Royal Pacific but don't use the room (staying at Poly)?

[NYCANC]

Actually, now that you mention it, I did think you were passing judgement upon somebody...just not sure if you were directing your comments to me or bumbershoot since your comment section is now empty where you originally quoted me Post #10. I decided to take the high road.

BTW, Bumbershoot is a straight-shooter and is a very good source of information. I may not always agree with her thoughts but I respect her right to voice an opinion, same as anybody else here.

Your interpretation is waaaay off! I spend an average of 4 or 5 weeks per year at Disney parks every year, enjoying every moment, & not just @WDW

I respect everyone's opinions- I didn't like the negative club level comments though. Free food and all- there are other reasons for club level especially if you get a great deal! When I said that comment about "sorry you don't like Disney anymore"- that's how I read their post. I already apologized if I read that incorrectly in my other post. I also haven't deleted anything.

Again, I am just looking for feedback from people who have done what I'm questioning.
Thanks!

 

[NYCANC]

we now always do a night at universal mid trip during our Disney Vacations. This way we just pack 1 overnight bag and leave everything else at disney hotel. Grab an Uber and check in at Universal leave our bag with bell services, print our express passes and enjoy the day. I don't think Early morning is especially important, especially the first day. The after the park closes, explore city walk, play some mini golf, explore the resort. The next morning get up check out leave bag with bell services and go to park for the extra hour if you feel you need. Explore the parks once done, grab bag from bell services and Uber back to Poly. I will agree with the others, you will quickly get spoiled by Express pass and hate waiting in lines when back at Disney. Universal is such a care free no planning parks, it honestly is a great break from all the Disney planning involved to enjoy a Disney Vacation

Thank you very much for your post!

 

[macraven]

Time to tone this down..

Everyone is allowed to express themselves which they have

No need to continue in this direction

 

[georgina]

This trip is pretty much for HP for my DD

Thanks for the great info! That's what we were thinking- more important to have the EP even if we cannot get there for the early park entry. Thanks!

Hi NYCANC,

You mentioned several times in this thread that the trip is mainly to do HP things. Just wanted to make sure you realize that the 2 biggest HP rides, Gringotts and the Forbidden Journey, do not have EP. Early entry is more important there.

 

[Chelley00]

Thanks- how early do you feel you need to check-in that 1st morning in order to get in the hour before the park opening

We usually do early entry the second day. Then we are already checked in and we don't have to leave so early. One year we did do it and we left the Disney area 1 1/2 hours before park opening. 30 minutes to travel and park, check in, express pass and then walk/water taxi to the park. The kids grumble if we do too many early days in a row so now we just go early on day one and use early entry on day 2.

 

[NYCANC]

Hi NYCANC,

You mentioned several times in this thread that the trip is mainly to do HP things. Just wanted to make sure you realize that the 2 biggest HP rides, Gringotts and the Forbidden Journey, do not have EP. Early entry is more important there.

Yep, you are right. I knew that about those rides and you are right- the 1st hour will help. I guess if we cannot make it on the 1st day- we will have it on the 2nd day.

 

[NYCANC]

Thanks- how early do you feel you need to check-in that 1st morning in order to get in the hour before the park opening

We usually do early entry the second day. Then we are already checked in and we don't have to leave so early. One year we did do it and we left the Disney area 1 1/2 hours before park opening. 30 minutes to travel and park, check in, express pass and then walk/water taxi to the park. The kids grumble if we do too many early days in a row so now we just go early on day one and use early entry on day 2.

I am thinking that will be our plan too. Unless of course, the kids surprise me and get up extra early on their own

 

[gotomu212]

I would take the same approach as a few others. Day 1 I wouldn't rush to wake up for Early Entry, have breakfast at the Poly, take an uber to the hotel, check in, take the boat over to Universal (I am not exaggerating that from hotel lobby to park entrance can be as fast as 15 minutes ...30 if you just happen to miss a boat). Then I personally would plan to stay at RPH that first nigh- it saves you 40 minutes back to WDW and another 40 in the morning and an uber can have a little bit of a wait at park close. I'd have a fun dinner at CityWalk, explore the resort, and then a somewhat early night.

