BroadbandLouUM
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Oct 9, 2001
I still think that I'm lounging near HRH's Beach Club pool area, but in reality I'm back home writing this article. I still think that I'm walking into Seuss Landing's Grinchmas extravaganza, but I'm actually awaken by the site of my brother throwing ice particles at my face. For three days and two nights, from November 25 through the 27th, I, my mother, and brother, were transported to a Universe unlike no other-- a Universal Escape.
We stayed at the HRH....check-in was quick.....there was a huge christmas tree outside and another one in the lobby, along with a Gigantic gingerbread house-- pure "it's beginning to look a lot like christmas" gibberish. Although, the landscape around the pool was not adorned with lights, a minor observance that HRH reps should take into account next year. Upon check-in, and because I'm a Loews First Program member, but mostly because hotel was under capacity too, they upgraded us from a garden view room to one with a SPECTACULAR view of the pool and Universal Studios. One does not comprehend the proximity of this hotel to the parks until you stay there! Heck, if you take the pathway near the pool slide area.....Universal Studios is of walking distance! For those going to IOA, I urge you to take the water taxi, just for the fun of it!
Next up are observances, facts, and opinions on our stay at the premises mentioned below:
HRH: Our room, upgraded to a Pool-view room
Room number 6062, closest to the elevators and next door to the ice machine room, and on the sixth floor (DUH!). Upon entering, closet was to our immediate left. Standard closet space with the iron and ironing board, built-in safe in the closet wall (you can hang a frame over it, hehe), vanity area was constructed magnificently, toiletries and sundries were nicely kept-- a lot of towels too! The bathroom had enough space to accomodate my "open-legs" momentum when going into bathroom issue #2 (I'll skip the details). Enough drawers to store our clothes for 3 days and our empty space we carry in our luggage. Television was Panasonic (Official Universal TV) about 27-inches-- capabilities to play video games (one control) and PPV movies, oh and to check your room account. We had a desk with lamp and we got HRH guides along with free colorful guitar postcards. The beds were excellent (queen-size), gigantic pillows and cuddly too. Next to the beds and alongside the window, there is a reading sofa with foot-rest and reading tall-light lamp. Decorations? We had picture frames of the Beatles, the Kinks, and Led Zepellin. The best entertainment feature in the room? THe mini CD/Stereo radio system-- my brother blasting burned Ludacris CD's had me running out of the room with my videocamera!! The pantry area was nice--- but everything was untouchable, yes even the $6.99 Evian water bottles! We did make our decaf coffee as usual though.
HOTEL ATMOSPHERE & CAPACITY:
To tell you the truth, there were more pool chairs than guests staying at the hotel, which was simply the best to our liking. The pool area is incredible, you have fountains with GOD heads spitting water, but with their cool shades, man! Round balls with ceramic colorful tiles also squirted water out. The slide, all 240 feet of it is incredible! Last curve before you hit the water sure is a rush, and lifeguards are friendly, so take advantage and try a head-first slide, eventhough its not permitted, but heck, invite the lifeguard to a drink later on, like in my case-- she was a lady by the way. Pool is really not that deep-- I believe the deepest is five feet.
UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
We went Monday, November 26. For anyone that was there that day, I was wearing a bright orange ESPN shirt and blue shorts with a University of Miami cap, and taking video, in all angles possible! The queue lines for rides were incredibly short, even for the top rides such as Back to the Future and M.I.B. With our all-day all-ride Universal Express (a benefit for staying at an onsite hotel) all we did was let the attendants see our room key and in we were at the front of the lines, and in many cases right on to get on board! Only line which we really waited like 20 minutes was Terminator, but that was at its highest demand since it was the last showing that day. For those rumors about King-Kong closing, well those are simply speculations because the big monkey was still rockin' air-ferries. We ate at the Richter's Burgers, show your AAA card and save 10% man!
