Orlando Florida/Disneyworld (Part 2) *CLOSED*

sturll

New_to_this! wrote: »

Just wondered if anyone could recommend somewhere to stay for our second week in June - having trouble finding accommodation to sleep 5 (2 adults 3 children) in Clearwater / St Petersburg - preferably not too expensive.
Many thanks

I could be wrong here but i am sure that in the USA fire regulations restrict hotel rooms to 4 people. Im thinking you might have to look at suites and/or condo's?

vivatifosi

sturll wrote: »

I could be wrong here but i am sure that in the USA fire regulations restrict hotel rooms to 4 people. Im thinking you might have to look at suites and/or condo's?

Where I stay it is 5, though the fifth person has to be no older than a toddler as they are provided with a cot. In practice it changes from hotel to hotel. If you look up "maximum occupancy" for the hotels you are looking at, then you should be able to find something that sleeps five and there are plenty of options, though per Sturll, the norm in Florida is 4 people per room. I'd also confirm with the hotel re the max occupancy at the time of booking just to make sure you're covered.

ahrimaniac

So I'm hoping that my catchy subject and my often-dispensed help on this thread will lead others to help me!

Me and the other are going to Florida in January, landing on 15th and coming back on 27th.

We want to do all the parks - we've been before so we know what we like and don't like, but here is what we were thinking:

2 days for Universal and IOA
1 day for Seaworld
1 day for Wet 'n' Wild
1 day for Busch Gardens
3 days for Disney (begrudgingly, I find Disney really boring and yukky save for two rides)
3 days for shopping etc.
1 day for Aquatica.

Now, I figure the cheapest way to do it would be to get a 3-day-Disney pass, and a 14 day Universal Flex + or whatever it is, and that should cover it all.

Is it worth spending a night at a Universal hotel to get FOTL for the parks? Or just to buy Express? We're currently booked into the top of International Drive.

Argh!

I've got about £1000 to spend on tickets. Any help much appreciated, especially money-saving things!

mrposhman

jackieblack wrote: »

You can buy a two-park ticket for Seaworld and Busch Gardens (which includes the shuttle) here http://commerce.4adventure.com/eStore/scripts/skins/UK/TicketsSWF.aspx

$106.72 adults. $96.02 children (+ tax)

Seaworld and busch gardens continue to run their buy one day get a 2nd free promotion, though I'm not sure if they are interchangeable.

I believe the shuttle costs $10 per person so depending on the number of people and the price of the petrol out there (so cheap!!) it may be cheaper to drive though you will have to pay for parking (unless you know someone with an annual ticket).

dannyrado

Hi there,

I wonder if anyone could point us in the right location as to where to stay?

We are a couple in our 20s, no kids, love the states (NYC, LA, etc.) this will be our 1st trip to Florida though. We booked the flights with virgin, because they were direct and cheap, MAN to MCO. We're going late Feb, btw.

We'll be getting a car, so distances etc are not an issue, we do however have a few quirks, which probably makes it so difficult to decide where to stay.

1) Whilst we will have a car, i don't want to be driving all holiday, and i quite like to have a beer with my evening meal, whilst away. So accomdation has to be close to the action, as it were. Also love to go out for american breakfast, hopefully places that aren't too commercial??
2) We are a little interested in the parks, but will likely only do the 'must see' ones, as the OH isn't a big fan of rollercoasters.
3) I'm a priceline obsessive, but nothing is coming back, prob because of the weak £, or the 11 night stay??
4) I appreciate there will be a lot of kids, but is there anywhere to stay with 'fewer' kids?
5) We do have a taste for very good standards of accom, but with low prices, mostly thanks to priceline.
6) I do want to see a little of real florida, and not just the commercial stuff.

Sorry if i've rambled, but i have done a search on this thread and can't find a whole lot relating to a couple travelling alone.

Dan.

disney_cjd

dannyrado wrote: »

Hi there,

I wonder if anyone could point us in the right location as to where to stay?

We are a couple in our 20s, no kids, love the states (NYC, LA, etc.) this will be our 1st trip to Florida though. We booked the flights with virgin, because they were direct and cheap, MAN to MCO. We're going late Feb, btw.

We'll be getting a car, so distances etc are not an issue, we do however have a few quirks, which probably makes it so difficult to decide where to stay.

1) Whilst we will have a car, i don't want to be driving all holiday, and i quite like to have a beer with my evening meal, whilst away. So accomdation has to be close to the action, as it were. Also love to go out for american breakfast, hopefully places that aren't too commercial??
2) We are a little interested in the parks, but will likely only do the 'must see' ones, as the OH isn't a big fan of rollercoasters.
3) I'm a priceline obsessive, but nothing is coming back, prob because of the weak £, or the 11 night stay??
4) I appreciate there will be a lot of kids, but is there anywhere to stay with 'fewer' kids?
5) We do have a taste for very good standards of accom, but with low prices, mostly thanks to priceline.
6) I do want to see a little of real florida, and not just the commercial stuff.

Sorry if i've rambled, but i have done a search on this thread and can't find a whole lot relating to a couple travelling alone.

Dan.

