We have been harsh on Helios Grand Lodge when Common Orlando pulled again the curtain on the brand new in-park lodge overlooking Epic Universe. However we’re at all times keen to confess when incorrect or misguided, so in that spirit, we need to revisit our commentary in regards to the upcoming signature resort now that base pricing has been revealed.
Virtually all of our critique was premised across the perception that Helios Grand Lodge could be a luxurious resort. That it will instantly change into Common Orlando’s flagship lodge, with costs larger than any of the present resorts. We speculated that it will simply eclipse Portofino Bay Lodge, which is at present high canine, with beginning costs of $393 per evening.
We by no means made public predictions as to cost factors (fortunately), however our expectation was that Helios Grand Lodge would rival Walt Disney World park-adjacent lodges by way of pricing. To make sure, we weren’t anticipating that Helios Grand Lodge would value as a lot because the Grand Floridian from the soar, however in the identical ballpark as Walt Disney World’s least expensive park-connected lodges? Positive.
Because it seems, this expectation was very incorrect–except you employ essentially the most liberal interpretation of “park-connected” resorts at Walt Disney World. Are Pop Century and Artwork of Animation park-connected by advantage of their Skyliner entry to EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios? In that case, then Walt Disney World comes out on high–and remains to be cheaper.
However you and I each effectively know that’s not what any affordable individual means by park-connected or adjoining. Evaluating the Common’s Epic Universe in-park lodge to Pop Century and deeming them equivalents is like evaluating filet mignon to Fancy Feast Filet Mignon taste. There’s no technique to spin this that makes it cross the odor check.
Anyway, Common Orlando nonetheless hasn’t revealed full pricing for Common Helios Grand Lodge (that’ll come subsequent week), however we do have an concept of beginning costs based mostly the lodge comparability instrument. Right here’s a glance:
Earlier than we go something additional, there are a pair vital asterisks.
First, the $293 per evening value at Common Helios Grand Lodge is the beginning value. Charges will go up from there.
Second, that is the value for a 4-night or longer keep. It’s protected to imagine that shorter length stays can be dearer on a per-night foundation.
Only for the sake of added context, I searched single-night stays at Portofino Bay for what I’d anticipate to be low season and peak season dates, and the vary for these 1-night stays in 2025 was $491 to $1,024 for the standard room.
For much more context, I searched single-night stays at Gran Destino Tower in Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort for the very same low season and peak season dates, and the vary for these 1-night stays in 2024-2025* was $398 to $602 for the standard room. (*I needed to search 2024 peak season dates for Gran Destino as a result of 2025 costs for that timeframe aren’t out but–charges don’t materially improve for the remainder of 2025, although.)
For a similar dates, Grand Floridian is $732 to $1,224. Once more, normal room.
Walt Disney World followers who really feel compelled to defend the corporate for no matter motive will possible level to the 1-night price on the larger finish of the spectrum at Portofino Bay. In spite of everything, that arguably “proves” that Common’s beginning value is advertising and marketing puffery, false promoting, or no matter.
I’d be considerably receptive to that argument relating to Portofino Bay–and even Onerous Rock Lodge or Royal Pacific Resort (for many who are questioning, each are over $900 for peak season dates round Christmas 2025). These charges are extraordinarily costly, all on par with the costliest Deluxe Resorts at Walt Disney World throughout the identical timeframe.
Nonetheless, I figured that is perhaps attributable to Limitless Specific Cross. Since Walt Disney World doesn’t embody Lightning Lane Premier Cross–a lot much less an limitless incarnation of it–with Deluxe Resort stays, that additionally isn’t an apples to apples comparability. So I took a have a look at Common’s different “Signature Assortment” resort that doesn’t supply Limitless Specific Cross for a cleaner comparability.
Positive sufficient, Sapphire Falls is priced at $451 per evening throughout these peak season dates. Lower than half any of the opposite top-tier choices at Common, and likewise cheaper than Gran Destino Tower. (Regardless of how you are feeling in regards to the different comparisons, there’s little denying that Sapphire Falls and Gran Destino are in the identical ballpark, quality-wise.)