Islands of Adventure IOA:
We went Tuesday, November 27. For anyone that was there that day, I was wearing an IOA grey shirt and blue shorts with same UM cap, and later changed to my green swimsuit bottom and sandals, same shirt and cap. At IOA we too went on all the rides b/c of our Express, we rode the Hulk 3 consecutive times and in less than 10 minutes! There were more people at IOA on Tuesday than there were at US on Monday. The only ride that we had to wait a lot was dueling dragons because A) its Universal Express line is horrible and B) we opted to go in the front for the FIRE....rode on the third row for ICE. You have to ride on the first row of either FIRE or ICE to experience that "near" crash of both coasters! Hint-hint time: For toon lagoon and Jurrasic Park River Adventure, you should bring an extra set of clothes to get SOAKED, not wet! Or even invest in a poncho, but the latter does little because you'll still get drenched!
We ate at the Burger Digs at Jurrasic Discovery Center-- show your AAA card to receive 10% off! IOA, with park attendance weak that day, was a superb trip!
Since we were short on money to spend on our trip, eating in the hotel was nearly impossible. We decided to go out of the Universal Escape area, and found a Ponderosa steakhouse where breakfast buffet was 3.99 and full dinner entries start at 8.49 , including buffet! You can find this steakhouse on KirkmanRoad across the studios....A McDonald's too served us for a quick breakfast one day.
Overall, our escape to Universal was exciting, entertaining, and enchanting! Triple E's for Triple A members!!!!!
Sincerely,
Louis Enrique
Hialeah, FL
P.S> I'll follow with pictures when I load them on to my PC
NOV 2001 US, IOA (stayed at HRH)
OCT 2001 MK, IOA (stayed at BVS)
JUNE 2001 MK, EP, MGM, AK, BB, RC, TL(stayed at Carribean BR)
DEC '00-JAN '01 UNVST, IOA (stayed at UNVClarion)
AUG 2000 MGM, MK, EP (stayed at Marriot World)
MAY 2000 GRAD NITE!!! DOWNTOWN DIS, IOA (stayed at DISTOWN Hilton)
JUNE 1999 MK, UNVST, BB, TL (stayed at Wyndham Disney)
APR 1997 MK (192-road Hyatt)
DEC 1996 MK (stayed at Contemporary)
OCT 1995 UNVST (stayed at a Holiday Inn off 192)
NOV 1994 MK, EP (stayed at Contemporary)
JUNE 1994 MK, EP, MGM (Polynesian)
DEC 1989 MK (Contemporary)
JAN 1989 MK, EP (Polynesian)
JUNE 1987 MK, EP (Contemporary)
We stayed at the HRH....check-in was quick.....there was a huge christmas tree outside and another one in the lobby, along with a Gigantic gingerbread house-- pure "it's beginning to look a lot like christmas" gibberish. Although, the landscape around the pool was not adorned with lights, a minor observance that HRH reps should take into account next year. Upon check-in, and because I'm a Loews First Program member, but mostly because hotel was under capacity too, they upgraded us from a garden view room to one with a SPECTACULAR view of the pool and Universal Studios. One does not comprehend the proximity of this hotel to the parks until you stay there! Heck, if you take the pathway near the pool slide area.....Universal Studios is of walking distance! For those going to IOA, I urge you to take the water taxi, just for the fun of it!
Next up are observances, facts, and opinions on our stay at the premises mentioned below:
HRH: Our room, upgraded to a Pool-view room
Room number 6062, closest to the elevators and next door to the ice machine room, and on the sixth floor (DUH!). Upon entering, closet was to our immediate left. Standard closet space with the iron and ironing board, built-in safe in the closet wall (you can hang a frame over it, hehe), vanity area was constructed magnificently, toiletries and sundries were nicely kept-- a lot of towels too! The bathroom had enough space to accomodate my "open-legs" momentum when going into bathroom issue #2 (I'll skip the details). Enough drawers to store our clothes for 3 days and our empty space we carry in our luggage. Television was Panasonic (Official Universal TV) about 27-inches-- capabilities to play video games (one control) and PPV movies, oh and to check your room account. We had a desk with lamp and we got HRH guides along with free colorful guitar postcards. The beds were excellent (queen-size), gigantic pillows and cuddly too. Next to the beds and alongside the window, there is a reading sofa with foot-rest and reading tall-light lamp. Decorations? We had picture frames of the Beatles, the Kinks, and Led Zepellin. The best entertainment feature in the room? THe mini CD/Stereo radio system-- my brother blasting burned Ludacris CD's had me running out of the room with my videocamera!! The pantry area was nice--- but everything was untouchable, yes even the $6.99 Evian water bottles! We did make our decaf coffee as usual though.
