Please help! I know nothing about Universal Hotels in Florida

[Koz]

Thanks Mac but I had some rather specific questions I'm hoping to receive feedback on.

 

[RalphinSC]

Looking at your price points, Hard Rock looks like a pretty good deal, especially for the kids. The pool area there is great fun and it is the closest hotel to Studios, a very easy walk to get to the park or to Citiwalk. We are staying there in a few weeks and have toured the resort and pool area before and really like it. The deluxe resort are fairly minimal on the food court side but have great poolside menus and sit down restaurants. And when we were checking out the Hard Rock, they had live music poolside and active games and activities. Portofino Bay is a more "romantic" kind of getaway. They have more overall pool space and pools than Hard Rock, but their pool areas are geared to be pretty relaxing and laid back.

If I could book at Hard Rock for less than Cabana bay, I'd deal with the minor inconvenience of being five crowded into one room. One thing I'm curious about, did the Cabana price point include adding in express passes to the tickets? If not, it's even a better deal to stay at PBH or HRH as the unlimited express comes included with the room there for each member of your family.

 

[prairiesarah]

I really can't give an opinion on hotels either way as we are taking our first trip in March. The only place I have found specific information on whether the rooms include details on whether rooms include a pullout sofa is in the room descriptions on the Orlando Informer website. It looks like the Deluxe Double Queen rooms do at Hard Rock Hotel and some Deluxe Double Queen at Portofino Hotel do as well, but must be requested. I would obviously verify this directly with the hotel if it is a requirement for you over a rollaway but hope this at least gives you some information to help make your first choice etc.

 

[macraven]

The deluxe double queens at hrh are great but there is a limited number of them

A request will not always guarantee you will get one


I’ve had them three times but got lucky as first to request it before others
Was able to lock it in

Other times I requested it but was on wait list in case of a cancellation
Went with regular 2Q then

It seems to be larger than the regular 2 Q rooms
Had a section by door to store suitcases and bench to sit on for dressing in the morning

Now with hotels after they remodeled might have changed this room type set up with the small section I wrote about
Has been a few years since I have stayed at hrh

 

[bchbetha]

Skip the dining plan. It’s not really much of a money saver.
My youngest and I sometimes split food because I hate food waste and portions are large. Great for the budget too.
I’d absolutely go with a hotel with EPs.
Since you can pool hop and visit the other resorts, just pick the best room type fit your crew.

 

[DisPhanatic]

I stayed in a Deluxe Queen room at HRH last May. It is a bookable category so you should be locked into that room style. It is a bit larger and definitely has a convertible couch to sleep 5. We loved that room and I highly recommend it.

 

[csmolu]

Are you a Costco member? I got a pretty good deal at PBH for our family of five in a club level room. There is no dining plan but lots of food choices availible throughout the day...

 

[gotomu212]

Good morning everyone. It's been some time since I first posted in this thread and I've absolutely done my research. Here's where I'm at now:

1) 24 to 31 Aug 2018
2) Family of 5- 2 adults, 3 kids.
3) 4 day- 3 park to park ticket.
4) Dining plan with unlimited drinks for all 5.
5) Trip insurance on my own- not cancel for any reason because of its limitations.

I really thought that we wanted to stay at Cabana Bay until I was at the hotel last week when I was in town for business. It was busy, really busy, and struck me almost like a value resort on the Disney side in terms of appointment and layout. Please realize that I'm not being snobby, but instead just saying that for a little bit less money ($4,513.96 for family suite @ Cabana) I'm able to look at a Deluxe 2 queen bedroom room @ Hard Rock ($4,354.24) or Portofino ($4,328.65) where the vibe struck me (at least in January) as a little more laid back. I've been told that at Hard Rock and Portofino when you book Deluxe you don't need a rollaway, as the couch folds out to a twin bed. Is that accurate? I keep seeing conflicting information but would prefer that my daughter have something other than a rollaway to sleep on for 7 nights.

What are we looking for in terms of hotel

1) Nice pool for our off days (I've been told that Hard Rock has the best slide on property but not sure how accurate that is). Any feedback?
2) Pool activities- what is going on around the pool that the kids can take part in? Ages are 13, 10 and 6.
3) Resort activities? Movies after dark, bike rental, fitness clubs, restaurants and food courts?

