We did it! Back to Portifino!

[dsmom]

Just made resevations for PBR resort for June 22-25th! We booked bay view this time. I hate to admit it but I have never been to Universal or disney in the months of June-July-Aug. We live here in Fla- a three hour drive away and we always avoided disney in the summer months. How busy will Universal be during this time? Are the parks open later in the summer?
We are thinking of driving down on Thursday and getting a cheap hotel that night so we can be at PB on Friday morning in time for the breakfast buffet. Are there any nice hotels close by? Thanks for any help!

 

[Cinderella822]

We stayed at PBH last August and we're going back again this August. I'm not crazy about the heat, but we can only go when DD is out of school. However, with FOTL, you have no worries as far as the crowds. You will experience crowds everywhere in the summer, but you won't have to wait in long lines. It's wonderful! We go in the morning to the parks and then use the wonderful pools at PBH in the afternoon when it's really hot and crowded in the parks. I think you'll have a great time!

 

[Holly Goheavy]

You'll love it! We're also in Fla and I never ever go to the parks over the summer, but with FOTL I can handle it. PBR is a gorgeous resort, it was the first one we stayed at when IoA first opened and while we've stayed at the others as well, it's hands down our favorite!

 

[dsmom]

Thanks for the advice. We live in Fla but we live on the beach. I was afraid it would be too hot for my son(he has epilepsy) but we will do early morniings and swim in the afternoons. Is the park open later in the summer months?

 

[Holly Goheavy]

We live on the beach too The hours posted for our stay are 9 am to 10 pm both parks. According to the literature I got when I booked our stay hotel guests also get in an hour early (kinda like EMH) to either one of the parks.

 

[robvia]

Parks will be open until 9pm on the weekend when you visit, 8pm on Friday. Crowds will be moderate. The really packed time is July 4th to August 20th.
http://www.universalorlando.com/cal...o_park_hours.html&year=2007&month=6&year=2007

I'm also 3.5 hours away and the PBH is our favorite. The arrive a day before and check into the cheap hotel is a good idea if you don't wake up early. Offsite hotels across the street are here.
Offsite
Then again, you wouldn't have to stay directly across the street since you're driving. You can stay anywhere, pick your favorite hotel chain.

For us, we wake up early in the morning at 2:30am, get on the road at 04:00am, arrive the hotel, pre check in, get our magic keys, and head off to the park. If you check in early, there's a good chance your room will be ready. If not they'll call you on your cell phone, usually around noon.

Yes, waking up early is a bummer, but the advantage is less traffic on the highway and everyone else in the car sleeps. At 4am the roads are practically empty, you can go 77 on the turnpike, and there's no one blocking. When you drive in the afternoon, there are people bunched up and it's a pain.

Two visit approach each day works best. Arrive early, tour a park, go back to the room in the afternoon to rest. Then return at 5pm as the sun is going down and the tired are leaving. You can see a lot in 4 hours.

 

[dsmom]

Thank you for the links! I had no idea the park opened early for resort guests. The later hours will really help too. We will leave the night before and stay off sight- we leave when my husband gets off work and arrive about 8 p.m. My husband wants to get to PB in plenty of time for the breakfast buffet the next morning! I was told we have bay view room with a balcony- any certain room or area to ask for? Thanks again!