HRH 7/4-7/12 "Family" Vacation?

[barbnbrian]

Just back from an 8 night stay at the HRH. Got the Entertainment Rate $125 per night, garden view, room 3108 right on the main lobby floor. View was blocked by a huge Palm tree trunk so we didn't see much out our window. Me, hubby, son (15 yr.), and daughters (9 & 7 yrs). Hotel is beautiful, very busy, clean, great hotel for this rate! We brought our twin size Aerobed mattress for my son and moved the chairs and table by the window back a little. There was plenty of room for him and he loved pulling the drapes over him and having a kind of tent type thing for privacy. One complaint about the hotel is the maid service. On several days we returned from the parks after 2:00 p.m. to find our room had not been cleaned yet. It would have been nice to be able to relax in the air conditioned room and let the girls take a little nap, but we had to leave the room so it could be cleaned. This was frustrating. There was one day when it was 4:00 p.m and the room wasn't done yet! I have a proble with this.

We had the 5 consecutive day passes and this was more than enough! We stretched out our park days and went every day because the kids had rides they wanted to keep doing over and over again. Could have done the parks in 3 days and that would have been long enough. FOTL was the best perk about staying at HRH. We did wait once for over 20 mins. to ride Dudley Doright's Ripsaw Falls. Rode this ride once and that was enough for me. The drop on this ride is STEEEEEP and I was not prepared for this kind of drop. I felt like I had whiplash after that ride my neck was jerked back so hard. My kids loved it and rode it again another day, but not me. I think that ride needs seatbelts also because you feel like you could fly out on the drop part. Be warned!

I could keep going here but it would be pages long. All in all, we had a great time, but I think once is enough and I prefer Disney over Universal. Any questions, please ask.

 

[corvair]

was your room close to the pool....was it easy to get to the pool....did you make any room requests....how did you enjoy the pool....we stayed at PBH last time and thinking of trying HRH because it is so much closer to the parks...did you walk or take the boat...we also always do WDW... why did you like disney better////sorry for so many questions...thanks...amy

 

[barbnbrian]

Walking doesn't bother me, but our room was a hike to the elevators, but once you take the elevator down to the first floor, you walk right out the door to the pool area and I didn't think it was all that bad. The walk to the park was great, even though it was extremely hot out. I took the water taxi from Citiwalk back to HRH one afternoon but it is definitely quicker to walk back from the parks.

The reason I like Disney better is because I found there to be more food choices at Disney than Universal. I've been to Disney at least six times and have stayed at ASMovies, Carribean Beach, Port Orleans, and the Contemporary resort. I like the fact that they have food courts and toaster ovens and microwaves in the food court. We like to bring our own bagels and microwave popcorn for snacks in the p.m. and also to heat up left overs we might bring back. There are more restaurants with buffets (Chef Mickeys and Crystal Palace). I prefer buffets for my family because I find that it's a better value with my children (esp. a 15 yr. old boy) and everyone can find something they like.

I found it to be very expensive to eat at Universal and the HRH. We did not originally book a rental car so that we could go to offsite restaurants which would have been cheaper. We felt trapped at the hotel with no rental car to go offsite. We did end up renting a car on Wed. and returned it on Sat. a.m. before we checked out and flew home. This helped because we were able to drive over to Downtown Disney one night, go to TGI Fridays for dinner one night, things like that.

We started using our 5 day passes on Saturday and our last park day was on Wed. By Wed. we were ready to leave and would have loved to have moved over to a Disney resort but when I called CRO, everything was booked. I thought we would have enjoyed staying extra days at the HRH once our passes were finished so that we could relax and enjoy the pool. My girls did like that, but my husband (who works construction 7 days a week, workaholic type guy) is not the type to sit around or relax by the pool! My son just wanted to hang around the hotel room in the afternoon in the air conditioning and sleep!

I have always been a Disney fanatic and not much of a thrill ride person. I live in the real world and like to vacation in the Fantasy world and that's why I love Disney so much. However, after going there six times, the one day we went over to the Magic Kingdom (we had days left over from hopper passes), it was kind of like, been there, done that. It was very crowded that day, unbearably hot, the kids hated waiting in line, Pooh ride broke down while we were waiting for over 20 minutes, Peter Pan was broken down when we returned with our Fast Passes. We ended up leaving at 4:00 p.m. because we had had enough.

I can finally say, "been there, done that, ain't going back! (for awhile anway!) My next vacation will be with just my husband, no kids, and then, it will be a Real Vacation. Bet yet, I may go alone! And then, it will really be a "Real Vacation!"