From my perspective, the reason for all of this pricing is fairly easy: Limitless Specific Cross, or the dearth thereof, is the important thing driver of room charges amongst Signature Assortment resorts at Common Orlando.
This explains why Sapphire Falls is a lot cheaper the week between Christmas and New Yr’s in late 2025. It additionally explains why the beginning value for Common Helios Grand Lodge is decrease than Portofino Bay. Or, for that matter, why it’s decrease than all three of the legacy top-tier lodges.
Now, you can additionally make the case that Sapphire Falls isn’t as luxurious as Portofino, Onerous Rock, or Royal Pacific. That’s honest and correct. I’m not so certain it’s true of Helios Grand Lodge, although. It arguably is when evaluating sure parts of every, however throughout the board? I don’t suppose so.
I’m an enormous fan of all three of these lodges and was highly-critical of Helios Grand Lodge’s reveal.
With that mentioned, I can’t declare that my least favourite of the trio–Royal Pacific–seems to be higher than Helios Grand Lodge throughout the board. Definitely to not the purpose that it justifies premium pricing of what seems can be round $50 per evening!
That is exactly why I used to be vital of Helios Grand Lodge within the first place. Regardless that we knew it wouldn’t embody Limitless Specific Cross, I nonetheless anticipated it will be the brand new flagship at Common Orlando, possible having a place to begin of $100 extra than Portofino Bay–not $100 much less. That $200 per evening swing in anticipated vs. precise pricing makes me a lot, rather more forgiving.
My unhealthy. I undervalued Limitless Specific Cross and overvalued Helios Grand Lodge’s location overlooking Epic Universe. Not less than, as in comparison with Common Orlando’s valuation of those options. My guess is that the ‘market’ will make an evaluation extra in keeping with mine, and Helios Grand Lodge can be very troublesome to guide. However we will see!
Turning to commentary, now that the beginning price has been revealed for Common Helios Grand Lodge–and we will infer charges past that based mostly on share variations between it, Sapphire Falls and Royal Pacific, I’m rather more inclined to remain there. In actual fact, my first impression (or is it second?) of the worth proposition is now rather more favorable.
Friends staying at Common Helios Grand Lodge, or any of the opposite Common Orlando lodges, obtain Early Park Admission to get pleasure from choose points of interest on the theme parks, which is able to broaden to incorporate Common Epic Universe with the park’s opening in 2025. Early Park Admission will supply as much as one hour of precedence entry earlier than the park opens with legitimate theme park admission.
Truthfully, I’m pleasantly stunned right here that Early Park Admission is being expanded to Epic Universe. I wouldn’t essentially have guess on that, and anticipated that Common Orlando would as a substitute attempt to monetize early entry in the identical means they do at Tremendous Nintendo World in Hollywood. So that could be a small victory on the very least–and one which could possibly be extremely worthwhile at Epic Universe.
Clearly, location is the opposite massive one. Whereas I’d usually reasonably be on the primary campus of Common Orlando, I’d favor the proximity to Epic Universe in 2025. It’s because I’m going to spend a disproportionate period of time there, and suppose it’s strategically advantageous for Early Entry, noon breaks, and every thing else. Long run, who is aware of.
For this exact same motive, I don’t care a complete lot about Limitless Specific Cross.
We’ve speculated for some time that Helios Grand Lodge wouldn’t supply it or that Epic Universe wouldn’t…or each. This turned out to be correct. As we’ve mentioned beforehand, Common Orlando possible regrets the deal they made with Loews to supply Limitless Specific Cross to its Premier Resorts, which is why subsequent lodges (and now parks) haven’t seen that association prolonged.
Common wouldn’t make the identical deal within the 2020s that it did within the late Nineties, which is exactly why Sapphire Falls doesn’t supply Specific Cross. Common Orlando is now already established as a bona fide theme park heavy hitter, and there’s no want to dangle such a park to get a dedication from Loews. The hotelier couldn’t get a sweetheart deal this time–it’s Common with the leverage now.
