Please help! I know nothing about Universal Hotels in Florida

[Koz]

Good morning. I'm a big planner. Dare I say UUUUGE planner.

We've done Disney many times over and while we considered Disneyland earlier we've now instead decided to head to FL in late August before the kids go back to school.

In a nutshell, here's the plan

1) 3 days on the west coast of FL renting on the beach in Siesta Key or Sarasota. Nice downtime, low key etc.

2) Head to Universal Orlando for 5 days at the hotel with 3 days at the parks.

I am sure that you will also agree that the Universal page pales in comparison to Disney in terms of function and interactivity. That being said, I think that we've narrowed it down to 3 options simply because of the "extras" that they throw in regarding early admission and Universal Express Unlimited.

We are looking at the Royal Pacific, Hard Rock or Portofino as options, and I'd like to see if I can get some recommendations/opinions from my trusted fellow posters.

1) Are we heading to Universal at a time when the crowds will be somewhat lower- specifically the last week of August right before Labor Day?

2) Should we expect that the weather will still be akin to stuffing your head in a wet oven? My flip side to that, if it is the case, is that a good amount of Universal attractions are indoor and air-conditioned.

3) We are big on spending time at the hotel to have days off, outside of the parks. Which of these 3 hotels offers the best pool in your opinion, and why? Waterslides for kids are certainly an added bonus.

4) Does one of these hotels offer advantages over the other?

5) Is one of these hotels more conveniently located to the amusement parks?

6) Are guests charged for parking either at the hotel or at the parks?

7) How does skip the line work? Is it similar to fast-pass?

8) Is it worth considering the meal plan? If so, which one?

9) We are figuring on a 3 day ticket, shooting to hit each park once per day. Sufficient?

Thanks for taking the time to read this post and I appreciate any information you are able to give. Take care!

 

[bobbie68]

Hello! I am glad to see you are venturing over to Universal. We have done both Disney and Universal many times and enjoy both for different reasons. I have to give the edge though now to Universal. We have been having great trips the last few years.

Going the end of August will certainly be lesser crowds so that will be good. We have stayed at Hard Rock and Portofino Bay twice and liked both. I prefer the Hard Rock a little more because I like their pool area a little better. Portofino and Hard Rock have pool slides with the Hard Rock having a little longer one. It is a little bit cheaper. It really is a matter of opinion of what you like. Portofino is more upscale and the rooms are a little bigger. I think Hard Rock is good nostalgia with the music. Teens tend to like this hotel more. Hard Rock is the closest resort to the parks especially (the studios.) However, it is only by a few minutes of walking. Portofino is the furthest of the Deluxe ones but only by a few minutes. All three deluxe hotels have the water taxi if you don't want to walk. It is about 10-15 minutes from the hotels. The water taxi's are nice. We have also stayed at Cabana Bay twice and enjoy that resort too. The big difference is no express pass but it is something to think about. The transportation from here is by bus to the parks. You are able to pool hop at the universal hotels so if you see a pool area you want to try you can head over there. We stayed at Royal Pacific one night this summer and are going back there this summer for a week. It also is a very nice resort and the cheapest of the three top ones. It is a little closer to the parks (Islands of Adventure) to walk or the water taxi. The three resorts have restaurants with Portofino and Royal Pacific having more of a variety then Hard Rock. However, you do have city walk right outside the parks with many choices.

Yes you are charged for parking I understand it is $22.00 a day for self park or $29.00 a day for valet.

Yes it will still be in t he 90's and hot.

The way Universal runs their express pass is nothing like Disney fast pass. You literally walk up to the express pass lane and get in. An example is the stand-by line will be 90 minutes and the express pass lane will be 30 minutes. There is no reservations needed for the express pass. You literally do not have to plan your ride days and parks. The only thing I would suggest is the Harry Potter worlds get busy and they are small so I would do them at opening or later after dinner time. If you are getting park to park (which you need for the Hogwart's Express) you can just hop back and forth parks. These two parks are right next to each other. If you are going to do Volcano Bay then you will have to shuttle over there. It is further away.

The meal plan is not really worth it unless you can get a special and sometimes at that time of year they run a buy one get 50 percent off another. We used it this summer and really didn't feel like it did anything. You buy a prepaid meal with a snack and drink. You can carry over credits but it is different from Disney. I would look into it some people like buying it to have a budget. The one thing is you can buy it right on the spot as you are ordering a meal if you think it is worth it.

I would check out the other threads on here especially the information pages on the resorts and the restaurants.

Any other questions please ask, we love to help! Enjoy

 

[Koz]

Bobbie thanks so much for your feedback. Very much appreciated!

