Universal Endless Summer Resort - Surfside and Dockside Inn & Suites

[Parkscope Joe]

$99 regular rooms and $150 suites would still be a steal.

 

[La2kw]

It's interesting seeing the reaction to the wooden floors. When the artwork was released for Aventura, the wooden floors got slated for how loud they would be to the guests below. I like the suitcase under the bed idea for space saving.

Love the entire look of these rooms. Reminds me a bit of the Margaritaville Resort in Hollywood Beach.

My guess is the floors are vinyl, not wood. Wood look vinyl flooring is becoming more popular currently. We just replaced our entire house with vinyl wood look flooring and it is far quieter than the old pergo flooring we had. Almost as quiet as carpet and far easier to maintain.

DVC has also been using it in their remodeled rooms and it really has made no difference as far as noise. So far, we have stayed at BCV and OKW with the new floors and I prefer them in a hotel room over carpet. Much cleaner than carpet.

 

[Ashhanbre]

I know I'm in the minority compared to the last couple of posters, but I prefer carpet. I hope there will always be both to choose from. There is just something about the wood floors that screams MYRTLE BEACH to me.

 

[quinnmac000]

I know I'm in the minority compared to the last couple of posters, but I prefer carpet. I hope there will always be both to choose from. There is just something about the wood floors that screams MYRTLE BEACH to me.

Carpet traps smell and requires way more upkeep in general. Makes sense for hotels to move away

 

[Frank Drackman]

If they stick to those prices longterm, then that's one helluva strategy by Uni. I've just followed too many public companies to know that any distressed asset (in this case a hotel charging lower and potentially losing money) is frowned upon. Don't know. I just give any major corp with shareholders the suspicious look when something is TOO good. O:

I imagine Loews runs each of its UNI hotels as if it were its own unit. I guess what I am getting at is how different the pricing came be (for the same days) at the different properties (I assume based on availability). When we've stayed at Portofino, it has been because the rate was cheaper than RPR. I still think UNI was a little surprised (maybe Loews as well) at how well CBBR has done since day 1, anyway, I seldom see the deals I once did at CBBR.

But really, the point I am getting to is that the Hotel will be run like any other Hotel (in my opinion). Just the other day I was playing around to see if there was a FRI/SAT night to stay on site leaving on a SUN. I looked to see what passholder offers were around (hate how hard it has become to compare rates/deals)....anyway, the best option (as far as dates go) had the 300 sq ft room at CBBR for the same price that it would cost me to stay at RPR...so that sort of means: pay more each night for parking each night, but also get express for three days.

I believe these two resorts are meant to mimic what they had in mind for CBBR...we may see that 'starting at' rate for a non suit, off peak, lots of open capacity time of year or week...I assume it will always be a little cheaper than CBBR but rates can get high there as well....

Anyway, the one thing about the hotels in the lower categories (currently) is they charge less for parking....not sure if SF ever lowered their parking, but when it opened, it's garage was used for CBBR overflow but by staying at SF, I was paying like $10 more a night to use the same garage that folks staying at CBBR were using for $10 less a night....

 

[ChrisFL]

"Endless Summer"...so it will simulate 97 degrees with 100% humidity and dangerous thunderstorms at 4:00PM all year long?

 

[Scott W.]

The endless summer name is just a ploy to push back all the opening dates. Harry Potter could open in December 2019, still summer.

 

[shiekra38]

The endless summer name is just a ploy to push back all the opening dates. Harry Potter could open in December 2019, still summer.

It's always summer in O-Town.....By that I mean all the calendars at Universal are covered with Bob Iger dart boards

 

[sparky]

Wet ‘n Wild only used that same lake for 39 1/2 years.

OK never been to wet n wild, did not know that. I just think gators when I see natural water in Florida.

 

[sparky]

Carpet traps smell and requires way more upkeep in general. Makes sense for hotels to move away

And with the target looking like families on a budget? Little kids spill, and throw up, and just generally make messes on carpets. Much easier to clean a wood floor. I hate carpets.

 

[Andysol]

My guess is the floors are vinyl, not wood. Wood look vinyl flooring is becoming more popular currently. We just replaced our entire house with vinyl wood look flooring and it is far quieter than the old pergo flooring we had. Almost as quiet as carpet and far easier to maintain.

