Walt Disney World With Kids (Fodor's, 2012) - Fodor's [124]
Seasonal packages and periodic specials provide significant perks during the off-season, such as discounts on rooms, “kids eat free” deals, upgrades to suites, or complimentary breakfasts.
On-Site Hotels
Hard Rock Hotel 407/363–8000
Fun, flashy, and funky, the 650-room Hard Rock Hotel has a broad and eclectic collection of rock memorabilia. If you like the idea of a 7AM serenade from Elvis, you can even ask for a rock star wake-up call in the morning. Music plays continually throughout the beautifully landscaped grounds and sophisticated lounges. The dramatic pool area has a 260-foot waterslide, plus a 12-speaker underwater sound system, so you can get your aural fix even while taking a swim. There are three bars and two restaurants, including an Orlando version of the well-known Palm Restaurant, and a gym. The children’s program center called Camp Lil Rock is open year-round in the evenings with extended daytime hours during the on-season.
The Hard Rock Hotel is the perfect choice for families with older kids and teens who can appreciate the hipper-than-thou ambience. Rates range from $239 to $404 per night, and are around $700 for a kids’ suite. If money isn’t an object, you can live like the King in the $2,000-per-night Graceland Suite, whose flamboyant amenities include a piano.
Portofino Bay Hotel 407/363–8000
The Portofino Bay is modeled after the Italian seaside village of Portofino. From the outside you see quaint, colorful row houses that are actually all connected on the inside. The 750 elegant rooms include 18 children’s suites. Portofino Bay has eight restaurants and lounges; a full-service spa; three swimming pools; and Campo Portofino, a supervised children’s activity center, which is open in the evenings year-round with extended daytime hours during the on-season.
Like the others at Universal, this is a Loews resort, so the service is top-notch. Of the three resorts, Portofino Bay is the most posh with the most amenities geared to adults who want to relax in a beautiful environment. Rates for regular rooms range from $274 to $439 a night, while suites, including the roomy kids’ suites, are higher, averaging about $700.
Royal Pacific Resort 407/503–3000
The Royal Pacific is the largest of the three Universal resorts, with 1,000 guest rooms on 53 acres. The lush grounds, thickly planted with tropical plants and trees, have a distinct South Pacific flair, and they’re connected to CityWalk and the theme parks via water taxi and a series of winding, well-manicured pathways. There are two restaurants and two lounges, plus a luau party area, a fitness center, a children’s activity center, and a massive pool area.
Perhaps most significant, the Royal Pacific is Universal’s convention hotel, with 80,000 square feet of meeting space. This doesn’t mean the resort won’t be comfortable for families—the enormous pool and the children’s center indicate that the resort is family friendly—but you may find a lot of businesspeople mixed in with the vacationing crowd.
Rates range from $219 to $349 a night, making the Royal Pacific the most affordable of the three on-site resorts.
Money-Saving Tip
To check out Universal packages, visit www.universalorlando.com. If none of the ones listed exactly suit your needs, you can type in the specifics you require and the system will tally up the cost, in essence allowing you to create your own package. Just click on “create your own.”
What Kind of Tickets Do We Need?
Universal offers several ticket options. It’s smart to purchase them online at www.universalorlando.com; they go up anywhere from $8 to $20 if you wait to buy them at the gate.
One-Day, One-Park Ticket
Admits holders to either Universal Studios or Islands of Adventure for one day.
Adults and children over 9: $82.
Children ages 3 to 9: $74.
One-Day, Two-Park Ticket
Admits holders to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure for one day.
Adults and children over 9: $112.
Children ages 3 to 9: $104.
Two-Day,