Going in August no EP?

GlendaO

DIS Veteran
Joined
Jun 12, 2007
We are going 8/10-8/15 and we’re thinking we would like to stay in the one of the new Surfside suites. Since we’re not staying at RPR, no EP.
With four days in US and IOA, do you guys think it would be doable with no EP? If we don’t go now, we won’t be able to go until December.
 
We are going 8/10-8/15 and we’re thinking we would like to stay in the one of the new Surfside suites. Since we’re not staying at RPR, no EP.
With four days in US and IOA, do you guys think it would be doable with no EP? If we don’t go now, we won’t be able to go until December.
With 4 early morning starts, I think so. Have a good touring plan for each day.
 
Could you do one "throw away" night at one of the hotels that would give you front of the line access for two days? If you check in super early, it would give you two full days of your vacation with front of the line passes. The Royal Pacific has 8/19-8/20 for $309 + tax (38.63) = $347.63. Divide that by 2 (numbers of days with passes) = $173.81 per day.

Divide by the number in your party. If you can afford the extra $, it can be very attractive.
For two of you, front of the line would cost $86.91 per person per day;
For three, $57.94 per day;
For 4 of you, $43.45 per day.
 
Could you do one "throw away" night at one of the hotels that would give you front of the line access for two days? If you check in super early, it would give you two full days of your vacation with front of the line passes. The Royal Pacific has 8/19-8/20 for $309 + tax (38.63) = $347.63. Divide that by 2 (numbers of days with passes) = $173.81 per day.

Divide by the number in your party. If you can afford the extra $, it can be very attractive.
For two of you, front of the line would cost $86.91 per person per day;
For three, $57.94 per day;
For 4 of you, $43.45 per day.

I thought about doing that but the times that we’ll be there only have a king room available and I can only book for three people.
I’ll just keep checking :-)
 


I thought about doing that but the times that we’ll be there only have a king room available and I can only book for three people.
I’ll just keep checking :-)
Try clearing your cache, or try a different browser. I've found that can change the rooms that I am offered.
 
Also, as a POSSIBLE money saver, depending on your needs, and for all I know you may be a passholder, or want a 2 bedroom suite (vs. a 1 bedroom suite) and this is all moot - just trying to help:

If you would consider a Cabana Bay Suite, Costco Travel gave us GREAT savings on our vacation - we priced out staying many different ways, they saved us a lot. Ended up paying for our flights +. Only issue with Costco is that they greatly limit the hotel choices. We are going in August and will be staying at Portofino Bay - we would have preferred RPR. The only value resort they have posted now is Cabana Bay, but it is one of their suites. On your dates they have a package including park-to-park and Cabana Bay Water Park for $2,204. (I put you in for 2 kids, a 9 year old and a 12 year old - I may be way off.) Park to park, not including the water park, is $1,996. The savings may be worth the cost of a Costco membership. We no longer have kids home, and we are still members, as the coffee savings alone are worth it (not even counting the rental car savings - 3 years ago we rented a minivan out of MCO/Orlando airport, and spent $250, total, for a week's rental.)

For our vacation at Portofino Bay (30th wedding anniversary - we decided to go to Harry Potter World after finishing off sending our 2 kids through college) it ended up costing us $2,600, including flights from Boston, for 5 nights, park to park tickets including Volcano Bay water park (just the 2 of us, though.) I'll be getting back a chunk via a Costco money card, ($158 back).
 


Also, as a POSSIBLE money saver, depending on your needs, and for all I know you may be a passholder, or want a 2 bedroom suite (vs. a 1 bedroom suite) and this is all moot - just trying to help:

If you would consider a Cabana Bay Suite, Costco Travel gave us GREAT savings on our vacation - we priced out staying many different ways, they saved us a lot. Ended up paying for our flights +. Only issue with Costco is that they greatly limit the hotel choices. We are going in August and will be staying at Portofino Bay - we would have preferred RPR. The only value resort they have posted now is Cabana Bay, but it is one of their suites. On your dates they have a package including park-to-park and Cabana Bay Water Park for $2,204. (I put you in for 2 kids, a 9 year old and a 12 year old - I may be way off.) Park to park, not including the water park, is $1,996. The savings may be worth the cost of a Costco membership. We no longer have kids home, and we are still members, as the coffee savings alone are worth it (not even counting the rental car savings - 3 years ago we rented a minivan out of MCO/Orlando airport, and spent $250, total, for a week's rental.)

For our vacation at Portofino Bay (30th wedding anniversary - we decided to go to Harry Potter World after finishing off sending our 2 kids through college) it ended up costing us $2,600, including flights from Boston, for 5 nights, park to park tickets including Volcano Bay water park (just the 2 of us, though.) I'll be getting back a chunk via a Costco money card, ($158 back).

Wow! Thank you so much :-)
We are two adults with two adult kids (19/21). I would like a suite of some sort I think. We used to be AP holders and I’m thinking of upgrading to a 2-park seasonal while we’re there.
With tuition for the youngest due right before we go, I was trying to do this without a week at RPR. So I’m torn on if it’s possible without EPS.
I’m not a Costco member, but my niece is. Maybe I should be!
 
Wow! Thank you so much :-)
We are two adults with two adult kids (19/21). I would like a suite of some sort I think. We used to be AP holders and I’m thinking of upgrading to a 2-park seasonal while we’re there.
With tuition for the youngest due right before we go, I was trying to do this without a week at RPR. So I’m torn on if it’s possible without EPS.
I’m not a Costco member, but my niece is. Maybe I should be!
Have a great time! I agree, it is important with older offspring to have the separate spaces, so you are right, a suite would be best.

We are just recovering from tuition shock, (after 7 years) so wondered if we really wanted to stay Premier with EPS. We decided that even given early entry, August is HOT, (we've always done Disney then) (and I'm looking forward to seeing all the "regular line" theming, at least once) but want the option to go Express. If it wasn't so hot, we wouldn't mind the wait.

Have you priced out the hotel rooms with one annual pass? I'm not sure how to do that, but I've heard that it can save some $$.
 
Ugh. I plan WDW. I love the ability to not plan at US but it looks like I’m going to need to do that!

There is really no planning needed.

With 4 days and early entry, you should be fine without express pass.

Your only plan would be you need to get up to make probably at least 2 of those early entries. Download the universal app so you can check wait times if needed, but I would just plan to do single rider lines and not worry about it.

With 4 adults, it is totally different than with small children.
 
Have you priced out the hotel rooms with one annual pass? I'm not sure how to do that, but I've heard that it can save some $$.

Annual pass rates come out 90 days prior to visit and they go fast. I really doubt there will be any thing available this late in the game.
 
I deleted all 20 tabs I had opened since I was just confusing myself 😅 This actually worked out well, because the next day my husband reminded me that he has access to a corporate rate!
I ended up booking Surfside for a week with a two room suite. We have tickets for five days with unlimited express and it was only a couple of hundred dollars more than my initial five days 🎉
Thank you to everyone for your advice. It really showed me I needed to step back and refocus!
 
I deleted all 20 tabs I had opened since I was just confusing myself 😅 This actually worked out well, because the next day my husband reminded me that he has access to a corporate rate!
I ended up booking Surfside for a week with a two room suite. We have tickets for five days with unlimited express and it was only a couple of hundred dollars more than my initial five days 🎉
Thank you to everyone for your advice. It really showed me I needed to step back and refocus!

How did you get unlimited express?

ETA: I just saw on another thread that there is a ticket promo with unlimited EP included!
 
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Can you point me in the right direction to find out about this, please?
 

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