Family of 5 at Universal

[tinkerbellmamma]

Hi - We are going to Universal for just 2 nights before we head over to Disney and I want to see what everyone's opinion is..

We have 3 kids - I see all the Kids Suites have only 2 twin beds.. Is there a couch or do we have to pay for the rollaway?? (and is the charge per night or total stay?)

Would you do 2 connecting rooms or Kid Suite and get an extra bed?

We haven't picked which hotel yet, doesn't matter to me - whichever has the best deal - I did notice that HRH has larger sq. fts. though

THanks for your help!!

 

[damo]

I'd get a deluxe room at the Hard Rock Hotel. It has two queen beds and a full pull out couch.

 

[Nancy for Disney]

Hoping to do the same thing next summer. About how much is that 2 night stay going to cost?

 

[Purseval]

They price according to the crowd levels and availability. We stayed in March for $160. Booked the same room in July for $250 and last time we looked it would be almost $400 if we wanted to book it today.

 

[tinkerbellmamma]

Thanks!

I got AAA rate of $199/night at Royal Pacific Resort Water View 2 Queen Beds. Relaxing 335 Sq Ft Tropical Room Overlooking Pool or Waterway.

But I will look into the HRH deluxe room.

 

[kmc]

I'd get a deluxe room at the Hard Rock Hotel. It has two queen beds and a full pull out couch.

this is definitely the best bet

 

[terminator2]

If you're looking to save some money on your trip, Hotwire is worth a look. I just checked and they have a Downtown Orlando 4 Star Hotel for $89, not bad.

 

[eeyorepixie]

do Universal resort allow a family of 5 in a standard room?

 

[damo]

do Universal resort allow a family of 5 in a standard room?

Yes they do.

 

[madelyn]

We are a family of 5 with kids who will be 12, 9 and 4 at the time we are thinking of visiting early next June. I don't see "Stay More Play More" rates out for early June yet but tried the on-line rates for the week of Dec 17-24, 2010. Assuming the discounted rates are similar for early June, I see a Deluxe 2 Queen Room for $227 which seems like a good rate. But I also see a Royal Club Level 2 Queen Room at RPH for $182. The difference between the room sizes would be 500 sq feet at HR and 335 sq ft at RPH. And the additional sofa sleeper at HR would be a plus. But that room is $45 more per night than the RPH club level and wouldn't have the club level offerings which would be nice. I'm thinking if those 2 rooms were offered at the time we wanted to travel I would go w/ the RPH club level for less. Am I wrong in going with that? We haven't been to Universal in about 8 years and that was with only 2 kids and we stayed off-site. Our last experience in a single room was at Coronado Springs at Disney for 3 nights and we then moved over to a Disney Vacation Club property. So I'm thinking the RPH room will be cramped but we can always spend non-waking hours in the club lounge, right?

 

[madelyn]

Oh, and I also see more choices at Portofino Bay. They have a Bay View Room 2 Queen for $174 (450 sq feet) or Club 2 Queen room for $225. Wish that the larger rooms at Portofino had sofa sleepers or there were deluxe rooms at Hard Rock on club level!

 

[damo]

Oh, and I also see more choices at Portofino Bay. They have a Bay View Room 2 Queen for $174 (450 sq feet) or Club 2 Queen room for $225. Wish that the larger rooms at Portofino had sofa sleepers or there were deluxe rooms at Hard Rock on club level!

Most of the deluxe rooms at Portofino have a twin sized pull out sofa.

Because there are a few without, you need to make sure you request it.

There are 4 deluxe rooms on club level at the Hard Rock. You cannot book them, you can only request them.

 

[madelyn]

Great information! So another choice is a "deluxe" room at Portofino. I see one for 490 sq feet for $191/nt. So I can request one w/ a sofa bed but nothing guaranteed. I see a club level room at Portofino and sq footage is also listed at 490. Rate for this is $225. Can I assume all the club level rooms here are "deluxe" and can request the sofa bed on club level? When you say 4 rooms on club level are deluxe and can be requested, which is booked? Club level($255) and request a sofa sleeper or book a deluxe room($227) and request club?

 

[MinnieTheisen]

We are a family of 5 going on our first adventure at Universal. I finally ended up booking club at HRH and hoping for pixie dust to get assigned one of the 4 larger delux rooms. I choice food over space. May be cramped but so would a delux room and I won't have kids telling me they are hungry. This way they have a food option which will make me and DH less stressed!

 

[madelyn]

MinnieTheisen, I was thinking if all the same choices I see now for December are available in June 2011 for about the same price, I may go with club level at Portofino. It is a larger room (and the sofa sleeper can be requested) and is club level. But then I guess I am outta luck if we don't get the sleeper. It is possible I can share a bed w/ the 2 younger ones or we might convince one of them to sleep on the floor. What were your reasons for choosing Hard Rock? That is the choice of my oldest (almost 12 year old son). I'm guessing the percentage of club level rooms at Portofino that have the sofa sleeper is a higher percentage than the larger rooms on Club level at HRH?

 

[christykny]

I'm taking my family of 5 (boys 6,11,12) to Universal end of August. Decided to go with the RPR mostly for price. (I also think I'll prefer the tropical feel.) Going with Club level to help with food costs and we'll have one of the boys sleeping on the floor. Might pick up a mat at the store on way from airport, but he'll probably just sleep on extra blankets since I have to tell him regularly at home to stop sleeping on the floor and get in bed lol. I don't figure we'll spend much time in the room except for sleeping and we'll have Club level lounge for sitting around and even the workout room to condense shower time if necessary.

Hmm.. wonder if there's a thread here for passing around mats/sleeping bag like there is for refrigerators and such. I sure won't be able to take mine home on the airplane without paying extra baggage fees.

 

[madelyn]

christykny, that would be great if there was a swap for passing around sleeping bags/air mattresses! RPH is also a contender too. The idea of paying under $200 for club level is enticing. It just depends on what the prices are when we want to go. We may have to go w/ standard RPH or might have to move off-site if no discounts are offered. Although I don't know how we'll survive as a family w/out a fridge not on club level. We're used to the xtra space and kitchen in the villas/condos that we usually stay in.

 

[drag n' fly]

We are a family of 5 going on our first adventure at Universal. I finally ended up booking club at HRH and hoping for pixie dust to get assigned one of the 4 larger delux rooms. I choice food over space. May be cramped but so would a delux room and I won't have kids telling me they are hungry. This way they have a food option which will make me and DH less stressed!

We are doing the same thing Feeding 3 kids, 2 of them teens makes club a good deal for us. I figure if the five of us can survive 10 days in a trundle room at POR we can certainly handle this. We can always stretch out in the club lounge if we need a bit more space

 

[madelyn]

drag n' fly, our last stay in a moderate was Coronado Springs for 3 nights before moving over to a DVC room. My daughter was 2 so it was the last time we were allowed to stay at Coronado Springs in 1 room. Maybe it was b/c of the queen beds there but I thought the room was pretty tight and don't think we can stay in a moderate room at Disney World comfortably. But I think even a std room at RPH at Universal is larger than a Disney World moderate room, right?

 

[drag n' fly]

drag n' fly, our last stay in a moderate was Coronado Springs for 3 nights before moving over to a DVC room. My daughter was 2 so it was the last time we were allowed to stay at Coronado Springs in 1 room. Maybe it was b/c of the queen beds there but I thought the room was pretty tight and don't think we can stay in a moderate room at Disney World comfortably. But I think even a std room at RPH at Universal is larger than a Disney World moderate room, right?

Yes it is as the mod rooms at WDW are 314 sq feet Have you guys read all the comments about US on the Theme parks forum.