Advice for travel needed

[jen5400]

Hello, just wanted some advice about our Universal Vacation July 4th through the 12th. We have planned on driving from Ohio to Universal staying at the RPR for our week in Orlando.We plan on going to Sea World and Aquatica as well as Kennedy Space and Cocoa Beach. I am wondering if we should fly instead of drive. When I take into account the parking fees once we arrive plus the hours on the road and the possibility of a night in a hotel both ways if we are too tired of being on the road to go straight through it makes me wonder how much we are really going to save by driving instead of flying. How easy is it to get transporation from MCO to RPR? Once we are there is there a place close by to rent a car for the days we want to go to the other parks or are taxis easily found from RPR to Sea World and Aquatica? What would any of you do? I would like the convenience of having a our own car so if we decide we want to do something else or just explore Orlando we could but as I get closer to the vacation time I am second guessing driving. It will be myself my DH and DD13.

 

[macraven]

Hello, just wanted some advice about our Universal Vacation July 4th through the 12th. We have planned on driving from Ohio to Universal staying at the RPR for our week in Orlando.We plan on going to Sea World and Aquatica as well as Kennedy Space and Cocoa Beach. I am wondering if we should fly instead of drive. When I take into account the parking fees once we arrive plus the hours on the road and the possibility of a night in a hotel both ways if we are too tired of being on the road to go straight through it makes me wonder how much we are really going to save by driving instead of flying. How easy is it to get transporation from MCO to RPR? Once we are there is there a place close by to rent a car for the days we want to go to the other parks or are taxis easily found from RPR to Sea World and Aquatica? What would any of you do? I would like the convenience of having a our own car so if we decide we want to do something else or just explore Orlando we could but as I get closer to the vacation time I am second guessing driving. It will be myself my DH and DD13.

you can take a hotel shuttle to rph.
don't know the charge pp though and it does stop at other hotels along the way.

from mco, you could take a taxi for about $35 from mco to rph.


you can use the free shuttle from rph to seaworld.
you sign up for a seat the night before at the hotel lobby concierge.

shuttles also to wet & wild and aquatica

(from the UO website: Complimentary scheduled transportation† to nearby Wet ‘n Wild® water park, SeaWorld®, and Aquatica™)

if you utilize the free shuttles, you save on parking fees if you drove.

there is a bus to BG for $10 but don't know if there are any other means of transportation to the space center or cocoa beach.
if none are available, you can rent a car at rph for the day trips there.

there are two other car rental companies located in hotels across from the UO resorts.

i've driven to orlando for the parks 3'xs prior.

once straight thru making it a 22 hour drive.
other times with over night stops.

i only fly now.
i'm car-less when in florida.......

 

[buckeev]

For us, It really comes down to "how much is your time worth".
(if we catch a "first AM flight out, we can be in the park by lunch!)
We are about 18-ish hours away driving , but only a few hours flying. The cost of making that drive with an overnight stay somewhere makes the cost comparison pretty darn close. If you are thinking of flying SWA, (and probably any other airline for that matter), you probably need to book pretty quick, as the rates tend to skyrocket within the 21 and then 10 day out marks. For an 8 day stay, we sometimes would spend as much on taxis and shuttles as an inexpensive rent car can be found for. (But add about $18 per day parking at the resort......).

We "enjoy" driving, but have chosen flying on 3 outta our past 4 trips, and are planning to fly again on our Christmas / New Years trip this year.
Best wishes...
RV

 

[jen5400]

Thanks for the advice and it did not take much for us to decide to fly and book flights. After thinking through the time savings is so worth it to us. When you add up all the expenses with driving it really did not end up saving us that much money and actually costs more time. Now we have one whole extra day to enjoy and can sleep in a bit on our return day without dreading the long drive home. Thanks again.

 

[macraven]

i think you'll be happy to fly and not drive.


you'll arrive in orlando rested and ready to hit the parks.



you'll have a grand time, a relaxing vacation.