 

[bobbie68]

Your welcome always enjoy helping someone plan an awesome trip to Universal! I can't wait to go back in June.

 

[Koz]

Any other feedback would be most welcomed!

 

[nkereina]

1) Are we heading to Universal at a time when the crowds will be somewhat lower- specifically the last week of August right before Labor Day?

2) Should we expect that the weather will still be akin to stuffing your head in a wet oven? My flip side to that, if it is the case, is that a good amount of Universal attractions are indoor and air-conditioned.

3) We are big on spending time at the hotel to have days off, outside of the parks. Which of these 3 hotels offers the best pool in your opinion, and why? Waterslides for kids are certainly an added bonus.

4) Does one of these hotels offer advantages over the other?

5) Is one of these hotels more conveniently located to the amusement parks?

6) Are guests charged for parking either at the hotel or at the parks?

7) How does skip the line work? Is it similar to fast-pass?

8) Is it worth considering the meal plan? If so, which one?

9) We are figuring on a 3 day ticket, shooting to hit each park once per day. Sufficient?

1) We went during this exact week this past year. We actually did Disney first, so we were at Universal over Labor Day weekend. Crowds were lower than Disney, but not as low as we've seen on prior trips likely due to the holiday. We stayed at HRH so we had express pass and had no wait time issues.

2) Yes! lol! A lot of the Universal attractions and queues are indoors in AC, but not all. Similar to WDW in that regard. There are some great water rides in IOA that we loved doing in that heat. I also found that I got sunburned on my shoulders at Universal, which I didn't at WDW, so that tells me I was in the sun more often, so maybe more walking between things or less shade around.

3) We've only stayed at RPR and HRH, so no comments on PBH, but I don't think you can go wrong with any of them. We like the pool at HRH a touch more - just liked the seating area better, we liked the bar better, they were playing top 40 music and they also play music under water. Just seemed like a more fun atmosphere, but still welcoming to kids of course. As mentioned, HRH has a slide and RPR does not. Both have sandy areas as well.

4) IMO, HRH has the best location. Closest for walking. We never used the water taxi when we stayed there. There is a side door at HRH near the farthest pool entrance that I think is a bit of a secret because it's marked as a fire door, but we were told by HRH staff we could use it because its right next to the walking path. More time walking in AC and saves even more time! I also think the dining options at HRH are superior to RPR. We LOVED The Kitchen, especially for breakfast, and the grab and go at HRH seemed more robust as well.

5) See #4! lol! They are all convenient, all walkable, but HRH is definitely the closest for walking. At RPR, we walked when we felt like it and took the water taxi when we were too hot and/or tired to walk. If we ever stayed at PBH, I'm guessing we'd use the water taxi most if not all of the time based on location. We have visited there before but never stayed.

6) Yes to parking fees, exactly as PP quoted.

7) PP describes express pass well. It's literally unlimited and nothing like fast pass. It's a much better system. You enter a separate line like FP, but that's where the similarities end. They will scan you room key card for your express pass, so you'll always need that handy which is why so many people wear lanyards. EPs are really great and IMO, worth the cost for those who have to pay for it especially now that the Potter rides utilize it as well.

8) We only bought the meal plan once at the recommendation of an employee at Three Broomsticks. What we were buying for lunch was more expensive than the meal plan for that day, so she charged us the meal plan price and redeemed our credits for our lunch and then we were left with two drinks and a snack credit to use at some point before our trip was over. I don't fully understand how it works, but I do know you can purchase it on the fly when it makes sense for you.

9) Should be sufficient. Just for comparison sake, look at the cost of APs. We purchased a seasonal annual pass for not that much more money and were able to squeeze in another trip with it. And it would also give you the option your other two days to enter the parks for some quick rides, things you missed, meals, etc. and you wouldn't feel like you're wasting a ticket day.

 

[mjhtvchick]

I agree with everything the PPs have said - I would just add:

- all three hotels are beautiful and you really can't go wrong. I would just say that when I think of each of them I do associate each one with a different "vibe" - RPR: relaxing; HRH: fun, upbeat; PBR: elegant

- while the RPR pool does not have a slide, it does have a fun kid's splash area; and you can always pool-hop to any other resort if you want a change one day

- when determining if the meal plan is right for you, keep in mind that it cannot be used at the restaurants in the hotels - only at the parks and Citywalk

- you need the Park-to-Park ticket if you want to ride the Hogwart's Express

 

[schumigirl]

Read the stickies on here for each hotel.......it can give you a decent comparison to see what style suits your family better.......it also tells you which hotel has EP and which doesn’t. The deluxe hotels and Sapphire Falls are all beautiful........not a bad choice with those 4.

