Little Known Hotel Perks

[Galaxy Defender]

I was reading an article on About that listed 10 reasons to stay on site at UO. Some of the reasons were new to me:

• Pet Friendly. WDW does not allow pets in hotels except service dogs but Universal hotels do.
• The deluxe hotel guests receive priority restaurant seating
• Van service to Sea World

Can anyone verify theses? Are there other hidden benefits?

10 Best Reasons to Stay at a Universal Orlando Hotel

 

[Joel]

I was reading an article on About that listed 10 reasons to stay on site at UO. Some of the reasons were new to me:

• Pet Friendly. WDW does not allow pets in hotels except service dogs but Universal hotels do.
• The deluxe hotel guests receive priority restaurant seating
• Van service to Sea World

Can anyone verify theses? Are there other hidden benefits?

10 Best Reasons to Stay at a Universal Orlando Hotel

I can verify that Leows Hotels (EXCEPT CBBR) and especially Sapphire Falls is extremely pet friendly, they even have a dog walk path. I believe Sapphire Falls does not charge extra but I can't remember exactly. I know the other hotels allow dogs but they charge $50 per dog. Here's an excerpt from Loews' website regarding RPR:

At Loews Royal Pacific Resort, you have everything you need to feel right at home with your beloved pets:

• Gourmet room service menus for cats and dogs, prepared by our award-winning culinary teams
• Creature comforts like specialized bedding, leashes, collars, litter boxes (and litter), scoopers and more
• Helpful amenities such as dog-walking route maps, pet placemats, water bowls, treats, doggie pick-up bags and more
• Special treats like rawhide bones, catnip and scratch poles
• Pet-walking and pet-sitting services

Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando has green areas to walk your four-legged family members.


EDIT: Here are a list of the types of rooms dogs are allowed in each hotel:

Pets under 75 lbs. are welcome at the Portofino Bay Resort, Hard Rock Hotel, Royal Pacific and the new Sapphire Falls Resort. Only certain category rooms are available for the pet program.

Pet friendly rooms include:
Loews Portofino Bay Hotel: Garden View & Bay View rooms only
Hard Rock Hotel: Garden View rooms only
Loews Royal Pacific Resort: Standard rooms only
Loews Sapphire Falls Resort: Standard Room only

 

[Galaxy Defender]

Wow. Gourmet pet room service. Ah, the secret life of pets. Great idea for a movie.

 

[Joel]

Wow. Gourmet pet room service. Ah, the secret life of pets. Great idea for a movie.

LEAKED PLOT for SLoP 2:

Families go on vacation to Universal Orlando and get in trouble there. Shameless plug

 

[traveller]

They do have priority restaurant seating ,have used it many times.
A few years back when at HHN,back when we used to go mid/late Oct.
we could not get express passes due them being sold out that night.
While we were waiting at finnagans a guest service worker (I guess) asked
us about HHN and so on, when he found out we did not have express passes
he asked if we were staying on site(we was at RPR) He then took us out of the holding area to the front guest services and got us our express passes. He said we always have express passes for on site guests.

 

[Joel]

They do have priority restaurant seating ,have used it many times.
A few years back when at HHN,back when we used to go mid/late Oct.
we could not get express passes due them being sold out that night.
While we were waiting at finnagans a guest service worker (I guess) asked
us about HHN and so on, when he found out we did not have express passes
he asked if we were staying on site(we was at RPR) He then took us out of the holding area to the front guest services and got us our express passes. He said we always have express passes for on site guests.

YES THIS!! I forgot about this.. it happened to us last year.. two out of the 10 people in our group forgot to get express and they got sold out, someone told us about resort guests being able to get the express passes even after they sold out and it was true! saved our night because none of us would leave the two in regular line

 

[Mad Dog]

We've used Priority seating at the Citi Walk,theme park & resort restaurants many times. It's a big big help. I was originally informed of that perk when reading Seth Kubersky's book on Universal Orlando. Seth posts here occasionally. Also, for those staying at Universal often, Lowe's has the You Too rewards program. Great program with free room upgrades, guaranteed reservations, late checkout, and many other amenities, once you reach certain levels. I don't think Cabana Bay is included though, since it's not a Lowe's branded hotel, even though Lowe's runs it. I'm not sure if Hard Rock is included since there's a slight ownership twist with it.

 

[Joel]

We've used Priority seating at the Citi Walk,theme park & resort restaurants many times. It's a big big help. I was originally informed of that perk when reading Seth Kubersky's book on Universal Orlando. Seth posts here occasionally. Also, for those staying at Universal often, Lowe's has the You Too rewards program. Great program with free room upgrades, guaranteed reservations, late checkout, and many other amenities, once you reach certain levels. I don't think Cabana Bay is included though, since it's not a Lowe's branded hotel, even though Lowe's runs it. I'm not sure if Hard Rock is included since there's a slight ownership twist with it.

Hard rock is not included.

 

[traveller]

Our stay this year started out std room at Sapphire Falls, got upgraded to lagoon view(loews gold ) then surprise, got a email upgraded to a King Suite
Gotta love Loews.

