Hotel Royal Plaza

[maiyasgram]

I just found this great rate on www.travelzoo.com for The HRP. $89 per night plus get a free upgrade to a Deluxe Tower room and if you stay four nights you get the fourth FREE. This is valid for travel now through May 31, 04. We are staying there for 8 nights April 21-29. Staying 8 and paying for 6, a total of $595 including tax, but not the $8 per day resort fee. I hope this can save someone else a few $$$'s. This does expire soon, you must book by 2/18/04.
Cherie

[trola2]

Thanks! There is also a deal on mousesavers, but I'm not sure that it includes the 4th night free. Have you stayed here before? Anyone have info on this one?

Thanks!

[donaldbuzz&minnie]

We stayed at the Royal Plaza in a Deluxe Tower room for one night in December, then tranferred to a Disney hotel. We were very happy with our room, and will stay there again in May. I don't know if I would have been as happy with a regular room, since these seemed to be down some kind of dreary motel corridors, as I recall, but that was just a first impression. Overall, the room was much larger than our room at the GF, and the bathroom much nicer. Still prefer on property, but there is nothing wrong with the Royal Plaza, especially for the price.

[Mymatisse]

If you're staying at the Royal Plaza definately stay in the tower rooms. We had two of the garden wing rooms and I definately don't believe they are as nice as the towers. Just taking a walk around the tower hallways the area looked much more well kept. The garden rooms were kind of old with some plaster falling off the walls. I'm very glad I didn't pay anywhere close to rack rate on these. I just think the gardens need renovating. The hotel itself is really nice. Great location. Good transportation to WDW.

Hope this helps.

[DisneyVa.]

Anyone have any pictures of the resort?

[marjie8230]

I will also be staying at the HRP end of June. It's already booked but am concerned about transportation to/from WDW. Staying with husband and 2 children (2 & 8).
I have heard some good and bad about the buses. Where is HRP in the line-up of pick-ups and drop-offs for the parks? How long does it take to get to the various parks from the hotel? Any informaiton would be greatly appreciated.
Also, we will be going to E-Ride night. Is there a scheduled late pickup on these nights (3 hours after MK park closes.)
We are planning on returning to the room mid-afternoon for nap. How long should we plan for the round trip out of and back into the parks?
Thanks for anyone who can give info.

[stanze5]

We are staying at HRP in late July. I am curious also about transp. times to WDW. PLease let me know when you return about your experiences there. Hope it is wonderful!!

[Lollipop Mom]

We spent our first night in a tower room at HRP for our last trip (4/24 to 5/2) and were very pleased. We did not use the shuttle to the parks since we were only there for our arrival night but I did keep the info sheet they gave us at check in. It says busses start running 45 minutes before park opening and run about every half hour. They pick you up right out in front of the hotel.

The room we stayed in was very nice and we wouldn't hesitate to stay here again. I didn't go to the pool but my husband and son did and my husband said the pool area was well kept. Service was good. I had to call housekeeping to get linens for the pull out and they came quickly. The guy who brought them even offered to make up the bed for us. Check in was quick and easy.


Some photos of our room (a deluxe tower room w/ king size bed):

taken from the area near the bathroom:
http://bellsouthpwp.net/l/h/lhardegree/HRP/hrp%20001.jpg

from the sitting area:
http://bellsouthpwp.net/l/h/lhardegree/HRP/hrp%20002.jpg

sitting area (this folds out into a bed that is somewhere between twin and full size -- like a "twin plus" or something. There are 2 chairs across the room from the couch):
http://bellsouthpwp.net/l/h/lhardegree/HRP/hrp%20009.jpg

bathroom vanity area:
http://bellsouthpwp.net/l/h/lhardegree/HRP/hrp%20004.jpg

tub and shower area:
http://bellsouthpwp.net/l/h/lhardegree/HRP/hrp%20003.jpg

[stanze5]

Thank you for sharing the pics. The room looks very nice. Was there a refrigerator in the room? I know the brochure says mini bar but I was hoping it was a small fridge. Were you close to Downtown Disney?

[marjie8230]

When speaking with the rep at HRP they said there is a one-time fee of $25 (I think that's right) for a fridge. We will be staying 8 nights so, for me, it is worth it. I think there is also a mini-bar but the shelves probably make it unusable (except for small items.)

I too appreciate the photos of the room. What a relief. You never know when you book a room if it will be nice or not. And on discussion boards, you don't know the tastes of the people you are talking with. A picture does say a thousand words. It looked just fine to me.

[Lollipop Mom]

I'd guess it would be maybe a 15 minute walk to DTD. Not sure since we didn't walk it but that would be my guess.

The minibar does have a little fridge but it's VERY little and stocked full so it wouldn't be very useful for other stuff.

[SkylarKD]

Thanks so much for the pictures!! FH and I will be staying there for our Honeymoon. :)

[3kidsdisney]

Thank you so much for the pictures--we will be there is a couple days and the rooms look great--now i really cannot wait.

