Are Universal hotels better than Disney?

[cottontail]

Thanks for the pic, looks great,
Okay, I know for the hardrock hotel the least expensive room is the gardenview, then pool view, is it the same for the portofino hotel?

Deb.

 

[PatriciaH]

I was just on Universal's web site because I wanted to check out that $129 a night deal with passes. It turns out it is $129 per person per night wiht a 3 night min. Oh well.

 

[raidermatt]

There are many resorts, but there are also many parks and attractions.

Disney's ratio of rooms to parks is much higher than Universal's. BB and TL are not full blown parks.

Also Disney offers Fastpass to all guests, not just resort guests. Just a difference in philosophy I guess...

 

[lindalee27]

Good move

Although I prefer HRH over PBH, as far as Disney I have only stayed at the yacht club, the pool is the only +

I still love the HRH, we are going in April for 2 nights $155 deluxe Ent. rate, followed by the 7 day Magic cruise, silly me i just can't stop thinking about the HRH and FOL.

 

[suzysezso]

Originally posted by TigrLvsPooh
Portofino is BEAUTIFUL!! Our room was in the villa section and it blew away any room we ever had at Disney. The room was very large and we had a HUGE bathroom! Lots of great emenities... great sound system with cd player, VCR, fax machine, large soaking tub, separate glass shower, etc.

terrific pics... but tell me... did you pay extra for the baby-shaped throw pillow? It looks so real!!!

 

[suzysezso]

2 years ago a friend treated me to 2 nights at Disney's Boardwalk. It was a lovely hotel, but so big we had to walk from the lobby down a long hall up 1 flight in an elevator, across another large room, down a staircase and down 2 long halls to get to our room. Granted from the boardwalk itself it eliminated the first hall and elevator but still a major haul with a disabled and fussy kid in tow. It was a ground floor room with no view to speak of, behind a large bush on the courtyard.
The nicest part was when housekeeping made up the room they made a cute little bundle from my daughter's dolls and blamket, but when they slipped the bill under the door (which they should NOT have done as my friend was paying, but I looked anyway) I was in shock when I saw she was billed 600 dollars a night!

In comparison last year I stayed 4 nights at the HRH, had a MUCH nicer room, room service 2 times, and paid for food and all kinds of stuff for 4 days at the parks and still spent less than just the 2 nights at the disney hotel-
you do the math!

 

[nhrenee]

Suzy: LOL! I didn't even see that the first time through the pictures!

TLP: Beautiful pictures BTW!!

 

[gschmerl]

Originally posted by raidermatt

Also Disney offers Fastpass to all guests, not just resort guests. Just a difference in philosophy I guess... [/B]

Raidermatt,
US/IOA also offers express pass to ALL guests not just resort guests. The resort guests get the perk of showing their room key and instantly going into the express line. There are machines just like fast pass at US/IOA that are available to ALL park guests.

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

LOL That baby shaped pillow came from home! I never travel without it!

 

[CPM]

Don't forget to all that compare HRH to Disney Deluxes that HRH is not considered their Deluxe version but moderate, PBH is considered their Deluxe & Royal Pacific will be considered their value resort. As nice as HRH is it's hard to forget so really you have to compare it to like Carribean Beach Club!
As far as Universal hotels not having a food court you're right they don't. But I don't think the restaurant food is any more expensive then the YC, GF, BW & so on, PBH does have a pizza place & ice-cream shop. But Citywalk is in walking distance & offers a variety of food choices.
As far as the rest see other thread about the subject you started! LOL
BTW, TigrsLuvsPooh, I think we had that same room!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Babblin'Boo]

Disney's ratio of rooms to parks is much higher than Universal's. BB and TL are not full blown parks.

...And? I say that not all the resort guests will be ahead of you in every line, at all times! They do have more parks to spread around and bottomline is, if Disney wants to go wild at pampering its guests (like it does with press members and VIPs) the sky is the limit!

Also Disney offers Fastpass to all guests, not just resort guests. Just a difference in philosophy I guess...

???? Big difference alright! Joe Shmoe staying at the no-tell motel stands in the same line as little Miss Muffet paying $200/night at the AKL, directly financing Disney. What is that philosophy?

 

[musicfan]

That rate of $129 for HRH was PER PERSON! So it's $230 a night. That really irritated me -- I hate bait and switch type advertising.

 

[CPM]

Originally posted by musicfan
That rate of $129 for HRH was PER PERSON! So it's $230 a night. That really irritated me -- I hate bait and switch type advertising.

There are plenty og great rates for HRH, the most I've ever paid is $129.00 per night per room. The last three times I've only paid $99.00 per night.

 

[cottontail]

Hi What kind of promotion is the 99.00 a night room rate? Is that for a garden view room?

Thanks,

Deb.

 

[suzysezso]

Originally posted by musicfan
-- I hate bait and switch type advertising.

I hate to burst your bubble but those rates are clearly shown in any ad I have seen.
Besides that is not even close to "bait and switch" practices.
Bait and switch advertising is, for example: you see an ad for a $10 radio and decide to buy it... when you get to the store at 11 am they tell you " sorry we sold out on those but here's a nicer one for only $25", and put the pressure on you by saying it's an even better bargain etc. Meanwhile they never had the $10 radio at all or had so few they should not have advertised them.

If you spend any amount of time on this board you will quickly learn that basically the best deal going for any hotel onsite or otherwise is the Entertainment Book rate, and the best park ticket deal either the annual pass or the current 7 day deal.
There are other discounts and programs for hotels and park admissions but you really have to work hard to beat those basics.

JUST THE FACTS MA'AM!

 

[damo]

That $129/night/person also includes your park admission. So take off the fifty bucks and you are at $79/night/person or $158 per room. Still cheaper than anything Disney you will get for that quality.

 

[CPM]

Originally posted by cottontail
Hi What kind of promotion is the 99.00 a night room rate? Is that for a garden view room?
Thanks,
Deb.

That was a AAA rate which I believe is over & was a garden room. I prefer the garden rooms at HRH beacause they are quieter.
I was looking in May & when I called loews they did have the $129.00 rate available, but we chose Portofino instead at $149.00 Fan Club rate.

 

[CPM]

Originally posted by cottontail
Hi What kind of promotion is the 99.00 a night room rate? Is that for a garden view room?
Thanks,
Deb.

The $99.00 rate was through AAA south, I think it's over now. But I was quoted $129.00 for May at HRH. And it was a garden view which i prefer because they are quieter rooms.

 

[Babblin'Boo]

With Entertainment, I am paying $125 for a room at the HRH, not per person.
What did I miss here?

 

[nhrenee]

I believe the rate they are discussing includes park passes for your stay. I got out the calculator and it's a good (not great) rate when you figure the rate-park passes.