diskids2
<font color=CC66CC>Not above grovelling for a tag
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2000
- Messages
- 2,748
I will do a trip report...but I wanted to say Thank you to everyone on these boards who helped me plan an absolutely FABULOUS trip to Universal!
We stayed at the RPR, with an AP rate...thanks to your tips. The hotel is beautiful, the standard room was more than adequate and our view was of greenery and the ending of the lake (sort of an inlet). We were in Tower 3 on the 5th floor and we used the stairway exit at the end of our hall (again thanks for the tip) to come out right by Emerils which was close to the boat dock.
Staying onsite was probably the single most useful tip I got! Universal Express, FOTL, whatever name you want to give it was SO WORTH IT IN THE MONTH OF JULY! Our longest wait was for Forbidden Journey (about 30 minutes)...BUT that was because it wasn't working at 8 am when we arrived (using onsite early entry of course!) More on this below. We wait about 10 minutes for Simpsons and that was about 2 pm. I think other than FJ that was our longest wait. Even Rip Ride Rockit was short because we did that as soon as we arrived at the Studios when it opened.
WWoHP....breathless! What can I say....I got my wand....drank butterbeer...ate a caldron cake and had bertie bots and my chocolate frog. Staying onsite .... we walked to IOA at 7 am....the boat was running though!
We ate at NBA City, Pastamore, and Margaritaville (our favorite)...everything was fine...service good...portions good...food good. Cost for 5 about $150 each dinner...no alcohol...appetizers and a few desserts.
I do not think I would ever attempt to do Universal without Express in the summer. Having said that, I would like to try the Hard Rock or Portofino before I would return to the RPR. The customer service was really lacking. Housekeeping was not that good. We had two rooms. The second room was not cleaned after our first night...which I discovered at 10 pm when I returned and did not want to get it cleaned at that point. After our second night...my kids returned to the room around 2 pm for a break and the room was not cleaned again....but the tip envelope was gone. I had no problem with the room not being cleaned as of 2 pm, but to take the tip and not do the room.... I had a problem with that. Long story short...they came to clean the room right away...but only after the Front Desk manager said, "why did you leave them a tip anyway after they didn't clean your room yesterday?" Heavy sigh...I replied... I tip every day at a hotel...I gave your staff the benefit of the doubt for not cleaning the room yesterday...hoping we were starting out fresh. To this he replied, "we have until 5 pm to clean the rooms". Another heavy sigh....I replied..." I don't have a problem with the fact that the room was not cleaned by 2 pm...it's the missing tip that concerns me."
Anyway....we just found a non caring attitude from the majority of the staff including the hostess at Islands who sat us opposite the serving station when there were about 30 empty tables and who looked annoyed when I asked to be moved. And then proceeded to yawn throught-out the dining room as she ushered folks to their tables without covering her mouth.
Hats off though to Paul, the bellman, who was great on giving us the run down of the hotel.
Package delivery was great back to the hotel and so was the boat service!
Regardless...we had the best time...I've learned not to sweat this stuff (for the most part) and thanks again for all your helpful hints!
Any questions, just ask!
We stayed at the RPR, with an AP rate...thanks to your tips. The hotel is beautiful, the standard room was more than adequate and our view was of greenery and the ending of the lake (sort of an inlet). We were in Tower 3 on the 5th floor and we used the stairway exit at the end of our hall (again thanks for the tip) to come out right by Emerils which was close to the boat dock.
Staying onsite was probably the single most useful tip I got! Universal Express, FOTL, whatever name you want to give it was SO WORTH IT IN THE MONTH OF JULY! Our longest wait was for Forbidden Journey (about 30 minutes)...BUT that was because it wasn't working at 8 am when we arrived (using onsite early entry of course!) More on this below. We wait about 10 minutes for Simpsons and that was about 2 pm. I think other than FJ that was our longest wait. Even Rip Ride Rockit was short because we did that as soon as we arrived at the Studios when it opened.
WWoHP....breathless! What can I say....I got my wand....drank butterbeer...ate a caldron cake and had bertie bots and my chocolate frog. Staying onsite .... we walked to IOA at 7 am....the boat was running though!
We ate at NBA City, Pastamore, and Margaritaville (our favorite)...everything was fine...service good...portions good...food good. Cost for 5 about $150 each dinner...no alcohol...appetizers and a few desserts.
I do not think I would ever attempt to do Universal without Express in the summer. Having said that, I would like to try the Hard Rock or Portofino before I would return to the RPR. The customer service was really lacking. Housekeeping was not that good. We had two rooms. The second room was not cleaned after our first night...which I discovered at 10 pm when I returned and did not want to get it cleaned at that point. After our second night...my kids returned to the room around 2 pm for a break and the room was not cleaned again....but the tip envelope was gone. I had no problem with the room not being cleaned as of 2 pm, but to take the tip and not do the room.... I had a problem with that. Long story short...they came to clean the room right away...but only after the Front Desk manager said, "why did you leave them a tip anyway after they didn't clean your room yesterday?" Heavy sigh...I replied... I tip every day at a hotel...I gave your staff the benefit of the doubt for not cleaning the room yesterday...hoping we were starting out fresh. To this he replied, "we have until 5 pm to clean the rooms". Another heavy sigh....I replied..." I don't have a problem with the fact that the room was not cleaned by 2 pm...it's the missing tip that concerns me."
Anyway....we just found a non caring attitude from the majority of the staff including the hostess at Islands who sat us opposite the serving station when there were about 30 empty tables and who looked annoyed when I asked to be moved. And then proceeded to yawn throught-out the dining room as she ushered folks to their tables without covering her mouth.
Hats off though to Paul, the bellman, who was great on giving us the run down of the hotel.
Package delivery was great back to the hotel and so was the boat service!
Regardless...we had the best time...I've learned not to sweat this stuff (for the most part) and thanks again for all your helpful hints!
Any questions, just ask!