It all comes down to personal preference........each hotel has a decent amount of eateries........Damo has an excellent thread in the stickies with all restaurants and menus........

For walking distance HRH is closest to The Studios and RPR is closer to IOA.....takes us 6-7 minutes to walk to Islands from RP. PBH is further but still walkable.

A one night stay in one of the on-site hotels will give you two full days of parking. Just leave before midnight on the last day.

Keep checking prices.....hotel costs vary. Friends of ours and folks on here have sometimes paid less for PBH than RP......it depends on occupancy.

EP is a godsend even in so called quiet days. Some queues can be in excess of 60-90 minutes......Despicable Me is the notable one.

As said, it’s a separate line for EP users........simple and effective........and well worth it. We wouldn’t be without EP even on quiet days.

Never used a meal plan and don’t plan to.

 

[Koz]

You guys are awesome, thank you!

 

[wookiebeck]

9) We are figuring on a 3 day ticket, shooting to hit each park once per day. Sufficient?

The hotel locations are way closer than on WDW property. We find ourselves going for rope drop (early entry too). Then pop back out to the hotel for a swim. Then back into the park when we feel like it. One time I said, we leave for dinner on City Walk in 30 minutes. And the kids ran over to ride Rip Ride Rocket and got back in time.

Be sure to get park-to-park tickets for the full, laid back, go where ever you want experience.

We also love taking days off from the parks. You can use the Universal transportation for free you whole trip to hop over to the other hotels and explore. You are allowed in all the pools. Check out bowling in Cabana Bay. Go to the pool (there are two) and lazy river. They have a great cafe for lunch, to make a day out of it. The pool side nacho plate at HRH fills up even teenagers. The ambiance and slide at PBH is my kids' favorite.

 

[nkereina]

The hotel locations are way closer than on WDW property. We find ourselves going for rope drop (early entry too). Then pop back out to the hotel for a swim. Then back into the park when we feel like it. One time I said, we leave for dinner on City Walk in 30 minutes. And the kids ran over to ride Rip Ride Rocket and got back in time.

Be sure to get park-to-park tickets for the full, laid back, go where ever you want experience.

We also love taking days off from the parks. You can use the Universal transportation for free you whole trip to hop over to the other hotels and explore. You are allowed in all the pools. Check out bowling in Cabana Bay. Go to the pool (there are two) and lazy river. They have a great cafe for lunch, to make a day out of it. The pool side nacho plate at HRH fills up even teenagers. The ambiance and slide at PBH is my kids' favorite.

Agree with this. For us, we also find IOA takes us less time than UO so we usually will hop to UO after IOA.

 

[Koz]

One place that was recommended to me by Universal' s own in house reservations team was Cabana Bay, as my kids are 13, 10 and 6 at the time of travel. Appears to be a nice set up and the family suite option seems great. Does anyone have experience staying at this property? I was quoted $4,080 for a 8 day 7 night stay with 4 days of park hoppers. Crazy thing though is that the agent told me it includes express pass but I can't see any mention of that on the main page.

 

[bobbie68]

Hi yes we have stayed at cabana bay twice and enjoyed it very much! The family suite was very nice in the tower. The pools and the food court are great. I can't say enough good things about this property. There is Early Entry but no Express Pass! If you would like to know anything specific please ask!

 

[TommyJK]

One place that was recommended to me by Universal' s own in house reservations team was Cabana Bay, as my kids are 13, 10 and 6 at the time of travel. Appears to be a nice set up and the family suite option seems great. Does anyone have experience staying at this property? I was quoted $4,080 for a 8 day 7 night stay with 4 days of park hoppers. Crazy thing though is that the agent told me it includes express pass but I can't see any mention of that on the main page.

If you're booking through an agent, they might be pricing out for you the hotel plus a ticket package that includes Express Pass. Cabana Bay doesn't include it as a perk of the hotel itself (just early entry).

Our Family absolutely loves Cabana Bay. Our kids (8 and 11 the last time we went) prefer it over the other properties. If you go during a time that crowds are lower and don't need express pass, it's our preferred place to stay. We like it's pools above the other properties. There's two of them, one with a big slide, the other with a lazy river. Plus they have sandy areas around them with games for the kids. The "cafeteria" style grab and go restaurants are great. There's a bowling alley. AND a full starbucks right in the lobby.

For the last week of August, crowds are indeed much lower. Looking at last year's ride wait times for various rides during the last week of August, they seem pretty managageable (~30 min or lower for everyone I've looked at)

I would recommend pricing things out separately (room vs. park tickets) as usually it's cheaper than booking a package through an agent.

 

[cleopenn]

We only have one Universal trip under our belt so far but I’ll offer my thoughts anyway.

