Bang for a Buck

[BrianV]

The problem is Uni does not offer Value resorts for budget minded people. At least they didn't the last time I checked.

Cabana Bay is their value resort. When we are traveling in late august, their standard room would be $134. Not value. But not super expensive either. I'd like to check what the going rate at the disney values is the same time...

Edit: cheapest room at disney is $91 for that same time period. But that is a summer discount. If you'd booked as cabana bay earlier I think there might have been a discount possible for the stay more save more promotion.

 

[graphite1326]

Wow I just checked out a Universal vacation package. No bang for the buck there

 

[danpam1024]

The problem is Uni does not offer Value resorts for budget minded people. At least they didn't the last time I checked.

CBBR is their version of "Value", for $10-20/night more than WDW, it is leaps and bounds better than anything Disney has to offer. It costs less than a Disney moderate and is better than those as well- IMO of course. UOR is a different vacation experience altogether. To each their own

 

[StageFrenzy]

For lunch yesterday I left the parking went to the whopper bar. it's been about a year since I had a Burger King burger.

 

[Facepalm]

So do you need reservations at the Uni restaurants, and if so, how far in advance?

 

[Figgy1]

So do you need reservations at the Uni restaurants, and if so, how far in advance?

I've heard not really except on very busy days, but I'm making some as we have allergies.

 

[graphite1326]

Plenty of cheap places very near Universal.

It's not the same. I would still have to find my own transportation. From the airport and to the parks.

 

[fosse76]

Cabana Bay is their value resort. When we are traveling in late august, their standard room would be $134. Not value. But not super expensive either. I'd like to check what the going rate at the disney values is the same time...

Edit: cheapest room at disney is $91 for that same time period. But that is a summer discount. If you'd booked as cabana bay earlier I think there might have been a discount possible for the stay more save more promotion.

Universal classifies Cabana Bay a Value/Moderate resort. All of the exterior entry rooms are suites. The tower rooms (indoor access) are the regular rooms. With my AP discount, I can usually get a room for around $90/night. And keep in mind, that unlike Disney's "Value" resorts, Cabana Bay has a water slide, indoor access rooms, lazy river, bowling alley with table service, and food court. So you definitely get your money's worth.

As far as in park dining, I find Universal's counter service to be better quality than Disney's, and roughly the same price. They have a day-of dining plan that you can purchase for $20 in the park. It includes one counter service meal (including non-alcoholic beverage), one additional non-alcoholic beverage and one snack. Depending on where you go to eat, it can be a significant savings. As far as Table Service goes, I find that the food is of great quality and at a much better price point than Disney's overpriced options.

 

[BrianV]

Universal classifies Cabana Bay a Value/Moderate resort. All of the exterior entry rooms are suites. The tower rooms (indoor access) are the regular rooms. With my AP discount, I can usually get a room for around $90/night. And keep in mind, that unlike Disney's "Value" resorts, Cabana Bay has a water slide, indoor access rooms, lazy river, bowling alley with table service, and food court. So you definitely get your money's worth.

As far as in park dining, I find Universal's counter service to be better quality than Disney's, and roughly the same price. They have a day-of dining plan that you can purchase for $20 in the park. It includes one counter service meal (including non-alcoholic beverage), one additional non-alcoholic beverage and one snack. Depending on where you go to eat, it can be a significant savings. As far as Table Service goes, I find that the food is of great quality and at a much better price point than Disney's overpriced options.

I've only ever visited the cabana bay but never stayed there. Looked fun. However, we always stay at the rpr. Our next trip we have the Jurassic park suite. Couldn't get an ap discount, but we do have their stay more save more discount. With that, the price is similar to that of a standard room at the poly. If we were willing to get a standard room, (again no ap discounts available) it would be much cheaper than a poly standard room.

I'm a big fan of the tropically themed resorts. I'm also a big fan of universal express pass! As far as hotel pricing and perks, universal has wdw beat easy, for now.

