~CampGroundPrincess~
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2004
- Messages
- 12
Hello everybody. Firstly, I want to say thank you to the posters who helped us out before our trip to tell me where to go to get a good deal on a hotel rate, and we indeed got a "pool" view room rate of $191 on this discount site that Universal itself "matched" because they also saw it on that website.
Well upon check-in on Friday, the 29th (at around 9:00 pm) we were sadly disappointed to have learned that our original "non-smoking", "pool" view room with 2 queen beds would have to be a SMOKING room or else we would have to take a room with a King size bed that sorta had a pool/garden view ... and to which both options I said an emphatic: "No" So then they offered to give us a room that was NOT a pool view but had the two queen beds for say $20 or $30 cheaper a night because it wasn't a "pool" view - so we said, "SURE!" Well after doing some checking when that wasn't panning out either, the manager came over and began explaining to me that they would like to offer us a club-level room that had continental breakfast, snacks, pop, water, hor d'ourves - beer, wine hours, desserts - etc etc (and mind you I'm thinking to myself, YA for HOW MUCH MORE A NIGHT ???) - and then he said - "for the rate you are already supposed to pay ..." - and I said, WHAT? OK !!!
I absolutely couldn't have been more thrilled with that club level ! Who wouldn't be for a $350 a night room that you are paying basically $200 for ! What an incredible blessing! We had our breakfast every morning, we had pop or water all day, we had hor doerves (or however you spell that) and then desserts! We were absolutely feeling like Kings and Queens that's for sure! For this being our first stay at the Hard Rock - I can tell you that certainly left a lasting impression on us! Everytime I saw the manager in the lobby walking around he recognized me and would ask: "Is everything ok ?" -- and I would say over and over again, "Yes, and thank you SO much!" --
We had an absolute blast at Universal/IOA and just can't say enough about the parks (have visited the parks a few times before - but always while staying at Disney) - the front of the line express that you use your room key for is incredible! Just fabulous!
Back to the Hard Rock Hotel - our room was: 7131 a great view of the waterway and just an impeccable room! High ceilings, the nice decor, the spacious room area - and of course the club concierge room ! Awesome!
Now on to HHN. Well, we had bought 4 tickets for my hubby and myself, and our two boys who are only 5 and 8 and we decided to just sell their tickets and let them stay in Camp Lil' Rock while mommy and daddy had some time out because we felt after reading the posts on the boards as well as talking to the guests there that it would just be a mistake bringing them - and that was indeed true. But you wouldn't believe how many people "did" bring children - I mean in STROLLERS even (little little ones).
As far as a rating for HHN, I don't want to be mean, or disappoint anyone but we honestly wouldn't do it again. The neat thing we both like is the smoke of course (fog) and those demon-like voices in the very beginning - that was cool! Of course too, who doesn't love getting chased by the chain-saw dudes! that's always exhilerating! We had the express passes and did all 7 haunted houses, while they were "ok" - it seemed they just hurded (sp?) you through like a flock of cattle and all the "scary" jump out at you stuff seemed to happen right in front of us - or right behind us - but all in all we'd not rate these haunted houses to be any scarier than what we have here at home in Chicago. Just our opinion though ..... We never found anything all "that" scary or "that" technologically outstanding for a major film studio caliber - again just our opinion ...
What I really honestly didn't like (and noticed others have commented on this too) is that my gosh - you had to literally "kick" the alchohol stands/carts out of your way - they were EVERYWHERE! Every few FEET there was another alcohol stand - and where there wasn't a stand - there was a person walking around selling SHOTS or whatever! My gosh I thought: Do we really need to add "alcohol" to the mix of some poor souls waiting in line for over an hour PER haunted house? Sounds like a recipe for LOTS of disorder and LOTS of fights - but then again, that might explain why the better part of the Orlando Police Department was in the park ... HA !
Seriously, I'm not anti-alcohol and my goodness Universal certainly makes BIG CA-CHING with the alcohol sales, but I just don't think it's a great move ... but I'm not on the executive board so my opinion is just that, "an opinion" ...and it certainly won't change anything.
