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Cabana Bay or Royal Pacific for HHN?

Sep 10, 2012
21
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i'm planning a trip in september for horror nights, just wondering how busy the park is likely to be during the day in the last two weeks of september? We are going to get express passes for the mazes in the evening but just wondering if the extra cost of royal pacific is worth it for the express passes during the day or will it be quiet?
 
i'm planning a trip in september for horror nights, just wondering how busy the park is likely to be during the day in the last two weeks of september? We are going to get express passes for the mazes in the evening but just wondering if the extra cost of royal pacific is worth it for the express passes during the day or will it be quiet?
I have done both for HHN and I really like RP but for more than the express. CBBR is good as well but RP is livin'. The parks should be moderate during the day. USO will not have much local crowd if they are not going to HHN due to the early closing. IOA may be a bit busier but neither would require express if you will be there several days. Do book early, they will fill up by July for that time.
 
I have done both for HHN and I really like RP but for more than the express. CBBR is good as well but RP is livin'. The parks should be moderate during the day. USO will not have much local crowd if they are not going to HHN due to the early closing. IOA may be a bit busier but neither would require express if you will be there several days. Do book early, they will fill up by July for that time.

We also like the proximity of RP to the parks, makes it easier to get back from HHN with beer goggles on.
 
You can get by in Sept. without Express overall, but there's a number of attractions that almost always have stand by lines over 30 or 45 minutes (Spider Man, Dudley, Mummy, Transformers, Simpsons,Hulk, Rocket)or some over 60 minutes (Kong, Despicable Me) even during slow times, so it's nice to have Hotel Express (FJ & Gringotts don't have Express). Of course there's always the Single Rider alternative for some of those rides if you don't have kids with you. Plus, the short walk and/or water taxi is nice with RP.. ....CBBR though is "great value" for the price. Kind of comes down to your economic situation.
 
The one good thing about Cabana Bay is that you can walk right across the street to SF and ride the boat. If budget is the issue which for me it usually is.
 
Budget isn't much of an issue for me and we plan on staying at Cabana Bay. I think it best fits our teens best with the bowling and pool areas. The Deluxe Family rooms are a great lay out with the partitioned living area.
 
Budget isn't much of an issue for me and we plan on staying at Cabana Bay. I think it best fits our teens best with the bowling and pool areas. The Deluxe Family rooms are a great lay out with the partitioned living area.
The layout of the Family room was awesome! So much room and the little kitchen area was great. We didn't use the pool or the bowling alley when we went last. We checked them out though and they were cool for sure.
My home away from home for us is Royal Pacific but sometimes I don't have the money saved up for it. The savings that you get by staying at Cabana Bay makes a yearly or bi-yearly trip affordable. That was my main thought when I posted what I did. It is a hike to the parks from Cabana Bay, totally doable but still a hike. Then we discovered the boats next door and that was a game changer. Walk to in the morning and ride the boats back in the evening when our legs just could not go another step.
 
i'm planning a trip in september for horror nights, just wondering how busy the park is likely to be during the day in the last two weeks of september? We are going to get express passes for the mazes in the evening but just wondering if the extra cost of royal pacific is worth it for the express passes during the day or will it be quiet?
Express shouldn't be a big deal during that time, it won't be terribly busy. I would save some money and stay at either Cabana Bay or Sapphire Falls. Whichever one you stay at, you'll have the amenities of the other within walking distance, and you'll also be a short walk away from Volcano Bay if you're planning on doing that at all. Between the two, I would probably suggest Sapphire Falls for the water taxi, because after a long evening at HHN late at night you'll want the easiest transportation back to your hotel possible. Cabana Bay isn't inconvenient, per se, but it is a bit more of a process. At 2 AM it can be a real drag hiking all the way back to the bus, and then likely having to stand on the bus for the whole ride back, etc., or taking the water taxi to Sapphire and then having to hike from Cabana Bay from there.
 
The one good thing about Cabana Bay is that you can walk right across the street to SF and ride the boat. If budget is the issue which for me it usually is.

When it comes to HHN, do they let you take the boat to SF (or RP) if staying at CBBR?

I know they check keys to get to the boat dock late at night, I imagine they start check around 11 or 12, not really sure what time they close the boats to non hotel guest and I know CBBR keys are different. I assume they do not care as you are a hotel guest, just wondering if anyone has done it.

I love CBBR and don't mind the walk, but we did take bus when we went to HHN...heck, last year we stayed at SF for HHN and walked to the park as lightning closed the water taxis each night when we decided to head to the parks.

Anyway, I swear walking to the bus feels like it is as far as just walking to RP anyway.

Anyway, to the OP, I think you can get by w/o Express in Sept. I have enjoyed my stays at all of the on site hotels thus far and I like them all equally but for different reasons.

If you have a car, parking is cheaper at CBBR, so that helps as well (not by a lot, but if you are there for a few nights it starts to add up.
 
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