Hi Dan

I remember being 20 with no kids - then I was a rich man and could enjoy sightseeing, now its all Disney LOL.

Anyway here are some tips/ideas for you mate. Looks liek a multicentre holiday for you really. That way you can experience all of it.

I do not know if the Disney hotels participate in Priceline but you shoudl try then for a few days. If you wanta beer and why not, you are on holiday then try maybe Saratoga Springs or Port Orleans as Disney resorts Both within walking distance of Downtown Disney with resturants and bars etc.

For the quieter side of Disney area try the LBV hotels, You can not go wrong with teh Marriott Village at Little Lake Bryan IMHO. Also the Marriotts esp the Courtyard do a magnificant breakfast and omlette bar, much better than the Shonneys rubbish.

IHOP is also good fun and pretty decent for Brekkie.

Another nice hotel albeit on the dreaded I Drive is the Floridays. Its up the good end of I Drive and allows you to wonder about also.

As for further afield for real Florida you shoudl try Clearwater and there either ht eHilton oin teh Beach of the Marriott Sand Key Resort are great. From here you can access the excellent Bush Gardens which has awesome coasters. You also have asccess from here to the wonderful beaches etc.

Further afield I would try St Augustine and the Keys. The Keys are a long away mind you as is Miami Beach which has to be a maybe for the youngons Id go there and treat your OH to a tattoo at Miani Ink (joke!!)

Other nice places would be the Universal resort hotels, this would allow you to wizz throuhght h universal parks as well.

Do not be put off by swapping hotels, many people do a few dyas her and there.

HTH

Cheers
Craig

KarenG

disney_cjd wrote: »

then try maybe Saratoga Springs or Port Orleans as Disney resorts Both within walking distance of Downtown Disney with resturants and bars etc.

Great advice from disney cjd but one small correction - you cannot walk to Downtown Disney from Port Orleans - there is no path. There is a very pleasant (free) boat between Port Orleans & Downtown Disney though.

disney_cjd

KarenG wrote: »

Great advice from disney cjd but one small correction - you cannot walk to Downtown Disney from Port Orleans - there is no path. There is a very pleasant (free) boat between Port Orleans & Downtown Disney though.

a-ha but you can walk to SS from PO and then walk?

But the boat is cool.



CJD

mymatebob

dannyrado wrote: »

Hi there,

I wonder if anyone could point us in the right location as to where to stay?

We are a couple in our 20s, no kids, love the states (NYC, LA, etc.) this will be our 1st trip to Florida though. We booked the flights with virgin, because they were direct and cheap, MAN to MCO. We're going late Feb, btw.

We'll be getting a car, so distances etc are not an issue, we do however have a few quirks, which probably makes it so difficult to decide where to stay.

1) Whilst we will have a car, i don't want to be driving all holiday, and i quite like to have a beer with my evening meal, whilst away. So accomdation has to be close to the action, as it were. Also love to go out for american breakfast, hopefully places that aren't too commercial??
2) We are a little interested in the parks, but will likely only do the 'must see' ones, as the OH isn't a big fan of rollercoasters.
3) I'm a priceline obsessive, but nothing is coming back, prob because of the weak £, or the 11 night stay??
4) I appreciate there will be a lot of kids, but is there anywhere to stay with 'fewer' kids?
5) We do have a taste for very good standards of accom, but with low prices, mostly thanks to priceline.
6) I do want to see a little of real florida, and not just the commercial stuff.

Sorry if i've rambled, but i have done a search on this thread and can't find a whole lot relating to a couple travelling alone.

Dan.

We drove to Key West and never used the car at all once there so no problems with having a small sherry or two. Stayed in Fort Lauderdale on the way which was superb. Again we were able to leave the car and walk to places to eat and or drink

The east coast is lovely - great beaches and loads of places to choose from accommodation wise.

I know that is a bit vague but just to give you some general ideas that you may not have considered

vivatifosi

I don't have kids and go to Disney with my DH all the time.

You can walk from Saratoga Springs and Old Key West to Downtown Disney, though Saratoga is a lot closer. We've just received an offer through on both resorts offering mega discounts next year. Per my previous note, Disney is currently doing 7 for the price of 4 on hotels at the moment, so very competitive. OKW and Saratoga don't have too many kids, but if you don't want to be around them avoid Pop Century and the All Star Resorts as they are child mobbed.

I'm not the greatest fan of I Drive (though the bottom half is ok) and hate Kissimmee with a passion but I Drive is good for non-drivers but both are ok if you want to have a local hostelry and brekkie nearby. However, IMHO the best place to stay for your criteria would be Hotel Plaza Blvd. Not too many kids, walkable to downtown Disney, walkable to Crossroads and the restaraunts at Apopka Vineland, nice safe area to stay, close to the rest of the action and the main roads if you want to go somewhere else.

Having said that, I'd price up against the 7 for the price of 4 from Disney, to make sure that seven nights "on property" (Port Orleans is a good bet) isn't a better deal. I'd then stay somewhere else for the others such as Clearwater on the west coast. Within the seven days I wouldn't spend them all at the theme parks, I love the space centre at Kennedy, there are some great shops, and maybe something really relaxed and chilled, such as a day at Discovery Cove.