Helios Grand Hotel

[Dancapt]

They were definitely verifying room keys during early entry. I did not have my room key checked coming back after resting in my room or while coming back after close. I did overhear a manager apologizing that there wasn't any transport from Helios to the Epic Universe parking lot (this was after park close).

 

[BooKitty]

To enter the park before 11am? Or to enter the hotel from the park?

Is this new? Cause I know someone who entered the hotel and returned to the park without a room just yesterday.

I believe I read that the hotel park entrance uses facial recognition. If you are a non-guest and enter the hotel AFTER you have entered the park, you are welcome to use the hotel park entrance for re-entry into the park. Only hotel guests can use the hotel entry for their first park entry of the day.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

I believe I read that the hotel park entrance uses facial recognition. If you are a non-guest and enter the hotel AFTER you have entered the park, you are welcome to use the hotel park entrance for re-entry into the park. Only hotel guests can use the hotel entry for their first park entry of the day.

What if, you want to eat at Flora Taverna first as an off-site guest for lunch and then enter Epic? Seems like showing off your receipt should be an accepted policy?

 

[Alicia]

I believe I read that the hotel park entrance uses facial recognition. If you are a non-guest and enter the hotel AFTER you have entered the park, you are welcome to use the hotel park entrance for re-entry into the park. Only hotel guests can use the hotel entry for their first park entry of the day.

That makes sense.

 

[pjnugget]

anyone know if the Helios guest are getting in a few mins earlier than regular early entry guests from the front gates?

 

[RedButton]

Anyone stay here recently and can share your experience? I have a deluxe park view booked for December but snagged a Royal Pacific room as a backup. I've heard mixed reviews about HG, so trying to determine if staying there makes sense for our entire stint at UO. We'll be doing 2 days at Epic, 2 days at the OG parks and can't split the stay since rebooking Helios will lose me the rate I reserved (~$400/night).

 

[Jwhee]

This will be interesting… I can’t imagine they’re going to want tacky signs, flags, posters etc hanging in these windows.

Also have to wonder how they’d handle a nighttime show like the one they did for opening night. They somehow managed to have the blinds in every room closed, along with the lights off. Would be near impossible to do when the hotel is filled with guests

 

[Alicia]

This will be interesting… I can’t imagine they’re going to want tacky signs, flags, posters etc hanging in these windows.

Also have to wonder how they’d handle a nighttime show like the one they did for opening night. They somehow managed to have the blinds in every room closed, along with the lights off. Would be near impossible to do when the hotel is filled with guests

Pretty sure the lighting projected at the hotel was temporary for that ceremony show. There are permanent led lights embedded in the hotel walls themselves for the regular nightly show.

 

[JustLikeMe]

They somehow managed to have the blinds in every room closed, along with the lights off. Would be near impossible to do when the hotel is filled with guests

We stayed at Helios last week. The blinds, curtains and lights in the rooms can all be controlled via the iPad on the nightstand as well as physical switches on the wall - so I’m sure they just used some sort of central control of these functions to have the rooms ready for the show.

Not that they could do that when the hotel is filled with paying guests of course.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

Ate at Flora Taverna for the 4th... shocked at how empty it was. Nearly the entire outdoor patio was empty (blame the weather on that) plus they seemed to have closed off a few tables in the back by the restrooms. Not every table was full at dinner, so not sure if it's a staffing issue or if they're just not seeing the demand. (I only bring up staffing since the reservation site was fully booked).

Went up to Bar Helios after and it was pretty empty. Not sure if everybody just left after the fireworks, but it just wasn't as busy as I expected for a holiday weekend.

I still echo most of what I (and others) said earlier on Flora Taverna... pricing needs adjustment. The beef kebab does not justify the $43 price tag at all.

 

[jarmor]

I think people are learning to avoid theme parks if they can on holidays.

 

[Mad Dog]

I think people are learning to avoid theme parks if they can on holidays.

mostly on 'hot' season holidays. The others do pretty good. Even the minor holidays. Presidents Day weekend, for example, is now one of the busiest holidays at WDW. .

 

[OrlandoGuy]

I think people are learning to avoid theme parks if they can on holidays.

Plus the parks can’t really leverage Fourth of July the same way they can Halloween or Christmas. Fourth of July is about being by the water, cooking out, shooting off fireworks. Besides the fireworks (which they have everywhere), it’s usually just another normal day at the parks.

 

[Brian G.]

Plus the parks can’t really leverage Fourth of July the same way they can Halloween or Christmas. Fourth of July is about being by the water, cooking out, shooting off fireworks. Besides the fireworks (which they have everywhere), it’s usually just another normal day at the parks.

I’d also add - the Epic fireworks weren’t advertised until day before.

 

[TheCodeMan95]

It's funny how things have shifted for the holidays - we arrived on Labor Day last year. It was busy, but nowhere near what we would have expected.

 

[Jake S]

Yogi Berra said it best, “nobody goes there anymore, it’s too crowded.”

 

[Eckert]

Ate at Flora Taverna for the 4th... shocked at how empty it was. Nearly the entire outdoor patio was empty (blame the weather on that) plus they seemed to have closed off a few tables in the back by the restrooms. Not every table was full at dinner, so not sure if it's a staffing issue or if they're just not seeing the demand. (I only bring up staffing since the reservation site was fully booked).

Went up to Bar Helios after and it was pretty empty. Not sure if everybody just left after the fireworks, but it just wasn't as busy as I expected for a holiday weekend.

I still echo most of what I (and others) said earlier on Flora Taverna... pricing needs adjustment. The beef kebab does not justify the $43 price tag at all.

The hotel is too expensive in both food and accommodation; no one wants to stay there. Only value is being connected to Epic.

 

[Mad Dog]

Looking at some future dates this year, just for the heck of it, the daily rates are way too high for what you get....The other two Epic hotels are very inexpensive, so that's probably the best route to take. And they're only a short 15 minute walk, or shuttle, further away.

 

[GAcoaster]

 

[Eckert]

This is the fakest and most meaningless award ever lol...