Then you can wake extra early the second day for early entry, leave your bag with the hotel, enjoy the park. I understand not wanting to go back to the hotel BUT I'm not kidding when I say it only adds 15 minutes and I've ways found it a little easier to get an uber from the hotel because you're away from the Citywalk exiting crowd and the uber driver is easy to locate at the lobby.

For me personally avoiding the 80 minutes in extra drive time and seeing Citywalk would be worth a night away from Poly. It already kills me to wake up for early entry so doing that after a drive would be blah. Either way I hope you really enjoy Universal (the EP is addictive!)

 

[macraven]

If you miss the boat at rpr, you could walk to the park under ten minutes

 

[NYCANC]

I would take the same approach as a few others. Day 1 I wouldn't rush to wake up for Early Entry, have breakfast at the Poly, take an uber to the hotel, check in, take the boat over to Universal (I am not exaggerating that from hotel lobby to park entrance can be as fast as 15 minutes ...30 if you just happen to miss a boat). Then I personally would plan to stay at RPH that first nigh- it saves you 40 minutes back to WDW and another 40 in the morning and an uber can have a little bit of a wait at park close. I'd have a fun dinner at CityWalk, explore the resort, and then a somewhat early night.

Then you can wake extra early the second day for early entry, leave your bag with the hotel, enjoy the park. I understand not wanting to go back to the hotel BUT I'm not kidding when I say it only adds 15 minutes and I've ways found it a little easier to get an uber from the hotel because you're away from the Citywalk exiting crowd and the uber driver is easy to locate at the lobby.

For me personally avoiding the 80 minutes in extra drive time and seeing Citywalk would be worth a night away from Poly. It already kills me to wake up for early entry so doing that after a drive would be blah. Either way I hope you really enjoy Universal (the EP is addictive!)

Thank you! Really great info!

 

[angierae]

I was there 1/8 to 1/12 this year. With EP, I wouldn't stress too much about being there right for early entry. You aren't going to have line problems, you will have plenty of time to do what you want to do.

 

[kathy884]

Just stayed three nights at Royal Pacific last week (DH had a conference there). Just use it as a throw away room. While it's a perfectly fine place to stay it doesn't compare well to the Poly at all. The theming and landscaping at the Poly are just outstanding and boy do I like having a room with a balcony too.

 

[kathy884]

Adding a comment too after my post that the POLY is a way nicer resort IMHO than RPH.

I'd personally just stay at the Poly, but an overnight stay at the RPH would be fine too. I think doing two Uber drives is easier than packing an overnight bag for four, but that is totally your call. I think it's a good 20 minute walk from the hotel to the parks too FYI. There is a boat too, but we just walked it. Packing an overnight bag really isn't a bad option either. Also, if some want to use early entry the next day and others want to sleep in, that is easier with the overnight stay. Even low season there are a lot of people in the HP areas, so if being in those areas with fewer people is appealing that is where the early entry is nice (Not any worse than the crowds ever are in Fantasy Land at the MK though). Either way, though, I don't think your lines for the headliner rides will be an issue. Queues were short later in the day for us for Forbidden Journey too last Tuesday for example, a similar low crowd time to when you are going. The Magic Kingdom was really crowded that same week, compared to Universal for sure. And SeaWorld crowds were in between those two.

Also for the week you are going, I really and truly don't think you'd really need the express pass or early entry. They never hurt though, and if it's in your budget, DS I know even with low crowds thought it was very cool to get a FP for absolutely everything except the big HP rides (Gringott's Forbidden Journey, and the train). It's a unique experience that the kids love. We are usually pretty budget conscious, though, and low season staying offsite Universal have in the past only gotten the park to park tickets. And that was not a problem at all and a great day at the parks. Last week was our first experience with the fastpass because of being onsite for DH's conference.

Here is what our evening looked like on the one day we did a park to park Universal ticket. At 6 p.m. when the parks closed, since we had to walk by City Walk anyway to go back to the hotel, we decided to go ahead and have dinner there. We ate at the Italian restaurant there. Then we headed back to our room and relaxed for 45 minutes or so, looked at photos we had taken over the day. Next we changed into swim suits, and hit the large very nice hot tub at the resort. They were showing a film at the pool too. After that DS was hungry again, so ordered some mac and cheese from room service (slender guy, who eats small portions frequently) and then we just crashed our for the night.

The fact that you are going at a lower season time means that I think whatever permutation or combination you do will actually work out very well for you.