All of that’s a bit inside baseball, although. From a sensible visitor perspective, in 2025 I don’t care as a lot about Limitless Specific Cross as a result of my precedence is Epic Universe, which won’t have it. The flip aspect of that’s that I’ll care about Limitless Specific Cross much less at Common Studios Florida and Islands of Journey.
That is each as a result of I’ll be spending much less time in these parks throughout my keep and since I don’t suppose it’ll be as needed. Which means that even with the holiday packages that “pressure” folks to go to the opposite two parks, I’d guess that the present gates will not be seeing important spikes in crowds subsequent yr.
After all, I could possibly be incorrect about this–nevertheless it’s of venture that I’m personally keen to make as a result of I don’t actually care if I’m incorrect (been there, achieved that with the present parks–they’re not high priorities this go-round). Not solely that, however the recognized upsides of Common Helios Grand Lodge (lower cost + higher location) outweigh the downsides, even the potential ones. Not less than, for me. As at all times, your circumstances might differ.
I’m additionally unbothered by the “beginning value” or that it’s “based mostly on a 4-night keep” a part of the bottom value. Corporations making an attempt to catch your consideration with best-case costs isn’t precisely stop-the-presses information. Anybody who has ever watched a Walt Disney World industrial that ends with “trip beginning at $X per individual” costs which can be comically low ought to know that!
Positive, Common Helios Grand Lodge received’t value $293 for a 1-night keep on New Yr’s Eve–it’ll in all probability be near double that. However single nights in the course of the low season shouldn’t be that rather more costly (~$350/evening if we extrapolate and alter from Sapphire Falls).
Past all else, I don’t care as a result of a 4-night or longer keep might be what I’d guide at Common Helios Grand Lodge! If I’m the typical vacationer reserving a lodge in 2025 who’s emphasizing Epic Universe, I’m both doing a cut up keep between Common Orlando and Walt Disney World, or just staying at Common and commuting to Disney.
The on-site perks at Common are extra worthwhile than those at WDW and, at the very least for now, Common pricing is nonetheless superior. In gentle of that, a 4-night keep might be precisely what I’m reserving, and that base value isn’t misleading from my perspective.
In the end, given all of this–I need to revise and improve my preliminary evaluation of Common Helios Grand Lodge. As earlier than, the outside seems to be to me just like the unusual love-child of Disney’s Riviera Resort and Gran Destino Tower at Coronado Springs, however with extra artifice and a focus to element so it’s not so boxy.
It’s nonetheless not practically pretty much as good as Portofino Bay, which stays the high-water mark for themed resorts at Common Orlando. With that mentioned, it’s priced nearer to Gran Destino Tower than Riviera or Portofino Bay, so it’s completely honest for Helios Grand to appear to be a greater model of that.
The pool likewise seems to be good, which isn’t an enormous shock since Common Inventive and Loews have achieved a incredible job with pool complexes at most of the present resorts. It’s in all probability honest to say that Common lodges, on common, outdo Disney from the angle of swimming pools. The swimming pools at Onerous Rock and Portofino Bay are my private favorites, however there are a number of nice ones. (Cabana Bay may be good, nevertheless it’s usually packed.)
The usual rooms look small and bland, however with the added context that Common Helios Grand is nearer in value to Sapphire Falls than it’s Portofino Bay, it now makes full sense that it will remind me of the previous. It seems to be like Common needed to cram as many rooms into as small of a footprint as attainable…in all probability as a result of they did! Common took the economical and environment friendly strategy–each to constructing and pricing Helios Grand Lodge–and it’s troublesome to argue with that call!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Stunned by the low costs of Common Helios Grand Lodge? Have been you anticipated the bottom value to be larger? Did you suppose it will be the flagship Common Orlando lodge, or did you anticipate this? Will you guide Common Helios Grand Lodge, or persist with one of many present resorts? Suppose Epic Universe can be a 3rd gate that’s a worthy addition to Common Orlando Resort…and probably on par with Disney’s greatest lands? Agree or disagree with our evaluation that a lot of the inside seems to be too just like Common’s new lower-tier resorts? Any questions? We love listening to from readers, so please share some other ideas or questions you might have within the feedback beneath!