HOTEL ATMOSPHERE & CAPACITY:
To tell you the truth, there were more pool chairs than guests staying at the hotel, which was simply the best to our liking. The pool area is incredible, you have fountains with GOD heads spitting water, but with their cool shades, man! Round balls with ceramic colorful tiles also squirted water out. The slide, all 240 feet of it is incredible! Last curve before you hit the water sure is a rush, and lifeguards are friendly, so take advantage and try a head-first slide, eventhough its not permitted, but heck, invite the lifeguard to a drink later on, like in my case-- she was a lady by the way. Pool is really not that deep-- I believe the deepest is five feet.
UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
We went Monday, November 26. For anyone that was there that day, I was wearing a bright orange ESPN shirt and blue shorts with a University of Miami cap, and taking video, in all angles possible! The queue lines for rides were incredibly short, even for the top rides such as Back to the Future and M.I.B. With our all-day all-ride Universal Express (a benefit for staying at an onsite hotel) all we did was let the attendants see our room key and in we were at the front of the lines, and in many cases right on to get on board! Only line which we really waited like 20 minutes was Terminator, but that was at its highest demand since it was the last showing that day. For those rumors about King-Kong closing, well those are simply speculations because the big monkey was still rockin' air-ferries. We ate at the Richter's Burgers, show your AAA card and save 10% man!
Islands of Adventure IOA:
We went Tuesday, November 27. For anyone that was there that day, I was wearing an IOA grey shirt and blue shorts with same UM cap, and later changed to my green swimsuit bottom and sandals, same shirt and cap. At IOA we too went on all the rides b/c of our Express, we rode the Hulk 3 consecutive times and in less than 10 minutes! There were more people at IOA on Tuesday than there were at US on Monday. The only ride that we had to wait a lot was dueling dragons because A) its Universal Express line is horrible and B) we opted to go in the front for the FIRE....rode on the third row for ICE. You have to ride on the first row of either FIRE or ICE to experience that "near" crash of both coasters! Hint-hint time: For toon lagoon and Jurrasic Park River Adventure, you should bring an extra set of clothes to get SOAKED, not wet! Or even invest in a poncho, but the latter does little because you'll still get drenched!
We ate at the Burger Digs at Jurrasic Discovery Center-- show your AAA card to receive 10% off! IOA, with park attendance weak that day, was a superb trip!
Since we were short on money to spend on our trip, eating in the hotel was nearly impossible. We decided to go out of the Universal Escape area, and found a Ponderosa steakhouse where breakfast buffet was 3.99 and full dinner entries start at 8.49 , including buffet! You can find this steakhouse on KirkmanRoad across the studios....A McDonald's too served us for a quick breakfast one day.
Overall, our escape to Universal was exciting, entertaining, and enchanting! Triple E's for Triple A members!!!!!
Sincerely,
Louis Enrique
Hialeah, FL
P.S> I'll follow with pictures when I load them on to my PC
NOV 2001 US, IOA (stayed at HRH)
OCT 2001 MK, IOA (stayed at BVS)
JUNE 2001 MK, EP, MGM, AK, BB, RC, TL(stayed at Carribean BR)
DEC '00-JAN '01 UNVST, IOA (stayed at UNVClarion)
AUG 2000 MGM, MK, EP (stayed at Marriot World)
MAY 2000 GRAD NITE!!! DOWNTOWN DIS, IOA (stayed at DISTOWN Hilton)
JUNE 1999 MK, UNVST, BB, TL (stayed at Wyndham Disney)
APR 1997 MK (192-road Hyatt)
DEC 1996 MK (stayed at Contemporary)
OCT 1995 UNVST (stayed at a Holiday Inn off 192)
NOV 1994 MK, EP (stayed at Contemporary)
JUNE 1994 MK, EP, MGM (Polynesian)
DEC 1989 MK (Contemporary)
JAN 1989 MK, EP (Polynesian)
JUNE 1987 MK, EP (Contemporary)