I know that certain perks that come with Cabana Bay aren't realized at the other 2, with things like a lazy river, bowling alley, huge food court, microwave and sink in kitchenette area, but am looking to see whether things offered by either of the other hotels make up for it. Any feedback you might have is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

At those prices for me Portofino would win hands down. We feel it’s casually elegant- laid back but has all the bells and whistles of a high end hotel. There’s opera performed on the balcony by the bay every evening. People open there balcony doors or sit in the piazza and just listen. The pool is great and has a slide for your kids. You can also pool hop to any other pool onsite if you want to take a down day and enjoy Cabanas or HRH. We liked the restaurants there and the rooms are larger.

Pool activities vary throughout the day and during different seasons. For your younger ones they have ping pong tournaments, silly competitions, movies, sand castle building (there’s a little zero entry beach areas).

All the resorts have restaurants at different price points and Cabana Bay has the bowling alley and food court. Along with pool hopping you can resort hop by taking the complimentary water taxi from your hotel to city walk and then from city walk to the other hotel (cabana bay will be a bus and not a water taxi). We use one of our off days to explore a different resort restaurant.

The big difference for us between UO and WDW is the size and proximity of everything. Getting from hotel to city walk to gates and from park to park is really quick and easy. It isn’t the big ordeal of switching transportation and buses and monorails. Some people touched on this but during park days you can bounce between parks in under 5 minutes so they really operate more like Disney lands than seperate parks (except VB). Between that and express pass it’s such a different, more relaxing, experience.

You didn’t ask but another difference ADRs. Forget about them! You dont need to make any dining reservations, but if you did want to make a few sit down reservations you can do it the day before. That one always blows WDW planners minds. I personally haven’t found value in the meal plans when I’ve compared them, BUT you can buy them day of at any dining venue and not everyone in your party needs one. If it were me I’d hold off until in the parks and then maybe only buy 2-3.

Oh and trip insurance. Most of us on the boards book hotel and tickets separately. It is usually cheaper than the packages. Booking the hotel directly with Loews you can cancel it without any penalty up to 3 days before for any reason. You’ll only need to put down a one night deposit too, balance due at check out. No fees to change reservations this way, but with a package you would have fees and cancellation penalties. You can book tickets through undercover tourists who usually has deals throughout the year. Most people on the board have used them and it’s all on the up and up. Just remember you do NOT need to seperately book EPs if you are at one of the big three hotels. (Some people get confused and think they have to book them).

Finally since you are there 5 days it might make sense to upgrade your tickets to an annual pass, just ask at guest services once you enter the first day. It’s usually ridiculously cheap to convert from 3 day to AP and then you get food discounts and you can pop over to the parks for a couple of hours on your off days.

 

[hhoope01]

Finally since you are there 5 days it might make sense to upgrade your tickets to an annual pass, just ask at guest services once you enter the first day. It’s usually ridiculously cheap to convert from 3 day to AP and then you get food discounts and you can pop over to the parks for a couple of hours on your off days.

If you do opt for an AP, check which AP version you are purchasing as not all of them have the same food discounts. Also, you might want to purchase the APs to begin with (rather than upgrading standard park tickets) as you might be able to get the AP hotel rate.

 

[macraven]

If a person books a room with the ap rate, the can upgrade their ticket passes to the ap

As long as you show your ap while still a guest in the hotel, the booking rate will hold and be valid

Check out charges usually are generated after midnight for the day you will check out

Don’t wait until check out day to present the ap
Staff will work with you but it takes some of your time to have your booked ap rate adjusted

 

[Koz]

Looking at your price points, Hard Rock looks like a pretty good deal, especially for the kids. The pool area there is great fun and it is the closest hotel to Studios, a very easy walk to get to the park or to Citiwalk. We are staying there in a few weeks and have toured the resort and pool area before and really like it. The deluxe resort are fairly minimal on the food court side but have great poolside menus and sit down restaurants. And when we were checking out the Hard Rock, they had live music poolside and active games and activities. Portofino Bay is a more "romantic" kind of getaway. They have more overall pool space and pools than Hard Rock, but their pool areas are geared to be pretty relaxing and laid back.

If I could book at Hard Rock for less than Cabana bay, I'd deal with the minor inconvenience of being five crowded into one room. One thing I'm curious about, did the Cabana price point include adding in express passes to the tickets? If not, it's even a better deal to stay at PBH or HRH as the unlimited express comes included with the room there for each member of your family.

Good morning Ralph and thanks for your email. Just confirmed some pricing with Universal. For Aug 24 to 31, 2 adults and 3 kids with 4 day 3 park tickets, and meal plan with unlimited drinks in parks for the 4 days we are looking at $4,513 for a courtyard room family suite at Cabana Bay (with express pass purchased separately and rolled into price) vs. $4,334 for the Hard Rock with a Deluxe 2 queen room.