That's our two sense - and what a wonderful weekend we had there and absolutely can't wait to go back - but of course you know we will want that "club" level again so we'll be paying through the nose next time for sure ! HA HA
Thanks for listening !
Well upon check-in on Friday, the 29th (at around 9:00 pm) we were sadly disappointed to have learned that our original "non-smoking", "pool" view room with 2 queen beds would have to be a SMOKING room or else we would have to take a room with a King size bed that sorta had a pool/garden view ... and to which both options I said an emphatic: "No" So then they offered to give us a room that was NOT a pool view but had the two queen beds for say $20 or $30 cheaper a night because it wasn't a "pool" view - so we said, "SURE!" Well after doing some checking when that wasn't panning out either, the manager came over and began explaining to me that they would like to offer us a club-level room that had continental breakfast, snacks, pop, water, hor d'ourves - beer, wine hours, desserts - etc etc (and mind you I'm thinking to myself, YA for HOW MUCH MORE A NIGHT ???) - and then he said - "for the rate you are already supposed to pay ..." - and I said, WHAT? OK !!!
I absolutely couldn't have been more thrilled with that club level ! Who wouldn't be for a $350 a night room that you are paying basically $200 for ! What an incredible blessing! We had our breakfast every morning, we had pop or water all day, we had hor doerves (or however you spell that) and then desserts! We were absolutely feeling like Kings and Queens that's for sure! For this being our first stay at the Hard Rock - I can tell you that certainly left a lasting impression on us! Everytime I saw the manager in the lobby walking around he recognized me and would ask: "Is everything ok ?" -- and I would say over and over again, "Yes, and thank you SO much!" --
We had an absolute blast at Universal/IOA and just can't say enough about the parks (have visited the parks a few times before - but always while staying at Disney) - the front of the line express that you use your room key for is incredible! Just fabulous!
Back to the Hard Rock Hotel - our room was: 7131 a great view of the waterway and just an impeccable room! High ceilings, the nice decor, the spacious room area - and of course the club concierge room ! Awesome!
Now on to HHN. Well, we had bought 4 tickets for my hubby and myself, and our two boys who are only 5 and 8 and we decided to just sell their tickets and let them stay in Camp Lil' Rock while mommy and daddy had some time out because we felt after reading the posts on the boards as well as talking to the guests there that it would just be a mistake bringing them - and that was indeed true. But you wouldn't believe how many people "did" bring children - I mean in STROLLERS even (little little ones).
As far as a rating for HHN, I don't want to be mean, or disappoint anyone but we honestly wouldn't do it again. The neat thing we both like is the smoke of course (fog) and those demon-like voices in the very beginning - that was cool! Of course too, who doesn't love getting chased by the chain-saw dudes! that's always exhilerating! We had the express passes and did all 7 haunted houses, while they were "ok" - it seemed they just hurded (sp?) you through like a flock of cattle and all the "scary" jump out at you stuff seemed to happen right in front of us - or right behind us - but all in all we'd not rate these haunted houses to be any scarier than what we have here at home in Chicago. Just our opinion though ..... We never found anything all "that" scary or "that" technologically outstanding for a major film studio caliber - again just our opinion ...
What I really honestly didn't like (and noticed others have commented on this too) is that my gosh - you had to literally "kick" the alchohol stands/carts out of your way - they were EVERYWHERE! Every few FEET there was another alcohol stand - and where there wasn't a stand - there was a person walking around selling SHOTS or whatever! My gosh I thought: Do we really need to add "alcohol" to the mix of some poor souls waiting in line for over an hour PER haunted house? Sounds like a recipe for LOTS of disorder and LOTS of fights - but then again, that might explain why the better part of the Orlando Police Department was in the park ... HA !
Seriously, I'm not anti-alcohol and my goodness Universal certainly makes BIG CA-CHING with the alcohol sales, but I just don't think it's a great move ... but I'm not on the executive board so my opinion is just that, "an opinion" ...and it certainly won't change anything.
That's our two sense - and what a wonderful weekend we had there and absolutely can't wait to go back - but of course you know we will want that "club" level again so we'll be paying through the nose next time for sure ! HA HA
Thanks for listening ! 
