HELP! Needed for 1st timer

Lashed34

DIS Veteran
Joined
Aug 18, 2019
Messages
608
Hi everyone, really hope you can help with some advice.

We are all booked for a 2 week stay in December with Virgin Holidays from the UK. We are staying at Hard Rock Universal but I've looked at prices to stay at Disney for 3 nights, so we'd get EMH, free magic bands etc. I have the park tickets already, so it would only cost us the hotel stay.

So - the advice I need - would it be worth the extra cost? We do not drive so we'd have to get an uber each day we visit a Disney Park PLUS we'd have to buy our own Magic Bands.

Finally, do I book one of the All Star resorts which is very reasonably priced or Port Orleans which is more than double the price but a nicer resort?

I'm also thinking that by staying at Disney we'd have more of a chance to ride RotR at SWGE
 
So - the advice I need - would it be worth the extra cost?
That's such a subjective question. Personally I think it is - but it's not my money.
Finally, do I book one of the All Star resorts which is very reasonably priced or Port Orleans which is more than double the price but a nicer resort?
All Stars aren't not nice. Again, really, it depends on your wallet.
 
That's such a subjective question. Personally I think it is - but it's not my money.

All Stars aren't not nice. Again, really, it depends on your wallet.
So All Stars is nice? I've never stayed there so just seeking clarification:D.

Hi everyone, really hope you can help with some advice.

We are all booked for a 2 week stay in December with Virgin Holidays from the UK. We are staying at Hard Rock Universal but I've looked at prices to stay at Disney for 3 nights, so we'd get EMH, free magic bands etc. I have the park tickets already, so it would only cost us the hotel stay.

So - the advice I need - would it be worth the extra cost? We do not drive so we'd have to get an uber each day we visit a Disney Park PLUS we'd have to buy our own Magic Bands.

Finally, do I book one of the All Star resorts which is very reasonably priced or Port Orleans which is more than double the price but a nicer resort?

I'm also thinking that by staying at Disney we'd have more of a chance to ride RotR at SWGE
Should you book a WDW hotel you will get free magic bands from the hotel. At least that's how it works for a USA booking.
As for the 2 hotels you mentioned I'd check this link to see what the transportation options are. Might make choosing a resort easier:

https://magicguides.com/disney-world-transportation-map/

HTH!
 
Hi everyone, really hope you can help with some advice.

We are all booked for a 2 week stay in December with Virgin Holidays from the UK. We are staying at Hard Rock Universal but I've looked at prices to stay at Disney for 3 nights, so we'd get EMH, free magic bands etc. I have the park tickets already, so it would only cost us the hotel stay.

So - the advice I need - would it be worth the extra cost? We do not drive so we'd have to get an uber each day we visit a Disney Park PLUS we'd have to buy our own Magic Bands.

Finally, do I book one of the All Star resorts which is very reasonably priced or Port Orleans which is more than double the price but a nicer resort?

I'm also thinking that by staying at Disney we'd have more of a chance to ride RotR at SWGE

”Worth” is an incredibly subjective thing and no one can really answer that for your family. What’s your party looking like? Small children? Teens? Just adults? How many people? This makes a difference. A family of five will have more limited choices for example as not all resorts will allow five in a room. Also think about how you like to travel. Are you go go go types hardly in your room, or do you like to enjoy the amenities at the resort? Paying extra for a nicer resort may not make sense in the former scenario.

I have not stayed at any of the Values, but if your budget is tight, All Star Movies has recently finished up room refurbs and a lot of people like them. You will want a preferred room to be closer to the lobby for food and transportation.

I will say if you want to upgrade a little, the Port Orleans resorts are incredibly popular with UK guests. I stayed at French Quarter last month and all I heard were Mancunian accents, lol. (I have family “up north”.) POFQ avoids the main drawback of Moderates, the sprawl, because it’s very small and easy to get around. The food court is fantastic. There is also boat transportation to Disney Springs if you’d like to go out for a nice dinner. Bus transportation is hit or miss, but POFQ has the advantage of 1 stop.
 

