Hidden River RV Park E. Colonial Dr., Orlando??

[clkelley]

I could be spending most of the last part of Jan and most of Feb in Orlando working!!! For that long of a trip, I'm probably gonna pull the camper down, don't want to stay in a hotel. As much as I'd love to stay at the Fort (even the premium sites are less than per diem), it's almost 40 miles from where I'll be working. (Near UCF). I found a RV Park called Hidden River RV Park and Canoe Rental on E. Colonial drive about 5 miles from where I'll be working.

However, I can't find a working website for the place, and can't find any reviews or pictures online. Does anyone know anything about this place?? Is it a place where locals live there full time, (which I really don't want), or is it actually a place where tourists and families stay??

Let me know??

Alternatively, does anybody know of a decent campground near UCF?????

 

[stacktester]

Carol I found that campground too once when I was working at Orlando Utilities. I heard it wasn't that great according to rv.net. I would do some checking around before you book it. How far is Turkey Lake from there?

 

[clkelley]

Don't worry, no way I'm gonna book it unless I see it in person, or somebody tells me they've stayed there.

Turkey Lake is about 20 miles away.

 

[des1954]

Carol - I drove 75 miles into Tampa to go to work from Ft.W back in 2002/2003. If your company pays for your accomodations, stay at the Fort and deal with the commute. People HATE it when you leave each night and shout..."I'm goin' to Disney World!" It was well worth my drive time.

IIRC, most of that drive time will be on I-4 & the 408 & should only take about 45 minutes. Not a bad drive at all, and you have the Sun-Pass, which your company should also reimburse you for. They will probably sing your praises for getting them off the hook more cheaply than if they put you up in a hotel and had to pay for all your meals.

Just do it, Carol!!!

 

[LORNADUCK]

Is Tittisville near where you are working. I think there is a really nice CG there. I will look up the name for you if it is near

 

[mnsprk]

Is this what you are looking for?

http://www.centralfloridarvparks.com/hiddenriver/

 

[clkelley]

mns park, nope, that's not it. I found that link also in my searches.

Deb, honestly, it's me that doesn't want the 40 mile commute twice a day.

When I go on travel for work, it's to "work". I expect to have 10-16 hour days every day, 6-7 days a week, while I'm there, with the email on 24-7 to answer any quick questions that may come up while I'm not at the office. Having a 40 mile commute twice a day, just isn't in the cards. Also with really weird hours, as it's hurry up and wait, so I wait, while they work, and they wait while I work, so being able to run back to my lodging quickly and take down time while I'm waiting is critical.

As far as being on the hook for meals, as a guvm't contractor, we get per diem, which means they pay for our lodging up to a certain dollar value per night and a set amount daily for meals and incidentals regardless of how much we spend. If we drive our POV, it's 50 cents a mile there and back from our destination, but daily commutes are not reimbursed. If I fly, then I get my airfare, a rental car, and the gas I use in the rental car paid for.

So unless I can find a campground that is worth staying at within 10 miles of the office, I'll have to find some type of extended stay hotel, (which I've found several.)

 

[stacktester]

Carol I think the extended hotels are a good idea if you can't find a cg. Being that you're going to be working late hours I doubt you're going to want to be going to a comfort station late and early hours anyway. If it were closer to Disney I'd say go for it but at a cg you've never stayed at I'd be leary.

 

[des1954]

Gotcha, Carol. I know of no campgrounds near UCF that are anything more than cheap "flops" for snowbirds. You might wish to grab up one of those extended stay motels with a kitchenette if possible.

Call Al or Jim and see if they can find any military condo's in that area. He & Jim both booked at the same place near Disney on US192 & it was a marvelous 1200 sq ft condo with all the amenities - including washer & dryer for $350/week. In this instance, the military retiree or active duty person just books it, and anyone can check into it.

If you don't have Al's e-mail or phone number, call me & I'll hook you up.

 

[shasta31]

I've been driving past Riverside for years and really don't know what is back their but I can't imagine it's anything great. I did think of another place to the east but it may be too far or not what you are looking for, http://www.christmasrvpark.com/

 

[MandMLUVMMandDVC]

I've been driving past Riverside for years and really don't know what is back their but I can't imagine it's anything great. I did think of another place to the east but it may be too far or not what you are looking for, http://www.christmasrvpark.com/

I too have driven past it for years & don't know much about it. I think it only has a few spaces & is pretty basic. The Christmas Rv park looks like it might have been a KOA at one point. It's nice, but most of the sites are at the road. Manatee Hammock in Titusville is nice too, but it's going to put you 35-40 minutes from UCF. I don't know of any others close to UCF.

 

[clkelley]

Yep, after spending a lot of time last night and this morning searching, I've consoled myself to the fact that I won't be camping.

I have found the next best thing for long term stays though, Ventura Country Club is a short distance away and they have quite a few furnished rentals, everything from a 1 bedroom condo, to executive houses, so as soon as the dates are nailed down, some phone calls are in order.

Thanks for all the advice folks!!

I am really seeing how big Orlando really is. It seems there is the tourist area and then the rest of Orlando, and never the twain shall meet

 

[clkelley]

Just an update, I drove past about 3 different RV parks within 10 miles of UCF and all of them are CRAP!!!

I also drove out to the one at Christmas, FL. That would be fine, but a bit further out than I would want for work purposes. It probably would be OK if someone wanted to visit their child going to school at UCF though.

 

[we3peas]

Carol,

For what it's worth the Hidden River RV park is on the Econ River pretty much nowhere on Hwy 50. It is very old and run down and mostly live-ins stay there. Not a touristy/vacation type park at all. I wouldn't stay there but I have when I was in college and my mom and dad separated and my dad moved in there with a buddy's small rv. I only stayed with him for spring break but I wouldn't make it a full time option.

Ventura CC is nowhere near UCF. It will probably take you anywhere from 25-45 minutes up to get to that area every day unless you are coming and going in odd hours. Traffic here sucks. Every time a new neighborhood is built they add another traffic light to the road. So a drive that might take 10 minutes will take 3 times as long.

 

[clkelley]

Carol,



Ventura CC is nowhere near UCF. It will probably take you anywhere from 25-45 minutes up to get to that area every day unless you are coming and going in odd hours. Traffic here sucks. Every time a new neighborhood is built they add another traffic light to the road. So a drive that might take 10 minutes will take 3 times as long.

I ended up not going to Ventura either. No availability for my dates. I'm at a hotel suite . It does have a couch and a microfridge, so better than just a standard hotel, and really close to the office.

Oh well, I tried.