Easter week crowds/express pass

[moobear67]

Yes, we are crazy...actually thinking about going the first week of April (right before Easter weekend). I know spring break/Easter week is crowded. I am looking into staying on site to get the express pass included with the hotel stay. This week it will cost us about $450 a night for hotel (ugh!) for 3 nights. How much might separate express passes cost that week? I saw someone post $60 for a busy day. That would be $300 a day for our family of 5, 2 days in the parks, for $600 total assuming the $60 is correct. All of a sudden, onsite hotels doesn't look too bad of a deal, if i have my numbers correct. Does anyone know if this is accurate (about $60 for an express pass during busy times)? Are we crazy to try and go there that week? (It's either that week or first week in August...hot, hot August....which is the lesser of 2 evils?)

[NJGIRL]

I'm sure Easter week will be crazy even staying onsite, but as far as I'm concerned it's the only way to go after you have done it once. If you plan on staying that week you should try to book asap before there is nothing left.

[moobear67]

Thanks NJgirl. I see you have stayed at the Royal Pacific. We are thinking about staying there too. How did you like it? Is the hotel within walking distance to the parks (the website claims it is, but sometimes "within walking distance" is an exaggeration.)

[NJGIRL]

We have stayed at both the Royal Pacific and the Hard Rock. Both were great hotels and IMO the rooms were nicer than Disney deluxe hotels. Yes they are both a short and pleasant walk to the parks. I think Hard Rock took us 5 mins to the Studios and 10 mins to IOA. I would say Royal Pacific was 10 mins to IOA and maybe 15 mins the the Studio. The front of the line access that you get as a perk is wonderful. It was also so nice not to have to use any sort of transportation from hotel to park. No waiting in lines or parking lots! If you decide you don't want to walk there is a ferry or you can take a bike ridden cart. They are free, you just should leave a tip. Since the walk was so short we never did the ferry. I did let the kids take the cart one day just for fun and they loved it.

[moobear67]

Thanks again NJgirl! I think we may try that hotel. It's pet friendly too, so we can bring our dog with us on our trip...yeah! I'm wondering if anyone else out there has been to Universal during Easter week....still wondering if we are crazy to even consider it!

[NJGIRL]

Thanks again NJgirl! I think we may try that hotel. It's pet friendly too, so we can bring our dog with us on our trip...yeah! I'm wondering if anyone else out there has been to Universal during Easter week....still wondering if we are crazy to even consider it!

Just a reminder to everyone..... Lowe's Hotels are pet friendly everywhere in the country!

[DisneyDog]

We will be there over Easter weekend, staying offsite. We have, in the past, stayed at both Royal Pacific and Hard Rock. I agree, they are great, both nicer than any Disney hotel I've ever stayed at. We used to live in Florida, and would occasionally bring our dogs with us and we would stay there. It was wonderful. Staff was great about the dogs, there were other dogs there so I never felt strange about it. They have a decent area where to walk them. I highly recommend staying on site there.

[moobear67]

Thanks DisneyDog! I made reservations for 3 nights on site. We will also do 3 nights off site (to save $$$, and we will be doing other things outside of Universal). Now I need to find a decent off-hotel that will accept dogs!

[Kenny1113]

It looks like you've got it figured out, but I wanted to add that you can see the rate for the express passes on the website.Right now the express passes are going for $55.99 for two parks.