Really quick, where would you stay?

I liked Hard Rock more than RP. The room felt a little bigger (But, our room at RP was a standard two queen room.)

I liked the pool better also at HRH (my kids were unhappy with no pool slide at RP).

Both were good and the lobby is beautiful at RP, but for some reason, HRH has a bit of an edge for me.

For one night, and since you won't be IN the room all that much, pick the one closer to your intended morning destination - HR.

If you were staying longer, I would go with the royal pacific, ESP. since it's not much more $$

I've stayed at both several times. I think your 8 year old may like the RP pool a little more (if you are planning on using it). I love the RP theme and it is usually cheaper than the HR.

It is true that the RP is closer to IOA...and the HR is closer to US....but they are not the same distance from each other......the HR is a shorter walk to US...than the RP to IOA.

They are both great deluxe hotels....hard choice but you won't go wrong with either.

We stayed at RP last year and loved it. Just today I booked HR for 5 days 4 nights in November.

I like what I am hearing here about the HR!!

Go with the HR! Closer to where you want to be, rooms are bigger, water slide!

Thanks everyone for the quick responses. We decided to go with the Hard Rock as its closer to our morning destination for early entry, and I've requested a newly renovated room, thanks again

:rocks:

mickeyman42;2428696 wrote: Thanks everyone for the quick responses. We decided to go with the Hard Rock as its closer to our morning destination for early entry, and I've requested a newly renovated room, thanks again

:rocks:

Did the Hard Rock just go through a renovation?

How did you go about requesting the room, online or on the phone?

I had read somewhere else that some of the rooms at the hard rock had been renovated, but when I called the reservations line they said it was only club level rooms, but that they would note the request anyway just in case she was mistaken. I could have called the hotel directly I guess but I didn't feel it was that important

I haven't stayed in every room at the HR of course....but I don't think you have to worry about getting a reno room. They keep everything to Lowe's standards and the rooms have always looked great to me.

I'm thinking of doing the same thing. Just booking one night to get the Express. Do you get in either park early or is it like Disney where it alternates? If so how do you know which? We want to do the Harry Potter land.

I could be mistaken but I believe early entry is to "the wizarding world of Harry Potter" so all things potter in both parks. I don't think anything else in either park is open besides the HP stuff.

So, just got back from our 10 day vacation, with 1 night (2 days) spent at Universal Orlando and I thought I should update the thread I started.

First off, this wasn''t our first trip to Universal, but it was our first time staying onsite at universal. we booked the 2 queen bed garden view room at the Hard Rock. let me just say that this resort was amazing. everything from the atmosphere, to the pool, to the rooms was top notch. its a deluxe resort and believe me, it felt like it. our room was recently renovated, on the 6th floor, in case anyone was wondering, and it was awesome, great layout, comfy beds, tons of room (375 sq ft) and immaculate. not sure exactly when it was redone, but it was so well done, like rock themed meets contemporary decor. definitely request a renovated room.

as far as the express pass perk, its the best perk of any perk anywhere, hands down. Universal marketing hit a home run with this idea. see, we have been to universal parks 3-4 times before,only using the stand-by lines and accepting our fate of waiting for all of the rides, and would never ever consider buying an express pass, i mean really, coming from Disney, the thought of paying for fast pass sounds crazy right? WRONG! we will never ever go back to universal without staying onsite and getting the free express pass. see how they did that? they converted us into only ever staying onsite when visiting them again and paying for a hotel room, and spending money in the gift shop and at the resort, buy giving us a perk that cost them nothing. they can make the express passes whatever price they want, making it arbitrarily "cheaper" to book a room and get the perk for free, rather than paying for just the express pass (that they could charge nothing for if they wanted). again, my kids ( aged 8 and 13) didnt want to leave and go to AKL, they wanted to stay at the hard rock, and I did too, it was that good.