So, it's a little more for Cabana Bay, where the difference in sq ft of the room is 430sqft Cabana v. 500sqft. Hard Rock- not a huge difference but worth noting.

For me it comes down to the differences between the 2 hotels. Cabana offers 2 pools plus the lazy river to Hard Rock's one. Cabana offers a much larger choice of economical food options (my kids are 13, 10 and 6 and won't be eating at the Palm). I am concerned the Hard Rock isn't kid friendly where the pool is just a "scene" for adults as I just don't know enough about it. Is HRH the kind of scene where if we park ourselves for the day on a non-park day, it's enough to keep the kids interested and engaged, with things like poolside activities, pool activities, things at the resort? I know that HRH doesn't offer a lazy river or bowling alley, but perhaps there are other things that it does. Having poolside bands or a dj is certainly a good thing.



Thanks for any feedback you may have!

 

[Koz]

At those prices for me Portofino would win hands down. We feel it’s casually elegant- laid back but has all the bells and whistles of a high end hotel. There’s opera performed on the balcony by the bay every evening. People open there balcony doors or sit in the piazza and just listen. The pool is great and has a slide for your kids. You can also pool hop to any other pool onsite if you want to take a down day and enjoy Cabanas or HRH. We liked the restaurants there and the rooms are larger.

Pool activities vary throughout the day and during different seasons. For your younger ones they have ping pong tournaments, silly competitions, movies, sand castle building (there’s a little zero entry beach areas).

All the resorts have restaurants at different price points and Cabana Bay has the bowling alley and food court. Along with pool hopping you can resort hop by taking the complimentary water taxi from your hotel to city walk and then from city walk to the other hotel (cabana bay will be a bus and not a water taxi). We use one of our off days to explore a different resort restaurant.

The big difference for us between UO and WDW is the size and proximity of everything. Getting from hotel to city walk to gates and from park to park is really quick and easy. It isn’t the big ordeal of switching transportation and buses and monorails. Some people touched on this but during park days you can bounce between parks in under 5 minutes so they really operate more like Disney lands than seperate parks (except VB). Between that and express pass it’s such a different, more relaxing, experience.

You didn’t ask but another difference ADRs. Forget about them! You dont need to make any dining reservations, but if you did want to make a few sit down reservations you can do it the day before. That one always blows WDW planners minds. I personally haven’t found value in the meal plans when I’ve compared them, BUT you can buy them day of at any dining venue and not everyone in your party needs one. If it were me I’d hold off until in the parks and then maybe only buy 2-3.

Oh and trip insurance. Most of us on the boards book hotel and tickets separately. It is usually cheaper than the packages. Booking the hotel directly with Loews you can cancel it without any penalty up to 3 days before for any reason. You’ll only need to put down a one night deposit too, balance due at check out. No fees to change reservations this way, but with a package you would have fees and cancellation penalties. You can book tickets through undercover tourists who usually has deals throughout the year. Most people on the board have used them and it’s all on the up and up. Just remember you do NOT need to seperately book EPs if you are at one of the big three hotels. (Some people get confused and think they have to book them).

Finally since you are there 5 days it might make sense to upgrade your tickets to an annual pass, just ask at guest services once you enter the first day. It’s usually ridiculously cheap to convert from 3 day to AP and then you get food discounts and you can pop over to the parks for a couple of hours on your off days.

Go thanks very much for your response. Very informative and your little tips are noted!

 

[tinkerdorabelle]

I know this may not be everyone's idea but Portofino doesn't come across as a place for kids as much if you can understand. I know some people have said their kids liked it but all the others are more kid friendly to us at least. It's more high end, and honestly when we went there to visit (never stayed) a little dull, more like a grand hotel but not with an upbeat theme like the others, and far from everything, the parks, etc. which is a drag when it's hot and you want to just get back to your hotel. And we like to be able to relax too but even my husband's first words were when we went to visit is this place is kind of boring compared to the others.

 

[Koz]

I know this may not be everyone's idea but Portofino doesn't come across as a place for kids as much if you can understand. I know some people have said their kids liked it but all the others are more kid friendly to us at least. It's more high end, and honestly when we went there to visit (never stayed) a little dull, more like a grand hotel but not with an upbeat theme like the others, and far from everything, the parks, etc. which is a drag when it's hot and you want to just get back to your hotel. And we like to be able to relax too but even my husband's first words were when we went to visit is this place is kind of boring compared to the others.

Thanks for your feedback. That's my impression as well. Beautiful property but with 3 kids in tow it probably wouldn't be their first choice.