If you want to stay at Disney for 3 nights, I think it would be worth staying on property. I wouldn’t hesitate to book AllStars Movies. It’s newly renovated so it has queen beds.
 
There are 2 of us traveling - so 5 days (rtn) Uber trips from USO to WDW
So All Stars is nice? I've never stayed there so just seeking clarification:D.


Should you book a WDW hotel you will get free magic bands from the hotel. At least that's how it works for a USA booking.
As for the 2 hotels you mentioned I'd check this link to see what the transportation options are. Might make choosing a resort easier:

https://magicguides.com/disney-world-transportation-map/

HTH!
Thank you so much for the map, very helpful. Still not 100% decided what to do but the map has helped with the knowledge of where the hotels are placed to the parks.
 
”Worth” is an incredibly subjective thing and no one can really answer that for your family. What’s your party looking like? Small children? Teens? Just adults? How many people? This makes a difference. A family of five will have more limited choices for example as not all resorts will allow five in a room. Also think about how you like to travel. Are you go go go types hardly in your room, or do you like to enjoy the amenities at the resort? Paying extra for a nicer resort may not make sense in the former scenario.

I have not stayed at any of the Values, but if your budget is tight, All Star Movies has recently finished up room refurbs and a lot of people like them. You will want a preferred room to be closer to the lobby for food and transportation.

I will say if you want to upgrade a little, the Port Orleans resorts are incredibly popular with UK guests. I stayed at French Quarter last month and all I heard were Mancunian accents, lol. (I have family “up north”.) POFQ avoids the main drawback of Moderates, the sprawl, because it’s very small and easy to get around. The food court is fantastic. There is also boat transportation to Disney Springs if you’d like to go out for a nice dinner. Bus transportation is hit or miss, but POFQ has the advantage of 1 stop.

Thank you for your advice, it was very helpful indeed.

Just 2 of us big kids and we're definitely go go go, so your points make absolute sense in that we will not be around the resort much but in the parks...so All Star Movies it is.

Thank you, hugely appreciated.
 
I think that it’s worth it to stay on property for a few days. The cost will be a bit offset by not having to take an Uber and getting Magic Bands. You will also be able to book fastpasses at 60 days (although not for the Star Wars rides). I also like being inside the “Disney bubble.”

If you plan on staying in the parks nearly all day and spending little time at the hotel, then it probably makes sense to do All Stars and save some money. If you want to hang out at the hotel and use the pool, then you might consider a nicer resort.

Hope that helps!
 
I think that it’s worth it to stay on property for a few days. The cost will be a bit offset by not having to take an Uber and getting Magic Bands. You will also be able to book fastpasses at 60 days (although not for the Star Wars rides). I also like being inside the “Disney bubble.”

If you plan on staying in the parks nearly all day and spending little time at the hotel, then it probably makes sense to do All Stars and save some money. If you want to hang out at the hotel and use the pool, then you might consider a nicer resort.

Hope that helps!
Very helpful thank you, booking All Stars as I type :flower1:
 
2 weeks at Universal with just two parks and the included Express Pass and only 3-4 days at Disney with four parks??
Don't get me wrong but I really think that could be a miscalculation. As an European I always come down for at least 2 weeks, this time even 3 weeks and doing a split stay. But for me with the included Express Pass at the Universal Deluxe hotels 3 days with midday breaks at the pools were always enough and it really would get boring, as I could ride my favourite rides over and over and have almost too much time for strolling at the shops. I just stay longer there to use the free shuttles to Sea World and Busch Gardens as well as a midday hop to the Outlet at International and the FunSpot. For Disney - as the parks are bigger, there is so much more to see, you don't get an Unlimited Express Pass etc. - even one week is hardly enough for me.

For the hotels, I never stayed at AS but at Pop one time, it was just okay, but I really enjoyed my stay at POR and the walkway to POFQ or the boat-ride to Disney Springs.
 
