Just curious how others feel about new "Nick" HIFS

[kessieann]

Our family stayed at HIFS this past January and we had a really great time. We agreed HIFS would be the hotel we stayed at if we went back again.
We had an awesome entertainment rate, free breakfast every day, really great family shows for free every night. It was just a great family hotel and a great deal.

We recently decided to go to back for Oct 2005 which is why I have checked out their new NICK site. According to their website when they have finished with all of the remodeling this hotel will no longer even resemble the HIFS we stayed at. They will be charging a premium room rate without any of the perks anymore.

What I am curious about is this: do those of you who have stayed at HIFS as it currenly is have any desire to stay there when it is under new Nick management?

I guess I am just so disapointed because it was really a great hotel as it was and I wanted to know what others thought about the upcoming changes.? I just can't see paying a lot more money just so my dd can stay in a room that has Spongebob painted on the wall.

 

[spiceycat]

depends upon how US/IOA looks at it - if they treat it like their on-site resorts - with early entry and all day FOL - then yes this hotel will get a big following.

if they don't - and see it just like their other competitors - then who knows....

 

[Lewisc]

The hotel isn't onsite Universal, it's not even that close to Universal. I can't see them getting any type of FOTL.

Other than free breakfast what perks are they getting rid of? It sounds like Kids will still eat free and the pool is going to be an improvement.

I don't think the management is changing, they are just re-theming the hotel from a railroad theme to a Nick theme. They hope the new themeing will allow them to stop deeply discounting the suite rates. I suspect many of the customers will look for other resorts.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

We're going to try it in July. We stay on-site at HRH to do Universal and on-site at GF to do Disney. They kids love Nick so we though it would be nice for a two day in-between rest. The pools look great and I think the girls would like the kids spa.

 

[KIRSTIN'S MOMMY]

Disneymomx7: You may want to be aware that the kids spa is just a very small area located in the lobby with 2 chairs, a sink, a mirror, and that's about it. The girls that work there are very nice, but there's really not that much to it.
As far as the new themeing, I thought that the new drawings of the pools looked pretty cool, my dd loves to play in the water so we may try it on our next US trip.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

Originally posted by KIRSTIN'S MOMMY
Disneymomx7: You may want to be aware that the kids spa is just a very small area located in the lobby with 2 chairs, a sink, a mirror, and that's about it. The girls that work there are very nice, but there's really not that much to it.
As far as the new themeing, I thought that the new drawings of the pools looked pretty cool, my dd loves to play in the water so we may try it on our next US trip.

They won't care if it's small - they just want to be a facial like mommy. They're excited about the pool and the whole Nick theming. We thought it would be a nice two days rest from US and WDW parks.

 

[spiceycat]

okay I am mixed up - I though Universal brought this thing and was converting it to a Nick hotel....

I though I read that here....

If it is still going to be a Holiday inn - just called something else then I agreed - it popularity will go down.

 

[Lewisc]

Originally posted by spiceycat
okay I am mixed up - I though Universal brought this thing and was converting it to a Nick hotel....

I though I read that here....

If it is still going to be a Holiday inn - just called something else then I agreed - it popularity will go down.

You're mistaken, Universal didn't buy it. It's not just a Holiday Inn anymore than HIFS is just a Holiday Inn. As the first Nick themed hotel it is unique, but I'm not so sure it'll be able to command the premium pricing the hotel hopes to be able to charge.

http://www.nickhotel.com/news/action.jhtml?method=view&news.id=1

 

[spiceycat]

If it is as nick themed as your link says - it might - there are several crazy kids in the neighbor that love that show and want that green junk.

kids have alot of input as to where the parents stay - or they seem too.

although I would think even the kids would realize that staying on-site at Universal would give them better access to the Nick stuff there.

so time will tell.

 

[Lewisc]

My link is the press release announcing the project. Nick is involved in the design.

I agree kids have input and the hotel may do well BUT many of the current guests who stayed there for budget reasons will be looking elsewhere for a place to stay.

It sounds like the pricing is going to be at least as expensive as a Disney moderate hotel and possibly as much as the discounted rates in WL and AKL.

Originally posted by spiceycat
If it is as nick themed as your link says - it might - there are several crazy kids in the neighbor that love that show and want that green junk.

kids have alot of input as to where the parents stay - or they seem too.

although I would think even the kids would realize that staying on-site at Universal would give them better access to the Nick stuff there.

so time will tell.

 

[cmcsharon]

Count me as one of those (with the crazy kids) that are only going there because of the Nick theme! If it had just been a Holiday Inn (or Family Suite whatever it was) I wouldn't even have considered staying there. My kids, DS 11 and DD 9, are so excited that we get to stay here...they see the commercials about the hotel on Nickelodeon all the time here in California.

We think it's going to be a great way to end our Florida vacation after our 5 days on site at WDW and then our Disney cruise...we'll come back from the cruise for 2 nights at the Nick hotel and then head back to California.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

Originally posted by cmcsharon
Count me as one of those (with the crazy kids) that are only going there because of the Nick theme! If it had just been a Holiday Inn (or Family Suite whatever it was) I wouldn't even have considered staying there. My kids, DS 11 and DD 9, are so excited that we get to stay here...they see the commercials about the hotel on Nickelodeon all the time here in California.

We think it's going to be a great way to end our Florida vacation after our 5 days on site at WDW and then our Disney cruise...we'll come back from the cruise for 2 nights at the Nick hotel and then head back to California.

I was beginning to think that I was the only one who was trying it out because of the Nick theme. We're just doing 2 days too to relax between on-site Universal and on-site Disney hotels. My kids (7, 5 and 4) are so excited every time they show the commercial.

 

[spiceycat]

I haven't even seem the commerical - guess they aren't advertising it in AL....

 

[DisneyMomx7]

Originally posted by spiceycat
I haven't even seem the commerical - guess they aren't advertising it in AL....

We see it every morning (before school) on Nick Jr. It's very fast and they try to put too much in too little time -but it ends with "Kids tell your parents to make reservations" (subtle?).

 

[spiceycat]

hey they know who to influence....

 

[chrisann]

We actually spent our last 2 days there and didn't regret it at all. Before we left, we weren't planning on going back for 4 yrs, but we had so much fun and the hotel was so nice, we're going back!! The amenities were great, the staff was awesome and with the new theme and even better amenites for the kids, it'll be awesome. They will even be having charcter breakfasts with NICK characters. When we left we were told by the front desk that as returning guest(if we went by Dec. "05"), we'd be honoured with a 25% discount. Too tempting!!

 

[kar313]

We are going there Dec 2 so I will let you all know how we liked it when we get back. I have DS9 and DD4 who are very into Nick and Nick Jr. and were very excited when we found out the theming was changing over to Nickelodeon. (We already had planned to stay there as a recomendation from friends.) The free breakfast and cheap rates were def. big in our decision so I am sad that they will be gone after Dec but we will probably stay again if we like it and can get 25% discount. This will only be second time we've stayed off site. Both times it was a short just-passing-thru stay.