Nick Hotel or US Royal Pacific for 6 & 17 yr olds?

[Dancemom03]

I'm taking the girls down alone a week or so before DH's vacation starts for summer break. DD17 graduates this year and doesn't like the ocean so she's avoiding the whole senior week fling thing in Ocean City with her classmates.
To reduce airfare, I just re-booked flights and we now arrive 3 days earlier than planned - and before we can check into our wdw hotel.

I've called to check prices and am currently holding two different rooms - one at Royal Pacific and another at Nick Hotel. The Nick hotel is maybe $20 more per night but they are both in the same range. We have WDW APs so we'll see lots of wdw in nearly three weeks and haven't done US in several years now so we'll spend at least one night at the royal pacific this trip to see US and most likely sea world but I plan to rent a car and would spend the majority of the nick time at the hotel (or so I think now...)

I was hoping maybe folks who've stayed at the Nick hotel might give me an opinion as to whether it's worth two nights or just one?
Are there really enough special activities to justify two nights and two full days at Nick?
Besides the parks what programs are offered at the hotel?
Any suggestions? TIA

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

We have stayed at both the Nick Hotel and the Royal Pacific (in the same trip), with DD7 and DD4 (6 and 3 at the time). DD7 seriously thought she was in heaven at the Nick Hotel. She was very upset when we left, until she saw the rides from the Royal Pacific! She recovered quickly.

The Nick Hotel is a Holiday Inn, and it should not be confused with a luxury hotel, despite the price. The water park area is very cool, and the girls both had lots of fun there. One night was definitely enough for us adults. The rooms are reasonably spacious, but it is still a Holiday Inn. It can be extremely noisy if your room faces the pool - ours did not. The food was reasonably priced and the girls enjoyed the characters. If you register with Holiday Inn's Priority Club in advance, the Nick Hotel will give you free microwave popcorn and Coke.

The Royal Pacific is a true deluxe hotel. The beds are comfy, the restaurants are good, the pool is huge (but no slime!), and the front of the line access to Universal could not be beat. We stayed three nights and didn't want to leave.

I would choose one night at Nick (play in the pool two days if you want) and two nights at RP!