[BALAMAV]

We stayed there 3 days before our Land/Sea package last week. I really like it. For a non-disney owned hotel. We thought it was great. We were on the 14th floor with a view of DTD and Epcot and resorts. We could see the firworks. It was a great view. We payed 89 for a jacuzzi suite. Well worth it. We had a van so we did not use the bus system. It took about 10 min to get to the parks. MK a little more. I would highly recommend this place with no problem. But I would make sure you stay in the tower. The room by the pool looked a little worn and might be noisey. Have fun Brenda

[cpayne1997]

Travel Zoo is the way to go we booked through them and was even able to change our travel dates through the hotel directly with out the loss on our deposit!!! I am telling you I have never stayed at this hotel but so far the customer servic is SUPER!!!!!!!!!!!






Only 35 more days!!!!!!

[marjie8230]

I agree about the customer service. I also have never stayed there but made reservations a while back (with a non-refundable deposit) using a Mousesavers special of $79 night for the Tower. Later I saw the Travelzoo special (I think it's still on) for $69 night and every 4th night is free. I called the hotel and they changed everything around for me. They did say that the first night would still be the $79 but the subsequent nights would be $69 and, since I'm staying 8 total nights, two of them would be free.

In my opinion, they didn't have to do that. In fact I was expecting them to say that I could have only 1 free night but I was totally stoked with their customer service.

[ccalip]

Hey, do they happen to have towels that you can use by the pool? (other than the standard bath towels).

:grouphug:

[The Dog]

I stayed at this place over Memorial Day. They had oversold the place and put us at the Best Western across the street the first night. Since we had booked through Expedia, getting the promised refund for that first night was going to be a problem.

However, we wanted to stay an additioinal night anyway, so they just comped us another night and we called it even.

So I agree the front desk staff is very good and will help you when needed.

The restaurant is another story. :faint:

[3kidsdisney]

we just returned from this hotel on May 25th---it was a great place to stay and I would stay there again. They do have towels by the pool. The transportation to the parks was great but some times crowded in the am. They also have buses that run to DTD in the evenings. We always came home between 3-6pm and it was never crowded. I believe it was the 3rd hotel in the pick up line and alot of the hotels never had anyone to pick up or drop off but the HRP usually had a good size crowd waiting for the buses. Any other questions, I would be glad to help out--

[marjie8230]

How were the restaurants in the hotel? What restaurants in the general area were good for a family? Any suggestions that would help make our stay there easier? How was the pool?

[3kidsdisney]

We never actually ate in the hotel restaurant but did get a sandwich from it once and it was ok. There is a pizzaria uno at the crossings shopping center and we ate there once and also had them deliver to our room once and it was good. we also ate breakfast at perkins 2 times--that was at the crossings shopping center and were very happy with it---not the best breakfast ever but pretty good and for 5 of us it was only $28,where my Dad had breakfast at the hotel and it was $11 and only for 1 person. The hotel is very close to downtown disney and we went there several times---ate at the rainforest cafe and loved it. Also ate at the wolfgang puck restaurant---not the fancy one--it was ok--but there is a new place I think it was the Earl of sandwich and it was really good--nice hot roast beef sandwich for only $4.50 or something like that. As for the pool it was nice but basic--there is no kiddie pool--overall our stay was great---if you can request a room in the tower are--an upper level, you can see the firewotrks from epcot and/or magic kingdom depending on the side of the building of your room. Our room was on the 12th floor and faced downtown disney and we saw the fireworks from epcot everynight.

[marjie8230]

Thanks for the info regarding the local restaurants. It does seem that the hotel restaurants are usually a little overpriced and not as good. I've also heard good things about the Earl of Sandwich (thank you for the confirmation.) And for $5 you can eat well. Good to know for the expensive costs of Disney Dining.

I think it's neat that you can have pizza delivered to your hotel room. Never done that before. We'll have to just so we can say we did.

We'll be going on the 22nd so I do appreciate all of the info you guys have given.

Thank you so much.

[Disneyholic]

The funniest part is if you are like me and check out under the bed. There is a little paper sign under the bed that says "Yes, we even clean under here.":p

[SkylarKD]

I'm glad to hear all the good reviews! Does anyone else have any pictures?

Oh, one other question, does anyone remember how late the busses run from MK? We'd like to see the 'kiss goodnight', but then again, we don't want to walk back to the hotel! ;)

We're staying in an executive king suite for our honeymoon in August. :bounce:

[3kidsdisney]

Sorry, i do not have any other pictures--but the place is really nice. I just found my bus schedule from my trip and it says the buses run every 30 minutes from 1 hour prior to park opening until 2 hours after park closing.

[SkylarKD]

Oh, that's great! Thanks!! :)

[marjie8230]

I just got back from this Hotel and was very impressed. We stayed for e-ride night and, on those nights the buses ran 1 hour after the e-ride night ended. Definitely do this by the way. MK is totally yours. Only about 8 rides are open but they are the long line rides during the day. My daughter and I rode Buzz Lightyear 4 times without a wait at all. We got on Splash and Thunder Mountains with about a 15 minute wait... So cool and the place is extra magical without the crowds. Also, but the Quick and casual, Lunch and Park Tickets through the Hotwire Savings Club online.
Overall, this was a great hotel. The pool was ok, nothing special... but wet and cool. I'm sure you will enjoy your stay.