I've been visiting this site since May in preparation for our trip this month. We just returned yesterday and had a wonderful time. A big thank you to all for the useful information.
I plan to do a trip report when I have more time but thought I would note a few highs and lows on this page. Hotel was gorgeous. Grounds were clean, staff was friendly. We've previously stayed at the HRH and RPR is now our favorite. Traveled with husband, two sons (ages 10 and 2) and my mother in law.
We stayed Club Level and so glad we did. Staff was excellent and definitely exceeded expectations. They were wonderful with our energetic boys and printed out driving directions to a few places. Club room had two flat screen TVs, a computer, and a few toddler toys that kept our 2 year old entertained. Since there were 5 of us in one room, it was nice to hang out and relax in the Club Room.
Breakfast each day included hot oatmeal, warm cinnamon rolls, donuts, muffins, pastries, toast, bagels, fresh fruit (watermelon, pineapple, cantelope, strawberries) and yogurt along with milk, juice, and Starbucks coffee.
Afternoon snacks included packaged PB&J sandwiches, potato chips, pretzels, trail mix, snack mix, packaged granola bars and fruit (apples, oranges, bananas).
Evening offerings included cheese and crackers, veggies and dip, chips and salsa, and a salad and one warm dish that varied each night (chicken and oriental noodles, chicken and rice, fish and rice, beef and noodles, ravioli dish). Complementary inexpensive wine and bottled beer (Corona, Bud, Bud Light, Miller Light and a few others I can't recall) was also available from 4:30-6:30. After spending all day at the parks, my husband could hardly wait til 4:30.
Late night (8-9pm) desserts includes cookies (PB, chocolate chip, oatmeal, M&M) and one dessert that varied each night (chocolate brownies, pineapple upside down cake, cheesecake, lemon bars).
Canned pop (Coke, Diet Coke and Sprite) and lemon water was available all day long. Bottled water also available all day upon request.
Pool was great. My 2 year old loved the kiddie pool with the sand area. We went to HRH pool one day for the slide but didn't make it over to the PH pool. At the RPR pool, there were ducks that wandered in and around the pool. Not sure if its a good idea to have ducks in the pool, however my boys LOVED swimming with the ducks and no one else seemed to mind. There were small leaves in the pool but staff was constantly scooping them out as best they could. Music at the pool was not loud at all and was kid friendly. My boys also loved the Saturday night torch lighting and movie in the pool.
FOTL and early park entry were the best perks of staying onsite. Early entry was at 8am each day and we were able to go through all of the Harry Potter rides multiples times with no waiting at all during this time. By the afternoons, the line for WWoHP was a 2+ hour wait. Best of all, my 10 year old got picked at Olivanders!!! I think I was more excited than he was.
Now for a few minor lows. Knowing that we would not be arriving until 6pm to check in, I had contacted the hotel multiple times to request certain room numbers based on this site's recommendations and was assured I would get one of my choices. I had requested an even number room for a pool view but my main request, regardless of a specific room number, was for a room close to the Club Room to save my mother in law some walking. When we checked in, I again explained we were traveling with my mother in law and was told our room was close to the Club Room. Well, we were assigned an odd number room (highway view) that was at the very end of the hall. I was disappointed but didn't complain since the distance to the Club Room was not a long walk even though any other room would have been closer.
Second minor low was housekeeping. Staff was friendly but many did not speak English. Our room was cleaned during our first day while we were at the parks. Our room was still clean when we left for dinner, however when we returned in the evening housekeeping was in our room cleaning. When I tried to use my key, she would not let us in. I knocked several times and flagged down a maintenance worker who went inside our room and quickly came out with the housekeeping staff person. She was an older lady who did not speak English. I asked the man if housekeeping cleans twice a day and he said yes. We could not tell what if anything was cleaned while she was in there. Nothing came up missing. We thought perhaps she was taking a nap. The next day we put a Do Not Disturb sign. I checked into whether or not rooms are cleaned twice and was told no. Still not sure what the correct answer is. The day after that, I asked a housekeeping staff person if we could have our room cleaned today and she gave me a Do Not Disturb sign with a sincere smile so she obviously did not understand my request.
Okay, I hadn't plan to post so much info here. Guess I got carried away. The two lows were pretty minor but thought it was worth mentioning. We will definitely return to RHR. Again, MANY THANKS to all who posted information to help me plan our wonderful vacation!!!
