Kissimmee V I-Drive

[cazzie]

We are hoping to be going back in September but cannot make up our minds whether to go back to the I-Drive or try Kissimmee. I am thinking of driving but that is not 100% certain as I think DH would prefer that I didn't. I was wondering if anyone had any views on staying in kissimmee, we would want to be able to get to Universal and Sea World etc and I have no idea how easy that would be. Also is it easy to get to MK from here without a car?

Your comments would be greatly appreciated.

Cazzie

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Cannot comment on transport without a car, sorry we regard a car as essential.

Would definitely go for Kissimmee although the range of hotels is not as great, the majority who stay here like us rent a villa.

Sorry not a fan of I-drive, the south end is nice with the Rosen Center/Clarion Hotels but the remainder is full of tacky discount stores, the Mercado complex is not what it used to be and Pointe Orlando isn't as poplular these days either.

Access to Disney and the I4 for Universal/Sea World etc is good if you are in Kissimmee but to do it without a car I am not sure.

 

[Kissyme]

Can`t comment about the transport aspect but love the Kissimmee area have been to international drive a few times and found it very built up we usually stay just off the 192 around the old Splendid China most of the hotels seem to offer shuttle buses to the parks and have seen Bus stops all along the 192 and I guess there are taxi`s

Going to have a go at driving myself this year (hubby`s always driven)
Keith say`s that driving is much easier in Florida than in UK

 

[gilld]

Personally, and it is personal, I don't like I-Drive or Kissimmee - we always stay onsite, or have done since the first time which was on I-Drive.

We have never tried without a car, as like Johnny, we consider a car to be essential. We like to drive to the coast, and visit lots of restaurants and shopping complexes, which would be far too complicated without one.

 

[wicket2005]

Our first holiday was spent in Kissimmee in a villa. We found we spent a lot of time in traffic queues going to and from the parks, plus it is a bit further to travel each day. I wouldn't go back there.

The next time we stayed in a villa just about 10 minutes from Disney, just off the 192 but in the opposite direction to Kissimmee. This was an ideal location.

Last time we stayed in the Lake Buena Vista area which again is ideal for everywhere and an area I would recommend to you.

This year staying in the International Drive area for the first time. We are staying in the Rosen Centre at the Sea World end of the road. From previous visits we know this looks like a nice area of ID compared to the main part of it.

So I cannot compare ID to Kissimmee at the moment but would recommend the LBV area to you instead.

 

[uktigger]

wicket2005
can i be nosey and ask whereabouts int LBV you stayed? we have always stayed onsite but as the kids are getting older they don't want to do disney every day so i thought about satying at LBV so that we are close to disney and universal any recommendations?

thanks eve

 

[stal]

Hi,
I got a really good price - $50 a night staying at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress through Priceline this september (usually over $200 a night i think!) which backs on to the Downtown Disney hotels. If it is this september you are planning to go you might be able to get the Hyatt.

 

[cazzie]

Hi,
I got a really good price - $50 a night staying at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress through Priceline this september (usually over $200 a night i think!) which backs on to the Downtown Disney hotels. If it is this september you are planning to go you might be able to get the Hyatt.

Can I ask where did you get the price from? We have been looking at organising it ourselves but haven't seen that one.

 

[stal]

Well there is a website called Priceline.com (popular in america, but no one seems to know about it over here) where you choose the city you want to stay in, you choose the area of the city you want to stay in (kissimme, wdw area, international drive, etc), then you choose the hotel rating category you are willing to accept (2, 3, 4, 5 star, resorts) and then you type in the price you are willing to pay. If priceline comes back with a hotel then they book it for you. You can't choose your hotel but all the hotels are well known names.
The hotels which people have got from selecting the resort category include:
Resort Gaylord Palms Resort
Resort Hilton (in downtown disney)
Resort Wyndham Palace Resort And Spa (in downtown disney)
Resort Hyatt Regency Grand
Resort Marriott World Center
Resort Omni at Champions Gate
Resort Wyndham Palace Resort And Spa

If your 'bid' is rejected you can either change part of your selection or wait 3 days to play the same bid again.

Some people think its risky, but i dont mind where i'm staying, and all the hotels are good quality and the price can't be beaten. I have used priceline twice now and got much better hotels than we would have usually been able to afford.

If you need any more information then i can help!

 

[wicket2005]

wicket2005
can i be nosey and ask whereabouts int LBV you stayed? we have always stayed onsite but as the kids are getting older they don't want to do disney every day so i thought about satying at LBV so that we are close to disney and universal any recommendations?

thanks eve

No problem. We stayed in the Comfort Inn but I would not recommend it because of its proximity to the I4. It was very difficult to get off to sleep each night due to constant noise of the traffic. We had a room that overlooked the I4. I have read a couple of reports from people who stayed in the same hotel but faced the car park and they didn't suffer from noise problems.

The actual area is ideal because it is close to everything and there is a back road that takes you up to Universal.

Have a look over on tripadvisor where you can read reviews on all the hotels from actual people who have stayed there.

