need help planning a trip, please ???

[Donald - my hero]

*disclaimer: typing one-handed so grammar sucks and sentence structure absent*

ok gang, i've been charged with planning a trip, here's the outline: 2 adults, 2 full weeks arriving January 8th from southern Ontario (so Pearson/Billy bishop or Hamilton will not drive to the states) probably looking at off-site ... need reliable internet, would like something more than just a basic hotel room, open to condo/house. main reason for trip is a break from hubby's very busy work schedule so he wants something that will give him place to relax, wander on foot, sit in a lounge chair or hammock and just be. for example he loved CBR because resort is spread out and had hammocks and last year's stay at the dolphin for the grounds.. BUT i want more room for when we're in the room. will be renting car

won't be a park-centered trip, probably only 3 days at disney, already have tickets for universal. ... GO!

 

[mshanson3121]

I would look at Windsor Hills. You can easily get 2 bedroom condos for about $300-$400 a week.

Honestly, I wouldn't plan much. If the goal is to get away from a hectic work environment, then why not try and let your vacation be more relaxed? You've already got 3 days at Disney, some days at Uni. Just go with the flow from there.

As far as things you could do:

- Relax/enjoy the resort
- Kennedy Space Center
- Beaches (if you have the weather for it)
- Take a day trip up to St. Augustine and explore the city
- Take in a great show: whether it's Cirque du Soleil, a Disney dinner theatre like HDDR or Aloha, or some other dinner theatre (I've heard the Medieval dinner theatre is excellent, I believe it's in Orlando)
- If your hubby is into cars, spend a night in Old Town for one of their car shows

 

[Donald - my hero]

I would look at Windsor Hills. You can easily get 2 bedroom condos for about $300-$400 a week.

Honestly, I wouldn't plan much. If the goal is to get away from a hectic work environment, then why not try and let your vacation be more relaxed? You've already got 3 days at Disney, some days at Uni. Just go with the flow from there.

As far as things you could do:

- Relax/enjoy the resort
- Kennedy Space Center
- Beaches (if you have the weather for it)
- Take a day trip up to St. Augustine and explore the city
- Take in a great show: whether it's Cirque du Soleil, a Disney dinner theatre like HDDR or Aloha, or some other dinner theatre (I've heard the Medieval dinner theatre is excellent, I believe it's in Orlando)
- If your hubby is into cars, spend a night in Old Town for one of their car shows

ding ding ding, you win a prize! there will be little or no planning for anything other than the days we have tickets for when we're actually in florida, it's the actual planning of the how to get there, where to stay, which car rental to go with, when to exchange cash etc that will consume me! the vacation itself will be totally low key, little or no pressure.

hubby's idea of vacation planning amounts to telling me when and how long ... he wants nothing else to do with it other than choosing between 2 (max 3) options and then deciding what to pack ... oh maybe 2 hours before we leave :O which means i need to do a fair bit of mind reading and then hours of research. i have the uncanny ability of convincing him that the disney area is ideal

i have been looking at windsor hills along with a few others but get so leery and stressed over what we'll actually find when we open the door!! thanks for the great suggestions of things that i can do (on my own perhaps )

 

[mshanson3121]

ding ding ding, you win a prize! there will be little or no planning for anything other than the days we have tickets for when we're actually in florida, it's the actual planning of the how to get there, where to stay, which car rental to go with, when to exchange cash etc that will consume me! the vacation itself will be totally low key, little or no pressure.

hubby's idea of vacation planning amounts to telling me when and how long ... he wants nothing else to do with it other than choosing between 2 (max 3) options and then deciding what to pack ... oh maybe 2 hours before we leave :O which means i need to do a fair bit of mind reading and then hours of research. i have the uncanny ability of convincing him that the disney area is ideal

i have been looking at windsor hills along with a few others but get so leery and stressed over what we'll actually find when we open the door!! thanks for the great suggestions of things that i can do (on my own perhaps )

I really like VRBO for booking. I only look at the rentals that have reviews left, that way you have a better idea what to expect. I know a beautiful house available for $100 CDN a night with a private 24' pool, but they're booked through March

Expedia is my go to for booking a car - great prices and you're not charged up front. Free cancellation I believe until 24 hours beforehand. Also, if you fly into Sanford, car rentals are twice as expensive, than if you fly into Orlando. So, if it seems like you save money on the flight, you really nay not be.