2 weeks at Universal with just two parks and the included Express Pass and only 3-4 days at Disney with four parks??
Don't get me wrong but I really think that could be a miscalculation. As an European I always come down for at least 2 weeks, this time even 3 weeks and doing a split stay. But for me with the included Express Pass at the Universal Deluxe hotels 3 days with midday breaks at the pools were always enough and it really would get boring, as I could ride my favourite rides over and over and have almost too much time for strolling at the shops. I just stay longer there to use the free shuttles to Sea World and Busch Gardens as well as a midday hop to the Outlet at International and the FunSpot. For Disney - as the parks are bigger, there is so much more to see, you don't get an Unlimited Express Pass etc. - even one week is hardly enough for me.

For the hotels, I never stayed at AS but at Pop one time, it was just okay, but I really enjoyed my stay at POR and the walkway to POFQ or the boat-ride to Disney Springs.
We are there for 14 days.

4 Days Universal to explore 3 parks and have some resort time.
4 days Disney to explore 4 parks.
1 day Busch Gardens.
1 day Seaworld.

That gives us 4 days left which we want use to relax, shop and sightsee.

We'll just have to come back again and stay for longer next time.
 
We are there for 14 days.

4 Days Universal to explore 3 parks and have some resort time.
4 days Disney to explore 4 parks.
1 day Busch Gardens.
1 day Seaworld.

That gives us 4 days left which we want use to relax, shop and sightsee.

We'll just have to come back again and stay for longer next time.

Okay so I take it you do Volcano Bay too? But be prepared, that even than 4 days could be to much. Sure you will have very relaxing days at US and IoA, but the other park days with trying to cramp most of it in only one day will be very exhausting. Park-wise I would recommend 1 day each for IoA, US, SW and DHS, 1-2 days each at Epcot and BG, 2 days at MK and AK. As for sightseeing, if you have a car and going to Tampa, Kennedy Space Center or St Augustine, I could understand 4 days for sightseeing and shopping, but if you stay in Orlando, and have no car, there is not much to see and perhaps do 1-2 days more at Disney, 1 day less at Universal - with EP both parks are only half day even with multiple rides on your favourites - so that it's not so exhausting for most of your days.
This time in November for my 3 weeks I'm staying for 5 nights at Hard Rock Hotel - doing Universal, BG, shopping (Outlet at International) and FunSpot America, and 14 nights at Disney (split stay YC and AKL) with, including trips to Outlet at Vineland Ave, FunSpot Kissimee and SW as well as relaxing at Disney Springs and the resorts.
 
I fully appreciate that we are spreading time thinly, however we have booked and paid for 2 weeks staying at Hard Rock Hotel and had just planned to Uber over to Disney each time we visited. It was only when I looked at how much it would be to travel there and back 5 or 6 days vs the cost of staying 3 nights (4 days) with EMH that I considered changing the plans. Other than trying to get to ride RotR at SWGE I am also very keen to visit Animal Kingdom and all things Pandora.

To be honest I have been to WDW but it was more than 20 years ago, so I have an idea of the size of the ground we have to cover, but this is the most cost effective way I can think of doing it. We will still be able to revisit a Disney Park when we're back at HRH, but by staying there for 3 nights we'll be able to pack much more in than we could just by commuting each day.

I am already looking at booking a further 2 weeks for 2021, so will no doubt book to stay at a Disney Resort for that visit.
 
Can anyone advise on how long it takes for a hotel reservation to show up on MDE. I booked the hotel through the website and got the confirmation email but the confirmation number doesn't work. Booking made 6 hours ago but still not showing for me to link anything to it. Huge thanks.
 
Can anyone advise on how long it takes for a hotel reservation to show up on MDE. I booked the hotel through the website and got the confirmation email but the confirmation number doesn't work. Booking made 6 hours ago but still not showing for me to link anything to it. Huge thanks.
Since you have your confirmation email I'd wait 24 hours before worrying about MDE.
Doesn't show up by tomorrow morning or reservation # cannot be entered? Call:).
 




New Posts









Receive up to $1,000 in Onboard Credit and a Gift Basket!
That’s right — when you book your Disney Cruise with Dreams Unlimited Travel, you’ll receive incredible shipboard credits to spend during your vacation!
CLICK HERE


New Posts





DIS Facebook DIS youtube DIS Instagram DIS Pinterest DIS Tiktok DIS Twitter DIS Bluesky

Back
Top Bottom