Inside Universal Forums

Welcome to the Inside Universal Forums! Register a free account today to become a member. Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members and unlock our forums features!

  • Signing up for a Premium Membership is a donation to help Inside Universal maintain costs and offers an ad-free experience on the forum. Learn more about it here.

Fall 2021 Trip

Sep 7, 2015
309
965
Looking at a fall trip, but torn between where to stay, as well as a few random questions that locals/frequent visitors may have the inside scoop on. Feel free to chime in on some or all!

1. We're spending roughly a week down there, most likely a party of 3 or 4. I definitely want to stay on-site, but keep going back and forth on where to stay. I've stayed in standard Cabana Bay rooms 3 times, and have walked through all the other hotels briefly (excluding the Endless Summer hotels). My main debate is between:

- CB Exterior Pool Suite (~$145 w/ AP discount)
- Endless Summer Pool Suite (~$126 w/ AP discount)
- Aventura Skyline Standard Room (~$135 w/ AP discount)

2. If Endless Summer is the move, what the preference between Surfside and Dockside? My gut says Dockside, but I've only seen these resorts through videos so I have nothing real to judge each off of.

3. This is where I need the local, or big boozers help. What are the top bars to hit in the local area (walk or Uber)? The main thing I'm looking for is to be able to have a good time without the expensive $10-$20 price tag that comes with on-site drinks (but also not looking for a total dive bar).

4. For my HHN gang, where do we like boozing in terms of hotels or citywalk as a little pre-game? Finnegan's/Duff are nice for when we're already in the park, but what are the spots outside? I've heard there's hurricanes in CW? Is Hard Rock Cafe or the frozen margaritas stand the place to hit?

Think that's all I've got for now. See y'all in the fog.
 
Surfside is smaller so the facilities are both smaller but it is less used/crowded than Dockside.

I mean, I think all the hotels have some good pre-gaming options myself. Dockside does have the Bubba Tub...
 
Can't comment on points 1 - 3 but pregame....

Big fan of Strongwater Tavern at Sapphire Falls if you want to venture there, as for CW itself the porch of indecision is where you'll normally find me or at the Fat Tuesday's bar if we're not already in at Stay n Scream.

Have a great one :cheers:
 
Thanks for the feedback. Put a reservation down on the CB Suite just to be safe, but can always cancel and re-book if we change our minds on location.

I do want to check out those resorts when we have some downtime, so might have to grab a bubba tub while I'm over there. And Fat Tuesday's will definitely be on my list for CW. When I went to get a drink there a couple years ago I showed up an hour before they opened and never made it back. The flavors looked great!
 
Thanks for the feedback. Put a reservation down on the CB Suite just to be safe, but can always cancel and re-book if we change our minds on location.

Good idea, there's a lot of signs pointing to a very busy HHN season, so it's best to snag a room to lock in a good price. If something changes or you find something better, you can easily book that and cancel your current one. If not, you're not caught with your pants down as there's a good chance the deal you got will be gone. (Thanks @Joe for that tip!)

An a couple others beat me to the punch on bars. When it comes to Hurricanes at CW, the two main spots are actually right next to each other! Pat O'Brien's, and Fat Tuesday. FT is most likely the easier spot since it's a walk-up.
 
I know you mentioned off site drinking, pretty sure there is an ale house across the street. I would probably visit a liquor store and grab a few things to keep in the room.

For HHN pre-gaming (well, I like rum so strong water rules), one year we stayed at the HRH and a down pour started so we stopped at the pool bar and I was surprised how much we enjoyed waiting on the rain to end.
 
I know you mentioned off site drinking, pretty sure there is an ale house across the street. I would probably visit a liquor store and grab a few things to keep in the room.
Good call. We’ve gotten beer/seltzer before when we pick up snacks & drinks for the room at the Walmart nearby, but wonder if they sell liquor too or if I’ll have to hit a packy for that.
 
Good call. We’ve gotten beer/seltzer before when we pick up snacks & drinks for the room at the Walmart nearby, but wonder if they sell liquor too or if I’ll have to hit a packy for that.

wow, packy for a rack -- that takes me back -- Boston I believe.

I do not know that area all that well -- some Walmarts have a liquor store (liquor is always separate down here) so some Walgreens have them some Publix's have them, but the issue is not all of them -- they will all just have a different entrance and a sign letting you know it is a liquor store -- might be easier to find a packy (oh and FL made it super easy on alcohol to go, just need to be sealed so the restaurants can serve alcohol to go).
 
wow, packy for a rack -- that takes me back -- Boston I believe.

I do not know that area all that well -- some Walmarts have a liquor store (liquor is always separate down here) so some Walgreens have them some Publix's have them, but the issue is not all of them -- they will all just have a different entrance and a sign letting you know it is a liquor store -- might be easier to find a packy (oh and FL made it super easy on alcohol to go, just need to be sealed so the restaurants can serve alcohol to go).
Had a friend in college (not from New England) that was super confused with "packy runs". He thought the group had some weird obsession with going to the UPS store each weekend to pick up packages. Took him a full semester to realize that's not where we were going..
 
Top