Port Aventura theme park, Spain + Barcelona FC

[PoppyAnna]

I may have asked this before but as we have lots of new people so I'll ask again.

Has anybody been to this former Universal theme park in Spain?

We're going at the end of August/early September for 10 days and it looks great fun. We're staying on site at the El Paso hotel which get pretty good reviews, and looks like there's enough for the children there before we even go to the parks.
Staying onsite means we'll have full access to the main park, the water park and the lovely looking Beach club with it's infinity pools and spa.

We were going to go to DLRP for a week but this appealed to us as the flight is short, it's looks like we get a lot for our money (£1600 for all of us) and we get a better chance of good weather than in Paris.

I've read all the Trip Advisor stuff but any insider info from a DISer would be great

Also, has anybody booked to see a Barcelona FC game from the UK, if so, how did you go about it?

TIA.

 

[Bolanette87]

Robert's family went, and I'm afraid I can't give any insider info, but R says they had a fab time!!

Bob xoxoxox

 

[Snowy-girls]

Sorry Joanne-i can't help.But if it's not to much trouble would love to know how you went about booking it,who you're flying with etc..+how you got a great price.x.

 

[Beth__WDW23/6/02]

Sounds great,Ive always wanted to go.
It looks like great fun,who have you booked with?
Sorry cant be anymore of help.

 

[PoppyAnna]

I booked a package with Thomas Cook. DD has inset days at the end of the summer holidays as we're able to go slighty later (coming home 7th September).
TBH we didn't want to go too far as DH can't get much time off work at the mo and we didn't want any hassle. I was pricing it up independently and it was slighty cheaper going with Ryanair and the hotel through alpha rooms but then Ryanair wanted more money for checking in bags and more money just for checking in! and it was flying from Stanstead and we live about 40 mins from Gatwick! We would have also got taxi's from the airport and it was only B&B. Also, most of the ticket packages don't include access to the water park and the beachclub is for hotel guests only.
I haven't been on a package holiday since I was in my teens but this is no hassle and it's half board! TBH if we don't bother with the evening meal, I won't be too upset, although most reviewers say the food at the hotel was good.
I'm really looking forward to getting a theme park fix If you stay at the on-site hotels you also get to jump the queue on the most popular eight rides!
We have friends in Barcelona, so we are going to see them one or two days as it's about 80km away (I think).

 

[mark&sue]

We drove there a few years ago. We liked it but it is absolutely NOTHING like universal studios. More like Thorpe Park. We stayed at the Port Ventura hotel and was great as the parks stayed open until midnight so it was best to go when it was cooler in the evenings.

The resort is very close to the beach and the water park is very good for children.

We drove there from UK and as we have a holiday home in Spain we drive past on our way down. It is extremely close to Barcelona as we can always spot it as we drive past through Barcelona onto our place in torrevieja.

Hope you have a great time. Come back here and let us know what you thought. We are bound to go back but this year are hoping to try Terra Mitica as have VIP tickets and can drive there in one day from torrevieja.



Susan

 

[Snowy-girls]

Cheers for the info Joanne,would love to hear all about it when you return-as i don't know anything about it.x.

 

[disneyhockeymad]

We went to Port Adventura in the summer of last year as part of day trip the campsite we were staying at had running. The park was very good but as many have said nothing at all like universal studios at all, it's a member of the Tussauds group so it's based more on Thorpe Park or Alton Towers. The rides are great and we didn't have to queue very much at all. I seem to remember the characters weren't very interactive at all so don't go expecting the Disney character treatment, if there are indeed any out at all!
We didn't go to the water park but drove past it and it looked fantastic. I'm sure you'll have a great time

 

[PoppyAnna]

We went to Port Adventura in the summer of last year as part of day trip the campsite we were staying at had running. The park was very good but as many have said nothing at all like universal studios at all, it's a member of the Tussauds group so it's based more on Thorpe Park or Alton Towers. The rides are great and we didn't have to queue very much at all. I seem to remember the characters weren't very interactive at all so don't go expecting the Disney character treatment, if there are indeed any out at all!
We didn't go to the water park but drove past it and it looked fantastic. I'm sure you'll have a great time

Thank you
TBH I'm not expecting Disney or Universal standards. How could I there's only one place in the world for that, right
Both of my girls do like the characters at WDW but it's not their favourite thing. We only intend to spend two days in the park and one at the waterpark.
We thought it was a fun place to base ourselves as DH and I don't do lazy beach holidays, we get bored! - it's a chance for a bit of theme park fun, visit Barcelona (where I lived for 18months and have friends) and a few small beaches and lovely restaurants that I know where only Spanish folk go on holiday.

 

[PoppyAnna]

We drove there a few years ago. We liked it but it is absolutely NOTHING like universal studios. More like Thorpe Park. We stayed at the Port Ventura hotel and was great as the parks stayed open until midnight so it was best to go when it was cooler in the evenings.

The resort is very close to the beach and the water park is very good for children.

We drove there from UK and as we have a holiday home in Spain we drive past on our way down. It is extremely close to Barcelona as we can always spot it as we drive past through Barcelona onto our place in torrevieja.

Hope you have a great time. Come back here and let us know what you thought. We are bound to go back but this year are hoping to try Terra Mitica as have VIP tickets and can drive there in one day from torrevieja.



