Which Universal Hotel would you choose?

[mrsprincecharming]

Decided on a split stay....now which onsite hotel at Universal is the best choice for a family with kids DS11 and DD7 for 4 nights. We are going in July so the pool is a factor. Which would you choose and Why?

 

[sorul82?]

I'm joining your thread to see what good info you get. I'd like to know if pool hopping is allowed?

 

[Rip]

Decided on a split stay....now which onsite hotel at Universal is the best choice for a family with kids DS11 and DD7 for 4 nights. We are going in July so the pool is a factor. Which would you choose and Why?

Having stayed at all 3, I'd rank them in this order:

1. Hard Rock - I think the pool area is superior to the other 2 (keep in mind Universal's resorts actually encourage pool hopping) and it is the shortest walk to the parks. Rooms are slightly larger than the Royal Pacific, and I like the lounge area.

2. Royal Pacific - IMO the best looking resort, but the pool has no slide (only a play area). My kids (daughter 11 and son 6) actually like this hotel the best, but they still like the pool at the Hard Rock better. Plus, Tchoup Chop is one of our favorite restaurants and I've never had a problem getting a table there.

3. Portofino Bay - Second best pool IMO, and a very romantic look and feel especially in the courtyard area at night. I believe it has the biggest rooms as well. Biggest downside is that it is quite a walk to the parks and I prefer not having to wait for transportation via boat or shuttle. To be fair, you won't have to wait very long - certainly nothing like WDW, but I just didn't like the feeling of pretty much having to wait regardless.

 

[Metro West]

I'm moving this thread to the Universal Resorts board.

 

[Rip]

I'm joining your thread to see what good info you get. I'd like to know if pool hopping is allowed?

More than allowed, it's actively encouraged.

 

[sorul82?]

More than allowed, it's actively encouraged.

Suhhh-weeeeet!

 

[bumbershoot]

DS (7 at the time) and I were unable to find a spot in the HRH pool where actual *swimming* was possible. It was all far too shallow, seemingly to allow people to sit for hours with their drinks, listening to the live band.

There is a small area that gets deep, but that's for the slide (which DS loved madly), and you have to swim out of that area so you're not smashed by the next slider.

HRH pool is great for people-watching, live music-listening, drinking, and sliding, but from our experience, not for swimming.


Portofino has the slide, and there's some room for swimming, and it has a sandy bottom on the shallow side. DS loves the whole area. There are two hot tubs in that area (I only mention hot tubs for this hotel b/c we didn't use them for the other hotels and I don't know about them).


RPR is best for actually swimming from point A to point B. It has NO slide. It has a water play area that's themed like a cruise ship. When we went they also had a volleyball-type net strung over part of the pool, and people were having a great time with some sort of ball.



Of course,there are also the quiet pools! We only experienced Portofino's other pool, and it was LOVELY. Great for swimming. No slide at all. They do have a hot tub and what seemed to be a cold plunge pool right near it, but maybe it was just a hot tub with the heat turned off, LOL.



For everything else, HRH is definitely the *coolest* to be in. RPR's lobby is absolutely lovely, but we found the grounds of Portofino to be beautiful and peaceful as well. IN the evenings they have opera, and there have been (when we've gone) lots of people in the piazza waiting for food, having wine, etc.

 

[Rip]

Suhhh-weeeeet!

You really can't go wrong at any of the resorts there. They are heads and shoulders above anything Disney has to offer, IMO. When it's just me and the wife, we stay at HRH. When the kids come, we stay at RPR but still spend most of our pool time at HRH.

 

[Rip]

DS (7 at the time) and I were unable to find a spot in the HRH pool where actual *swimming* was possible. It was all far too shallow, seemingly to allow people to sit for hours with their drinks, listening to the live band.

There is a small area that gets deep, but that's for the slide (which DS loved madly), and you have to swim out of that area so you're not smashed by the next slider.

HRH pool is great for people-watching, live music-listening, drinking, and sliding, but from our experience, not for swimming.


Portofino has the slide, and there's some room for swimming, and it has a sandy bottom on the shallow side. DS loves the whole area. There are two hot tubs in that area (I only mention hot tubs for this hotel b/c we didn't use them for the other hotels and I don't know about them).


RPR is best for actually swimming from point A to point B. It has NO slide. It has a water play area that's themed like a cruise ship. When we went they also had a volleyball-type net strung over part of the pool, and people were having a great time with some sort of ball.



Of course,there are also the quiet pools! We only experienced Portofino's other pool, and it was LOVELY. Great for swimming. No slide at all. They do have a hot tub and what seemed to be a cold plunge pool right near it, but maybe it was just a hot tub with the heat turned off, LOL.



For everything else, HRH is definitely the *coolest* to be in. RPR's lobby is absolutely lovely, but we found the grounds of Portofino to be beautiful and peaceful as well. IN the evenings they have opera, and there have been (when we've gone) lots of people in the piazza waiting for food, having wine, etc.

Just an aside, but I believe Portofino is the only one with multiple pools, and I agree with pretty much everything you said. None of us are that into actually swimming so that's why we prefer the pool at HRH.

 

[sorul82?]

You really can't go wrong at any of the resorts there. They are heads and shoulders above anything Disney has to offer, IMO. When it's just me and the wife, we stay at HRH. When the kids come, we stay at RPR but still spend most of our pool time at HRH.

Thanks! I'm also considering staying club level.

 

[Rip]

Thanks! I'm also considering staying club level.

You won't regret it, but you might want to look into purchasing at least one AP if they have any discounts left during the time you're going to be there. It's usually well worth it, especially for club level and/or kids' suites.

Go to the UO website and select the tab to book a room, then when you get to the menu that allows you to select your dates, choose "promotion" in the appropriate box and then enter "aph" in the box on the bottom. You may already know this, but many times the discount on the room alone will pay for the additional cost of the AP.

