Please help this first timer! Need help planning.. does this sound insane/hectic???

[ARIELvsURSULA]

Okay, please bear with me. I hope I can get some help. Originally I intended to stay in the Nickelodeon Suites hotel. I got a stellar deal with groupon for it so I've been planning my vacation around that. After reading some not so great things about it cleanliness wise, I'm wavering on this choice.

I've read so many good things about the perks available at Universal and Disney Resorts. Im wondering if I want to split my vacation between the Royal Pacific and All Star Movie Resorts. My travel dates, right now, are 3/4-3/8. Are there any specific days of the week you get cheaper rates, both airline and hotel? If I decide to change my Nick plans my dates are much more flexible.

Would it be insane and hectic to do things this way? Fly in 3/4, check in to All Star Movie Resorts.. this way going to Dis first we can take advantage of the Magical Express and get to the hotel free. 3/5 we go to Disneyworld, check out the morning of 3/6. Immediately check into Royal Pacific and head straight to Universal. Spend the half day doing all the IOA and regular Universal stuff we can squeeze in. Next morning, do early admission for HP and the rest of the day finishing off what we want of US. Does this sound crazy? Like we will be running around with our heads cut off? Fly out the morning of the 8th.

A few questions: if I decide to do this like I planned above, on 3/6 can I check into Universal Royal Pacific first thing in the morning and head to the park? Even if my room is not available will they hold my baggage for me so I can explore the park? Is it really worth the extra expense to stay on site? The perks seem great but what I really like is walking distance to the parks.. is it worth it or is shuttling around just as easy?

Thank you so much and Im sorry if I come off rambling! I hope Im posting this to the right place.

 

[nytimez]

Sounds pretty hectic to me. Honestly, for a trip that short, I'd do Universal or I'd do Disney. I wouldn't try to do them both. But that's just me. It's also a lot cheaper to go to one of them for three-four days than both of them for a day or two each.

 

[ARIELvsURSULA]

I see your point but we really want to hit both. We just went to Disneyland in July so Im ok not doing/seeing everything there is to see.

 

[nytimez]

I see your point but we really want to hit both. We just went to Disneyland in July so Im ok not doing/seeing everything there is to see.

OK then... not something I would do, personally, but everything you have on there is do-able as far as I can tell (and they will hold your bags if your room isn't ready).

 

[ARIELvsURSULA]

Thanks for your input. Believe me, I wish we could afford a longer stay, Id like more time at WDW but I havent seen HP yet so it's really gotta be my focus! This is all our budget will allow I'm afraid. 4 nights isnt enough but then really, is a week even? Id still leave wanting more. Oh to be rich, Id move into an onsite hotel lol.

 

[macraven]

Okay, please bear with me. I hope I can get some help. Originally I intended to stay in the Nickelodeon Suites hotel. I got a stellar deal with groupon for it so I've been planning my vacation around that. After reading some not so great things about it cleanliness wise, I'm wavering on this choice.

I've read so many good things about the perks available at Universal and Disney Resorts. Im wondering if I want to split my vacation between the Royal Pacific and All Star Movie Resorts. My travel dates, right now, are 3/4-3/8. Are there any specific days of the week you get cheaper rates, both airline and hotel? If I decide to change my Nick plans my dates are much more flexible.

Would it be insane and hectic to do things this way? Fly in 3/4, check in to All Star Movie Resorts.. this way going to Dis first we can take advantage of the Magical Express and get to the hotel free. 3/5 we go to Disneyworld, check out the morning of 3/6. Immediately check into Royal Pacific and head straight to Universal. Spend the half day doing all the IOA and regular Universal stuff we can squeeze in. Next morning, do early admission for HP and the rest of the day finishing off what we want of US. Does this sound crazy? Like we will be running around with our heads cut off? Fly out the morning of the 8th.

A few questions: if I decide to do this like I planned above, on 3/6 can I check into Universal Royal Pacific first thing in the morning and head to the park? Even if my room is not available will they hold my baggage for me so I can explore the park? Is it really worth the extra expense to stay on site? The perks seem great but what I really like is walking distance to the parks.. is it worth it or is shuttling around just as easy?

Thank you so much and Im sorry if I come off rambling! I hope Im posting this to the right place.

if you stay at Nick, transportation to the darkside and motherland will be tedious.

i think staying 2 nights at each place will work.

i do split stays since 1993 to hit both parks.
when the darkside built their first hotel in '99, it was great for us!

do what i do.
when i leave the motherland resort to move to the darkside resort, i have car service pick me up around 6:40 am.
i'm at the universal hotel by 7 and checking in.

you'll get your hotel room key once you check in.
check your luggage with valet. they'll give you a check stub.
your luggage can be put in your room once it has been assigned.

you can then go directly to the park for the early entry.
onsite hotel guests are given that perk of early entry.
all you need to do is show your room key for EE and for using the express lines for rides and shows.


go directly to parry hotter land then.
you'll be ahead of the crowds.

hey, a short 4 day vacation is better than no vacation.

you can always sleep on the plane going back home.


no, i don't think you are crazy.
you just want to get the best of both worlds.
go for it.

i do it each year but for a longer stay.


weekends at both resorts (motherland and darkside) have higher rates on the weekends.

call now to see what rooms are available for both places.

 

[ARIELvsURSULA]

if you stay at Nick, transportation to the darkside and motherland will be tedious.

Your posts are so helpful! This is exactly what I was afraid of. The more I read about 45 min shuttle rides to get to WDW and US the more an onsite hotel started to make more sense to me!

 

[nytimez]

Your posts are so helpful! This is exactly what I was afraid of. The more I read about 45 min shuttle rides to get to WDW and US the more an onsite hotel started to make more sense to me!

Sorry -- my suggestion that you would be hectic/OK was based on the assumption that you were switching to RPR. Definitely do that... macraven is 100 percent right on all counts (as always).

 

[macraven]

Your posts are so helpful! This is exactly what I was afraid of. The more I read about 45 min shuttle rides to get to WDW and US the more an onsite hotel started to make more sense to me!

i knew someone that stayed at the Nick hotel.
it did have a lot of entertainment for children.

the low point was the transportation system.
the hours of the shuttle made the guest lose out on a lot of park time.
either you didn't arrive to the parks until well after closing, or had to leave before the parks closed.
i'm talking about the motherland and darkside parks.
it's tedious using the Nick shuttle system.
if you stayed there, you would probably have to resort to using taxis which would end up costing more than you wanted to.

the money you have saved by staying there on the groupon deal, might turn out to be a wash in the end.

i don't know if the shuttles have changed their transportation hours but it's not worth it to risk losing park time.

if you read some of the older trip reports in the trip forum, find the ones that talk about staying at the Nick hotel.
use the search button when you are in that forum.
if you need help in figuring it out, send me a pm and i'll help.


sometimes reading about other's impressions of a hotel, can help you make a decision that is best for you and the family.

 

[macraven]

Sorry -- my suggestion that you would be hectic/OK was based on the assumption that you were switching to RPR. Definitely do that... macraven is 100 percent right on all counts (as always).

you had a good suggestion.

that is what is good about the darkside forums, everyone can state what is on their mind and it helps the one with questions make a decision.

sometimes newbies to the darkside don't look at all the options, angles and things that can be done when venturing into a new theme park.

sometimes if a person only has 4 days to do a trip and can't decide between which parks to chose, they can get a taste of both to help plan another trip in the future.



tell that to my husband that i am always right.
he needs a good laugh......