Live from the Royal Pacific!

[Pkdcoastrs]

Well after a worry-free flight to MCO followed by a chaotic rental car experience, we are at the Royal Pacific! We checked in around noon today, great resort! I haven't yet walked around as we went right to Blizzard Beach to use up an 'extra' option. We just showered and plan on eating at either Jimmy Buffet/Pastamore/Hard Rock! Hot (DUH!) but overall the same as every other August :) I plan to upload pictures later tonight! Be good everyone!

[macraven]

looking forwards to it!

we love pictures!!

[Pkdcoastrs]

Hey!

Long day but I just finished doing some minor editing and naming of the pictures! We are on the third floor (floor that you enter the lobby) literally six doors from the lobby! We got the 'upgrade' via Loews First to a almost perfect pool view but NO COMPLAINING here :) We did not have free internet at first, but I called up and had to give my computers IP address which ended up fixing the issues.

I like the hotel a lot and it compliments the Portofino Bay Hotel which we have stayed at three times in the last few years. While it may not be as mind blowing, it still to me feels like it would fit in the middle of a moderate and deluxe at Disney.

At first we were confused but where everything was located, but after viewing the resort map a few times we have the hang of it all! Tomorrow we plan to spend the whole day hopping between the parks with a swim break in the middle!

Only issues today was when coming back from Citywalk and trying to get ice cream from the stand near the pool, for some reason the ice cream was melted and also stock of ice cream bars was very minimal as the cast member told us. He was up front and honest that it wouldn't be worth it to get the ice cream as it would melt off the cone in a few seconds. The second issue was slightly nasty but I will blame it on bad luck. We went to go get ice, but before leaving the room my father opened up the ice tray. When he took out the ice grabber, the handles were full of hair and dust??? We chalk it up to the fact that the last people who stayed here must have dropped it on the ground. Like I said it's pretty nasty, but not the end of the world.

Front Desk apologized and seemed very sincere, not just blowing us off. We did contact them, but not in a way that came off as demanding or rude, yet they offered us complimentary buffet at Islands Dining Room. Very nice of them, we really just wanted a new ice tray but sure why not :)

After day one, we like the resort a lot. A minor negative won't ruin it for us, it has been a few years since we were last at Universal and we are going to make the best of it!

Pictures are at this link, I posted them to my MobileMe gallery! It is viewable by both Mac and PC users in a very easy to use way. I'm too lazy to post the pictures here in the thread, time to go to sleep.

http://gallery.me.com/garrison.m/100154

Be good, check back often as I will update tomorrow and continue when we move to Disney!

Mike

[damo]

Thanks Mike!!! Keep on posting!

[sunshine1010]

Love the pics. I'm staying at the RPR for the first time in March, and I am really excited. The room seems small though from your picture. How are they?

[Pkdcoastrs]

Love the pics. I'm staying at the RPR for the first time in March, and I am really excited. The room seems small though from your picture. How are they?

Hey!

The rooms seem bigger than a moderate at Disney. Not as spacious as the Portofino rooms but still feels like there is enough space between beds, etc... Now that I look at the pictures, it does look small! There are three of us right now and at no time did we feel crunched in there!

Right now its 7:17am and I am waiting for the parents to wake up! I am really excited to be back Universal and we plan to be at the parks at about 8:30am for the 9:00am opening.

Be good!

[ebloom]

I am excited to read more we are doing a similar stay. Thanks for posting.

[Tizzy_Meliss]

Great pics!!! Thanks for sharing them. RPR is such a beautiful resort. If we didn't have so many in our party I would have booked there. :goodvibes

[Pkdcoastrs]

Quick update while we are back at the RPH to swim for a bit!

We did IOA this morning and all I can say is STAY ONSITE! While none of the lines for the rides at IOA during the time we were at the park were long (9am-1pm), saving those minutes with the Express Pass (correct name?) rocked! Either we walked right on or waited under five minutes for EVERY major ride at the park. We rode Hulk, Dr. Doom, Spiderman, Dudely Do Right, Popeye Barges, Jurassic Park River Adventure, Poseidon's Fury, Dueling Dragons, Cat In The Hat, and Suess Trolly!!! We took our time walking around, taking pictures, and enjoying it all!

Picture update tonight after all is done!

We ate at Jimmy Buffet's for lunch, great food and big portions!!!!

Time to go swimming for a bit then back to visit Universal Studios!

Mike

[pixeegrl]

Great Pics!!! Can't wait for more!!! popcorn::

[macraven]

beautiful pics!


eagerly waiting for more...

[Leanne1977]

Can't wait to see more pics! We will be at the RPR from the 20th Aug.:thumbsup2 :cool1:

[jerseygal]

FOTL..Front of the Line Benefits at Universal Hotels!

THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!:goodvibes :goodvibes :goodvibes

[Pkdcoastrs]

Sorry everyone, passed out about five minutes after arriving at the room last night!