 

[KristenHoneymooner]

You won't regret it, but you might want to look into purchasing at least one AP if they have any discounts left during the time you're going to be there. It's usually well worth it, especially for club level and/or kids' suites.

Go to the UO website and select the tab to book a room, then when you get to the menu that allows you to select your dates, choose "promotion" in the appropriate box and then enter "aph" in the box on the bottom. You may already know this, but many times the discount on the room alone will pay for the additional cost of the AP.

Is there any hassle involved with getting an AP vs a regular pass (e.g., having to go to guest services in the morning instead of being able to just go straight into the park)? An AP almost (but not quite) pays for itsself for our particular hotel needs, and thus might work out in our favor if we use it for discounts on other things, but it wouldn't be worth if it there is hassle invovled compared with getting the multiday passes mailed to us by Undercover Tourist.

 

[Rip]

Is there any hassle involved with getting an AP vs a regular pass (e.g., having to go to guest services in the morning instead of being able to just go straight into the park)? An AP almost (but not quite) pays for itsself for our particular hotel needs, and thus might work out in our favor if we use it for discounts on other things, but it wouldn't be worth if it there is hassle invovled compared with getting the multiday passes mailed to us by Undercover Tourist.

To be honest, I've been renewing mine for so long I can't remember. I know for the Premier Pass you have to get your picture taken and it took us about 30 extra min to get my wife's. Mine is the Preferred pass which doesn't have a picture on it and I don't remember if I had to go to guest services for it or not, I bought it years ago and just renew it by phone every year.

Give them a call and ask, and if you plan on going again remember that the renewal for those is only $157 per year.

 

[macraven]

the older preferred annual pass has the photo on it and is the size and material of a credit card.
as long as the holder renews each year, they use the same photo id pass.
i have one of those but if i would lose it, the replacement would be what is used now. no photo on it.


that has been done away with the past years to the 'paper', no photo pass.


use your tickets to enter the park.
before you leave, stop by guest services to ask about upgrading to the AP.


the ticket you used that day will go towards the cost of upgrading to an AP.

 

[macraven]

Is there any hassle involved with getting an AP vs a regular pass (e.g., having to go to guest services in the morning instead of being able to just go straight into the park)? An AP almost (but not quite) pays for itsself for our particular hotel needs, and thus might work out in our favor if we use it for discounts on other things, but it wouldn't be worth if it there is hassle invovled compared with getting the multiday passes mailed to us by Undercover Tourist.

no hassle.
you pay the difference of what you paid for the multi pass to the upgrade to the AP.

you can do it in the park at guest services when you are taking a break from rides.

 

[Rip]

the older preferred annual pass has the photo on it and is the size and material of a credit card.
as long as the holder renews each year, they use the same photo id pass.
i have one of those but if i would lose it, the replacement would be what is used now. no photo on it.


that has been done away with the past years to the 'paper', no photo pass.


use your tickets to enter the park.
before you leave, stop by guest services to ask about upgrading to the AP.


the ticket you used that day will go towards the cost of upgrading to an AP.

Yep, I've still got that one too!

 

[bumbershoot]

Just an aside, but I believe Portofino is the only one with multiple pools, and I agree with pretty much everything you said. None of us are that into actually swimming so that's why we prefer the pool at HRH.

That's good to know about the multiple pools! Thank you for filling in the gap there, and of course thanks for agreeing with me.

Is there any hassle involved with getting an AP vs a regular pass (e.g., having to go to guest services in the morning instead of being able to just go straight into the park)? An AP almost (but not quite) pays for itsself for our particular hotel needs, and thus might work out in our favor if we use it for discounts on other things, but it wouldn't be worth if it there is hassle invovled compared with getting the multiday passes mailed to us by Undercover Tourist.

I bought an AP online for the AP rate. I first thought I had to wait in line to talk to a human, then read my printout yet again and saw "kiosk" on it. Got out of line, went to the line-free kiosk, entered in whatever I had to enter, and out popped my Preferred pass, with my name already printed on it. I think I signed it, took it to the gate, did the rigamarole with the finger scan that you do with all tickets/APs, went on in!

At the end of the trip DH and DS wanted to upgrade their tickets. The only hassle was waiting for the people in front of us to stop talking to the TMs about their issues. Since we had such a positive reason for being in there, we got huge smiles from all, and the upgrade was done very quickly.

No hassle in the process, just in other guests!

 

[mrsprincecharming]

Honestly I am going back and forth between RPR and PB..HRH seems wonderful but at $70+ a night more than what I can get the other two for I think I will just pool hop over there if we want to check it out. Thanks for all your advice....keep it coming. I love the wealth of information the very nice people on this board share

 

[macraven]

Honestly I am going back and forth between RPR and PB..HRH seems wonderful but at $70+ a night more than what I can get the other two for I think I will just pool hop over there if we want to check it out. Thanks for all your advice....keep it coming. I love the wealth of information the very nice people on this board share

it all depends on if you want a large room or a medium size room.
your children are young so the 4 of you can fit nicely in the rph rooms.

maybe you won't be spending that much time in your room and be at the parks and pools. if that is the case, go with rph as it is cheaper.

you can always do another vacation at the darkside.

if you watch the rates of the 3 hotels, there have been times that rph has been the more expensive hotel of the 3 and hrh the cheapest.
it can be surprising on how rates of the hotels flucuate

it varies with dates.

 

[mrsprincecharming]

Thank you when I checked last night HRH was $75 dollars more a night and the other two were only $2 difference a night because one has an AP discount which I would get if I decided on the bigger rooms. I will keep checking though. I guess it depends on the pool or if one is more kid friendly than the other.