Any Tips for First-Timers?

[jtdl]

I read a good tip on here about showering in the gym, which will probably come in real handy with two teenagers! Any other good tips, time savers or money savers to use either at the resort or in the parks?

We're staying at RPR, myself, two teens and a 6-year-old for 5 nights.

 

[rpbert1]

Make sure you have a loews first card ,otherwise you will have to pay for the use of facilites at the gym

 

[disneyfreakk]

I have never heard of showering in the gym, is that a time saver thing since there is only one shower/bath per room?

Since you are staying onsite, remember to slow down and enjoy your vacation! Universal is totally different from Disney. With your room key FOTL, you do not have to tour the parks like your life depended on it! LOL.

Whould you share your plans so that we can tell you ways to save money?

 

[bubba's mom]

If you have an AP or AAA card, show it at stores and restaurants for discount

 

[jtdl]

I have never heard of showering in the gym, is that a time saver thing since there is only one shower/bath per room?

Since you are staying onsite, remember to slow down and enjoy your vacation! Universal is totally different from Disney. With your room key FOTL, you do not have to tour the parks like your life depended on it! LOL.

Whould you share your plans so that we can tell you ways to save money?

Yeah, showering in the gym would be a timesaver for me - with two teens unless we showered at different times. Apparently there is also a supply of anything you need - shampoo, shavers, etc. in the showers as well.

The only plans I have so far is to stop at a grocery store on the way to pick up a cooler, breakfast/snack foods and drinks. We have no plans to go offsite. We'll be staying put at Universal so that we don't have to rush and we can enjoy ourselves (that's the reason why I choose to give Universal a try instead of rushing through WDW again!). As for restaurant meals, so far the only definites I know of are Pastamore (we LOVE pasta) and Nascar (we're BIG fans).

 

[Sharon G]

Make sure you check out the other hotels. You can use their pools too.

 

[gschmerl]

Make sure you have lunch or dinner at Mythos in Islands of Adventure. They close early if the parks close early, so it may have to be lunch. The atmosphere, service, and food are all fantastic.

 

[jds]

Thanks for starting this thread! I'm another first-timer, staying at RPR for three nights in January with DH. Any suggestions as to where the most convenient grocery store stop would be between MCO and the US area? We're arriving in the early afternoon, so will probably also want to make a stop to pick up breakfast and snack munchies...

 

[jtdl]

Make sure you check out the other hotels. You can use their pools too.

That's on our to-do list. DS6 has requested we go to the HRH pool as soon as we put our suitcases in our room so that he can try out the slide! When initially planning this trip he said he would prefer a pool with a splash pad/play area such as at RPR over a pool with a slide! So that went into the decision making when I was trying to decide between HRH and RPR It's a good thing we can use the other pools

 

[vacation dreamer]

Thanks for starting this thread! I'm another first-timer, staying at RPR for three nights in January with DH. Any suggestions as to where the most convenient grocery store stop would be between MCO and the US area? We're arriving in the early afternoon, so will probably also want to make a stop to pick up breakfast and snack munchies...

good question!! Anyone have an answer? I'm not staying on-site but close to US. We need to pick up water and snacks.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

Make sure you check out the other hotels. You can use their pools too.

That is great. I didn't know that since this will be our first time staying onsite.
Is it easy to get from RPR to HRH?

And would it look stupid hauling us over there in our suits/coverups and just carrying a gymbag of clothes to change into afterwards?

 

[starlucks]

Hi!

It will be my first trip to Orlando...we're heading to Universal for 3 nights (staying at HRH) after 8 nights at WDW.

The first day at Universal we plan to go to Wet n Wild, followed by a spa treatment at the Mandara Spa and then look around City Walk.

So that leaves only 2 days to see the 2 parks...will that be enough time do you think?

Thanks!

-Starlucks
Sydney, Australia

 

[dsmom]

If you like pasta be sure to head to Portofino Bay and check out their resturants- they are all great! We loved the Nascar grille also.

 

[rpbert1]

good question!! Anyone have an answer? I'm not staying on-site but close to US. We need to pick up water and snacks.

We went this year to the new Walmart on Turkey Lake Road, or there is a store opposite Wet & Wild on I`Drive

 

[ky07]

We stayed at the doubletree on major blvd which was a 10 minute walk to universal and right up the road on kirkman was a walgreens that had just about anything you need for snacks and breafast cerals and such but suggest you go on mapquest and can find all the stores around the resorts and far they are.

 

[vacation dreamer]

We went this year to the new Walmart on Turkey Lake Road, or there is a store opposite Wet & Wild on I`Drive

Thank you! I did a mapquest and found what I needed!!

 

[ky07]

Thank you! I did a mapquest and found what I needed!!

Your welcome,
thought mapquest would help cause I use it to find everything when we want a hotel or find resturants in Orlando.

 

[vacation dreamer]

Your welcome,
thought mapquest would help cause I use it to find everything when we want a hotel or find resturants in Orlando.

I use mapquest all the time but I had, you know, one of those moments,.

 

[disneyfreakk]

Hi!

It will be my first trip to Orlando...we're heading to Universal for 3 nights (staying at HRH) after 8 nights at WDW.

The first day at Universal we plan to go to Wet n Wild, followed by a spa treatment at the Mandara Spa and then look around City Walk.

So that leaves only 2 days to see the 2 parks...will that be enough time do you think?

Thanks!

-Starlucks
Sydney, Australia

If you have an annual pass you will get a 10% discount on treatments at the spa. Discount does not apply to the power pass tho.