The parks were great, we were able to comfortable ride every major attraction at both Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios! While we didn't really experience the real 'shows', that can be done on a next visit (now we have a reason lol).

The only negative of the day was on the Hulk, where I played the role of idiot roller coaster rider and didn't secure my sunglasses enough in my pocket! I'll blame it on FROTD syndrome (First Ride Of The Day)! Otherwise all the attractions that we had been on in past years was just as fun and exciting!

New to us was Shrek 4d which in all honestly to us was not much fun. I know you have to like that type of humor and all, but to us the ride was a bunch of bumping up and down. Now we have ridden almost a hundred different rollers coasters and visited a lot of theme parks, so we have ridden the good and the bad of these types of shows, it stinks we were disappointed!

The Mummy was GREAT GREAT GREAT!!! When the ride initially opened I made sure not to watch too many video and such for it, and it paid off! While I miss King Kong bigtime, Mummy was a nice action packed half dark/half thrill ride! I'll even go out there and say it has a better roller coaster part than Rock 'n Roller Coaster at DHS! Good times and a re-ride coaster for us!

Disaster is an updated version of Earthquake and I actually enjoyed the story! The cast did a great job of keeping the flow of the attraction going which I think the old one DID NOT have! Check it out even if you think it's the same old ride, you most likely will enjoy it!

Lastly in the new ride department was The Simpsons. Now I'll admit I don't watch the show much, but I've followed it occasionally over the years including seeing the movie. Also let me say that I am a HUGE MEGA MAJOR Back To The Future Fan (LOL). I will begin by saying I miss BTTF and also it's gift shop..... but The Simpsons was FUN!!!!!!!!!!! The ride film really captured a fun and out of control experience. The ride vehicles are still rough and throw you around, but it's all along with the rest of the ride.


So there you have it, our new ride reviews :) The day was great and I really think Universal is doing an amazing job of doing their OWN thing and being able to compete with Disney. The express FOTL that you get by staying at the Loew's resorts is SO AMAZING and worth it, you literally never wait more than 5 (10 stretching it) for even the most crowded ride (Simpsons @ 75 mins). I can't say it enough, not only do you get three AMAZING resorts with easy access to Citywalk and the parks but also no WAITS!

Well we are about to go eat Breakfast, check out, and move over the Dolphin! I really enjoyed my time here and regret not adding one more day for fun and relaxation!

Day 2 PICTURES ARE DELAYED UNTIL WE SWITCH HOTELS! I want to post the best pictures possible, so hang tight!

[jerseygal]

Thanks for all your info!!

Great trip report with so much enthusiasm!!

Enjoy the Dolphin and Disney!!!:wizard: :wizard: :wizard: :wizard:

[macraven]

everyone here really appreciates your pictures and on site reporting.

don't forget us at the darkside when you move over to the motherland...


we'll still be here waiting for you and the pics! :goodvibes

[Pkdcoastrs]

**** PICS have been ADDED! ****

Same link as before!

http://gallery.me.com/garrison.m#100154


I do not have time right now to label them all right now, but enjoy! There are some pictures of the Harry Potter construction included, interesting stuff (huge building!!). We are now at the Dolphin and don't worry, I haven't began hating Universal yet (kidding!). I will fine tune the pics/update more when time is available, free internet here also!

Hope you enjoyed the pics, have a good one! Off to go ride that big golfball ride ( :) )

Mike

[tlinus]

awesome pictures :thumbsup2

thanks for sharing and be sure to keep us updated on your trip!

[czycropper]

Thanks for sharing the pics! Now, I'm wishing that I was going down sooner than Nov. 2010, oh no the wait, the agony of the wait :lmao:

Where in Bergen County do you live? We're down in Somerset County (Hillsborough) but my DH is originally from Bergen County.

Have a great Disney stay :thumbsup2

[Pkdcoastrs]

Universal RUINED my trip to WDW!!!!!! I went from sort of crowded and front of the access to PACKED and very long waits at WDW. Seriously, I'm not even joking!!! :) We are making our best over here at Disney, but our time at the Royal Pacific and the whole Universal Orlando resort was great.

Trip is over tomorrow, major bummage but that's how life is. You work 3XX days and vacation for 7. Oh well :)

[macraven]

pk, that is why most of the regulars stay or do disney first on their trip.

most of us here do universal last if we are doing both parks on a vacay.


you get so spoiled with on site universal stays.


i do disney first and near the end of that portion of my vacation, i start to think, yay.......i'm going on another vacation for another week.....to uo


no busses, less strollers, no rushing, short waits for rides, and star service at your fingertips........i like that part of universal.
the park is small and walkable to each side and the hotels.
they close earlier than disney which has it's good side and bad side to it.

i like parks open to stay open late but by them closing earlier, this gives me the opportunity to hang out in city walk.
or do a midnight movie at the cineplex.....

hopefully you'll go back and reverse the stay pattern next time.



ps....

disney has started to cut back on hours for when i will be there in the fall.
snap, that is not a good thing...
close mk at 8? oh no.


hey, while you are at disney, do dtd as it all changes at the end of september.
enjoy your last day in the parks there.
don't worry about sleeping tonight, your trip ends tomorrow and you can always sleep on the plane ......

