How does RPR measure up to a WDW Deluxe?

[celestialred]

Mods please feel free to move this if I'm not posting in the right area. I didn't really see any other better place to put this, apologies!

I stayed at RPR in '07 for a corporate sales conference and liked it a lot. Now, I see that RPR is considered a "Deluxe" level resort; my only other exposure to WDW resorts was CSR in '98, which from all I've seen I would be perfectly happy with again. Weeeeeell now I'm looking into maybe splurging for a WDW deluxe in '12 and wondered if anyone has stayed both RPR and WDW Deluxe and can give me some perspective on how they measure up to one another. Will I get a relatively similar experience at a WDW Deluxe, or am I trying to compare apples to coconuts here ?

TIA

 

[La2kw]

RPR is run by Loews, which actually knows how to run a deluxe hotel, unlike WDW. RPR will pamper you. I never really felt pampered at the WDW deluxe resorts, though some are rather nice and the service is okay. Service from Loews is heads above WDW. We are big WDW fans, but love the Universal resorts.

 

[damone]

Depends on the resort. We got treated much better at RPR than we did at the Polynesian, however we were treated better at GF than we've been treated anywhere. The RPR is beautiful and it's my favorite Universal hotel, but I wouldn't say it's as Deluxe as the GF or the Yacht Club by a long shot.

 

[damo]

I think that RPR is nicer than many Disney deluxes but not all. The rooms are nicer than Animal Kingdom, Wilderness Lodge and the Polynesian but not as nice as Grand Floridian, Beach/Yacht Club (although I haven't been to the latter in 10 years).

 

[mjohnson96]

Check out the trip boards, I don't remember who but there is one report where a family stayed at both the RPR and the Poly during the same trip. It gave some good comparisons.

I remember reading it last year when I first booked the RPR. We are staying again this year for 5 nights at RPR. My parents and my family loved it so we have 3 rooms, plus my sister is one of those that has to have her little dog with her. Gotta love it and the RPR makes it real easy to bring him along.

 

[damone]

I've stayed at both the Poly and RP - Tough comparisons.

Poly is more family friendly, and the rooms are nicer. RP has nicer public areas and the service is better.

 

[BrerFoxx]

RPR is run by Loews, which actually knows how to run a deluxe hotel, unlike WDW. RPR will pamper you. I never really felt pampered at the WDW deluxe resorts, though some are rather nice and the service is okay. Service from Loews is heads above WDW. We are big WDW fans, but love the Universal resorts.

Completely agree. I've stayed at a few Deluxe WDW Resorts and loved them. However, RPR will aboslutely pamper you. I enjoyed RPR and PBH so much that now we have to stay at Universal rather than make day trips from WDW.

 

[okiedokieartichoke]

I work for 2 hotels in the Orlando area, One of them being RPR and the other being a Disney deluxe resort. Having said that, I truly believe that the service and amenities are at a higher par with Loews than Disney. The quality of everything overall is just better. When you stay at a Disney resort, you can feel it. The rooms FEEL cheesy, and I would easily compare the Polynesian Resort rooms and buildings to that of a Motel 6. At RPR you actually FEEL like you are at a resort. There are pros and cons, however; at Disney resorts there is no charge for parking (except valet) and the fitness centers available are free of charge as well. However both resorts offer internet at the same price ($10 a day) and you will find a variety of restaurants no matter what you choose. I've heard from others that the prices at RPR when it comes to dining is much cheaper than Disney dining, and I believe it. Stay at RPR, you will LOVE IT!

 

[celestialred]

Thanks everyone for the feedback!

When I was at RPR, my room was mainly for sleeping and showering. I would describe it as a "standard" room; felt a little cramped but coming from a cold Indiana winter to a view of palm trees out my hotel window, hey, "Tha Man" is paying I'm not complaining. I spent the vast majority of my time in seminars in the ballroom/breakout room areas, with one small group session in one of the larger suites. I ate at Nick's (I think that's what it's called - right across from the waterfall) and Tchoup Chop - loved it there especially. Walked past the pool a lot to catch the boat to CityWalk during my downtime and really liked the boat transport. It really wasn't a "vacation" for me; it was a sales convention with palm trees. But I could also tell that this was no ordinary hotel.

When me and the fam go out of town (usually once or twice a year for weekend trips), we do our best to book a Hampton Inn/Springmill Suites type of place, and they have always suited us just fine. I've been fortunate enough to have not had to pay for a "deluxe" hotel experience up to this point in my life, and being that the trips I have taken were at company expense, I'm trying to figure out is a "deluxe" resort experience (in general) worth my hard-earned money. RPR is unfortunately my only Orlando frame of reference for "deluxe."

 

[mjohnson96]

Don't forget that if you stay onsite you get the FOTL express pass for hotel guests. Depending on the time of year if you were to purchase an express pass you are looking at $20 to $50 per person each day and it is only good once per ride. With the onsite resort it is unlimited (WWOHP might be different) and it is good from the day you check in to park closing on the day you check out.

If you want a little more room try the HRH or PBH, PBH has the largest rooms but I still like the feel of RPR better.

 

[damone]

I work for 2 hotels in the Orlando area, One of them being RPR and the other being a Disney deluxe resort. Having said that, I truly believe that the service and amenities are at a higher par with Loews than Disney. The quality of everything overall is just better. When you stay at a Disney resort, you can feel it. The rooms FEEL cheesy, and I would easily compare the Polynesian Resort rooms and buildings to that of a Motel 6. At RPR you actually FEEL like you are at a resort. There are pros and cons, however; at Disney resorts there is no charge for parking (except valet) and the fitness centers available are free of charge as well. However both resorts offer internet at the same price ($10 a day) and you will find a variety of restaurants no matter what you choose. I've heard from others that the prices at RPR when it comes to dining is much cheaper than Disney dining, and I believe it. Stay at RPR, you will LOVE IT!

I wouldn't agree with that. The Poly isn't my favorite resort by a long shot, but a Motel 6, it was not. I found the rooms to be much nicer (and larger) at the Poly than RPR.

We stayed at the GF, and I've still yet to stay at a hotel with such nice rooms (and as good service.)

 

[MAYNARDS99]

RPR and the Poly are both very nice and provide very good service, however, RPR is about half the cost!

 

[tinkerdorabelle]

I would say that they were just a tad below the deluxes at WDW. But definitely really nice and muuuuuuch cheaper.