Express passes, best idea ever. walking on EVERY ride (except HP; FJ and EFG), with 5-10 mins wait max (that was for the incredible hulk rollercoaster which had a 70 min posted standby wait) express passes are amazing, and free when staying onsite, and so simple to use and understand how it works. Disney needs to wake up and follow this one. No messy apps that require a computer science degree just to use, no convoluted system of 3 passes, but then you can book more, but only at a kiosk, and only for this time, or that time, and only at this park and if not staying at that park then you have to go to another park first.....FORGET IT! Disney should give all Deluxe guests an unlimited fast pass included with hotel stay, good for all fastpass rides and shows, give the moderates a discount on buying the unlimited fastpass pass, and give the values the ability to use extra magic hours only, and they could purchase the fastpass option, like adding park hopping. only allow offsite guests the option of purchasing the fast pass ticket and limit them to 1 ride per attraction. done. and thats coming from someone who thought they would never condone the idea of charging for fastpasses, but seriously, it would fill the deluxe resorts, keep people staying on property, and "punish" offsite vacationers. I personally love this idea now. As I said before, staying at Universal for us is now a no-brainer, and from a marketing standpoint I'm still impressed at how they won me over.

So, I know it was long winded, and I probably repeated myself many times, but I really can't get over how wonderful it was to stay onsite at Universal, any questions? ask away......

This is what I keep telling people who refuse to give Universal a chance. The vacation is so easy and stress free. Disney has made vacationing at it's theme parks so overly planned and complicated.

The only thing I disagree with you is about Disney going to a fast pass based on staying on their property and this is why......Universal has 3 hotels that give you the unlimited fast pass for it's 2 theme parks, and while it is such a great perk for the guests I don't think it effects the wait times in the regular lines.

Disney has what over 15 hotels??? It only has 4 theme parks and giving hotel guest the kind of fast pass perks that Universal does will clog up the lines not only for regular guest but the hotel guests also. IMO Disney is too big at this point to support that kind of perk.

This is why I don't want Universal to build any more hotels. I am afraid that they will get too big and perks like the unlimited express pass will become ineffective.

NJGIRL;2431222 wrote: This is what I keep telling people who refuse to give Universal a chance. The vacation is so easy and stress free. Disney has made vacationing at it's theme parks so overly planned and complicated.

The only thing I disagree with you is about Disney going to a fast pass based on staying on their property and this is why......Universal has 3 hotels that give you the unlimited fast pass for it's 2 theme parks, and while it is such a great perk for the guests I don't think it effects the wait times in the regular lines.

Disney has what over 15 hotels??? It only has 4 theme parks and giving hotel guest the kind of fast pass perks that Universal does will clog up the lines not only for regular guest but the hotel guests also. IMO Disney is too big at this point to support that kind of perk.

This is why I don't want Universal to build any more hotels. I am afraid that they will get too big and perks like the unlimited express pass will become ineffective.

All of this! Exactly!!

To the Original Poster .... I'm glad you had a great trip. We LOVED HRH too. It just felt deluxe. Lowe's Hotels are so nice. When we stayed at Royal Pacific, the lobby and main areas felt deluxe, but for some reason, the room did not as much. Maybe it was the layout with the sink area visible in the room. And, it could be the not so contemporary décor. I always feel that more contemporary styled hotels feel cleaner.

Anyway ... I am the sole remaining Disney lover in my family. From the first trip, my kids preferred Universal - because of the more thrilling rides, no waits, and the hotels. I loved the fact that you could walk everywhere and not have to rely on public transportation unless you chose to do so. And, the ease of not planning reservations months in advance. Universal is such an uncomplicated trip. The kids, knowing how much I love Disney, have asked if I want to make a Disney trip, but honestly, I have no desire to have my vacation be that complicated any longer. I will wait and see if things improve for Disney, meanwhile, we are planning a Mardi Gras trip to Universal to see all the new Diagon Alley stuff, along with Transformers ride.

MizMissy;2431254 wrote:
From the first trip, my kids preferred Universal - because of the more thrilling rides, no waits, and the hotels. I loved the fact that you could walk everywhere and not have to rely on public transportation unless you chose to do so. And, the ease of not planning reservations months in advance. Universal is such an uncomplicated trip.

My son prefers Universal also. In fact except for EPCOT he really doesn't care if we go back to Disney.

Just in case you were planning on going to Universal Easter week, I wanted you to know that they don't do Mardi Gras that week.