Is Universal doing away with Pass holder hotels rates?

[UOAP-Naples]

Totally agree the $255 I just got is not bad but thats subjective based on I haven't seen much under $300 for a deluxe.
Same room last September was $189

You won't ever see $189 regularly again. Maybe during their very slowest weeks of the year. They're much busier now than they were during Covid. We stayed at RP many times in 2020 and 2021 for $150-$250 per night but we knew that was too good to last. Under $300 per night for the deluxe hotels with express pass is a steal.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

Based on AP hotel discounts offered at WDW and Universal, it appears as if hotel occupancy might have peaked in June and then started to pullback in July.

Your information that July 7-10 occupancy at Portofino was at 30% is consistent with that.

Which coincides with the dropping of international covid testing requirements which is what drove our speculation that it may be part of the reason folks are changing plans. Traveling internationally vs. domestically this summer. No clue if that's the case by any means, just musings between me and the staff at resort.

 

[Sue M]

We’re going first 2 weeks of Aug, doing split between SF and PBH and have AP rate for both. $197 for water view at SF and $379 for garden view at PB. Highest I’ve ever paid! W‘ve always just stayed entire trip at deluxe, but higher prices so decided to split stay.
we leave Aug 13, and noticed week after me there’s no AP rates!

 

[Dawn Peterson]

I was able to get AP rate for SF 10/4-10/7 $179 std. they were gone quick though. I went to grab a second room and it was gone.

 

[georgina]

I was able to get AP rate for SF 10/4-10/7 $179 std. they were gone quick though. I went to grab a second room and it was gone.

Good rate! I would recommend you keep checking, sometimes they reappear!

 

[Wosmama6]

I'm hoping for the first weekend in December for an EP

 

[georgina]

I'm hoping for the first weekend in December for an EP

That might be a tough one with the Orlando Informer meetup that weekend.

 

[Wosmama6]

That might be a tough one with the Orlando Informer meetup that weekend.

oh man. i had completely overlooked that. thanks so much.

 

[hopemax]

I was able to get AP rate for SF 10/4-10/7 $179 std. they were gone quick though. I went to grab a second room and it was gone.

Your post got me to check our dates. My Dad is local, but we prefer to stay on-site and have Express. It's more than we prefer to pay, but got $289 for RPR Sept 12-14. Since there are 3 of us, it's still the cheapest way to get Express and not have to drive half hour each way, for 3 days.

 

[jods]

I'm going the middle of August. The only AP rates for my dates are over 1000 a night at PBH. RPR doesn't even have availability for my 4 nights. I keep checking daily but not counting on it. I'm thankful I was able to switch to savy traveler discount. I was originally booked at rack rate.

 

[tony67]

I'm going the middle of August. The only AP rates for my dates are over 1000 a night at PBH. RPR doesn't even have availability for my 4 nights. I keep checking daily but not counting on it. I'm thankful I was able to switch to savy traveler discount. I was originally booked at rack rate.

Yeah I don't have high hopes on seeing deals on those hotels premier hotels any time soon - they is little availability at rack rate anymore and I ve been watching various dates over the last year trying to plan trips

 

[Dawn Peterson]

Your post got me to check our dates. My Dad is local, but we prefer to stay on-site and have Express. It's more than we prefer to pay, but got $289 for RPR Sept 12-14. Since there are 3 of us, it's still the cheapest way to get Express and not have to drive half hour each way, for 3 days.

nicely done. We usually go September but this year we have to go October and we are backing into the Holiday weekend. I haven’t seen any good EP hotel rates but I will continue to keep my eye out. plenty of time. Though we did our first trip without EP this June and we saw so many new additions because many of the queues are different. We have been enough we decided not to wait longer than 25 minutes for a ride. We missed Gringots but got everything else that was a priority.

 

[Nabas]

I'm going the middle of August. The only AP rates for my dates are over 1000 a night at PBH. RPR doesn't even have availability for my 4 nights. I keep checking daily but not counting on it. I'm thankful I was able to switch to savy traveler discount. I was originally booked at rack rate.

As a Universal and Disney annual pass holder, I am shocked at the number of Disney AP rates that are available for even the Value Resorts.

We booked a Friday and Saturday night stay at the renovated rooms at All Star Music for $128 night night in July. That’s a 35% savings over rack rate, an almost unheard of discount rate for a Value Resort on the weekend. (The Disney hotels normally are full on weekends.)

Meanwhile, it’s hard to get a discounted Deluxe Resort room at Universal.

My theory is that vacationers are fed up with the added costs and limited benefits of Genie+ and ILL, and have started to recognize the value of the free Express Pass Unlimited included with Universal’s Deluxe Resorts.

 

[jujubiee4]

As a Universal and Disney annual pass holder, I am shocked at the number of Disney AP rates that are available for even the Value Resorts.

We booked a Friday and Saturday night stay at the renovated rooms at All Star Music for $128 night night in July. That’s a 35% savings over rack rate, an almost unheard of discount rate for a Value Resort on the weekend. (The Disney hotels normally are full on weekends.)