I plan to do a trip report when I have more time but thought I would note a few highs and lows on this page. Hotel was gorgeous. Grounds were clean, staff was friendly. We've previously stayed at the HRH and RPR is now our favorite. Traveled with husband, two sons (ages 10 and 2) and my mother in law.
We stayed Club Level and so glad we did. Staff was excellent and definitely exceeded expectations. They were wonderful with our energetic boys and printed out driving directions to a few places. Club room had two flat screen TVs, a computer, and a few toddler toys that kept our 2 year old entertained. Since there were 5 of us in one room, it was nice to hang out and relax in the Club Room.
Breakfast each day included hot oatmeal, warm cinnamon rolls, donuts, muffins, pastries, toast, bagels, fresh fruit (watermelon, pineapple, cantelope, strawberries) and yogurt along with milk, juice, and Starbucks coffee.
Afternoon snacks included packaged PB&J sandwiches, potato chips, pretzels, trail mix, snack mix, packaged granola bars and fruit (apples, oranges, bananas).
Evening offerings included cheese and crackers, veggies and dip, chips and salsa, and a salad and one warm dish that varied each night (chicken and oriental noodles, chicken and rice, fish and rice, beef and noodles, ravioli dish). Complementary inexpensive wine and bottled beer (Corona, Bud, Bud Light, Miller Light and a few others I can't recall) was also available from 4:30-6:30. After spending all day at the parks, my husband could hardly wait til 4:30.
Late night (8-9pm) desserts includes cookies (PB, chocolate chip, oatmeal, M&M) and one dessert that varied each night (chocolate brownies, pineapple upside down cake, cheesecake, lemon bars).
Canned pop (Coke, Diet Coke and Sprite) and lemon water was available all day long. Bottled water also available all day upon request.
Pool was great. My 2 year old loved the kiddie pool with the sand area. We went to HRH pool one day for the slide but didn't make it over to the PH pool. At the RPR pool, there were ducks that wandered in and around the pool. Not sure if its a good idea to have ducks in the pool, however my boys LOVED swimming with the ducks and no one else seemed to mind. There were small leaves in the pool but staff was constantly scooping them out as best they could. Music at the pool was not loud at all and was kid friendly. My boys also loved the Saturday night torch lighting and movie in the pool.
FOTL and early park entry were the best perks of staying onsite. Early entry was at 8am each day and we were able to go through all of the Harry Potter rides multiples times with no waiting at all during this time. By the afternoons, the line for WWoHP was a 2+ hour wait. Best of all, my 10 year old got picked at Olivanders!!! I think I was more excited than he was.
Now for a few minor lows. Knowing that we would not be arriving until 6pm to check in, I had contacted the hotel multiple times to request certain room numbers based on this site's recommendations and was assured I would get one of my choices. I had requested an even number room for a pool view but my main request, regardless of a specific room number, was for a room close to the Club Room to save my mother in law some walking. When we checked in, I again explained we were traveling with my mother in law and was told our room was close to the Club Room. Well, we were assigned an odd number room (highway view) that was at the very end of the hall. I was disappointed but didn't complain since the distance to the Club Room was not a long walk even though any other room would have been closer.
Second minor low was housekeeping. Staff was friendly but many did not speak English. Our room was cleaned during our first day while we were at the parks. Our room was still clean when we left for dinner, however when we returned in the evening housekeeping was in our room cleaning. When I tried to use my key, she would not let us in. I knocked several times and flagged down a maintenance worker who went inside our room and quickly came out with the housekeeping staff person. She was an older lady who did not speak English. I asked the man if housekeeping cleans twice a day and he said yes. We could not tell what if anything was cleaned while she was in there. Nothing came up missing. We thought perhaps she was taking a nap. The next day we put a Do Not Disturb sign. I checked into whether or not rooms are cleaned twice and was told no. Still not sure what the correct answer is. The day after that, I asked a housekeeping staff person if we could have our room cleaned today and she gave me a Do Not Disturb sign with a sincere smile so she obviously did not understand my request.
Okay, I hadn't plan to post so much info here. Guess I got carried away. The two lows were pretty minor but thought it was worth mentioning. We will definitely return to RHR. Again, MANY THANKS to all who posted information to help me plan our wonderful vacation!!!