Susan

Thanks Susan

 

[jjk]

sounds great Joanne, have a fab time

 

[luke]

went to portaventura years ago, really good fun with some great thrill rides!

As for Barcelona, there's lots of agencies on the Internet where you'll get tickets, however they'll have a big mark up, as watching football in Spain is normally relatively cheap. Barca are a 'members only' club with around 100,000 season tickets, which isn't to say you can't get tickets, but it'll depend on who is playing! If it's a smallish team and you're willing to take a chance you'll get tickets easy, they actually sell them thru cash machines of La Caixa bank, tho I'm not sure how it works, so a trip to the Camp Nou a few days before the match and ask there. I've been to watch Liverpool there 3 times and couldn't recommend it enough!

 

[aaronandterri]

we went before the hotel is lovely and waterpark great, didnt go half board food but ended up eating in reasturants etc more brekkie was good though.

def more a alton towers but still nice beach is close and lovely
will dig out some pics when i get a sec.

 

[MKDEBS]

Hi

I cant answer your question on the Theme Park but do know someone that has been and says its fantastic.

But have been to a game of footy over there last year. we just turned up on the night and bought tickets at the box office. Prices depended on how close you sat to the pitch. Pitchside tickets were expensive. We sat at the top....not for the faint hearted but once you got used to it, it was a great view. just wish I could remember how much it was........... Also a tour of the ground is a must, you can turn up and pay for that too.

If you love footy then you have to experience it.

DEBS

 

[PoppyAnna]

Hi

I cant answer your question on the Theme Park but do know someone that has been and says its fantastic.

But have been to a game of footy over there last year. we just turned up on the night and bought tickets at the box office. Prices depended on how close you sat to the pitch. Pitchside tickets were expensive. We sat at the top....not for the faint hearted but once you got used to it, it was a great view. just wish I could remember how much it was........... Also a tour of the ground is a must, you can turn up and pay for that too.

If you love footy then you have to experience it.

DEBS

Thank you for the info Debs,
Unfortunately we're not going to be as lucky as you, fixtures have just been released and their only game when we are in the country is on the day we arrive and it's away never mind.
Will have to think of another surprise for DH.....

 

[Aardvarks]

We had 7 days there about 3 years ago. We stayed onsite and booked half board. We got a cheap flight seat only on a charter hop into Salou from Man.

It is nothing like either of the Universal in the USA but it is very good. Very clean, nice theming, way better than Thorpe Park or anything we have i the UK.

Split into different themed areas or Lands. You enter through a 'mediteranean' village then walk around a small lake. This is where they hold the firwork spectatcular at night. They have a 'China' and they have river boats, a train, coasters, a big wheel and some nice shows. The shows are all in Spanish and the acrobat one is very wordy, but the mine is good enough to follw the story. That sdaid, the lead actress likes the sound of her own voice and she has waaaaaaay too many lines.

You can see it all in a day and a half and after 4 days we got the train into Barcelona.

The food is very good, all buffet iirc.

Water park is nice but when we went the water was unheated and a bit too cold for the adults.

 

[PoppyAnna]

We had 7 days there about 3 years ago. We stayed onsite and booked half board. We got a cheap flight seat only on a charter hop into Salou from Man.

It is nothing like either of the Universal in the USA but it is very good. Very clean, nice theming, way better than Thorpe Park or anything we have i the UK.

Split into different themed areas or Lands. You enter through a 'mediteranean' village then walk around a small lake. This is where they hold the firwork spectatcular at night. They have a 'China' and they have river boats, a train, coasters, a big wheel and some nice shows. The shows are all in Spanish and the acrobat one is very wordy, but the mine is good enough to follw the story. That sdaid, the lead actress likes the sound of her own voice and she has waaaaaaay too many lines.

You can see it all in a day and a half and after 4 days we got the train into Barcelona.

The food is very good, all buffet iirc.

Water park is nice but when we went the water was unheated and a bit too cold for the adults.

Thanks for that
We were going to hire a car but have now decided to get the train into Barcelona, where did you get it from, I think it's about an hour journey isn't it?Any info about the train would be good.
Many thanks......

 

[Aardvarks]

The train station nr Universal is a 20 minute walk from memory. The trains to Barcelona are very regular, there is a slow train and a fast train most hours.

Getting off in Barcelona, there is more than one station. Once in Barcelona there is also the underground.

Get a map of the train journey and get a map of local routes in Barcelona. You will also need a phrase book.

We did all the sights in Bareclona, all the Gaudy stuff and the great stuff by the old Olympics site on the harbour. There is a free concert on Friday nights with either live or piped music and fountains with lights.

We met up with my friend after she had finished work in a wine bar on Las Ramblas and after that she did the translations.

If you do a bit of research, the train is the best way to get around. The driving in Barcelona is similar to Westminster in London

 

[PoppyAnna]

Thanks for the info on the train stn
I know Barcelona very well and my Spanish is pretty good - my DH and girls have never been so I can't wait to take them to Parc Guell etc.....
Thanks again

 

[wideeyes]

Thanks for the info on the train stn
I know Barcelona very well and my Spanish is pretty good - my DH and girls have never been so I can't wait to take them to Parc Guell etc.....
Thanks again

I love Barcelona, europe has some great cities.