Universal Orlando’s 3 Premier Resorts // Here's What You NEED to Know!

Рет қаралды 18,343

Күн бұрын

Deciding where to stay on site at Universal Orlando can be a daunting task in and of itself, even with the Premier Resorts! But why?? They are all WONDERFUL! But which Universal Orlando Premier Resort is right for you??
Let us do the research and comparisons for you and teach you all about the similarities and differences about them!
Royal Pacific, Hard Rock, and Portofino Bay all have unique qualities about them and like we said....the are all great in their own ways! In this video we will explore the major similarities and differences between the Universal Orlando Resorts and offer our insights so YOU can make the best decision for your next Universal Vacation!
Which Premier Resort is your favorite?? If you want a detailed review on Hard Rock click here:
• Hard Rock Resort REVIE...
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#universalorlando #universalorlandoresort #universalstudios #universalstudiosorlando #universalorlandohotels #hotelreview #royalpacific #portofinobay #hardrockorlando #universalorlandopremierresorts #islandsofadventure #islandsofadventureorlando
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:31 The Premier Resorts
00:50 Perks of Staying at a Premier Resort
03:40 Location of the Resorts
07:17 Theming
14:05 Pricing
16:42 Our Thoughts and Opinions

Пікірлер: 78

@fudge_factor Жыл бұрын

What’s YOUR favorite premier resort to stay and and why??

@fudge_factor Жыл бұрын

@@kimgrod prices are certainly going up! It’s a hard decision between express passes and staying at a premier! June is going to be hot!! Are you ready?

@rhondaroo8303 Жыл бұрын

Hello from Texas! We stayed at the Royal Pacific over Spring Break, and LOOOOOVED it. The free unlimited express passes is worth the price since we have kids and can only go during school breaks, which are the busier times. We actually JUST booked our next trip over the July 4th week, and decided to stay there again. We also decided to become Annual Passholders to take advantage for the hotel discount. Love the channel. Ya'll are adorable and big thanks for your service. My brother and dad are both veterans.

@fudge_factor Жыл бұрын

@@rhondaroo8303 be sure to thank them for the service for us!! 🇺🇸 That makes us so happy! We are glad you are enjoying the videos!! We will keep them coming! Royal pacific is amazing! Like you said, the express passes are game changers during the school break times! I’m sure you are loving watching them make memories at the parks! What are you looking forward to in July??

@rhondaroo8303 Жыл бұрын

@@fudge_factor Butter Beer and Hagrids...lol.

@jetpoke1779 7 ай бұрын

Loews Portofino Bay Hotel is our personal favorite

@lenacalo4273 9 ай бұрын

We stayed at Portofino and we loved it. Have dinner at Bice and request outdoor seating while the opera singer belts out some tunes. Wonderful experience!!! Planning on go back in Feb. can’t wait.

@fudge_factor 9 ай бұрын

Oooo that is quite special! Such a great ambiance! Are you excited to go back in February?

@ThePughTwo Жыл бұрын

Great video! Love the thumbnail!

@fudge_factor Жыл бұрын

Thank you so much! 🤩 We know that you two will always be partial to Hard Rock 🥰

@viper2148 Жыл бұрын

Viper 0 seconds ago I've listened to at least half a dozen of these Universal Resort videos and this was the first one that even mentioned the walk from the resorts to the park. My wife and I walk/hike together as a hobby and get from 3 to 6 miles every other day. This is also the first video that mentioned the construction at Portofino Bay. We are planning a trip in September and the rates for all of the premium resorts are about the same, (read 'cheap') that time of year. Before the video it came down to PB and RP but now with what you told us about the construction at PB we're leaning Royal Pacific. Great job on the review!

@fudge_factor Жыл бұрын

Thank you so much! Knowing that the information is valuable to you means the world to us! ☺️ Yes! The daytime at the parks will be awesome around the September timeframe, but get very busy at night for Halloween Horror Nights! 🎃👻 When in September will you be at the parks? We will be there the beginning of September! Again, thank you for the kind words! ☺️☺️

@viper2148 Жыл бұрын

@@fudge_factor ha Ha, thanks for the quick reply. We’re looking to check in on the 19th for about a week, and then a conference at Disney’s Coronado Springs afterward. Always worried about Hurricanes that time of year. We’ll be checking out your other vids. You’re answering the right questions.