 

[bankr63]

You could also consider one of the larger (timeshare) resorts if you are worried about what you will get. The Sheraton Vistanas, Marriott Palms, or Hilton Grand Vacation Clubs all offer spacious 1,2, or more BR villas with kitchen, laundry, and all the amenities. The quality is very consistent, and if you get a bad unit in a great resort, just ask to be moved. Daily housekeeping is generally available or even included. Bookings can be done directly with the hotel chain site (use points if you've got them), or from any of the hotel booking sites, or from unit owners at TUG, RedWeek, VRBO, etc. Also available on eBay, but that takes a bit of confidence.

For rental cars, I generally go direct to the rental company and make a cancellable reservation. Then I check the transportation board here on DIS regularly until I see a good coupon/discount code. I might update my bookings 2-3 times before we go as better rates appear. We stick to National/Alamo (direct to the lot, pick your own vehicle) and avoid Budget like the plague (always huge lines at MCO).

We never exchange money in advance. We only use our amazon.ca MasterCard in the US. No forex fees, so it is at least 2.5% cheaper than taking money out at the bank, plus 1% cash back on all you spend. I might stop at TD Bank down there to use the cash machine if I start to run low (I generally keep a float of US$50-100 for tipping etc). If you are a TD customer there is a branch on Kirkman Rd near Universal, there are no fees (other than forex) for Canadian TD account holders at their US ATMs.

 

[Aladora]

We stayed at the Polynesian Isles by Diamond Resorts in Kissimmee this past December. I booked it through Expedia and got a 1 bedroom suite for $101.99 CAD/night. We checked in a bit early and they not only had no problem giving us a room 4 hours early but they upgraded us to a 2 bedroom suite with 2 twin beds in 1 room, a king bed in the other and a sofa bed in the living room. There was a full kitchen, 3 tvs, washer and dryer in the suite and a dining table for 8.

We were in FL for 2 weeks and did 7 nights at WDW and the rest at the Polynesian Isles. We got the 5 day All inclusive Go Orlando card and did a ton with it!

http://www.smartdestinations.com/or...s/_d_Orl-p1.html?pass=Orl_Prod_Go&allInc=true

 

[von Monster]

We never exchange money in advance. We only use our amazon.ca MasterCard in the US. No forex fees, so it is at least 2.5% cheaper than taking money out at the bank, plus 1% cash back on all you spend.

Pretty much what we do but as Tangerine clients we use BoA ATM's without fees for cash.

Also the Amazon card is a Visa not a Mastercard if that matters.

 

[mshanson3121]

We stayed at the Polynesian Isles by Diamond Resorts in Kissimmee this past December. I booked it through Expedia and got a 1 bedroom suite for $101.99 CAD/night. We checked in a bit early and they not only had no problem giving us a room 4 hours early but they upgraded us to a 2 bedroom suite with 2 twin beds in 1 room, a king bed in the other and a sofa bed in the living room. There was a full kitchen, 3 tvs, washer and dryer in the suite and a dining table for 8.

We were in FL for 2 weeks and did 7 nights at WDW and the rest at the Polynesian Isles. We got the 5 day All inclusive Go Orlando card and did a ton with it!

http://www.smartdestinations.com/or...s/_d_Orl-p1.html?pass=Orl_Prod_Go&allInc=true

So those prices are amazing. What's the deal, why are they so cheap?

 

[Donald - my hero]

So those prices are amazing. What's the deal, why are they so cheap?

I was wondering the same thing! This trip has morphed into a creature with a mind of it's own now! Told my son and he's convinced his disney-virgin wife (rare creatures who skitter away at the mention of princesses and talking rodents) to "join us" ... they'll be staying on site but now i want to be a tad closer to the action, you know, in case they need some help figuring out what to do and where to go ... hubby can stay in his lounge chair

 

[Aladora]

So those prices are amazing. What's the deal, why are they so cheap?

No idea how I got such a great deal but when I just checked back in my emails, it looks like I managed to snag a 45% off deal through Expedia.ca!

I just checked some random dates next March and it is showing 30% off and a rate of $179.45 CAD/night for non-refundable booking. If I switch it to dates in Mid-December 2016, the deal is even better! $97.14 CAD/night for the 1 bedroom and $121.67 CAD/night for the 2 bedroom!