Please don't think my trip all bad because we did have a lot of fun. However, I saved for ever for this trip and would pretty much did anything to get money to be able to have a magical family vacation, and it just didn't live up to everything I hoped it would be.

 

[rubyvent]

Just wondering where you were able to rent the car from...??

 

[barbnbrian]

Actually, it was my brother-in-law who rented the car, so I'm not sure the name of the rental company. I'll ask my sister to find out . My brother-in-law went to the conceriege desk to inquiry about renting a car and the car company was on International Dr. somewhere. They came and picked him up at the hotel and then when he returned the car on Sat. they drove him back to the hotel.

 

[JOC]

Hi barbnbrian (barbarian),

Thanks for your trip report...sorry to hear you didn't enjoy your trip too much though. We like going to the Universal parks, but eight nights is even too long a stay for us! I hope your next vacation, wherever it may be, is more fun!

 

[barbnbrian]

Thanks. It will be awhile before I go on vacation with my kids again! Next time, I'll go alone, and then it will be a "real" vacation.

I don't want everyone to think the trip was all bad, because we did have fun. I guess maybe it was too long of a trip. I wanted to go for longer because I've found that in the past we've gone for 4 nights and 5 days and never really had time to slow down and relax. I thought having extra days would be really nice to relax by the pool and do other things, which we did. We spent most of our last day hanging around the pool and we did go to Sea World one day which we had never done before. We have been to Florida in July and Aug. in the past, but this time the heat and sun seemed overly strong to me, so that kind of made us uncomfortable too.

I guess what it all comes down to was that I worked so hard and so long to save for this vacation and it just didn't turn out the way I had envisioned it, so that's a little bit of a let down.

Thanks!

 

[nicolep91]

Thanks for the report!

I have read of others not having their room cleaned at the HRH at a decent time. It sounds like maybe they are understaffed? Did you call and complain?

I was also wondering if you had inquired about an upgrade or if you are a Loews member and if so, did you receive your gift?

Thanks again!

 

[barbnbrian]

No, I never bothered to call and complain about the maid service.

I am a Loews member, but this was our first stay at their hotel chain. I did inquire about upgrading to club level and it was not available on the first night but would have been available as of our second night, but for an additional $75 per night. I declined. We also could have been upgraded to a pool room for free as of the 2nd night, but again I declined because once I unpacked for 5 people and settled in, there was no way I was repacking to move to another room!

Did receive the welcome gift - milk & cookies - without having to ask or remind. Brought the kids' report cards and they were out of the refillable mug but did show "Grade A Kid" on their room card. We didn't get around to asking for the free drinks until our last day when we spent the afternoon at the pool. We got drinks by showing the room card at both the pool bar and inside at the Sunset Grill counter service where they sell the drinks and ice cream.

Kids received a gift at check-in, a small 4th of July decorated tote bag (smaller than purse size) and inside was a small visor made of fun foam, a blow-up guitar, a Chinese yoyo, and a tatoo. They were OK but nothing great, my kids weren't impressed, especially the 14 year old. They do not participate in the Teen Gift program I've read about (backpack and things for teens) at the Orlando hotel.

Also got a rocknroll CD at check-in which I haven't played yet.

Any more questions, feel free to ask.

 

[nicolep91]

I'm hoping for a Club Upgrade, but not if it will be $75! We have a pool view room reservation, so I think they next upgrade would be a suite or club.

The kids stuff sounds cute, but nothing too special. However, I'm sure my kids (8 and 5) would probably be thrilled with it!

Hope your next vacation meets your expectations and thanks again for all the info!

 

[MK Familystone]

Hi!
Did you use the bus to SeaWorld?

 

[barbnbrian]

Yes, I sure did, thanks so much! That $50 off sure helped!

I didn't find Sea World to be very expensive as far as soveniers or food. But City Walk and Hard Rock could get very expensive. I can only eat theme park food for so long and got tired of the usual kid's menu food - pizza, chicken strips, hamburgers, hot dogs. So for a family of 5 to eat at nicer restaurants for 8 days got kind of costly. I found the HRH to be very expensive as far as food. $10 for a drink at the pool is too much for me.

 

[Minniespal]

Thanks for posting!!!!

 

[ellie&mattys mom]

but this FOTL sounds great...but now I am getting worried about the restaurants too...

so were there any buffets in the parks or hotels!!!

thanks!!!

 

[barbnbrian]

Sorry, no buffets in the parks or hotels. You'd need a rental car to go to something offsite for a buffet.

 

[ellie&mattys mom]

Wow very dissapointing...I loved those so easy!! even though they are a little more expensive!!

I can't believe not one...how can I be sure that there isn't one?

thanks!

Amy