@fudge_factor Жыл бұрын

@@viper2148 a week is a nice, long, relaxing trip! You’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the parks and enjoy some down time at the hotel! Are you planning on doing Halloween Horror Nights also? Or just days at the park? Thank you so much 🙏

@viper2148 Жыл бұрын

@@fudge_factor Oh, okay. I'm a bit slow. I hadn't even considered HHN, and didn't realize it starts 1 September. My wife likes stuff like that. Yeah, I'll have to look into it. Thank you.

@fudge_factor Жыл бұрын

@@viper2148 haha sorry to complicate your planning 🤣😂 If you have questions, feel free to ask! We are more than willing to help!

@mistyross1135 Жыл бұрын

Recently booked at Royal Pacific for my next trip in May. We have never stayed there & are super excited!

@fudge_factor Жыл бұрын

That’s going to be awesome! What are you most excited for??

@mistyross1135 Жыл бұрын

@@fudge_factor the water taxi !!

@fudge_factor Жыл бұрын

@@mistyross1135 The water taxi is so much fun! Especially after a long day in the parks! One of my favorite, secret photo spots is to take photos of the Islands lighthouse from the water taxi as you go past! 🤫

@Wookietzu Жыл бұрын

Hard rock is my favorite love the pool

@fudge_factor Жыл бұрын

The pool is amazing! What else did you enjoy about Hard Rock?

@jo.universalstateofmind Жыл бұрын

Great info on the resorts! Those express passes are pretty nice! That’s the only thing Sapphire Falls is missing. You can’t beat the proximity from Hard Rock. At some point stay I’m going to stay at the other two. Probably when I’m able to stay a little longer or the military rate is a good price.

@fudge_factor Жыл бұрын

They are nice! But there’s also no sense paying for them if it’s the slow season and can enjoy a cheaper sapphire falls! You totally should at some point! They are worth experiencing! ☺️

@jo.universalstateofmind Жыл бұрын

@@fudge_factor I agree! I did buy express passes for my coworker and I on Thursday in May. It’ll be a little slower in the parks at that time. But with both the parks closing at 6 on Friday, I’d figure we’d knock out rides multiple times on Thursday and relax on Friday.

@fudge_factor Жыл бұрын

@@jo.universalstateofmind that’s a good idea! Are you getting excited?

@jo.universalstateofmind Жыл бұрын

@@fudge_factor Yes! Im ready to be back!

@fudge_factor Жыл бұрын

@@jo.universalstateofmind it’s gonna be HOT! 🥵☀️

@frankiemoi Жыл бұрын

I’ve stayed at RP and PB. Each only one night. I am coming to the OI Meetup in Nov and bringing my aunt. She is planning to work in the room during the day so I want a place that will be relatively quiet and comfortable for her. Plus, she will need a good desk and chair. I currently have Aventura and Dockside booked but what would you suggest? I am highly thinking of booking RP so we can get the express pass to use for those few hours we get in the parks before the events start. Do you think it is worth having express? We might have enough to do with the shows and stuff not included in the meetup that we might not need it but I’m curious what your thoughts are? I just found you guys tonight on KZfaq. I’ve subscribed and have been binge watching your videos! 😂 Thank you for the great content! So helpful!

@fudge_factor Жыл бұрын

Thank you so much!! We are glad you are enjoying the content and find value from it! That is the exact reason we started making content was to help! For working in the room we would choose Aventura over dockside! The rooms are a little nicer and you won’t have to deal with as much ambient noise. Uhm, we don’t think the express pass for a couple hours will make or break your experience. You’ll be able to get so much done at the OI meetup it’ll feel like cheating.

@fudge_factor Жыл бұрын

If you have any other questions be sure to let us know! We are always more than happy to help!!

@PhotographicMemoriesbyAnnMBick 5 ай бұрын

Have you compared the Club level experiences at these resorts? What about the pools? Which would be most kid friendly? Great video- Thanks!