I guess the only real "catch" is that it is offsite and if you are doing WDW, then you need to accept that you will have to drive and park. Oh...and the knives in the kitchen were pretty terrible but the cookware was Cuisinart and to be honest, better than the set I had when I first got married! There is a full fridge, stove and oven, microwave, coffee maker, dishwasher, etc. They have a small basket of supplies such as coffee, filters, some soap for the dishwasher, laundry supplies, small salt and pepper. We are big coffee drinkers and although the note said that there were 4 filters, there were not so I popped into the lobby and asked if I could buy a few more...they just handed me a bunch.

One more thing, there is no housekeeping...it is more like a timeshare property. There was an extra $10/night charge which covered parking, internet and things like that.

We are in BC so we are not planning a WDW trip in the future but when we do go back to FL, I think we might just stay offsite at this place again. We were really happy with the rooms, the master bathroom was HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE!

 

[Aladora]

I was wondering the same thing! This trip has morphed into a creature with a mind of it's own now! Told my son and he's convinced his disney-virgin wife (rare creatures who skitter away at the mention of princesses and talking rodents) to "join us" ... they'll be staying on site but now i want to be a tad closer to the action, you know, in case they need some help figuring out what to do and where to go ... hubby can stay in his lounge chair

For those dates, I can find the Polynesian Isles for $142.71 CAD for the 1 bedroom and $182.57 CAD for the 2 bedroom on Expedia.ca

As for being close, the drive was less than 20 minutes when we drove from the rental car pick up at the Swan and Dolphin Resort and when I google map it to Magic Kingdom, it estimates 16 minutes.

 

[sk8jdgca]

Sheraton Visatana Resort is quite close to Disney. You can sometimes also find it on Orbitz. I think I paid $1000 for a two bedroom but the one bedrooms are considerably cheaper. It is a lovely resort. If you go to the Orlando boards and the sub board of hotels there is a long thread with tonnes of pictures. The Hilton near the outlet mall is also very lovely but the traffic can be a pain. They do have a special door to the outlet mall so if you like to shop.......

I didn't like Windsor Hills. I had to cook, do dishes and clean....not much of a holiday. I actually like the cooking part it is just the townhouses in Windsor Hill didn't feel like a resort more like an apartment.

 

[Ryan2016]

We haven't stayed off resort for any of our trips maining due the number of restaurant options and easy transportation ie drinking and driving. We found that Old Key West was a very relaxing resort and it was quiet.

It is a larger resort so wandering about was great and it was connected by walk ways and boats to downtown Disney. It is also near a golf course if you play. We have only stayed in a studio because there is only two of us but there is a balcony in every room so it felt larger. There was also a kitchenette so we could make coffee and snacks.

We also rent a car for some of our trip ie universal and Kennedy from Alamo Disney care centre because they will pick you up at your resort and drop you off. There rates are comparable if you get a discount coupon. Also you can park right in front of your room which is nice.

There are 3 pool areas also at old key west so if you don't want to be near the house you can request an alternate location. We like been near the main house thou because we near the bus and boat to downtown Disney.

You google Old Key West to get an idea of what it is like

We purchased our resort through a discount Disney vacation club realtor and for 16 night we were about 2500 USD but we are from Canada so bought the insurance on the room as well so it is a little cheaper with out it. With the dvc room they do offer room cleaning once every four days too and there is a general store on site for food options but we packed as much as we could in our luggage for the trip because it can be expensive for somethings. You can also order from the garden groceries website too and they will deliver to your resort but if you are renting a car target/ Walmart are 5 mins away.

 

[alohamom]

We have stayed off site at Sheraton Vistana Villages (not Sheraton Vistana Resort) and really liked it, enough that we have been 3 times. We also were pleasantly surprised with Blue Heron Beach Resort. It doesnt look like much but it sits on the lake and all units have this gorgeous view of the lake, it is very relaxing and clam. Not what you might expect from an Orlando vacation but might be just what your hubby is looking for plus Blue Heron is right across the road from Downtown Disney/Disney Springs. Another suggestion I have is the Wyndham Bonnet Creek timeshare. It is soooo close to the parks. I have never stayed there but I know quite a few people who have and they all rave about it. You probably already know this but there is a whole thread devoted to WBC on the Disboards here
http://www.disboards.com/threads/the-we-loooooove-bonnet-creek-thread-part-4.3366139/
and people there strongly suggest using Ken Price at Vacation Upgrades http://vacationupgrades.com/pricing.html

 

[sk8jdgca]

Sorry can't help with the flights. I'm from SWO but I always fly out of the states with Southwest. Way cheaper, free suitcases and it is easier to cross the border by land then at the airport.

