What to do regarding hotel arrangements and some extra advice?

[nmartin]

I am planning our first trip to US and am tossing around the idea of staying on site at RP or of site but my final decision will be based on many factors. Please help me!

1) First of all how long does it take to do US and Wet N' Wild in September (without running all over the park). We went to WDW at the same time 2 years ago and went at such a fast pace I dropped at the end of the day without enjoying the onsite resort. So I am looking at a much slower pace at US.
2) At this time of year is FOLP really nessessary? How long are the lines with out this privlage?
3) Is the meal deal really worth purchasing? At WDW I am so glad that we went with their dinning plan for the sit down meals, but at US not many of the table services are "must do" for us. What do you think?
4) Can you clarify the beverage deal for approx. .80 for a refill. I can't imagine drinking $9 worth of fluids for each one of our family. I have two young son's that I limit their soda intake, so are fruit juices included as an option? Do any of you share this? I can see buying 2 for a party of 4 but not one for each of us. Am I right to assume that this expires at the end of each day?
5) If we stay for 5 day in Sept at the RP will we be able to do both the US parks as well as Wet n' Wild and still enjoy the pool at RP? If not I will strongly consider staying off site to save some money.
6) (LASTLY) I think the company is "Meurs" transportation service from the airport to you hotel. Is this worth the money or is a taxi just a good. Maybe this is a taxi so please clarify. Do I have to book their services in advance of flying in to Orlando?

 

[Hedy]

JMO, your mileage may vary

I am planning our first trip to US and am tossing around the idea of staying on site at RP or of site but my final decision will be based on many factors. Please help me!

1) First of all how long does it take to do US and Wet N' Wild in September (without running all over the park). We went to WDW at the same time 2 years ago and went at such a fast pace I dropped at the end of the day without enjoying the onsite resort. So I am looking at a much slower pace at US.
2) At this time of year is FOLP really nessessary? How long are the lines with out this privlage?
3) Is the meal deal really worth purchasing? At WDW I am so glad that we went with their dinning plan for the sit down meals, but at US not many of the table services are "must do" for us. What do you think?
4) Can you clarify the beverage deal for approx. .80 for a refill. I can't imagine drinking $9 worth of fluids for each one of our family. I have two young son's that I limit their soda intake, so are fruit juices included as an option? Do any of you share this? I can see buying 2 for a party of 4 but not one for each of us. Am I right to assume that this expires at the end of each day? The cup can be used day after day, and even trip after trip. You might as well try one for all of you and see how it works out. They have lemonade, but I don't know if you call that juice.
5) If we stay for 5 day in Sept at the RP will we be able to do both the US parks as well as Wet n' Wild and still enjoy the pool at RP? If not I will strongly consider staying off site to save some money.
6) (LASTLY) I think the company is "Meurs" transportation service from the airport to you hotel. Is this worth the money or is a taxi just a good. Maybe this is a taxi so please clarify. Do I have to book their services in advance of flying in to Orlando?

I used Mears to my hotel (HRH) and the airport last year. It was easy to use-I even had a private shuttle for my ride back to MCO. However, with four of you, a towncar might be best.

 

[nmartin]

JMO, your mileage may vary I used Mears to my hotel (HRH) and the airport last year. It was easy to use-I even had a private shuttle for my ride back to MCO. However, with four of you, a towncar might be best.

So is a towncar different than Mears?

 

[Hedy]

So is a towncar different than Mears?

A towncar is just your family, whereas Mears may be shared.

 

[macraven]

I am planning our first trip to US and am tossing around the idea of staying on site at RP or of site but my final decision will be based on many factors. Please help me!

1) First of all how long does it take to do US and Wet N' Wild in September (without running all over the park).

what are your dates for the trip?
some dates are less crowded than others for the hotels on site and the parks.

if you stay on site at universal, they have FREE shuttles to Seaworld, Wet and Wild and Aquatica. you sign up the night before in the lobby for the reserved seats.

how long does it take to do the parks at universal?
it depends on the ages of your children and the family's desire for which rides they prefer.

for a newbie, plan on one day per park and the third day to do your favorites again.

2) At this time of year is FOLP really nessessary? How long are the lines with out this privlage?

what are your dates?
if you check the website for the express pass cost, that is an indicator of projected crowds. but, the site can be changed the day before you go.

staying at the onsite hotels is more than the perk of the FOTL perk.

you can walk to the parks, come back do the pool, go back to the parks, come back, do dinner at city walk, etc.

you have no down time when you stay onsite.

if the park is going to have crowds, and if you would have to buy the epp for all4 of you, you would come out ahead financially if you stayed on site.

if you only stay one night on site, you get 2 full days of fotl perks.
you qualify for that perk on the day you check in to the hotel and the day you check out of the hotel.
if it not unusal for guests to book one night only for the hotels then move offsite. they still get the benefit of 2 days of fotl.
hotel guest receive unlimited rides for everything.
if you buy the EPP, you can only use them one time only per ride/attraction.

AAA is one of the discounts you can use for cheaper hotel rate on site.

3) Is the meal deal really worth purchasing? At WDW I am so glad that we went with their dinning plan for the sit down meals, but at US not many of the table services are "must do" for us. What do you think?

i do the meal deal only when i am in the park for 6 full days.
i eat like a pig at Louie's as their pizza is great.
i stand alone on my feelings on the meal deal.
others always shoot me down on it.......

check out the menu and you can decide if the cost is worth it for you.
it is only valid from 11:00 in the morning to 30 minutes prior to park closing.

