Shortest walk from deluxe hotel to boats?

[OOMHS]

Hi, I'm sorry as I'm sure there's a similar or exact same questions somewhere, but....

My mother wants to go to Universal ""one last time" for her 75th birthday. She's had knee surgeries and is heavy and walks with a cane. I have a lot of concerns about her ability to enjoy Universal but I'm not going to tell her no when it's what she has said she really wants to do. Having said that, I'd like to minimize the walking as much as possible for her. I know we can get a wheelchair (I think it was $50 a day or so?) in the park, but we wouldn't want to haul it back and forth and to the hotel. So, which resort would have the shortest walk to the boats? I've stayed at all three of the deluxe hotels and I just can't remember how the walks are for PBH or HRH. I know for RPH that it can be a bit of a haul with some steps (although there's the longer ramp.) She has a harder time with steps. Also, if you know that certain areas of the hotels are closer to the boat ramps, please throw in advice for best parts of the hotel to stay.

I know some of you stay for weeks at the deluxe hotels and are very, very familiar with the pros and cons of all of them and can probably weigh in. I greatly appreciate any advice. Thanks!

 

[schumigirl]

What a lovely trip for you to arrange for your mother!! It sounds adorable.....

Yes, the few steps at RP can be awkward for the boats......the ramp does make a difference as it is a few extra steps.....

PBH can be a longer walk depending on where the room is.

If you`re farthest away from the dock, it`ll be a walk. You could put in a room request to be nearest the boat dock if you booked there?

I have never taken the boat from HRH so have no clue there.

Would you consider using one of the companies that rent electric wheelchairs where she could have it all the time you are there. I know there are companies that will deliver to the hotel for you and pick it up again.

 

[Someluck]

Another idea might be to rent a mobility scooter for your mom. I have used on while at WDW and they are easy to get around on. I rented one offsite and had it delivered to the hotel.

 

[Jack's Nan]

My sister and I both have knee issues. Last October we rented two scooters and stayed at Sapphire Falls. Loved it! Very easy resort to navigate with a scooter. We did rent the smaller style scooter. They were delivered directly to the resort and picked up on the day we left. At Sapphire Falls you just use the elevator to the downstairs exit to the boat dock which had a ramp so no stairs. This was also the same exit to the walking path. The walking path is beautiful in the morning! We would get coffee and scooter over to the parks each morning then if it was still daylight we would use the path back or at night we would catch the boats. There is also a ramp at the boat docks in CityWalk so no stairs there either and so easy for scooters. The scooters we rented also had an accessory that would hold a cane or walker if you needed it.

I can warn you that trying to push an adult in a wheelchair that you rent is miserable in the parks. We did that the year before and my son in law was worn out. Pavement is rough in spots and sometimes cobblestones and very hard to push and rental wheelchair we had was not great. The scooters were amazing! It improved our second trip immensely. I was leery of using a scooter since I know you have to be so careful around others but it was pretty easy. (I had fears of running into people.) We are now planning a trip again this fall and will be staying at Sapphire Falls and I am renting a scooter again. Only way to do this if your knees bother you! My sister and I were so happy that we could keep up with everyone, not have aching knees and got to cover a lot of the parks so easily!

 

[Flyg1rl]

Yes, renting a scooter is awesome. I would not do Disney without it. I have gotten a scooter for Universal, but only if we're doing more than 3 days. (More recently, I've just been working on my own to improve my health.) My husband has some diabetic problems with his feet. I have teenagers, but even they can get cranky after a long day of walking. If we're going to be hitting the park for more than 3 days, we typically rent one scooter, and share.

I'm really thinking of renting a scooter for HHN. The walking reports are starting to scare me! The scooter companies in FL are awesome about delivering and picking them up, and the Universal resort hotels are great about holding them in the lobby, too.

 

[nkereina]

The walk from HRH to the boat launch is on flat ground out of the door on the first floor of the hotel. Its a relatively short walk, just around the circular "Woodstock Lawn" area as they call it. We stayed on the first floor of HRH and I don't recall any stairs between exiting our room on the first floor and getting on the boat, aside from step down into the boat once aboard.

 

[macraven]

Hope you both have a great time!

Celebrate that birthday!

 

[SA mom]

Stay at Hard Rock, rent the scooter, then scoot to the park. I think the walk from HRH to the front gate of Universal Studios is about the same as walking to the boat launch plus the walk from City Walk Dock to the front gate.

 

[OOMHS]

Thanks for all the feedback so far, everyone! Lots to think about, and I really appreciate all of your comments.

 

[Flyg1rl]

Stay at HRH, get the scooter, ask for a room on the ground floor by the walking path. You walk out the door, swing a quick right, a quick left, then you follow the path to the park entrances. No steps. No waiting.

You'll need your room card on the way back to get back in that hotel entrance, but other than that, going back to the hotel is the same route in reverse. Bonus - you'll get EP. And parking/retrieving the scooter before and after rides is not as involved as you'd think. Another bonus - you won't have to carry stuff all day, as you can hang it on the scooter, and (if you feel comfortable) you won't need lockers, as you can just leave the stuff in the scooter basket. I've found taking a scarf or jacket to throw over the seat or basket for the whole "out of sight, out of mind" approach to be very safe. Then again, I don't typically take anything to the parks that I'm afraid of losing.

 

[Sue M]

Wherever you decide to stay, when you book your room have them note mobility issues for room location. If you take everyone’s advice and rent a scooter it won’t matter where the boat dock is. Pushing a wheelchair will be miserable esp with a heavy person. As mentioned there are cobblestones in some areas and hills.

 

[CPanther95]

If you stay in the West Wing of the Portofino, there's an entrance almost directly opposite the boat dock.