First timer questions

[erinch]

We could easily spend a week there! Ditto non Discovery Cove and the Sea World add-on.

also, who knows what your son will find fun a year from now?

 

[nkereina]

I researched, and it looks like Hard Rock, Portofino and Royal Pacific

I can't speak to the suites, but Hard Rock Hotel is our favorite resort as two adults. Its the closest to the parks, so makes for an easy walk if you don't want to wait for the water taxi. The theme of the resort will likely be lost on the 8 year old, if that's a concern. The whole resort and the pool complex is certainly family friendly, but the feel of it seems more geared towards adults IMO. The pool is a lively atmosphere with popular music playing, but there is a slide and sand area.

Portofino Bay feels a touch more upscale, and its a longer walk if you don't want to wait for the water taxi. But, I think this is the best one in terms of theme as you really feel like you're elsewhere while there. The pools here are great too.

Royal Pacific will be the most affordable of the three, and is on the Islands side of the property (HRH and PBR are on the Universal side). Another great pool here, but no slide. But, keep in mind that in "normal" times you can pool hop at Universal resorts. I believe its restricted right now due to COVID, but something to monitor since you have a year to go.

We are thinking of a 1 week trip. Based upon posts here, it sounds like that may be a little too long to do exclusively Universal. With a week's time, would you recommend staying on the Universal property the whole time and taking some trips to see some sights around Orlando? The other option that I thought of was to hit a different area of Florida within driving distance of Orlando for a few days of the trip. For example, we were at the Space Coast last year to catch a cruise and enjoyed the area.

A week at Universal only would be too long for us. Since you will have unlimited EPs by choosing to stay at RPR, PBR, or HRH, you can get through both parks in 2-3 days max, even sleeping in and going at a leisurely pace. I would also consider adding a day at Volcano Bay with that length of time. DH and I would also add a day at Disney Springs with dinner at a Disney resort to get our Disney fix. Cocoa Beach is easy driving distance if that's your speed too.

If you decide to stay this long, I would highly suggest purchasing annual passes. The price is roughly equivalent to a 4 day ticket, so the AP will give you admission to any park you want for the duration of your trip. It also will give you access to hotel discounts (AP rates come out approx. 3-4 months in advance) as well as other discounts on food and merch in the parks. Well worth it, even if you won't be using the AP a second time within the year.

Finally, how do kids who are not big roller coaster fans enjoy Universal. My son hated Test Track, Big Thunder Mountain, Seven Dwarves Mine Train and even the Barnstormer at Disney. He said they were all too scary. He did enjoy water based rides like Splash Mountain even though there were drops and rides where the "scare" was the content (e.g. Dinosaur). Will there be enough for him to do at Universal? Will he spend a lot of time waiting for us if the adults want to try the Potter rides. (I am fine with skipping the thrill coasters).

If your son is a fan of things like Marvel, Jurassic Park, and Harry Potter, then I think he would still have fun. Many of the rides are simulator style where you wear 3D glasses. None of those would be too scary, IMO. I disagree that all the HP rides are thrill rides - my 70 year old mother HATES rides but she had fun on Gringotts and Forbidden Journey. She would probably skip FJ next time, but would definitely do Gringotts again. Hagrid's is a definite no go for someone who doesn't like coasters. But rides like Simpsons, Men In Black, Transformers, Minions, Fallon, Seussland rides, Spiderman, Kong, Shrek.... all would be good. I'm sure there's more I'm not even remembering. Plus the shows too!

 

[Jess_S]

Thanks everyone. I forwarded the Orlando Insider Universal Page along with your hotel feedback to my mother since she gets the final call here. My guess is that she and my dad will be most interested in the Portofino based upon theme. I am thinking that I will suggest staying at Universal for 6 nights, but using some of the days to see non Universal sights. In addition to Legoland and Sea World, it seems like there are some interesting museums, zoos, and outdoor activities in the immediate area.

 

[Bethany10]

Check out Schumi's trip reports. She and her DH go all over Orlando, and I shamelessly trolled her trip reports for places to eat. Plus, she's a lovely person and very active here.

 

[schumigirl]

Thanks everyone. I forwarded the Orlando Insider Universal Page along with your hotel feedback to my mother since she gets the final call here. My guess is that she and my dad will be most interested in the Portofino based upon theme. I am thinking that I will suggest staying at Universal for 6 nights, but using some of the days to see non Universal sights. In addition to Legoland and Sea World, it seems like there are some interesting museums, zoos, and outdoor activities in the immediate area.

Jess_S a week really isn`t too long at Universal.......

Portofino is indeed a lovely hotel and you`ll be happy there for sure. There are so many things to do offsite around and fairly close to Universal, it`s easy to get around and do other things away from the parks.

Check out Schumi's trip reports. She and her DH go all over Orlando, and I shamelessly trolled her trip reports for places to eat. Plus, she's a lovely person and very active here.

