StitchandPooh'sMom
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2006
- Messages
- 7,141
We are just back from four wonderful days at Universal and Portofino Bay Hotel. We had a great time, as we knew we would. 
I'm not really a trip report kind of person, but here are some observations that might help someone else:
1. It was hot, but not awful hot. We went to Universal last year in July, and this was much better. Mornings were fine, and evenings were OK after 5 or 6 pm. We spent mid-afternoons at the pool. Fortunately (?), it had been in the upper 90's in NC the week before we left, so the heat wasn't really a shock. Lightning shut down the resort boats a few evenings, so we had to find the shuttle bus a few times.
2. It was less crowded than I expected, and way less crowded than last July. DD rode FJ in the evenings a couple of times - last year, we stuck strictly to early entry for WWOHP. We wandered in and out during the day - last July, you got shut out for hours if you didn't go first thing. Early entry is still the way to go, but WWOHP was very pleasant and not awfully crowded after about 7:00. Lines for Ollivander's were still long in the evenings, though.
3. There is apparently a limit on the room charge that doesn't get automatically reset.
We tried to buy dinner at Three Broomsticks and our room cards were declined. The team member was not at all helpful and said sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. He said maybe we could call the hotel and get it straightened out. 
We hadn't brought a credit card to the parks and had only a few dollars cash, so we asked for a manager. She was lovely and approved the purchase and contacted the hotel to extend the limit. She was awesome. Next time, I will stick a credit card in my lanyard - we were travelling light with no bags. At Disney, the credit card on file is charged when the limit was reached - we were there four nights and had eaten all over Citywalk, so with room rates also being charged, we apparently reached whatever limit they set. We weren't told at check-in about the limit, but I will know better next time.
4. Finally got DD8 back on Spiderman after she was traumatized when she rode it at 3 1/2, and this time she liked it. Whew!
5. Ate at Three Broomsticks (good), Margaritaville (family favorite), Latin Quarter (food was good, but service was not good), Bubba Gump (fun, pretty good), Emeril's (good, but not worth the price), Sal's at Portofino (good as always and a great value) - there must be more, but that's all I can remember right now. Did not eat at Mythos
- no one else was interested even though we have eaten there before and it is awesome. It just didn't work out that we were in that area at lunchtime. There's always next time.
I'm happy to answer any questions!
I'm not really a trip report kind of person, but here are some observations that might help someone else:1. It was hot, but not awful hot. We went to Universal last year in July, and this was much better. Mornings were fine, and evenings were OK after 5 or 6 pm. We spent mid-afternoons at the pool. Fortunately (?), it had been in the upper 90's in NC the week before we left, so the heat wasn't really a shock. Lightning shut down the resort boats a few evenings, so we had to find the shuttle bus a few times.
2. It was less crowded than I expected, and way less crowded than last July. DD rode FJ in the evenings a couple of times - last year, we stuck strictly to early entry for WWOHP. We wandered in and out during the day - last July, you got shut out for hours if you didn't go first thing. Early entry is still the way to go, but WWOHP was very pleasant and not awfully crowded after about 7:00. Lines for Ollivander's were still long in the evenings, though.
3. There is apparently a limit on the room charge that doesn't get automatically reset.
We tried to buy dinner at Three Broomsticks and our room cards were declined. The team member was not at all helpful and said sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. He said maybe we could call the hotel and get it straightened out. We hadn't brought a credit card to the parks and had only a few dollars cash, so we asked for a manager. She was lovely and approved the purchase and contacted the hotel to extend the limit. She was awesome. Next time, I will stick a credit card in my lanyard - we were travelling light with no bags. At Disney, the credit card on file is charged when the limit was reached - we were there four nights and had eaten all over Citywalk, so with room rates also being charged, we apparently reached whatever limit they set. We weren't told at check-in about the limit, but I will know better next time.4. Finally got DD8 back on Spiderman after she was traumatized when she rode it at 3 1/2, and this time she liked it. Whew!
5. Ate at Three Broomsticks (good), Margaritaville (family favorite), Latin Quarter (food was good, but service was not good), Bubba Gump (fun, pretty good), Emeril's (good, but not worth the price), Sal's at Portofino (good as always and a great value) - there must be more, but that's all I can remember right now. Did not eat at Mythos
- no one else was interested even though we have eaten there before and it is awesome. It just didn't work out that we were in that area at lunchtime. There's always next time.I'm happy to answer any questions!