We travel a fair amount for work and pleasure. We were very pleased with Portofino Bay. It compared favorably to other, non theme park resorts in the same price range. The Hard Rock is closer to the parks but not by much. Universals transportation system via the boats is very efficient. We went back and from from the parks multiple times a day.

Portofino has three pools, we visited the main pool with the water slide and grottos and the quiet pool with the hot tin.

We LOVED the EP option, so much better than Disney’s fast passes.

I think Three days for the two parks is suffient. Make sure you get the park to park tickets. Have you considered Volcano Bay? In August, it might be worth a visit.

 

[Oshay1]

[QUOTstayedz, post: 58671902, member: 392543"]One place that was recommended to me by Universal' s own in house reservations team was Cabana Bay, as my kids are 13, 10 and 6 at the time of travel. Appears to be a nice set up and the family suite option seems great. Does anyone have experience staying at this property? I was quoted $4,080 for a 8 day 7 night stay with 4 days of park hoppers. Crazy thing though is that the agent told me it includes express pass but I can't see any mention of that on the main page.[/QUOTE]

We stayd at CBBR in a family suite the same week you are talking about last year (Aug 2017) and it was great. The other resorts are really nice but they are much more expensive but you do get the express pass. So it all about the price but we had 4 kids in the Family Suite and it was a really great choice for us. (Trip Report).

Also since you have 5 days you might want to look into the 5-day Park-to-Park tickets so you could go to the parks more often but if it gets busy you can leave and come back later or another day. I found if we had more time the Express Passes were not necessary, but if you are trying to the do both US and IOA in a day or two then you would really need the Express Passes. Also if you are staying for longer than 5 days they offer a 3-park unlimited pass with comes and unlimited access to all three parks for 14 days from first use. That is what we had and it was so nice to not have to rush and we did not have the express passes and did not feel like we needed them. But if your agent told you the CBBR includes the express pass they are mistaken because CBBR does not come with the Express Pass standard, but they could have added it as the ticket option to the package, so I would just confirm that.

 

[Patience]

We have stayed at Royal Pacific twice and one night at Cabana Bay. Cabana Bay was fine but we did not really love the theme. Royal Pacific is more relaxing for us. If you purchase one AP for someone in your group (which you can do later), you can book at a pretty good discount. Make sure it's not an AP block out period though. For our stay in December 2017, RPR was $199 per night for a standard room at the AP rate. Cabana Bay was $125 per night for a volcano view room, $120 per night for a standard room. Not a huge difference in price between the 2 resorts and at RPR, all four of us received express passes which, as everyone has said, are absolutely wonderful.

 

[RalphinSC]

Having stayed at both Cabana Bay and Royal Pacific, my personal thoughts are that if price and express pass inclusion are not a big deal, I'd prefer Cabana Bay every time. It just fits my family's vibe better as a super fun resort. RPR was nice and is indeed the more relaxing of the two. It's all in personal preference.

 

[Koz]

Good morning everyone. It's been some time since I first posted in this thread and I've absolutely done my research. Here's where I'm at now:

1) 24 to 31 Aug 2018
2) Family of 5- 2 adults, 3 kids.
3) 4 day- 3 park to park ticket.
4) Dining plan with unlimited drinks for all 5.
5) Trip insurance on my own- not cancel for any reason because of its limitations.

I really thought that we wanted to stay at Cabana Bay until I was at the hotel last week when I was in town for business. It was busy, really busy, and struck me almost like a value resort on the Disney side in terms of appointment and layout. Please realize that I'm not being snobby, but instead just saying that for a little bit less money ($4,513.96 for family suite @ Cabana) I'm able to look at a Deluxe 2 queen bedroom room @ Hard Rock ($4,354.24) or Portofino ($4,328.65) where the vibe struck me (at least in January) as a little more laid back. I've been told that at Hard Rock and Portofino when you book Deluxe you don't need a rollaway, as the couch folds out to a twin bed. Is that accurate? I keep seeing conflicting information but would prefer that my daughter have something other than a rollaway to sleep on for 7 nights.

What are we looking for in terms of hotel

1) Nice pool for our off days (I've been told that Hard Rock has the best slide on property but not sure how accurate that is). Any feedback?
2) Pool activities- what is going on around the pool that the kids can take part in? Ages are 13, 10 and 6.
3) Resort activities? Movies after dark, bike rental, fitness clubs, restaurants and food courts?

I know that certain perks that come with Cabana Bay aren't realized at the other 2, with things like a lazy river, bowling alley, huge food court, microwave and sink in kitchenette area, but am looking to see whether things offered by either of the other hotels make up for it. Any feedback you might have is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[macraven]

The hotel stickies list all the amenities which should help guide you to make a decision that best suits your family