Help in choosing between RPR and HRH

[MouseGirl]

Can you please help me make a decision? We stayed at the RPR in March 2005 with our two daughters and loved the hotel and the atmosphere (pool, etc) but found the room quite small.

We're going back this March and have booked RPR but now I'm having second thoughts. Our girls will be ages 10 and 12 this time, and are really into music. I'm wondering if HRH might be a better choice, especially since the rooms have been redone recently. Room rates are not that much higher.

I'm just concerned about the pool at HRH (sounds like it's pretty shallow and not really swimmable from what I have read - please tell me if I'm wrong) and the noise/crowd levels at the hotel and pool. If you could let me know about your experiences I'd be very grateful...

Thanks very much,
MouseGirl

 

[yourgoingagain?]

HRH pool area is awsome. You can go to the universal web site and get pictures of the pool. It is a zero entry pool with a neat slide.

Also the rooms are bigger (my big problem with RPR), so a party of 4 would appreciate the extra room. I think your daughters would also like the theme since they are into music.

 

[FeeFeeWhite]

Be the cool Mom this time and try HRH! The ages of the kids are perfect.

 

[damo]

It should be plenty deep enough for your kids. My teens love it.

 

[MouseGirl]

Thanks everyone! I just called and switched our reservation to the Hard Rock - it sounds like we will definitely enjoy it. Looking forward to our stay there...

And I think I'll keep this a secret from our kids until we get there. They're in the know about every other facet of our trip, and I want to see the look on their faces when we pull into the Hard Rock entrance

MouseGirl

 

[Kimberle]

We stayed at the Royal Pacific last Aug. One afternoon, we hung out at the Hard Rock's pool. The pool was about 1/2 the size of the RP's. But it did have a slide. My dd just kept going down the slide. There really wasn't room for swimming that day as lots of adults were standing in the water drinking. It was a nice area, just very crowded the day we were there. Of course, if you stay at HR, you can swim at RP.

 

[Flyin2MCO]

HRH is a good choice...the kids will love it!!

 

[robvia]

Any of the onsite hotels are a good choice.
With the HRH you'll be spoiled by the short walk to/from USF, it's only 5 minutes away.
For your next trip you can try the PBH, which has larger rooms and a huge bathroom. If your kids want to swim, head over to the PBH pool, it also has a slide and the deep end has a waterfall the kids can swim under. Pool hoping is encouraged, walk over, or take the shuttle van. The walk is about 10 minutes.

 

[Coach81]

Sweet! Gotta love the Universal Hotel advantages!!!

 

[marybet]

Sweet! Gotta love the Universal Hotel advantages!!!

We were just at PBH and we saw a sign at the pool that said slide closed, use the HRH pool. I told DH that all the Disney people would be up in arms that pool hopping was allowed.

 

[Fan2CSkr]

We were just at PBH and we saw a sign at the pool that said slide closed, use the HRH pool. I told DH that all the Disney people would be up in arms that pool hopping was allowed.

Do you know how long the slide is due to be closed? Thanks!
How did you like Portofino?

 

[marybet]

Do you know how long the slide is due to be closed? Thanks!
How did you like Portofino?

I think it was just closed that night, I think it was Thursday and there were not many people in the pool. We were just walking around, not swimming, but the pool was heated and I wish we had taken our suits.

I loved Portofino. We had a bay view, and the room was huge, as was the bathroom. The bed was very comfortable and there were plenty of pillows. We seldom had to wait for the boat, and the longest wait was 10 minutes.

The only complaint we had was the Harbor Night on Friday. They had wine tasting and food tasting tables set up in the plaza, it was $33 and it was open to everyone. We don't drink wine, and I don't like "fancy" foods. We were going to drive to a restaurant but when we went to get the car there were so many people coming in we didn't think we'd have a place to park when we come back. And the man directing the traffic said they would have at least 500 cars and we could always valet park. They also had music that went until about 11, and we couldn't hear the TV over the music. Had we known about the event, we would have just eaten at CityWalk before we came back. By the time we got back to CityWalk it was 7 and there was an hour wait at all the restaurants.

 

[Debs Hill]

We are hoping to stay at HRH for the first time on our next trip, have previously stayed at PBH. Just wondering whether I will feel very OLD at HRH and whether it is full of teenagers partying?!!!!! It will be me(34) hubby (54) and son(7).
Debsx

 

[Fan2CSkr]

We are hoping to stay at HRH for the first time on our next trip, have previously stayed at PBH. Just wondering whether I will feel very OLD at HRH and whether it is full of teenagers partying?!!!!! It will be me(34) hubby (54) and son(7).
Debsx

The HRH is a family resort and you will not feel old! The HRH in Las Vegas, yes not Orlando. And anyway you are 34 a baby yourself! But seriously I love the HRH atmosphere and have never felt old when staying there. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

 

[Debs Hill]

ha! ha! Thank you so much for the reassurance!! I have been to the HRH in Las Vegas (not stayed there) and got the impression that pool parties there may get a bit X rated and I definitely felt over the hill!!!! We were hoping for more of a cool family vibe at the one at Universal and it sounds like it will fit the bill.
Debsx