Up to now the best place we have stayed in is the villa just about 10 minutes from Disney. Villas give you a lot more room and are quieter to stay in perhaps this is something you could consider too.

 

[50bear]

For Familys especially young ones self catering is a must. Great flexability and cheeper to. We would highly recomend the" Bahama bay resort" Davenport just south of Kissemee. Top class and very good value.
10 out of 10

 

[uktigger]

thanks wicket

comfort inn was one of the hotels i was looking at because it looks quite good value for money and i do like to be near to DTD because we spend a lot of our evenings there with the kids
i'm going to have a look over on tripadvisor now

thanks again eve

 

[cazzie]

I came accross this site before I booked our last holiday but I didn't bother looking as I thought it was for the US only but I am definately going to have a look now. We would have liked to stay at LBV but thought it would be too expensive as we are having to cut down our costs since spending over £1000 (and still ongoing) on our poorly dog.

 

[Miffy2003]

I would not like to stay in Kissimme without a car I have to say (sorry).

I'm not a massive fan of I Drive (that's just me, lots of people like it) but if I had no car I would choose I Drive because at least then you can get about on the trolley more easily. Kissimmee is a nightmare without a car (IMO).

 

[steve_rob]

If you're looking to stay in a hotel rather than a villa, I would definately go for I-Drive over Kissimme. As Miffy says, without a car, Kissimme (esp. the 192) can be nigh on impossible to get anywhere. While I-Drive isn't exactly pedestrian friendly compared to in the UK say, there are sidewalks (are rarity outside city centres in the US!) and the trolley system is pretty good considering.

 

[cazzie]

It looks like we will have to stay on the I Drive, we would love a villa but with only the 2 of us it works out too expensive. We had been looking at hotels in LBV but I think that maybe we will have the same problem.

 

[floridalol]

While I-Drive isn't exactly pedestrian friendly compared to in the UK say, and the trolley system is pretty good considering.

Cannot agree, I think I-Drive IS pedestrian friendly, the sidewalks are wide with frequent pedestrian crossings and without the hint of troublesome youths as in every UK town or city. We like to take a stroll some evenings and you certainly cannot do that on the 192! Most of the shops may be tacky but you don't have to buy anything! There is also a huge variety of good restaurants, mini-golf and attractions like Ripley's. I would never stay anywhere else, the 192 means you have to drive so I cannot have a drink with my meal and on-site would be overkill for me (although I can see the attraction if you have small children).

Having said that I could never go to Florida without the flexibility of having a car but on some evenings it is nice to be able to leave the car at the hotel and wander down the road for a meal and a drink. For non-drivers I-Drive is the perfect location.

Lol

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Cannot agree, I think I-Drive IS pedestrian friendly, the sidewalks are wide with frequent pedestrian crossings and without the hint of troublesome youths as in every UK town or city. We like to take a stroll some evenings and you certainly cannot do that on the 192! Most of the shops may be tacky but you don't have to buy anything! There is also a huge variety of good restaurants, mini-golf and attractions like Ripley's. I would never stay anywhere else, the 192 means you have to drive so I cannot have a drink with my meal and on-site would be overkill for me (although I can see the attraction if you have small children).
Lol

We used to stay on I-drive but prefer the extra freedom of a private villa these days, true you do have to drive everywhere and that is a handicap - maybe if there were just the 2 of us we would still be staying at the Rosen Center. However, it's much better in a villa now we have a son.
You just cannot beat the extra room and privacy, having to drive everywhere is the only disadvantage.

Sorry still think parts of I-drive are tacky and dated, but at the end of the day it's all a matter of opinion - would be boring if we all stayed at the same place.

 

[floridalol]

...but at the end of the day it's all a matter of opinion...

Very true, some people on this site take it very personally when someone disagrees with their point of view, basically I like what I like and am happy to pass my opinion, if anyone agrees or disagrees makes no difference to me because I know that I'm right!

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Very true, some people on this site take it very personally when someone disagrees with their point of view, basically I like what I like and am happy to pass my opinion, if anyone agrees or disagrees makes no difference to me because I know that I'm right!

HA HA HA , nice one

These boards are all about opinions, if we all agreed that would be boring.
If we do things different ways then fine, long as if we all have a good time.

Actually, I do not know whether you visit the Ponderosa at the south end of I drive but that is definitely one thing thats better than the 192, the Ponderosa we went to on the 192 in March was horrid.
This restaurant seems to vary in quality depending on which one you choose.

We have some good memories of our I-drive stays, it's a shame the Mercado isn't what it used to be and we did enjoy a walk round Pointe Orlando when it first opened too - but that doesn't seem the same anymore.
Have some great pictures of our son when he was a baby near the big Teddy Bear (when we stayed at the Rosen Center), a fabulous hotel.
However, our son is Autisic , he is a perfectly happy normal playful boy but just cannot talk but he does make plenty of noise, we just find now a villa is best for us - he loves water so having a private pool is ideal, he can watch DVDs when we are relaxing also - so it just makes it a less stressful holiday.

What's the Blue Flag Flying about? I have a suspicion but thought better check first..