 

[Jess_S]

I have read my way through most of one of your trip reports, schumigirl. It has been so helpful in terms of understanding what there is to do and how far things are from each other. Plus I love the cocktail photos. I know my husband and I will enjoy having drinks overlooking the lagoon and your photos make it look so inviting.

I hope you will get to do your December trip. I am clinging to the hope that this pandemic will wind down in November. (I watched a documentary about the 1918 flu and told myself this one can't last longer than that one did).

 

[mrsclark]

I agree with other posters - the real question is not how your son feels about coasters but how he does with simulator rides such as Star Tours and FoP? If he likes those you will have a great time at Universal as it is very screen heavy.

I can’t speak to the suite question, but overall I highly recommend Royal Pacific - it might be one of the best hotels we have stayed at - ever! The service is great, the food is great, the rooms are nice, the resort itself is beautiful and the pool is great. If you want to do a couple of pool days mixed in with park days or even just do afternoons at the pool, I highly recommend Royal Pacific. We tried Portofino Bay one year to compare and MUCH preferred RP.

Have you visited Kennedy Space Center with your son before? If not, I think that would be a great one day adventure - DH and I were there last year while on our babymoon and really enjoyed it - especially the new space shuttle building and exhibits (we were last there on our honeymoon in 2007). There is a ton to see there and if he is really into space I would plan to be there from open to close. If he is sort of interested I would still plan to spend the day there - lots to see and do including IMAX films (included in the cost of admission).

 

[schumigirl]

I have read my way through most of one of your trip reports, schumigirl. It has been so helpful in terms of understanding what there is to do and how far things are from each other. Plus I love the cocktail photos. I know my husband and I will enjoy having drinks overlooking the lagoon and your photos make it look so inviting.

I hope you will get to do your December trip. I am clinging to the hope that this pandemic will wind down in November. (I watched a documentary about the 1918 flu and told myself this one can't last longer than that one did).

Thank you so much, that is so lovely of you to say so, I`m glad you enjoyed reading them. Pictures are a great aid, I always enjoy looking at pictures on a TR too.....and yes, you`ll love sitting overlooking the lagoon enjoying a cocktail or two......

And yes, we do hope we can visit for Christmas as planned too......this has got to ease sometime hasn`t it......surely!

 

[Jess_S]

I agree with other posters - the real question is not how your son feels about coasters but how he does with simulator rides such as Star Tours and FoP? If he likes those you will have a great time at Universal as it is very screen heavy.

I can’t speak to the suite question, but overall I highly recommend Royal Pacific - it might be one of the best hotels we have stayed at - ever! The service is great, the food is great, the rooms are nice, the resort itself is beautiful and the pool is great. If you want to do a couple of pool days mixed in with park days or even just do afternoons at the pool, I highly recommend Royal Pacific. We tried Portofino Bay one year to compare and MUCH preferred RP.

Have you visited Kennedy Space Center with your son before? If not, I think that would be a great one day adventure.

Having looked at some trip reports now, Royal Pacific is a strong contender. It looks to be very convenient in terms of location and I like the looks of the landscaping. I keep passing everyone's comments along to the boss aka my mom. Once she picks, I will handle the booking and logistics because I enjoy it (and she doesn't).

We went to Kennedy Space Center last year before a cruise and had a great day there. Definitely a good recommendation for a kid my son's age. We stayed a few hours and barely saw half of it, so it could be worth a repeat visit.

 

[Dockside Bayer]

I have not been to Universal yet but have been doing lots of research for our upcoming trip.

Like others, I do not see these parks as thrill ride heavy. When you go on the app and unclick thrill rides, you'll see that there are actually only a few.

Our family went with value resorts because they are such a great deal, especially for a family of 5. We did not feel the Express perk was worth the large cost. But I know this is personal preference.

I think a week is the right amount of time with kids. We got a four day pass...1 day at Volcano Bay and 3 at UO and IOA (We have park to park.) That only leaves a couple of down days for the resort & City Walk. I think it would be too much to try to squeeze more in but we do like a relaxing pace.

Someone told you to get an AP instead of 4 day tickets. We were given the same advice but really are just not seeing how this would be a savings. The promo tickets are so cheap right now. But also, there are so many blackout dates with the basic APs.

Hope you have a wonderful vacay.

 

[nkereina]

We did not feel the Express perk was worth the large cost. But I know this is personal preference.

Its definitely personal preference, and with a week, its not as important to be efficient with your time in the park. We like EPs because we generally do 3 park days and the EPs allow us to still tour the parks at our leisure, sleep in, and not have a strategy.

The only thing I'd mention in the current environment that is an added benefit for the EP is that you don't have to contend with the virtual queues. During the AP weekend when the parks first opened, it was busy enough where VQ times were difficult to obtain for certain popular rides. Because there are no standby lines with the VQ, that means you needed an EP to ride if you could not obtain a VQ time. To my knowledge, this situation has only happened that one time over that busy weekend, but its something to keep in mind. It could happen again if we see an up-tick in crowds, which we may now that FL has lifted the tri-state quarantine mandate. Many of us here in NY are itching to get down there!

