Confused where to stay?

[akdeputydog]

Hi -
I need some feedback or at least help narrowing down where to stay.

DH, myself and 5-yr-old DD will be in Florida 3 weeks next April-May with the last 2 in Orlando. We plan to hit all the parks but will hit the Universal SW ones first week mostly and be solely Disney the 2nd week. We will most likely be staying on-site at Disney (leaning toward AKL or Beach Club).

So for that first week in Orlando I am stumped. Hotel resort,timeshare resort or condo?

I see places like Gaylords or Hyatt Grand Cypress (if I can swing <$200/nt) and think they look nice but I am very attracted to the townhouses at WH. Good value, roomy for 3 and close to the action.

But I also really like the idea of a timeshare resort setting....like maybe Vistana Villages, Wyndham Bonnet Creek, Marriott (ie Horizons) or Hilton Grand Vacation Clubs Sea World as compared to just a hotel type resort. I guess I'm looking for the biggest bang for the buck.

Criteria:
great pool area and nice outdoor space
at least 1-bedroom but could have more
playground or geen space
nice restaurants because we won't cook alot
not a huge hassle to get to SW, IOA and Universal
under $1200 for the week, yet nicely decorated and on upscale side

Would staying in WH make it a hassle to get to IOA and SW?
There are just so many properties in the area it is a bit overwhelming to decide so any help would be much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[davinakb]

Windsor Hills would not be too bad to drive, depending on time of day. You'd have to watch the local news, travel updates, maybe learn some alternate routes should I-4 be jammed. I'd guess about 30 minute drive. (Google estimates 16 miles, 24 minutes.)

A timeshare resort may work. Horizons, Vistana, etc. meet most of your criteria, except restaurants on site (most are only a quick 10-15 minute drive). Not sure about the rates, you'd have to check. (If you have access to a timeshare booking group via a friend or someone, you may get a better deal for a weekly stay.) FWIW.

 

[deejay-55]

Sea World and Universal are both an easy drive from the Windsor Hills area - 10 mins and 20 mins respectively, with easy access from I-4

 

[dougsmom98]

Treat yourself and get a place with a lot of room. I think you would love a townhouse. Since you are likely going to be very busy while you are off visiting Sea World and Universal, I think you would really appreciate some place quiet to go "home" to at night. If you get a townhouse with a splash pool, you won't need to pack up to head off to the community pool with your five year old when you are exhausted. You will love letting your DD use the splash pool while you put your feet up right at the townhouse at the end of a busy day. A full sized fridge to keep snacks and beverages cold will come in handy too and save money. The washer in dryer in the town house will allow you to pack light and will allow you can go to your second week at Disney with freshly laundered clothes.
Good luck with your decision.

 

[crazy_for_the_dis]

I'd recommend staying on-site at Universal, or maybe staying on-site for the portion of the week you are visiting IOA and US. If you stay on site you get front of the line access, which is basically unlimited universal express passes. Depending on which weeks you go, you may be getting into Spring Break/Mardi Gras time, and the lines can get long. Every time we go to Universal we stay on-site. FOTL makes the vacation so relaxed! Plus the resorts are really nice (we always stay at Hard Rock Hotel, but Royal Pacific and Portofino are really nice too). This year, we are staying on-site for three nights (as it can get a little pricey) and then going to a hotel near SW (undecided yet, keep hemming and hawing about where we should stay and how much I want to spend) for the SW/DC/Aquatica part of our trip. For more info check out the universal forums on the DIS.