Which onsite hotel is better for younger kids?

[scbeth]

We almost have decided to book Hard Rock, but I'm reading it is not very family friendly. We will be there during HHN and I'm afraid it might be a little rowdy with getting younger kids to bed etc. I do love the location the best. Opinions?

 

[bumbershoot]

I have no answers, just my thoughts...

I've read it's not family friendly, just yesterday I read that it's not for adults who are older because it's for younger people. It seems to be all over the place.

I don't know how young your "younger kids" are. Mine was 6.5 during our first Universal trip. On our themepark trips I have never, not once, had an issue getting the kiddo to bed. He is exhausted, and sleeping while brushing his teeth, LOL.

But at HRH we were right off a corridor and people were noisy. At RPR the last time we had the same situation. People are people, and the moment they get outside their door, they forget that doors exist and that doors go to hotel rooms and that people are in hotel rooms and that other people might not be on the same schedule! People are people no matter where they are.

If you guys plan to swim, I suggest you hop to another pool. HRH isn't really a *swimming* pool; it's more of a lounging while sitting in the pool (it's shallow) listening to music pool. There's a good slide, but I'm not sure of the height reqs and not sure of your kids' heights.

Thankfully Uni allows pool hopping.

We've never had a problem with the distance from Portofino or Royal Pacific, so the location of HRH doesn't mean anything to us in reality. From our room, our bed, "sugar ants" in the bathroom (once we reported them maintenance took care of them quickly), the useless-to-us pool (if I'm in a pool I want to SWIM), not feeling that much closer to the parks, etc...HRH is *our* least favorite onsite resort there. But it's the fave of plenty of other people!

 

[schumigirl]

I agree with Bumbershoot.

All three hotels are family friendly........but places do get busy. We have gone over to use the pool at PB on occasion previously and twice we went and it was loud with teenagers. Another time we went it was quiet........people do make noise whether it's closing doors loudly or just making noise in corridors.

None of the three are far to walk to the parks. Takes us less than 8 minutes to walk from RP.......and we don't rush. And there are the boats of course.

Having said that HRH is our least favourite of the three hotels. But during horror nights all three hotels will be busy, so pick the one you like best.

 

[Bluer101]

I have to add on the hall noise. There is some people and kids that cannot control themselves from their room to lobby areas especially late night and early morning. You sometimes get loud talking, laughing, or kids running around. I understand it's all exciting but please be courteous. We try to be quiet and help close the door slowly just out of respect. We also bring a small fan to help mask any noise that you would normally hear in a different environment.

 

[RMulieri]

All 3 are family friendly.Pick whichever one appeals to you

 

[Grumpy92]

Personally I think CBBR offers the most for children. I don't care for HRH, just too noisy. The other three hotels are much better then HRH.

 

[HM]

We saw young children enjoying the pool areas at both HRH and RPR.

There was nothing rowdy about HRH in the least during our stay. The hallways were fairly quiet.
The busiest place was the elevator area near the entrance to Emack and Bolio and The Kitchen, which also leads to the pool.

 

[Runnergal]

I was there over last Columbus Day weekend with my 9, 7 and 3yo. We found it to be completely family friendly. My kids loved the pool. It was not rowdy in the slightest. In fact, the pool area was rather empty, and most of the people who were there along with us had kids. There was entertainment and music, really geared toward families-hula hoop contests and such. We visited the pool at RPH, and my kids did not like it as much as the HRH. We also loved HRH because it was the closest to the parks of all the hotels. My kids easily walked there.

 

[jcvalenti]

Just an FYI - The dis Unplugged Universal Edition folks are in the process this week of reviewing (in depth) each resort, and JeniLyn adds some detailed comments about how family friendly each resort is. They've only got the PB and HRH reviews up, but RPR will be online tomorrow and Cabana Bay after that. The video reviews are long, but have a lot of good info.

She was really surprised at how great PB was for kids, for example, in the first one.

Link: http://universal.wdwinfo.com/universal-land-sea/universal-land-sea-coverage/

 

[Cheesehead9]

IMO, Hard Rock is disappointingly not "Hard-Rock." It's very family friendly. All of the Uni hotels are family friendly.

To be fair though, a guitar player at the pool did refuse to play a Wiggles song request while we were there .

 

[kohlby]

Due to it being the cheapest, we always stay at RPR and it is kid friendly. We did pool hop to HRH on our last trip. It was worth the hop, but worth it to us to save a little money by staying at RPR.

As for my kids ages, we had a baby the first time we stayed at RPR. Our last stay there had kids ages 4, 7, and 10.

 

[HM]

OP, have you decided where you will stay yet?

 

[scbeth]

Thanks for all the opinions. Haven't completely decided yet. My kids are 10, 9 and 3 so I was just worried there might be more single, early 20's at HRH that might be drunk and rowdy from a night at HHN. I'll be sure to do a trip report to add our observations!

 

[macraven]

Thanks for all the opinions. Haven't completely decided yet. My kids are 10, 9 and 3 so I was just worried there might be more single, early 20's at HRH that might be drunk and rowdy from a night at HHN. I'll be sure to do a trip report to add our observations!

i can't see a group of 20's leaving hhn before midnight to come back to the hotel.
pools don't stay open that late so not many places to hang out if they return to the hotel early.

 

[schumigirl]

i can't see a group of 20's leaving hhn before midnight to come back to the hotel.
pools don't stay open that late so not many places to hang out if they return to the hotel early.

Definitely not.......most of the noise we heard in corridors last few years had been very young kids that don't know the level of their own voice more than inebriated people. And people who don't know how to close doors quietly.