I do know porter now flies to Orlando but it takes forever. Some people here have said they have gotten good deals with west jet. You could look at getting the westjet MasterCard for free miles and companion flights

 

[Donald - my hero]

We haven't stayed off resort for any of our trips maining due the number of restaurant options and easy transportation ie drinking and driving. We found that Old Key West was a very relaxing resort and it was quiet.

It is a larger resort so wandering about was great and it was connected by walk ways and boats to downtown Disney. It is also near a golf course if you play. We have only stayed in a studio because there is only two of us but there is a balcony in every room so it felt larger. There was also a kitchenette so we could make coffee and snacks.

We also rent a car for some of our trip ie universal and Kennedy from Alamo Disney care centre because they will pick you up at your resort and drop you off. There rates are comparable if you get a discount coupon. Also you can park right in front of your room which is nice.

There are 3 pool areas also at old key west so if you don't want to be near the house you can request an alternate location. We like been near the main house thou because we near the bus and boat to downtown Disney.

You google Old Key West to get an idea of what it is like

We purchased our resort through a discount Disney vacation club realtor and for 16 night we were about 2500 USD but we are from Canada so bought the insurance on the room as well so it is a little cheaper with out it. With the dvc room they do offer room cleaning once every four days too and there is a general store on site for food options but we packed as much as we could in our luggage for the trip because it can be expensive for somethings. You can also order from the garden groceries website too and they will deliver to your resort but if you are renting a car target/ Walmart are 5 mins away.

OMG!! are you serious??? That is without a doubt one of our favourite resorts but we've never actually stayed there because we thought it would be $$ that price comes in within our budget and it would hit most if not all of our criteria. I'm having trouble sitting still now!!!

Transportation won't be an issue since we found that a single day car rental thru Airmiles was extremely reasonable so we could stop and get some basic groceries on our way and even think about just keeping it if parking is free (i think it is right??) We'll be flying out of Waterloo since it's less than 30 minute drive and because there's only one runway there's no need to get there stupidly early.

Do you by any chance recall who you rented the unit from? This is something i want to chase down, you've seriously made my week THANK YOU

 

[bankr63]

Really? Everyone is throwing out 2BR villa options at luxury offsite resorts for under $1k, but $2,500 for a studio room (assumed by kitchenette comment) at OKW is suddenly in budget?

 

[Donald - my hero]

Really? Everyone is throwing out 2BR villa options at luxury offsite resorts for under $1k, but $2,500 for a studio room (assumed by kitchenette comment) at OKW is suddenly in budget?

i don't think i ever actually stated how much $$ i wanted to spend because that wasn't the issue .. it's all about the things i mentioned :reliable WIFI, more than a standard hotel room that's not is a crazy busy area so the hubby can relax and just be. I never considered any of the on-site resorts because i just assumed (you know the old saying of what that does) they would be stupidly expensive. I KNOW that OKW is ideal because we always go to Olivia's for breakfast at least once and wander around wishing we could stay there for all the reasons that Ryan2016 stated.

When i said my hubby needs a break it's because he often works 12-14 hr days 7 days a week and due to his business the stupid work laptop comes with and he will no doubt be forced to work at some point (last visit he spent over 2 hrs in the Grand Floridian lobby troubleshooting a problem that ended up intruding on the entire 2 week holiday) Because of this, we need to make sure that he's able to relax BUT since i can't work and end up spending most of my time alone at home it's nice to go somewhere that i can wander around alone safely and have something to do, i grew up going to Disney so i'm comfortable there. If we stay offsite i would be forced to do what i do at home since i don't drive. Long story short (too late) while we have a budget i didn't know until now that there are some on-site options that fit both our needs.

 

[Ryan2016]

We have used two sites

1. Dvcrentalstore.com - that is who we got this rate from

They are a little cheaper than David's

2. David's vacation club rental - in 2015 we paid 1764 usd for 11 nights

If you are planning this do it fast because it can hard to get your exact dates so you may have to shift your flights if not already booked if not see what they can offer

And there is also free parking at old key west for your car

Email both sites and compare the rates but make your decision fast on your site because they can loose the reso within a day

 

[Ryan2016]

The other site was dvc rental store