Need resort help quick please. About This Page:

[Grandmother]

We are getting ready to book our first trip to US/IOA for next September Our TA has a package priced out at Cabana Bay, but it doesn't include the front of the line pass. As I understand it, we can purchase this separately, but is it the same as if we stayed at Hard Rock (this is the other resort we are considering) Are all other amenities the same, such as early entry? I would really appreciate any advice and/or opinions. I am totally lost lol.
TIA

[joelsmom]

Yes, you still get early entry at the deluxe resorts, Hard Rock, Royal Pacific, and Portofino Bay. And, yes, the Express Pass essentially costs the upgrade to one of the deluxe resorts. We just booked Cabana Bay, but we did it because all the others were fully booked for our dates. We bought the Express Pass separately, because our park time is limited and we wanted to limit wait times as much as possible.

If I were booking deluxe, I think Hard Rock is a good choice. We stayed at Royal Pacific a couple of years ago, and although it is pretty, I hated our room location. It was also problematic trying to get a quick breakfast, which we like in the morning. Also, whether or not this matters to you, the layout of the rooms was not conducive to my mom's scooter. It was very hard to maneuver it in and out of the room without a good deal of effort.

Hard Rock is the closest hotel with a walking path to City Walk. I can't really advise about the hotel itself, though, as we've not stayed there.

[HiddenMickey]

If you plan on buying the express passes for everyone if you stay at Cabana Bay, I would definitely choose to stay at the Hard Rock instead. I've stayed at Cabana twice, but didn't buy passes, which kept our expenses down.

I've also stayed at Hard Rock twice. Walking to the parks is so easy from the Hard Rock, the rooms are nice and spacious. Having express passes included makes the higher cost for the room much better. And if you have several people in your party, can actually save you money over a value resort and buying separately.

Early Entry is available at all Universal resorts.
My pluses for Cabana Bay- Great food court, great pool area and pool bar, relatively inexpensive, Starbucks in the lobby
My pluses for Hard Rock- Location!, nice pool, large room, nice restaurant, express passes

[Grandmother]

Thanks for the responses, we are definitely leaning towards hard rock. Are all parks an easy walk from there or will we still need to use buses/boats? Also, how is the food court at HR? My guys, (husband and 2 boys 15 and 11) are all fairly picky eaters, but burgers and fries and pizza are sure crowd pleasers lol.

[HiddenMickey]

Hard Rock is the closest. Royal Pacific and Portofino are a bit further away but easily walkable, people opt to boat from them, but I've never done that.

Cabana Bay and Sapphire Falls are walkable, but it's a much longer trek, and usually a bus or boat respectively would be what you'd choose.

Hard Rock does not have a real food court.
There is a little shop that sells some to-go things and ice cream.

The only real food court (and it's great) is at Cababa Bay. The other resorts just have restaurants and a little snack shop.