Arriving Day Early - Need Opinions

[icouldlivethere]

We decided to fly down for our trip the first week of December. We have reservations for a split stay staying at BWV starting Nov. 30 for 3 nights before switching to SSR for 2 nights. We decided to fly down on Saturday Nov. 29th. We do not currently have a room for that night. Which of the following 3 options would be my best choice. We should be arriving at MCO at about 6:57 pm.

Option 1: Spend the night at a hotel near the airport taking a shuttle back and forth to the airport and then taking ME to BWV in the morning.

Option 2: Get a cheap hotel near Disney and rent a car for one day dropping the car off at the Dolphin after checking in to BWV the next morning.

Option 3: Get a room for $109 a night plus taxes at Pop Century and take ME to Disney the night of arrival and have Disney move our bags to BWV the next day.

It seems like all 3 options have their drawbacks. This is our first trip "home" so I could really use some advice from some of you pros!

 

[spiceycat]

well the hyatt is in the airport - if you get it - you don't need to take a shuttle.

but if you can't then get an airport hotel and use their shuttle.

take DME the next morning. remember to have an overnight bag with what you need.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I would only get the car if you were going to do some shopping.

We've done your #2 and 3. The one I prefer is #3. I like getting to Disney!

Bobbi

 

[lampy]

Hmmm, tough decision. We have done all three and even a fourth:

Book a room at Swan/Dolphin first night with a national rental car. Use the car for some groceries the next day and drop it off there. The time you arrive from Michigan (US TOO), you could be on the Boardwalk by 8:15 PM walking around and part of Disney. This is not the cheapest option though.

Of the three options you have, we prefer option 3, again you would be starting your vacation. Offsite hotels have no magic for us.

 

[marlogood]

If we fly in the night before, we always stay at the Hyatt at the airport.
It works out the best for us and then we have a nice, early breakfast, and take the shuttle to the Boardwalk the next morning.

We don't have to worry about moving luggage.

 

[icouldlivethere]

So far it looks like options 1 and 3 are the most popular. For those of you that like and have done option 1 did you book your reservation directly with the Hyatt or did you take a chance on Price Line or Hot Wire?

How did you work ME? Did you have to give them a phony flight number for the day you wanted to use it on?

Thanks everyone!

 

[lampy]

We have done option 1. When we did we stayed at the Hyatt twice and once at the Country Inn, just north of the airport.

We booked the Hyatt through AAA, it was the best rate we could get. Around $200 +, I checked priceline and hotwire, but didn't feel confident I would get Hyatt as the Marriott and Sheraton come up too.

We liked the Hyatt, but we were arriving from DTW around Midnight. It was great to get the bags and just go up the elevator to our room, we had breakfast in the morning and we were off to the BWV.

 

[5forDiz]

We'd vote for just getting to WDW asap ( take ME to Pop or whatever other Disney resort ). Staying offiste imho is not making best use of Day 2 of your trip - if you are onsite you can get an early start on your day and if you want you can even opt to go over to BWV bright & early in the morning and do your check-in ; keep in mind your room probably will not be available until later in the day (you can call to back to check when it's available or they will call you) but at least your check-in process would be complete. Also when you are ready to check-out of Pop you can give your luggage to bell services and they will transport it over to BWV.

Also, your flight arrives early enough in the evening so you would have time to enjoy some things onsite ( do some browsing/shopping at DTD, check out the Boardwalk happenings - you can see some Illuminations fireworks from there too, take Disney transportation to a resort that you haven't been to and browse around - GF,CR & Polynesian you'd be able to see Wishes fireworks from these and see Electric Water Pageant too ).

Swan/Dolphin we like as well and you may even be able to turn up a good rate but you will not be able to take ME to either of these hotels but your idea about a rental car there will work.

Enjoy your trip

 

[Chuck S]

When we arrive early we usually spent the night at POP, even though we drive and have a car. We have occasionally spent the first night offsite, but you really don't save that much over POP for a nice room. Last time we tried the Red Roof in Kissimmee off of Irlo Bronson. Won't do that again...it was inexpensive, but the room was not very nice.

 

[geffric]

my family does option 3.. we like POP and it gets the MAGIC started .. we go to DTD for the first night and walk around and soak in the pixie dust..then moving is easy.. let Disney do the lugging.. go to whatever park you want and then take the resort bus to the new place.. bags will be in the room... easy!!

 

[photobob]

I'd recommend 3 as well.

 

[daisyduck123]

We've done #3 before, but last time we did this, we ended up staying at AKV that night for a cheaper price than POP!

(After I had made the 1 night reservation at POP, I looked on the DVC RENT/TRADE board here & we were able to rent points from a DISer & got the room at AKV for much cheaper than the POP room!!)

OH you can believe I called & canceled that room at POP REAL quick!!!

 

[eva]

Hmmm, tough decision. We have done all three and even a fourth:

Book a room at Swan/Dolphin first night with a national rental car. Use the car for some groceries the next day and drop it off there. The time you arrive from Michigan (US TOO), you could be on the Boardwalk by 8:15 PM walking around and part of Disney. This is not the cheapest option though.

Of the three options you have, we prefer option 3, again you would be starting your vacation. Offsite hotels have no magic for us.

This is my pick. But if you don't have too much luggage, you can ride a shuttle to the Swan/Dolphin and then just walk over the bridge to BWV. We did that very same thing a few years ago when DH had a conference at the Dolphin. Didn't need a car at all.

 

[P&B's Mom]

We did option #3 and stayed at POR. We were close to DTD to soak up the Disney magic. It was worth the convenience with our luggage. I would do this again in a heartbeat! Good luck!

 

[OKW Lover]

We sometimes use either the Fairfield Inn or the Springhill Suites hotels near the airport when in this situation. Both offer inexpensive rooms, free shuttle service to/from the airport and free breakfast.

 

[CraftyMouse]

I would choose Option #1 or #3. If you can get a room at the Hyatt for less than the $109 Pop Century rate then I'd go with that, taking ME to WDW the next morning. If you can't get the Hyatt for that rate I'd stay at Pop that first night, moving to the BWV the next morning. You could also stay at another hotel in the airport area but, to me, it would be more of a hassle than just going to Pop that night.

 

[dgaston]

When we arrive later in the evening, we Priceline either a 2 1/2 or 3* hotel in the MCO area. We often get the Amerisuites, and I especially like their breakfast. The disadvantage is that we can't use the luggage service of ME, but we travel light and it's not a hassle for us to get our bags put under the ME bus we take to the resort.

If we have more time in the evening, I would want to be closer to WDW, but probably would stay off-site, unless I could find a good rate somewhere.