First Trip to Universal - Adults Only!!

[DentalDana2]

Let me start by saying I'm so excited to be planning my first trip to Universal! I turn 40 in May and my dear friends will be celebrating their 10yr anniversary in September. We were both able to get the grandparents to watch the kiddos for a Wed-Sun adult only get away and joint celebration.

We have firm dates based on teacher DH having off of school 9/25/14 and 9/26/14 for Rosh Hashannah. We definitely want to stay onsite and will probably get 3 day park to park tickets.

Is Halloween Horror Nights worth it?

Tell me what onsite hotel is your favorite and why?

What kind of crowds can I expect that late in Sept?

Do I need to be as vigilant with touring plans as with WDW, esp w/o kids and FOTL?

What hotel and park restaurants are a must?

TIA

 

[macraven]

Let me start by saying I'm so excited to be planning my first trip to Universal! I turn 40 in May and my dear friends will be celebrating their 10yr anniversary in September. We were both able to get the grandparents to watch the kiddos for a Wed-Sun adult only get away and joint celebration.

We have firm dates based on teacher DH having off of school 9/25/14 and 9/26/14 for Rosh Hashannah. We definitely want to stay onsite and will probably get 3 day park to park tickets.

Is Halloween Horror Nights worth it?

Tell me what onsite hotel is your favorite and why?

What kind of crowds can I expect that late in Sept?

Do I need to be as vigilant with touring plans as with WDW, esp w/o kids and FOTL?

What hotel and park restaurants are a must?

TIA

1. hhn is worth it for me.

2. rph, it is my home away from home.
do some searches on rph threads and you will see my list of why it is my
favorite!

3. late september has low crowds, good hotel rates.
parks close early at the studios for the hard ticket event

4. use www.universalorlando.com to get a layout of the parks. this will be
helpful to you in getting around while there. you can decide what shows/
rides you want to see in advance if you have limited time in the parks.

5. rph is my favorite. i have a list i rotate for my favorite places to eat for
each trip. do you have specific foods you enjoy eating or avoiding?

 

[cieslack]

Ditto Mac's advice except the resort. Only because I haven't stayed at RPH. I really like PBH because it seems so quiet. It's a very relaxing resort and I would suspect that to be a plus for a group of adults. HHN was well worth it for me. This was my first year and will not be my last.

Check price differences between multi-day tickets and annual passes. If you intend to go back within a year it may benefit you. After your first visit you may decide that you can't stay away.

 

[bumbershoot]

Do I need to be as vigilant with touring plans as with WDW, esp w/o kids and FOTL?

No, you don't have to be as vigilant.


HHN always sounds worth it for those who like being scared. I don't, so I wouldn't do it. It always sounds more worth it if you get the packages that let you in early and/or have the "express pass" type of thing to the houses (not an expert here, LOL).

We like Portofino the best. Lovely, relaxed, calm. And big standard rooms. Remember that pool-hopping is allowed at the onsite resorts (at least the Deluxe ones...by the time of your stay you'll have Cabana Bay in the mix, and I doubt that hotel will be included in pool hopping).


But...if you guys are exciting and fun adults (unlike boring me and my husband), you might like Hard Rock the best. We didn't; too loud, kind of annoying to us, and it didn't help that there was a huge convention happening that shut off some public areas while we were there. But many other adults who are far more fun than we are like it a lot.

 

[macraven]

op, Dental, be sure to go to guest services and pick up a birthday button.

it's free and you don't have to produce a certificate to get one.



hope you have a great time celebrating #40 !


if you are sharing a room with the other couple, go with pbh.
larger bathroom, more floor space.

you really can't go wrong with either rph or pbh.
both have great qualities to them.

i have many stays at hrh in the past but find the others more of my choice.

everyone has a favorite hotel resort.
it's like asking a group of people their favorite color......