Meanwhile, it’s hard to get a discounted Deluxe Resort room at Universal.

My theory is that vacationers are fed up with the added costs and limited benefits of Genie+ and ILL, and have started to recognize the value of the free Express Pass Unlimited included with Universal’s Deluxe Resort.

Have you seen any decent Ap rates for Disney Deluxe? It seems I can find some availability for cheaper
rooms at Uni and Disney but not for deluxe. I think more and more people want the Deluxe if
they can afford it at a decent price for extra evening hours at Disney and Express pass at Universal.
After staying deluxe at both WdW and Uni hotels my husband does not ever want to go back to
the cheaper rooms because of lines. Problem is the price for both places continue to creep up!

*Came back from a cruise in April and we booked a throwaway deluxe room as our
flight left later that night. Amazing how much my kids accomplished with the Express pass.
Couldn't do that at WDW!

 

[Nabas]

Have you seen any decent Ap rates for Disney Deluxe? It seems I can find some availability for cheaper
rooms at Uni and Disney but not for deluxe.

Historically, Disney Deluxe often cost hundreds more than Universal Deluxe. However, in just the last 6-12 months, it appears Universal has really cranked up its hotel prices and closed the gap. (This is why we are not renewing our Universal AP.)

Here's the AP rate for a 5-night stay at Portofino Bay, August 7-12:



A year ago, Portofino would have been $100 less.

Here's the AP rates for the same nights at some Disney Deluxe hotels:

 

[georgina]

Historically, Disney Deluxe often cost hundreds more than Universal Deluxe. However, in just the last 6-12 months, it appears Universal has really cranked up its hotel prices and closed the gap. (This is why we are not renewing our Universal AP.)

Here's the AP rate for a 5-night stay at Portofino Bay, August 7-12:

View attachment 687194

A year ago, Portofino would have been $100 less.

Here's the AP rates for the same nights at some Disney Deluxe hotels:

View attachment 687195

Yeah, that PBH rate seems high for an AP on garden view. The rack rate seems high too! I just got an agency exclusive email about PBR in Feb, a lot lower than that. I'm going in August, Dec, and Feb next year, then I will probably let my AP go too. I had a Disney AP until Covid, let that go as well.

 

[DL1WDW2]

I don’t think Universal should continue to mention AP Benefit for 25-30% discount and then wait to price surge product…
I check constantly all day&night .seriously saw a $5.00 discount and just called directly to APPassLine and spoke to a sales counselor that put me on hold to consult the “team” for better rate.
Came back with $15.00 discount per night at Cabana Bay on their most expensive room category Family Suite Interior View poolside.




Enough is enough !
Our motto : We will pay enough but we will not pay more than enough!

 

[BorderTenny]

Just a reminder that the hotels are owned by Loews. Universal has nothing to do with the amount and timing of any discounts, AP or otherwise.

 

[georgina]

Just a reminder that the hotels are owned by Loews. Universal has nothing to do with the amount and timing of any discounts, AP or otherwise.

You are reinforcing DL1WDW2's point - Universal advertises these discounts as a perk of AP's, so they are connected to the hotel discounts in that way.

 

[UOAP-Naples]

You are reinforcing DL1WDW2's point - Universal advertises these discounts as a perk of AP's, so they are connected to the hotel discounts in that way.

They don't guarantee that you get a discount or a specific rate. If the hotels are full, there won't be discounts.
*Rooms at this promotional rate are based upon seasonal availability. Advance reservations required. Must present valid Annual or Seasonal Pass and Photo ID at check in, one room per Pass. Blockout dates and arrival/departure restrictions may apply.

I understand wanting to save money but every hotel in Florida is expensive now. Hotels here in Naples and Marco Island around the beach that used to be $300 per night are $500-$700 per night during peak season.

I just checked the Universal site. There are annual pass holder rates available next month. I picked dates one month out just to check, Aug 24-26
Surfside $99
Dockside $110.08
Aventura $124
Sapphire $169
Cabana Bay $124

The three premier for the dates I picked don't show a discount, just the seasonal rate. Unfortunately, they're just that busy.
RP $442
HR $511
PB $568

I understand they are expensive but everyone has figured out that those top 3 hotels have free express pass. Years of bloggers, vloggers and message board posts have let everyone in on the secret. If you have a family of 4, the premier hotel in the $400 per night range is still a steal. You have to look at it as a $200 per night hotel and then express passes for basically $50 per person. You also get an extra day of the express pass since you get it for the days you check in and check out. If you can't afford that, they do still have great rates on the cheaper hotels that are all really nice and convenient.

You aren't going to see rates as cheap as 2020 and 2021 again. People weren't traveling as much so there was way less demand. Universal has already raised annual pass prices twice this year because there is so much demand. In January of 2021, we purchased FL resident two-park preferred passes for $120 each. They were giving them away to get people to the parks. This year our renewal and upgrade to premier was $599 (we did get 20% off that price so $480). More passholders means more people on the site looking for AP discounts, too. They also didn't have inflation costs hit their operations yet if you were traveling in 2020 or 2021. Everything they buy for the hotel and every employee costs them more.