Installation is also extremely easy and it’s very durable. I installed them in my RV and we’ve also put them in all our testing rooms at my office (where they get very wet every day).

The commercial stuff runs about $2-3/ft, and cuts are made with a flippin utility knife. It’s perfectly ideal for a value hotel.

I know I'm in the minority compared to the last couple of posters, but I prefer carpet.

Most people do- even if they don’t know it. Know why? Look at anyone (including me) who gets wood floors in a room. What’s the first thing they do? Put a giant ass throw rug that’s carpeted down on top of it.

In this situation, I prefer the vinyl flooring. Much better for cost, durability and cleaning. Carpet in Portofino would be preferred.

 

[Coasted]

Someone earlier posted the Wikepedia link to the 60’s surf film ... Wikipedia “Its title comes from the idea ... that it would be possible to follow the summer up and down the world (northern to southern hemisphere and back), making it endless”

The Resort name makes sense re Northern states / Brits etc escaping the cold to go the Southern warmer state of Florida at Endless Summer resort

 

[Coasted]

Excuse double post re above - was @JungleSkip Nice find

 

[Nick]

Someone earlier posted the Wikepedia link to the 60’s surf film ... Wikipedia “Its title comes from the idea ... that it would be possible to follow the summer up and down the world (northern to southern hemisphere and back), making it endless”

The Resort name makes sense re Northern states / Brits etc escaping the cold to go the Southern warmer state of Florida at Endless Summer resort

I've stated my opinion of distaste for the name already, but let's be honest, everyone is just going to call the hotels by their Hotel-specific name and not the over arching name anyway. It'll either be Surfside or Dockside.

Personally, the name is just overly long and as i've said, sounds like a summer promotion. Honestly though, I don't care what the name of a hotel is. I just want it to be a nice place to sleep and with a bit of character to the rooms as well (which these have). They also seem to use space very efficiently and the "Lakefront rooms" (which is sure to be a category), will have a pretty nice view for not too high of a price, while also getting the Universal on-site benefits.

I would care about the name more if it was a ride, but it's a dang hotel. There's a decent amount of us that seem to not like the name, but I can also guarantee that something as silly as a name won't stop anyone from booking a room if looking.

 

[UNIrd]

Not seeing anything about this so far that would make it a different Value category than Cabana Bay, unless it's the fact that it's not as close in proximity to any park now that Volcano Bay is open.

Most Cabana guests still take the 5-minute bus ride to the main 2 parks. This won't feel much different in that regard.

 

[Teebin]

What is the Cabana Bay bus turn-around time? 30 minutes?

 

[Nick]

Not seeing anything about this so far that would make it a different Value category than Cabana Bay, unless it's the fact that it's not as close in proximity to any park now that Volcano Bay is open.

Most Cabana guests still take the 5-minute bus ride to the main 2 parks. This won't feel much different in that regard.

I actually agree that the rooms seem on-par, if not better (depending on personal preference) than CBBRs. Also, I may be wrong, but the concept art shows no outside hallways as well, correct? I know some people like motel style rooms, but indoor hallways are looked at by most as being safer and it just makes the hotel seem like they didn't cheap out. I think this is actually something that will be a bigger factor than people may think considering the target demo for the hotel is clearly families considering the amount of Family suites.

 

[UNIrd]

I actually agree that the rooms seem on-par, if not better (depending on personal preference) than CBBRs. Also, I may be wrong, but the concept art shows no outside hallways as well, correct? I know some people like motel style rooms, but indoor hallways are looked at by most as being safer and it just makes the hotel seem like they didn't cheap out. I think this is actually something that will be a bigger factor than people may think considering the target demo for the hotel is clearly families considering the amount of Family suites.

I don't foresee it being motel-style but that could be it.

 

[Nick]

I don't foresee it being motel-style but that could be it.

Based on these 2 images, I don't see how they could be motel style which was my point. Rooms at these prices and a fully enclosed hotel is what will separate these hotels from many of the surrounding little crap houses on I-Drive.

 

[UNIrd]

Well then there we have it. It must be the fact that it's "off-site," even though it's closer in proximity to the parks than more than half of Disney's on-site hotels.