 

[Eoin Mc Andrew]

Universal classifies Cabana Bay a Value/Moderate resort. All of the exterior entry rooms are suites. The tower rooms (indoor access) are the regular rooms. With my AP discount, I can usually get a room for around $90/night. And keep in mind, that unlike Disney's "Value" resorts, Cabana Bay has a water slide, indoor access rooms, lazy river, bowling alley with table service, and food court. So you definitely get your money's worth.

As far as in park dining, I find Universal's counter service to be better quality than Disney's, and roughly the same price. They have a day-of dining plan that you can purchase for $20 in the park. It includes one counter service meal (including non-alcoholic beverage), one additional non-alcoholic beverage and one snack. Depending on where you go to eat, it can be a significant savings. As far as Table Service goes, I find that the food is of great quality and at a much better price point than Disney's overpriced options.

Not if you get the free dining plan........

 

[Eoin Mc Andrew]

Ah that's fair enough! I come from Ireland, so it's a 2 week visit! Free dining plan for my last 4 or 5 visits now!

 

[Nero the dog]

Ah that's fair enough! I come from Ireland, so it's a 2 week visit! Free dining plan for my last 4 or 5 visits now!

I don't know if Ireland is the same as the UK, but the way holidays are sold in the UK the free dining always seems a great deal. However, it will work out cheaper to book everything separately, the problem is that you have to wait for the room discounts to appear. When you have already paid a lot of money to book flights at the cheapest price, that can make people very nervous.

 

[Eoin Mc Andrew]

I don't know if Ireland is the same as the UK, but the way holidays are sold in the UK the free dining always seems a great deal. However, it will work out cheaper to book everything separately, the problem is that you have to wait for the room discounts to appear. When you have already paid a lot of money to book flights at the cheapest price, that can make people very nervous.

Disney always seems to be great value in fairness for Ireland, it's the flights that are the killer but that's a sign of the times I guess!

 

[danpam1024]

I don't know if Ireland is the same as the UK, but the way holidays are sold in the UK the free dining always seems a great deal. However, it will work out cheaper to book everything separately, the problem is that you have to wait for the room discounts to appear. When you have already paid a lot of money to book flights at the cheapest price, that can make people very nervous.

I agree- for YEARS I actually did the math- "Free Dining" was NEVER "Free".

 

[Eoin Mc Andrew]

I don't understand your point? The dinning plan far outweighs any room discount for us!

 

[danpam1024]

I don't understand your point? The dinning plan far outweighs any room discount for us!

Nothing at Disney is EVER "Free". We used to go multiple times a year for 8-12 days at a time. It was FAR cheaper to buy an AP, book a room, and pay outright for food (using the Tables in Wonderland card). However we stopped going in 2011, but I doubt much has changed-one thing Disney does do is remain predictably stagnant and overwhelmingly greedy.

 

[lebeau]

Not if you get the free dining plan........

You mean the "We're gouging you on your room to such a high degree that we'll comp your meals" discount?



Ain't no such thing as a free Disney lunch.

 

[Iwerks64]

So do you need reservations at the Uni restaurants, and if so, how far in advance?

Not really. I went Easter week and did make two in park reservations. One at Mythos (you could have walked up and gotten a table with a 30-40 minute wait) and one at Lombards for the Cinematic Spectacular dinner/dessert package. I booked both only a week or two ahead of time.

 

[jloucks]

The problem is Uni does not offer Value resorts for budget minded people. At least they didn't the last time I checked.

True. ...but you can get some really good packages 'off season' that sorta accomplish the same thing. We got some 'value resort' priced packages last month that were pretty good. What we didn't notice is the parks closed early half the trip for private parties. Maybe that is why we got such a great deal? Not all that upsetting, but something to consider.

 

[jloucks]

Ah that's fair enough! I come from Ireland, so it's a 2 week visit! Free dining plan for my last 4 or 5 visits now!

We didn't get a free dining plan in the classical sense. We got some sort of free meal coupons that sorta worked the same way for half of our trip. The other half we split meals or just got one of the huge lard lad doughnuts and split it 4 ways.