[pixeegrl]

hey, while you are at disney, do dtd as it all changes at the end of september.


What do you mean it all changes?

[goofy!]

Where in Bergen County do you live? We're down in Somerset County (Hillsborough) but my DH is originally from Bergen County.


Totally off topic - but I grew up in Bergen County too :goodvibes (Franklin Lakes)

[d4est]

What do you mean it all changes?

Yeah, I'm curious too!

[macraven]

What do you mean it all changes?

clubs that are favorites now close on sept 27.

disney is revamping dtd to more shopping and family style eateries.
it will be totally family orientated



came back to add the adventurer's club, comedy club, etc will be shut down permenantly

[macraven]

press release:

Disney Press Release

Walt Disney World Resort Unveils Bold New Vision for Downtown Disney

Lake Buena Vista, Florida (June 27, 2008) – Walt Disney World Resort today unveiled a new vision for Downtown Disney, with extraordinary new shopping, dining and other experiences including a completely re-imagined Pleasure Island. Also planned are numerous enhancements to popular Downtown Disney locations, as well as additional theming and storytelling brought to life by Walt Disney Imagineers.

"We are committed to offering guests new and exciting experiences they can only have at Walt Disney World Resort," said Downtown Disney Vice President Kevin Lansberry. "Our bold new vision for Downtown Disney reflects the feedback we receive from our guests each and every day and will enable us to continue to offer the high-quality entertainment that is our hallmark."

Over the next year, the 120-acre entertainment-shopping-dining complex will add a number of one-of-a-kind, immersive experiences for guests. Downtown Disney will even get its own iconic attraction, in the form of a giant, tethered balloon that will take guests 300 feet into the air to view the amazing vistas of Walt Disney World Resort. Other new experiences include:

In fall 2008, guests will enter a world of prehistoric creatures at T-Rex: A Prehistoric Family Adventure. The dinosaur-themed family eatery will serve up pizzas, pastas, seafood and more, and will feature life-size animated dinosaurs that dwell among bubbling geysers, waterfalls and a fossil dig site.

Also this fall, a design-your-own t-shirt store from Hanes will add to the growing collection of merchandise guests can personalize at Downtown Disney.

E-brands Restaurants, an Orlando-based, multi-concept restaurant group, will premier its newest concept at Downtown Disney in spring 2009. The high-energy, casual eatery will feature authentic Central and South American cuisine, specialty drinks and live music along the waterfront.

Guests also will enjoy a brand new mix of shopping and dining experiences at Pleasure Island as it is transformed over the next two years.

"Our guests tell us they want additional shopping and dining experiences at Downtown Disney," added Lansberry. "We are currently considering a number of unique concepts from around the globe as we re-imagine Pleasure Island and look forward to sharing our progress over the coming months."

To make way for the new offerings, all of the clubs currently on Pleasure Island will close on September 27. Other locations on Pleasure Island, including Raglan Road, Fuego by Sosa Cigars, Curl by Sammy Duval, Orlando Harley-Davidson and outdoor food and beverage locations, will remain open during the transition.

To complement these new experiences, many popular Downtown Disney locations will undergo enhancements.

Beginning this summer, Portobello Yacht Club will be transformed into a Tuscan Country Trattoria. The refreshed menu features authentic Italian dishes and signature favorites and a re-designed interior along with an outdoor dining space.

This fall, Goofy's Candy Company will add a special new room that will enable families to host one-of-a-kind birthday parties at Downtown Disney.

The Marketplace Stage will be completely replaced with a larger, covered stage this fall to welcome even more entertainment to Downtown Disney and serve as a new premier venue for Disney Magic Music Days.

Fulton's Crab House will update its interior fixtures and furnishing and exterior in Spring 2009. The enhancements include a refreshed third floor deck dining area to offer additional Disney guests and larger private parties the traditional Fulton's experience.

Next year, Wolfgang Puck Café will update its interior fixtures and furnishings and will feature an enclosed glass patio offering guests a year-round outdoor dining experience.

These efforts come on the heels of recent enhancements at World of Disney, Wolfgang Puck Express, Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop, Earl of Sandwich and Cap'n Jack's Restaurant.

[d4est]

Interesting...

We never "clubbed," so it won't really affect us much.

Thanks for sharing!

[Pkdcoastrs]

Well I am officially home from the trip and it stinks :( Each year it varies how much of a 'drag' it is coming home, this year it's pretty bad. Universal was amazing and my family were very happy to return after I think a three year hiatus. I plan to really go through my pictures, sort, name, and post along with a mini-TR of our experience.

The Universal Orlando resort is a great place, nicely set up, with everything close by. The cast members were great, rides and food the same!

[macraven]

you had a great trip.......yaaaaaaaaaaa


yes, the Team Members are really kewl there!


looking forward to your trippie and pics.