One park day and three resort days- which hotel

[vbarry]

Stayed at HRH last year and really enjoyed it. We are going to spend four nights before checking into Bay Lake Tower at Disney. Thinking the PBR would be nice since we are going to have a lot of resort time. How does RPR compare...pools, resorts, restaurants. It is much cheaper and I would love to save the money. They both look nice. Just wondering which is better for a resort type of vacation???? This will be over the 4th of July weekend if that matters! Thanks

 

[damo]

Both are lovely. The pool at RPR is huge but it has no slide. The restaurants and pool restaurant are delicious and should keep you well occupied. You won't regret staying at the RPR.

 

[IdesOmarch]

Yes I would advise saving the dollars and staying at the ROyal Pacific, some actually prefer this resort because of the awesome pacific tropical theme, kind of like you are in Fiji or something. We usually stay at the RP due to the lower price, but the first few visits I stayed at the Portifino.

I will say that the Portfino is technically nicer IMO, and uber plush, plus I do prefer the pool at the P over the RP because of the cool castle slide and waterfall the pool has at the P, but the RP pool is very nice as well.

P is something I'll do again when money is no object and I have cash to blow. There are advantages to both. RP is closer to IOA so you can get a room view of IOA if you want. P is closer to the old Universal park, and it has balconies the other resorts don't. P is italian themed with mostly Italian restaurants so if you don't like italian food, probably another vote against the P. RP has more variety. But both are excellent top notch resorts, and you can always eat at CIty Walk or the other hotel restaurants, everything is just a quick boat ride away. (You can go to and from the parks and other resorts via boat) which is very

I would also add although I have never stayed at the Hard Rock, I have visited it and walked through it, and I much prefer the RP or P over the HR, but its all really just a matter of opinion. To me the HR is just a little sterile looking, really white walls everywhere, just kinda boring IMO compared to the P and RP.

 

[bumbershoot]

FWIW, Universal allows, nay, seems to encourage, pool-hopping. So don't let a pool sway you, since you can use the other pools. (of course that means you have to travel to the other pools, which is worth a thought, but still...)