@fudge_factor 5 ай бұрын

We have not done the club levels, so we can’t speak on that. Our favorite pool is Portofino but you can pool hop if you want. Most kid friendly is probably portofino or Royal Pacific. We say Portofino because of the pools. We say Royal Pacific because the fountain and the pool is good, just not as big as Portofino. We just don’t think the kiddos will appreciate the hard rock memorabilia as much as the adults

@martincarnahan381 2 ай бұрын

I've stayed at the Club Level At Royal Pacific and Portofino. The Portofino was very disappointing. The Lounge is not in your building and you need your Hotel key to get in. Royal Pacific is nice because It's on the top floor with your room and only accessible with your room key to even get on the top floor So you don't have to concern yourself with bringing your room key to enter the Club Lounge. And if you didn't know, everything in the Club Lounge is complementary. Including beer and wine for 2 hours in the evening every day. The Hard Rock I don't know about The Club level.

@fudge_factor 2 ай бұрын

Great input! Thank you for the insight!

@martincarnahan381 2 ай бұрын

I stayed at Portafino Club Level but was very disappointed with it. I always stay at Royal Pacific Club Level and have always enjoyed it. There is something great about the club lounge being on the floor your room is. Portafino the Club Lounge was completely separated from the rooms in another building and felt more like a cafeteria than a lounge. Not worth the extra money. By the way, in the Club Lounge everything is complementary. Including beer and wine for 2 hours every day. I've never stayed at Hard Rock so I can't give an opinion on it. It never really interested me to stay there. I prefer a relaxing atmosphere. That being said I will stay at any Universal Hotel before I stay at any Disney hotel. No incentive to stay at them for what they charge.

@fudge_factor 2 ай бұрын

We have heard nothing but great things about the Royal Pacific club level! We are sorry the Portofino club level was disappointing! We haven’t stayed at the club level rooms so your input is super valuable! Where is on your list to stay next?

@pierregarau5086 10 ай бұрын

Hi, thanks for sharing your experience with us. May i ask how annoying is the renovation at Portofino? First time going, fell in love with the place on videos, but unsure regarding the reno

@fudge_factor 10 ай бұрын

Absolutely! We barely noticed it. We just stayed there last week for a day. Most the renovation is currently being done by the hillside pool which has little impact on day to day operations and ambiance!

@pierregarau5086 10 ай бұрын

@fudge_factor really nice of you to take the time to reply, thanks for the info 👍

@fudge_factor 10 ай бұрын

@@pierregarau5086 absolutely!! Happy to help! If you have any other questions feel free to send them our way! Always willing to help!

@Timepirate1718 11 ай бұрын

We would like to go back to Universal Feb/March 2024. We were at Hardrock last time would like to try Royal Pacific this time. When is the best time to avoid the big crowds? Do you book direct or third party?

@fudge_factor 11 ай бұрын

That’s a great question! February and March are great times to go! Mardi Gras will be in full swing! The only thing to consider as you approach March is spring break for schools! So if you have a choice we would hedge more towards February than March if you are looking for lower crowds! We book directly with Universal, but we also book with military rates. Third parties like Orlando informer sometimes have some good deals! It just depends on your situation! Universal is also super helpful if you rebook if/when rates drop on hotels.

@starrhys 11 ай бұрын

Great video but when you use the Water Taxi they all arrive at the same dock so no difference in the walk to IOA or US. Hard Rock is only closer if you walk.

@fudge_factor 11 ай бұрын

That’s a fair point 😂

@dorisdixon7929 4 ай бұрын

What are the pools like and could you pool hop from hotel to hotel

@fudge_factor 4 ай бұрын

Great question! Portofino Bay has 3 pools. The beach pool is a kid friendly pool with splash bad, zero entry, and water slide. Portofino also has an adult pool (villa pool) and the hillside pool. The hillside pool is a pretty basic pool. Royal pacific has one pool! Its well themed and has a large, themed splash pad for the kids. Hard Rock also has one pool. The cool thing about Hard Rock's pool is the under water speakers. And yes, you can pool hop is you are staying at Premier, Preferred, or Prime hotel, so you can pool hop as long as you aren't staying at endless summer!

@rileyfam Жыл бұрын

We initially booked into Portofino Bay for HHN, but now it's cheaper to stay at Hard Rock with their "Savvy Traveler" discount.

