RPR Standard or PBH Bay View?

[Wadekind]

1st time visitor
It is actually $67.50 cheaper to stay at PBH with an AP discount vs RPR seasonal rate. (no AP available). These are the best rates I have been able to find so far for our time frame.
Which would you choose and why?
My main concern is walking to the parks vs. having to wait for a water taxi especially when trying to take advantage of the early entry.
we will be going the First weekend in April.

Thank you

 

[damo]

I would just choose the cheapest! All the hotels are lovely.

 

[Claireybear]

We stayed in a Portofino Bay bay view last year and it was fab!! Thats what I'd go for,
Claire

 

[IdesOmarch]

WOW, all I can say is WOW, that is awesome. Getting the Portifino cheaper than RP is a huge treat. Its a no brainer, take Portifino all the way. This is really the best resort IMO. Now I love RP and usually stay there because its normally about 100 a night cheaper. But my first 2 visits I did Portifino, and it is just so plush and lovely, plus the pool is better at Portifino IMO as well.

The next time I'm able to do a money is no object trip I will stay at Portifino.

Oh and BTW, you will actually want to do the water taxis most of the time. Its a fun relaxing cool way to go into the parks to and from your hotel, it is almost like another ride. I love the boats and almost always use them.

 

[tfoster]

We stayed bay view at PBH in December, and it was FABULOUS!

Don't worry about the walk - it is really no big deal. When we were choosing a hotel, I kept telling DH that one of the downsides to PBH was that it was the farthest from the parks and asking if he was okay with that. Once we were there, he couldn't even believe the distance could possibly be an issue; in our opinion, it's just not.

We walked and took the water taxi. Both were fine. If a boat wasn't already at the dock, we quickly learned it was faster to walk than to wait for one. Only took 10 minutes to walk from our room (west wing) to the gates at Universal Studios and then maybe 5 more minutes to get to the gates at IOA (and that's with 5- and 7-year olds in tow).

In early morning, we could see from our room that the boat was filling to capacity and people were waiting for another one (or that one to return??). We didn't even mess with it; we just headed out on foot.