering both split stay or a throwaway room per your suggestion, I will price it later after I confirm my dates.

Here’s another questing, have anyone had experience moving the trip date with the hotel due to last minute illness like Covid? I think that’s my last worry, the travel agent seems confident she can move it for me for emergency like that.

 

[AJA]

Here’s another questing, have anyone had experience moving the trip date with the hotel due to last minute illness like Covid? I think that’s my last worry, the travel agent seems confident she can move it for me for emergency like that.

With a Room only reservation you won’t have any problems canceling a week before (or less).

The biggest difference with Disney/Universal hotels is that Universal does NOT run the onsite hotels. They are Loews hotels and Loews has always given us excellent customer service, not just in Orlando.

You can check the Loews website for their exact cancellation terms.

That is the main reason we don’t book “packages” at Universal. It is much easier to deal with each company separately.

Think Swan/Dolphin at Disney and having a reservation through Marriott.

 

[HsimSleepy]

Thank you! I moved my travel dates to August and booked Cabana Bay as a backup while I stalk annual pass holder rate.