@fudge_factor Жыл бұрын

That’s a great find! Being closer to studios is going to be so nice for hhn! Have you been to hhn before?

@rileyfam Жыл бұрын

We have been to HHN every year since 2015.

@fudge_factor Жыл бұрын

@@rileyfam nice! Are you excited for this year?

@vanettamcelroy 2 ай бұрын

Do you guys have a video on cost for two? A lot of the “budgeting” or “price based” videos I find are for families but my husband and I are theme park people and we don’t have kiddos! We’d love info on how to plan and get the best deals for 2! Would love to know what info you guys have or if you can point me in the right direction!

@fudge_factor 2 ай бұрын

Absolutely! It's only us two also! We'd love to help! What are your thoughts right now? Just so we can see what you're thinking

@vanettamcelroy 2 ай бұрын

@@fudge_factor awesome! Yes! So, my husband and I are considering going Early 2025 (most likely January) and we have been looking at the vacation packages to stay at a premier hotel (express unlimited is a great perk). Our hiccup is that we’re wondering if those packages are actually curated to give a smaller party the best deal because in the fine print it states that the prices are based on a family of 4-6. Also, we are trying to decide if it’s actually worth it to stay at a premier hotel just for the passes since it will be about an additional $1,100 more than a aventura/cabanas bay package. Another thing is we are trying to do 3 day park to park and hit IOA twice so I am trying to decide if it’s worth is for the two of us to do the premier package or just stay at like aventura and add the passes closer to the date (not a lot of info on that either, like how does it work to plan for express passes when they’re not on the site yet for the following year. Is it possible to add later?). You guys answered our question about the shuttle vs the uber in one of your videos so that’s awesomeness! I hope all of that makes sense. Mostly just wanting to make sure that we’re doing what’s best for our smaller party and not missing out of something better or more curated to a party of two and of course not spending more!

@fudge_factor 2 ай бұрын

Those are all great questions and completely valid concerns! A couple of initial thoughts, even assuming prices don't go up for express passes you would be looking at almost $250+ per day for just the two express passes. Right now, just looking at Royal Pacific you would be ballpark $380 dollars per night and not have to purchase express passes. When push comes to shove that would sell me on a premier hotel based on the cost of express passes (not factoring taxes in either). To answer more direct question, can you purchase express later? Yes, but it will likely only be more expensive as you wait and as demand increases. Additionally, you can always call universal back and check to see if the price drops as you get closer! What other questions do you have? We love helping!

@vanettamcelroy 2 ай бұрын

@@fudge_factor that makes so much sense! Sometimes you just need someone with knowledge to help you think it through!😁 I guess that only other question I have would be just general tips and tricks (if any) for the parks as a couple. Are there any things that are different or that we could factor in differently for our trips being just us two? We’ve only been married a few months and this will only be our second trip together since our honeymoon. We’re used to traveling in groups and with family so just kinda wondering what some rules of thumb are for traveling with two to the parks. There may not be any and I may be overthinking but would love any wisdom you guys have!

@fudge_factor 2 ай бұрын

1. Enjoy it! It’s easy to get caught up trying to get it all done….gotta get to this…gotta get to that. Enjoy the parks together and have fun. 2. Make reservations for restaurants. It’ll give you something to look forward to and alleviates stress to know you have a table. 3. Go back to the hotel in the middle of the day. Take a break, take a shower, change closes before going back. There are more that we’ll think of but that will get you started! We’d love to hop on a zoom call with you at some point as you get to talk it through and help alleviate some stress!

@whatkoknows1016 10 ай бұрын

Where was the location of the skewer over the fire?

@fudge_factor 10 ай бұрын

That was the table side s’mores at Big Fire in City Walk 😋

@lesliegallagher2682 5 ай бұрын

Which one has best room for a group of 6 adults? We need a living room area.

@fudge_factor 5 ай бұрын

The hospitality rooms at Royal Pacific are great!

@fudge_factor 5 ай бұрын

6 adults is one room is tough, but doable You’re looking a splitting a suite. It will really depend on the dates. Most of the premiers suites start at 800-1000 dollars a night. We prefer the looks of hard rock’s suites, but Royal Pacific’s are nice also!