If Universal’s onsite hotels are out of your budget, don’t worry. There are thousands of hotel choices in Orlando, with something that will fit any vistor’s budget.

Within one mile of Universal Studio’s gates, there are half a dozen affordable lodging options. For the very best deal, try the Comfort Inn Universal Studios. It offers free parking and rates starting around $50 a night. Best of all, you can walk to the theme parks from here!

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The Universal Resort offers three on-site hotels that truly five-star, world-class destinations, with a price tag to match. So why bother reviewing these hotels if the price is so high? Simply put, Universal’s hotels come with the greatest theme park perk ever. Guests of the hotels get free front-of-the-access to all the major rides and attractions in the park! Can you imagine a sweeter deal?! All you have to do is show your room key to the ride attendents and you can breeze past the lines.

So what, you’re thinking, if the prices are too high for me to afford it? While the rack rates at the three hotels are all over $300 a night, the smart traveler can easily get a room at one of Universal’s hotels for $150-175/night by shopping around.

The first place to look is Priceline. Not only do they seem to have some of the best hotel deals around, but they have the lowest booking fees too. There’s nothing I hate worse than finding a low price for a hotel on Expedia or Orbitz then finding out I’m paying an extra $50 or so in booking fees. Read more »

In college, my friends and I would take road trips during spring break and over the summer. Being poor college students, we were always looking for the cheapest hotel possible, and we stayed in some pretty scary places. One of the cities we traveled to over and over again was Orlando, simply because of all the bargains available there. In Orlando, it’s still possible to get a decent night’s accomodations for under $50, making it a great choice for those traveling on a budget.

Many people hesitate to stay in budget hotels because they are worried about safety. While there are some sketchy parts of Orlando, the entire Disney and Universal resort areas and all surrounding hotels are perfectly safe, and sit well outside of the city limits of Orlando.

My absolute favorite way to get a great hotel deal is to use Priceline. They have a Name-Your-Own-Price feature that will save you big bucks. Here’s how it works:

1. You select the area you’d like your hotel to be in. The Orlando area is broken down very specificially into the Magic Kingdom area, the Universal Studios area, Orlando itself, and outlying areas. If you’re visiting Universal, you’d select the Universal Studios area.
2. Choose the star level for your hotel. Depending on what you’re looking for, and what level of service, you can choose from quality levels ranging from one to four stars.
3. Name your price. To get an idea of what hotel rooms are going for on Priceline, check out winning bids on Priceline’s website. A search for the Orlando area, for instance, shows hotels that have been won using bids as low as $28 per night!
4. You will get an answer right away as to whether your bid has been accepted. If it hasn’t, you can try again, or go for one of the low cost options below.

I’ve used Priceline’s website for my last half dozen trips to Universal and Disney. It’s helped me get some great deals and let me enjoy my trip a lot more because I wasn’t so worried about money.

Try using Hotels.com. I prefer them to the other online travel sites because the fees and add-ons are much lower and I’ve gotten much better deals.

If all else fails, check out one of these low-priced Orlando hotel options:

• Super 8 Universal Hotel at 5900 American Way – This hotel is literally within walking distance of Universal Studios, but they also offer free shuttles to Universal, Disney, and SeaWorld. The average rate of $59 also includes free continental breakfast. Add to that clean rooms and a great staff and this deal is hard to beat!
• Best Western Plaza at 8738 International Drive – Just 5 minutes from Universal, this hotel offers rooms ranging from $50 to $80 per night, plus free theme park shuttles and a Ponderosa steakhouse right next door. The hotel features multiple pools, a game room, and a great location convenient to all the major attrations.
• Quality Inn ar 7600 International Drive – Just five minutes or a free shuttle ride from Universal Studios, this hotel offers big perks for a small price. With rooms between $50 and $80, you get two pools and restaurants, a mini fridge in every room, and pets are welcome!

Save your money for the theme parks and stay at one of these Universal Studios discount hotels, convenient to the action and easy on your wallet.

Planning a trip to Universal Orlando and want to make sure you’re not stuck in long lines? Try visiting the park during off-peak times. Like Walt Disney World, Universal is a lot more fun when you’re not fighting your way through crowds. Read more »

Universal will be unveiling a brand new roller coaster for 2009. Called “Rip, Ride, and Rockit,” this coaster is said to be the most technologically advanced coaster in the world, and will be the tallest coaster in Orlando when it’s completed.

From the official Universal press release:

“Adrenaline pumping and music thumping, you find yourself heading straight toward
the sky. Suddenly, you are doing 65 mph, 17 stories over Universal
Studios. Gasping with excitement, you rock out to a song you picked before
strapping in. And, it’s all on video. Once the adventure is over, you edit the
video to send to your friends.
This is true high-tech, customizable,
multi-sensory entertainment. Scheduled to open in spring 2009, Hollywood Rip,
Ride, Rockit will stake its claim as the most technologically advanced roller
coaster in the world. The Universal Creative team is combining audio and special
effects engineering, sophisticated on- and off-board video and one-of-a-kind
guest personalization to create a roller coaster experience unlike any
other.
“This is the perfect intersection of the digital age and theme
park entertainment,” said Mark Woodbury, President of Creative for Universal
Parks & Resorts. “Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit blends roller coaster
intensity and guest interaction in a way where no two experiences will be the
same.” Read more »

This blog has grown out of my love of Universal Studios theme park. While I’ve always been a Disney fan, it seems like Universal is getting better every year, and their hotels and attractions are truly outstanding (Spiderman ride anyone?) I’ll be posting news, reviews, and tips to help make your trip more fun.

The first thing you should know about me is that I HATE CROWDS. If it comes down to going to the park and waiting in long lines all day, count me out. Luckily, Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure offer ways to see the park and ride all the rides without experiencing the dreaded 90 minute wait time. Read more »