TS which are great and reasonable:
Mythos
Finnegans
Lombards
City Walk restaurants.

4) Can you clarify the beverage deal for approx. .80 for a refill. I can't imagine drinking $9 worth of fluids for each one of our family. I have two young son's that I limit their soda intake, so are fruit juices included as an option? Do any of you share this? I can see buying 2 for a party of 4 but not one for each of us. Am I right to assume that this expires at the end of each day?

skip that deal and buy a mug in the park.
it will cost about $8.99 up to $10.49 depending on the type of mug your buy.
they are valid for life.
refills are less than a dollar.
buy one and share the soda.
I am still taking my mug back that i bought in the 1990's in the park.

i believe only soda is in the deal. don't think juice is included.
sometimes i just use my mug for free ice water from the TM's.

5) If we stay for 5 day in Sept at the RP will we be able to do both the US parks as well as Wet n' Wild and still enjoy the pool at RP? If not I will strongly consider staying off site to save some money.

yup, this is very doable.
the parks are very close to the hotels.
city walk is in that area.

you will save time from traveling from an offsite hotel and not have to rush during your time for universal.

september is low season month.
very decent rates for the most part.
book the cheapest room and ask for a free upgrade to water view when you check into the hotel.
if occupancy is low, you might get lucky on that.

check out the website.
there are deals going on for the hotels for families during september.

6) (LASTLY) I think the company is "Meurs" transportation service from the airport to you hotel. Is this worth the money or is a taxi just a good. Maybe this is a taxi so please clarify. Do I have to book their services in advance of flying in to Orlando?

not sure the cost of Mears transportation would be.

i use car service and a round trip from mco to rph, then from rph to mco can be had for $85.

here is a site for you to figure out taxi cost and mears.

http://www.mearstransportation.com/TaxiFareEstimator.asp



i'm sure you will receive a lot of opinions from others.
they all might not agree with me, but since 1992 of doing (disney and) universal, i shared what works for me.

 

[nmartin]

Wow! Thanks for answering all my questions. You make some wonderful suggestions. I am planning on going on Sept 18 to the 23 by the way.
Is City Walk worth the visit? My two boys are 6 and 9 years and I don't know if there will be any thing that interests them.

Just to let you know, I am now considering only spending 2 days on site and then moving off site to allow me 4 days of FOTL access.
I think I would really love RP, but the water slide at Hard Rock would be a real hit with the boys and would give me and my husband some more quiet time at pool side to enjoy each others company. Just wondering what do you think of Hard Rock and is the water slide enough to sway my decision?

 

[Kimberle]

Wow! Thanks for answering all my questions. You make some wonderful suggestions. I am planning on going on Sept 18 to the 23 by the way.
Is City Walk worth the visit? My two boys are 6 and 9 years and I don't know if there will be any thing that interests them.

Just to let you know, I am now considering only spending 2 days on site and then moving off site to allow me 4 days of FOTL access.
I think I would really love RP, but the water slide at Hard Rock would be a real hit with the boys and would give me and my husband some more quiet time at pool side to enjoy each others company. Just wondering what do you think of Hard Rock and is the water slide enough to sway my decision?

Pool hopping is ALLOWED at the US resorts! We spend a whole week at RPR and spent 1 afternoon at the HR pool. Stay at 1, play at all 3!

 

[macraven]

i would stay at RPH and save the money you would be paying extra for HRH.

all you need is your hotel key to pool hop.
take the boat from rph to city walk, then the boat to hrh.
or walk from city walk if you have time.

you show your hotel key to get the towels.
you can charge food on your hotel key also at hrh.

the slide is good but the pool at rph might be better for your family.

the pools at PBH are very nice also. they have more than one pool.

if you stay 2 nights on site at universal, you would end up with 3 days of fotl perk, not 4.

you get the days you are at rph for the perk and the day you check out for that perk.

if you stay on site one night and check out the next day, you get 2 days of fotl.
if you then went back and checked into rph for one single night again, 2 days of fotl again.

your dates fall in the low season. this is when the rates are lowest.

i don't do packages as i have the ap and only go for the room discount.

this is one package that has been popular. i have NOT checked out if it is to your advantage to go with it.

http://www.universalorlando.com/vp/bf/bf_kids_free_desc.html

this one is for room and depending on the dates, rph rooms can go for $125 a night.

http://www.universalorlando.com/hotels/rates-and-offers/super-savings.html#top

if you want to go cheaper, do stay onsite for 2 days and also off site.
you can decide which way is best for you for future visits then. i have done that some years back but since 2003, i only stay onsite.

i hate to deal with being worn out and getting a rental car out of the garage then driving back to the off site hotel.
when i did this during the summer months, i must have had too much sun on some days and planned to return to the parks but didn't.

if you have a car at the on site hotel, there is a nightly parking fee to pay.

 

[nmartin]

Showed my husband the hotel options and he was impressed with the RPH. Thinks that he will be willing to pay more for staying there for 5 nights. He is really a penny pincher so I like to set out all the options to him before I get my hopes up.

I really think that is our best option. Thank you so much for all the information and the web sites that have been suggested have been a real help.

Nicole