I need hotel advice please!

[Xanthe]

Happy New Years Eve everyone!!

I'm spending my New Years Eve planning our Aug 2010 trip to Disney and Universal. I am debating between staying the entire time at Disney and just taking a taxi a couple of times to Universal or spending a night in one of the hotels at Universal. We stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel about 5 years ago and REALLY loved it but I'd like some advice on what hotel to choose. We would want to be onsite so we're choosing between the three onsite hotels.

Any advice would be appreciated!

TIA
Xanthé

 

[damo]

Can you give us a bit of info? How many people in your family? What are their ages? What is their favourite Disney Hotel? Do they like to swim? Any outside interests?

 

[Xanthe]

That would help, wouldn't it?

My husband and I have two daughters, 16 and 11. When we travel to Disney, we tend to stay at PoP Century but we really love both the Port Orleans hotels as well. We have fairly simple taste but as I said, we loved the HRH when we stayed there before. My girls like to swim but I'm not sure we'll have a ton of time for that with only one night at the hotel. Now that I think about it, maybe we should do 2 nights? I'm know I'm getting off topic but does that $99.00 ticket deal include food?

thanks

 

[Xanthe]

Oh and we're all VERY excited about the Harry Potter part. Thats actually the reason we decided to plan this addition to our Disney trip

Xanthé

 

[damo]

No, the $99 dollar -- 7 day ticket -- doesn't include food. That would be about the bestest deal ever!!!

You probably would like the RPR or go back to the HRH. The Portofino is very laid back and with girls the age of your girls, they would like some activity going on.

RPR is also very close to IOA and if that's what you think you'll be spending a lot of time at, I'd highly recommend it.

And two nights is great since that gives you 3 full days of unlimited express.

 

[vbmom40]

When we went in 2006 we did universal first and then disneyworld. My children were 14 and 17 and they were bored when we got to Disney. They told me that we shoud have done universal last and disney would have been more exciting. We stayed at the Royal Pacific club level it was awesome. At disney we stayed at Port Orleans riverside that was very nice. Still the Boardwalk Villas are my favorite I love the boardwalk and Epcot. Hope this helps good luck.
VBMOM

 

[Pink Flamingo]

I'm with the previous posters on this one. I would opt to stay 2 nights at Universal if possible, but even if you can only do 1 night I think I would still do that. Like VBmom, I would do US after WDW, particularly if your group likes to ride the coasters & thrill rides.

If you stay on-site you'll have FOTL access to the rides & I find that to be a very nice feature!

We've stayed at HRH & RPR and really liked both. We love the tropical atmosphere of RPR, but I know others like the HRH atmosphere, so it's probably just a matter of personal taste. Haven't stayed at PBH, but pool hopped there & my boys liked that pool the best of the 3 resort hotels.

 

[rpbert1]

Like PP said about doing Universal after Disney, Our first trip we did Universal and then Disney stayed at POFQ, while it was good ,DD did not like the time spent queuing.
We nearly always stay at RPR, as it is our fav, never been to HRH , but stayed at PBH twice, in July we had a split stay with RPR, and PBh while it is really nice, it was extremely quiet, and DD13 was a bit fed up with very little happening in the pools, whereas when we went to visit some people at RPR a few days before leaving, the place was busy with lots of things going on in and around the pool, which is what it was like when we where there the week before. With DD being on her own she finds there was more kids to associate with at RPR, and they have the pool volleyball net, where she always makes friends with others, as anyone can join in.

 

[Calgary DISHeads]

We just stayed at PBH for five nights after nine at AKL. You must stay onsite and you must do US after Disney. As previous posters have said, you will disappointed in disney if you don't. We loved AKL then loved PBH more, and really, really loved FOL - nothing like it. We waited maybe 10 minutes for the Simpsons ride on Christmas Day and complained as it was the longest line of the entire Christmas week. Many rides including Mummy and MIB we walked off and right back on again. We too stayed at HRH before, but enjoyed PBH much more - service was outstanding.

 

[vbmom40]

I'm with the previous posters on this one. I would opt to stay 2 nights at Universal if possible, but even if you can only do 1 night I think I would still do that. Like VBmom, I would do US after WDW, particularly if your group likes to ride the coasters & thrill rides.

If you stay on-site you'll have FOTL access to the rides & I find that to be a very nice feature!

We've stayed at HRH & RPR and really liked both. We love the tropical atmosphere of RPR, but I know others like the HRH atmosphere, so it's probably just a matter of personal taste. Haven't stayed at PBH, but pool hopped there & my boys liked that pool the best of the 3 resort hotels.

When in june did you go we were there June 11th-18th club level as well.

 

[Pink Flamingo]

When in june did you go we were there June 11th-18th club level as well.

We were there 6/15-6/21! I wish I had known someone from the DIS was there ~ would love to have chatted in the club lounge.

 

[Planogirl]

We just stayed at PBH for five nights after nine at AKL. You must stay onsite and you must do US after Disney. As previous posters have said, you will disappointed in disney if you don't. We loved AKL then loved PBH more, and really, really loved FOL - nothing like it. We waited maybe 10 minutes for the Simpsons ride on Christmas Day and complained as it was the longest line of the entire Christmas week. Many rides including Mummy and MIB we walked off and right back on again. We too stayed at HRH before, but enjoyed PBH much more - service was outstanding.

Wow, we really must go during the holidays sometime. Universal was nothing like this in June!