Pool Hopping Question

[PoohJen]

Hi! Another DIS'er helpfully offered that if you stay at one Universal Orlando hotel, you can pool hop to the others.

Need a little more info on that. Want to stay at the Royal Pacific b/c it's cheaper, but the pool looks a little lacking for two 14 year old boys compared to its sister hotels. Portofino looks cool, tho another poster recommended Hard Rock.

Anyhoo...check in isn't til 4. Our travel plans will get us there earlier. Even if room isn't ready, will they give us a key or some sort of pass to go enjoy the pools, even at one of the other hotels?

Are the hotels/pools walking-distance close together?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Metro West]

I'm going to move this over to the Reorts and Hotels board so you can get more responses.

 

[Princessmom2]

Yes, you can pool hop and it is very easy. As soon as you get to RPR and check in, you can take your room key and walk or ride the boats to either Hard Rock or Portofino and swim showing your room key. HR has a great pool for teenagers as you can hear the music underwater and there is a big bar area with decent food, although on the expensive side. The pool is not very deep but lots going on in the pool area, and gets an enthusiastic from my 13 year old.

 

[rpbert1]

We stay at RPR mostly, although done split stays with PBH as well. Pool hopping is fine, just remember to take your room keys to get towels and to order food and drinks, other wise they might put you out till you get the room keys.
PBH pool has a slide , but my DD13 got bored very quickly with it, not a lot happening around the pool area, although both the beach pool and Villa pool are lovely. Cannot say for HRH, but my DD loves the pool at RPR, always plenty going on in July when we stay, usually a game for kids and the big kids [adults] if they wish to join in, about every 30 mins from 1pm till about 7pm, and with the volley ball net at the pool , you usually get a lot joining in, it keeps my DD occupied.
Might wander over to HRH for a day to see what its like

 

[Bluer101]

Pool hopping is the second best best perk of staying onsite. We always stay at RPR for the laid back atmosphere and enjoy pool hopping to HRH for the afternoons.

If your room is not ready at check in you will still get your room keys. Then you can go do what you want. You leave them a cell phone number and they will call you with your room number when its ready.

 

[PoohJen]

Thank you, everyone, for the helpful info! I'm getting more excited! So, sounds like we may be good to arrive around noon and just chill!

 

[Hermione_12]

The pools are the best way to cool off during the high heat of the day!

 

[SmallWorld71]

We stayed at HRH in the summer - there were lots of teens in the pool. There were afternoon activities that were geared more towards elem/ tweens/ teens than little ones and there are also often movies at night. It was a very happening place much of the time. We also pool hopped to PBH and while the pool area was lovely, my kids were the only kids there over age 5. I'm sure this isn't the norm, but overall I'd say HRH would be your best bet to try.