 

[JoeCamel]

I was reading an article on About that listed 10 reasons to stay on site at UO. Some of the reasons were new to me:

• Pet Friendly. WDW does not allow pets in hotels except service dogs but Universal hotels do.
• The deluxe hotel guests receive priority restaurant seating
• Van service to Sea World

Can anyone verify theses? Are there other hidden benefits?

10 Best Reasons to Stay at a Universal Orlando Hotel

The others have been answered so I will do the bus service. All the resorts have service to Wn'W and Seaworld. All get pickup and drop off at the hotel except for CBBR. That is at the transportation hub. There is a schedule and you sign up at your hotel the day before to be on the bus. Free both ways, I think they are using Superstar Shuttle for this.

 

[johnnyslimane]

Wow. Gourmet pet room service. Ah, the secret life of pets. Great idea for a movie.

I'm just glad he's not using this $7 bottle of Fiji water!

 

[Jack Presley]

I've used the free bus service to both SeaWorld and WnW from the Royal Pacific and it was great to SeaWorld.

However it was the same bus that goes to SeaWorld and Aquatica as goes to WnW so were dropped to WnW quite early, about 45 minutes before opening, so that was a bit of a drag. Had we done our homework, we would have known this and planned to get breakfast in one of the local restaurants but as we had already eaten we ended up just sitting outside waiting for WnW to open.

 

[Galaxy Defender]

I've used the free bus service to both SeaWorld and WnW from the Royal Pacific and it was great to SeaWorld.

However it was the same bus that goes to SeaWorld and Aquatica as goes to WnW so were dropped to WnW quite early, about 45 minutes before opening, so that was a bit of a drag. Had we done our homework, we would have known this and planned to get breakfast in one of the local restaurants but as we had already eaten we ended up just sitting outside waiting for WnW to open.

At least you were first in line.

 

[Jack Presley]

At least you were first in line.

ha ha, yeah that's true!

 

[randompixel]

We've used Priority seating at the Citi Walk,theme park & resort restaurants many times. It's a big big help. I was originally informed of that perk when reading Seth Kubersky's book on Universal Orlando. Seth posts here occasionally. Also, for those staying at Universal often, Lowe's has the You Too rewards program. Great program with free room upgrades, guaranteed reservations, late checkout, and many other amenities, once you reach certain levels. I don't think Cabana Bay is included though, since it's not a Lowe's branded hotel, even though Lowe's runs it. I'm not sure if Hard Rock is included since there's a slight ownership twist with it.

How does it work at City Walk? Go up to the desk and show your room card or do you have to book via the hotel?

 

[Mad Dog]

How does it work at City Walk? Go up to the desk and show your room card or do you have to book via the hotel?

I've always inquired, at the restaurant reservation area whether they honor Hotel Priority seating & show them my hotel card.

 

[traveller]

Our stay this year started out std room at Sapphire Falls, got upgraded to lagoon view(loews gold ) then surprise, got a email upgraded to a King Suite
Gotta love Loews.

Well, this was interesting. Yesterday I went to print out my reservation and
no King suite! Went back down down to a lagoon view. So I call to find out
why the down grade and was told it was a mistake but no King suites were available only thing left was a Hospitality Suite! A room with a balcony!!.
I am beyond excited for this trip!!! whoo hooo!!!

 

[Mad Dog]

Well, this was interesting. Yesterday I went to print out my reservation and
no King suite! Went back down down to a lagoon view. So I call to find out
why the down grade and was told it was a mistake but no King suites were available only thing left was a Hospitality Suite! A room with a balcony!!.
I am beyond excited for this trip!!! whoo hooo!!!

Love those balcony's. They almost always give me one at Portofino. Best one was a double wide roof covered one with a bay view overlooking the area with the Italian singers . I would toast them as they were singing, and they'd look up and wave. Love those Lowe's "You Too" rewards.

 

[Mad Dog]

Love those balcony's. They almost always give me one at Portofino. Best one was a double wide roof covered one with a bay view overlooking the area with the Italian singers . I would toast them as they were singing, and they'd look up and wave. Love those Lowe's "You Too" rewards.

I saw someone liked this post today. Just an update to it. Thought that was pure luck and would never get that one again since there's only a handful of balconies on the bay view, and this one was double wide & covered to boot. I was there in May 2017 and got it again. I love you Portofino management. :thumbsup:

 

[Ridgepole]

Thought I would add a few more. At Royal Pacific they give out little containers of sunscreen at the pool. We always stash a few for use at VB in the parks, etc. Just a little thing but one less thing to pack. Also, towels and chair covers from the pool we have asked and been able to bring to Volcano Bay. Room towels are smaller. Volcano bay charges like $5 each to rent.
If you are at Royal Pacific and want to make a reservation at the Palm at HRH or a fine dining place at Portifino, you get free limo service. I would assume it works at all the onsite properties but can't say for sure. Go through the concierge. Kind of a neat treat.