Someone told you to get an AP instead of 4 day tickets. We were given the same advice but really are just not seeing how this would be a savings. The promo tickets are so cheap right now. But also, there are so many blackout dates with the basic APs.

The most basic AP is the seasonal AP and there really aren't that many blackout dates unless you're traveling during peak times. Many of the blackout dates were lifted this year in light of what is going on, so I would not be surprised to see some of the typical blackout dates lifted into next year as well. If the blackout dates don't interfere, a seasonal 3 park AP is $373.99 with an additional three months free right now. A 3 park 4 day park-to-park ticket is $394.99. The seasonal AP is also eligible for resort discounts, which can be a significant savings especially at the premier resorts. The promo Buy 2 Get 2 day park ticket that I'm seeing has to be used by 12/17, and OP is traveling next summer. Even still, those are running at $294 - the tickets are cheaper than the seasonal AP, but the AP discount at the hotel may very well offset that. Its worth doing the math for anyone considering the promo ticket.

 

[Jess_S]

Its definitely personal preference, and with a week, its not as important to be efficient with your time in the park. We like EPs because we generally do 3 park days and the EPs allow us to still tour the parks at our leisure, sleep in, and not have a strategy.

The only thing I'd mention in the current environment that is an added benefit for the EP is that you don't have to contend with the virtual queues. During the AP weekend when the parks first opened, it was busy enough where VQ times were difficult to obtain for certain popular rides. Because there are no standby lines with the VQ, that means you needed an EP to ride if you could not obtain a VQ time. To my knowledge, this situation has only happened that one time over that busy weekend, but its something to keep in mind. It could happen again if we see an up-tick in crowds, which we may now that FL has lifted the tri-state quarantine mandate. Many of us here in NY are itching to get down there!


The most basic AP is the seasonal AP and there really aren't that many blackout dates unless you're traveling during peak times. Many of the blackout dates were lifted this year in light of what is going on, so I would not be surprised to see some of the typical blackout dates lifted into next year as well. If the blackout dates don't interfere, a seasonal 3 park AP is $373.99 with an additional three months free right now. A 3 park 4 day park-to-park ticket is $394.99. The seasonal AP is also eligible for resort discounts, which can be a significant savings especially at the premier resorts. The promo Buy 2 Get 2 day park ticket that I'm seeing has to be used by 12/17, and OP is traveling next summer. Even still, those are running at $294 - the tickets are cheaper than the seasonal AP, but the AP discount at the hotel may very well offset that. Its worth doing the math for anyone considering the promo ticket.

Thank you for the explanation on the AP. I think I must have been looking at a top tier AP because it cost more than the 4 day park-to-park ticket. I will have to do some more research on APs and see if there is one that fits with our dates and is more cost effective than a 4 day ticket.

My mom mentioned wanting to stay at one of the higher end hotels, so I think the EP works out to be a nice inclusion (rather than the reason for booking the hotel to begin with). I think she might also get my dad to go along with the extra cost by blaming my family because we tend to stay at higher end hotels if we book our own trips. My dad seemed to think I picked the resort when we went to Disney -- even though my mom picked it. But she's also very keen on the idea of a suite, so if there are suites with a common area at some of the value hotels, that could be an appealing option.

 

[nkereina]

Thank you for the explanation on the AP. I think I must have been looking at a top tier AP because it cost more than the 4 day park-to-park ticket. I will have to do some more research on APs and see if there is one that fits with our dates and is more cost effective than a 4 day ticket.

There are four levels of APs. The top tier has no blackout dates, and the second tier only has blackout dates for Volcano Bay. If you're not interested in VB, you could just do a two park pass which would be cheaper than what I have quoted above. We can always get away with a seasonal AP because we book our trips around any blackout dates. If you bump up to the next tier, Power Pass, its roughly $50 more per AP, but you're still eligible for resort discounts and now become eligible for flex pay, parking discounts, and there are fewer blackout dates to worry about. So, its definitely worth it to consider the ancillary benefits of the AP when doing a cost comparison.

 

[CyndiLooWho]

I would still come for a week and plan to do other things. My boys LOVE Kennedy Space Center. When we come to Orlando, we always drive over there for a day. They really wanted to do 2 days, but I had fast passes set up for all but the one day I had planned for KSC. If we had been at Universal, we probably would have gone back for a second day.

Next, our 21 year old son refuses to ride roller coasters. Period. He still has fun at Universal. He just rides the other things, and my dh will split off with him if the 19 year old and I go ride a roller coaster.

Non roller coaster rides they both love: the Simpsons, MIB, Spiderman, Transformers, Blutos Bilge Rat Barges. When they were younger we did all the Suess things. They love just going into the HP shops and stuff, and I'm sure the 21 will buy an interactive wand next time. They really enjoyed the Terminator and Twister shows, and as kids, the Shrek show. I'm sure they'd enjoy the Bourne show now.

Plus, my guys are foodies, so they enjoy the dinners outside the parks, too. And we stay in a condo, and work puzzles or go in the lazy river in the evenings.