First Time @ HRH

[melgrek]

Hi this will be our first trip to Universal. Are there refrig in the room? If not how much extra to rent? Staying for 7 days, enough time to see IOA and Seaworld? We have annual passes for WDW so we would like to drive over there. Are we cramming to much into 7 days? Got HRH for $125 per night. Should we just stay @WDW for maybe an additional 3 days after HRH? Thank you for any help

 

[twinshockeymom]

Hi, this will be our first trip to Universal staying at one of the their hotels too. I'm not sure when you are planning on going, we are going in April. Is there a special way you received your rate?

This is just a suggestion but if it were me I would stay at the Universal Hotel while at Universal and Sea World then go to a WDW Hotel while you use your Disney passes. Staying on site is very convenient and pleasurable too. We stayed on site at WDW last year at Port Orleans Riverside, a very nice hotel complex. The buses picked us up and we did not have to drive anywhere, very relaxed apmosphere. We normally went back to the complex around 1pm everyday to have a swim and refresh ourselves then hit another park a few hours later using our park hopper passes. Another reason to stay on site. We used a code from mousesavers.com and only had to pay $89. a night for a moderate hotel. If I did not use the code it would have cost me $220 a night. Anyway Disney hotels are wonderful lots of little extras like Mickey Soap and Mickey Mouse Wake Up Calls, our sons thought that having Mickey wake them up was too cool.

As for Universal Hotels I have no idea what they are like, I have not booked yet so if anyone has any information they would like to share about these either Universal hotel please feel free to share it. I would love to hear from you

 

[gschmerl]

There is a LOT of info on the hotels already posted on this board.
I believe the $125 is the Entertainment rate. Call 1-800-563-9711 and see if the Entertainment rate is available for the dates you want to go. If the rate is available, go to www.entertainment.com and order a book. There are also Fan Club discounts and annual pass discounts.

 

[melgrek]

Hi Twinshockeymom We used the entertainment rate to get $125 per night. We are going the week of July 4. We stayed @ WDW last trip and it was great to go back to hotel to relax and take a break. As far as ET rate goes I just called to see if available, they block off so many rooms @ that rate. Now I have to buy the book for $30 to present my card on checkin. Well worth $30. Did you like Riverside @wdw thinking about doing the mansions this time around. How was the food court? Thanks for any info.

 

[damo]

Hi hockey mom

We, too, are going to Floriday in April (9th to 15th since playoffs should be over by then). We absolutely love the HRH and our Ds (13) and DD (15) much prefer it over Disney. The rooms are much more spacious for teens to have some personal room. It's very nice that there is a pull-out so they can spread out. In our deluxe room last year (room 4101) we had two queens, a pull-out and a full table with four huge chairs. On top of that there was still a lot of left over space. We paid 155 this year (entertainment rate). If you have any questions, let me know. If you like rides you will be very happy at Universal.

 

[h20jag]

Yes, Melgrek, HRH rooms have mini-bar refrigerators. We take most of the stuff out in favor of our own contraband!
I'd stay the 7 days at HRH & make use of all the shuttles to other parks. Be sure and water taxi to Citywalk and catch water taxi to Portofino Bay Hotel. You'll enjoy a couple hours snooping around there some. And you can use their pools too!
Have a good time there!
Jim

 

[twinshockeymom]

Hi Melgrek- Hardrock looks like a really nice hotel. I think we will book there, thanks for the tip on the Entertainment rate.
For Disney, we really enjoyed Port Orleans Riverside, it looked like the Mississippi, we stayed in the Bayou because we have 5 in our family. We took a walk one evening and to the Mansions they looked nice as well. There are quite a few pools in POR each complex has what is called the private pool open 24 hours and then there is the main pool with waterslide, bar and jacuzzi. There is alot of wildlife around there ducks, rabbits and they like people. You can take the boat from POR to Downtown Disney or the bus, also can access the French Quarters pool area that looks like a dragon. We did not have time for that though.

We stayed that week at the Swan and Dophin that was nice too. My husband perferred POR though but he enjoys a quieter enviroment and wildlife.

Damo- thanks for the tip the deluxe sounds like the way to go.

 

[cottontail]

Okay folks, we have never been to universal, but are going to wdw in april, the 20th on.

I have the dc card which is entertainment, we are thinking about staying two nights at hard rock hotel, are there any good rates that you guys have heard of, (that canadian exchange rate is a killer).

If you want two queens and a daybed or pullout sofa, what type of room do you ask for and what price are these going for. Plus any tips.

Thanks,

Deb.

 

[RhondaS]

cottontail,

Unfortunately you won't be able to use your DC Entertainment option for hotel rooms in the Orlando area. Disney nixed that...POOH on them!

You will have to get your hands on a 2002 Entertainment Card that comes out of the Entertainment Book. http://www.entertainment.com

HRH and PBH will both rent a rollaway bed to you for $25 extra per night. If you are able to snag the Entertainment Rate, a basic room at the HRH (which is incredible) will run $125 plus the $25 rollaway plus 11% tax for a total of $166.50 per night (American).

A Deluxe Room at the HRH, which has the sofa sleeper, will run $155 plus tax = $172.05 per night. This room is much larger than a regular room, so the extra few dollars per night can be easily justified that way.

 

[RhondaS]

melgrek,

I like to stay at the HRH for my time at Universal, and stay on Disney property for my time there.

7 days will be more than enough time to do IoA, US and SW. Staying onsite gives you the HUGE privilege of Universal Express for IoA and US. Since you're going during holiday time, this is going to be absolutely invaluable! While so many folks are waiting over an hour to ride Spider-Man, your gang will most likely ride in less than 20 minutes, often LESS. WooHoo!!

Now, that being said. Disney is going to be much less easy to navigate, since you aren't offered anything like that for staying onsite. It's a good 20 minute drive to/from US & WDW, sometimes more.

How many days do you really plan to spend in the theme parks, total?

If I only had 7 days at the time you are going, I would do 2 at Universal/IoA, 1 at Sea World, 3 at WDW.

If I had 10 days, I would do 3 or4 at Universal/IoA, 1 at Sea World, and 4 or 5 at WDW.

As for the hotel splitting, I would definately stay at the HRH for the entire time I was doing Universal's parks and Sea World. I LOVE the HRH...it's wonderful! And, since have Universal Express will spoil you to death, I would do Disney FIRST. The end of the trip will be spent at Universal breezing from ride to ride without the waits.

POR is a lovely resort. The food court is great. If you decide to spend some nights there, ask for building 14 in the Alligator Bayou section. It's the absolute closest building to the food court and the bus stop. Great location! I'm not sure if the Mansion section will be re-opened yet.

 

[cottontail]

To Damo:

Okay you know about the low canadian dollar, there will be four of us hubby, I and adult son and daughter, should we splurge and get the deluxe room, or take an aero bed and grab a garden view with two queens, also do the garden view have fridges. What would you recommend, garden view, or deluxe?

Also if I am the type to like rides like pirates of car, slow type, will I be better off with the rides at the first park, my hubby thinks he and son would like the IOA for them. I guess it is possible to split up if we are staying onsite. Any comments, thanks,

Deb.