Hotel/room recommendation for 4 adults

[DVCanonymouse]

Hello! We are planning our first trip to Orlando as DVC members and want to tack on a few days at Universal before our DVC stay (with the whole trip being 7-8 nights). We have been talking about visiting Harry Potter for years and years and have never done it, and now that we are DVC members, we are less likely than ever to follow through; we're thinking this may be our last chance!

We are a family of 4 adults (DH and I have 20-something son and daughter making this trip with us). So...our question for the experts is...which EP hotel comfortably sleeps 4 adults (DS and DD prefer separate sleep surfaces, so we need a sofa bed or a cot, and would prefer a sofa bed)? Which is closest to the parks? Finally, assuming we have EP, how many days do we need at Universal to thoroughly experience Potter and also hit the other highlights and perhaps fit in some down time at the pool?

Thanks for your input!

 

[macraven]

Take a look at the hotel stickies
Many pictures besides hotel info which will guide you to what will work for 4 adults

Two premier hotels (RP and HR) are a short walk to the parks.

SF, PB are walkable also.

 

[DVCanonymouse]

Take a look at the hotel stickies
Many pictures besides hotel info which will guide you to what will work for 4 adults

Two premier hotels (RP and HR) are a short walk to the parks.

SF, PB are walkable also.

Thanks I didn't find the stickies too helpful for the answers I'm seeking.

ETA I went back and looked again and I guess I just still need to know if PB offers a sofa bed or if we need to order a cot for that one. Looks like it's going to be a cot for HRH and RP. Thanks, again!

 

[hezell123]

We have similar family dynamics for our trip. For a more budget option, look at family suites at Endless Summer and Cabana Bay. For a premier hotel (think permanent fast pass included), Hard Rock has deluxe queens with a pullout sofa. Portofino Bay has much larger rooms, but you will need to get rollaway (~$25/nt) unless you upgrade to a suite option.

 

[macraven]

The hotel that has decent space for a rollaway is PB if you want a premier room.

HR is ok space wise with a cot/rollaway.

The value hotels family suites would also be fine for 4 adults

 

[J'aime Paris]

Hard Rock Hotel has a deluxe room that you can book with 2 queen beds and a sofa sleeper. It is quite a bit roomier too, at approx. 650 sq.ft.
We like this room a lot!!

 

[OrlandoGirl357]

Hard Rock Hotel has a deluxe room that you can book with 2 queen beds and a sofa sleeper. It is quite a bit roomier too, at approx. 650 sq.ft.
We like this room a lot!!

The website says 500 square feet for a deluxe two queen room.

 

[macraven]

Think it was a typo J’amie had as she was talking about the suites.
They have the 650 sq ft rooms.

 

[cfoxga]

We just stayed at ESS in a 2-bedroom suite. It would definitely give you the 3 beds you are looking for, but I was disappointed with the lack of storage options. Basically 3 small drawers and a small rod with 10 hangars. So two of us used those and the other two used their suitcases.

Personally, I would stay in a deluxe hotel and deal with a cot. EPs and the proximity of the hotels to the parks are so hard to beat. I recommend moving Universal to the end of your trip as it will be much more relaxing than Disney. We were always exhausted at the end of a Disney trip but never Universal.

I recommend at least 3 days to get a feel for everything Universal has. You can do all of the rides in 1 or 2 days if you are have to, but you'll feel rushed to get through it all and you won't have much time to do the shows, pool, and restaurants...

 

[cieslack]

Hard Rock is very close to Universal, and there is room for a rollaway in the standard rooms. That keeps the cost down and has the benefit of location and EP. We are a family of five, and it works for us.

 

[jdrum3]

I wouldn't recommend a sleeper sofa or roll-away for any adult at the resorts as they are pretty uncomfortable. I would recommend bringing a nicer air mattress if everyone is not sleeping in the 2 normal beds. It is easier to fit an air mattress in PB rooms as they have more space or you could move the tables out of the way, have more privacy, and have a good location for extra mattress at CB, but no EP which can be a deal breaker for some.