Holiday Inn on International Drive

[logley]

Hi All,

Am off on October for 3 weeks to Holiday Inn on International Drive. Does anyone have any experience of this hotel, especially the shuttle buses it lays on. This is our first trip, and I'm in two minds regarding getting a car, and am hoping the shuttles buses will suffice.

Regards

Lee.

 

[Amyrlin]

I have not been there, but have stayed oin international drive. Personally I would not do it without a car, that way you can comeand go as you please and also get to other places, as I don't think the shuttles are that frequent.

Driving is very easy over there, much easier than over here. However, a lot of people do it without a car and are very happy

 

[lexie32]

Are you taking children who will need car seats?

 

[logley]

No Children, just the two of us

 

[Richard Bruvofetc]

I stayed in the Holiday Inn in 2003. Make sure you get a room in the Tower Block. The room was big thoughh the "ambiance" of the Tower Block was a little "Tower Hamlets". The facilities were fine, though we only ate breakfast there (DD got hers free). Its cheaper to eat in other places on I Drive.

We never used the shuttle bus as we had a car for the 2 weeks. Universat Studios approx 5 minutes, MK approx 20 minutes. Driving a car is easier in the US as the majority of people drive more slowly over there. However, getting used to some of their roadsigns can be a bit of a chore. If you're not careful you can easily pass the exit you want. They also have "filter on and filter off" roads on the Interstates which means a lot of concentration needed.

 

[wicket2005]

I would hire a car it is so much easier to get about. If you want reviews of your hotel have a look at tripadvisor.

 

[nowellsl]

Make sure to join the priority club on the Holiday Inn website. My daughter did and was upgraded at check-in to a suite.

 

[traceycooper]

We stayed there last November, we used shuttle, we caught the earliest one & would be at universal about 30 mins before it opened, although its only about $6 one way by taxi, if you dont want to get shuttle or miss it. I-ride trolley will take you to seaworld about $9 for 7 day unlimited travel! Wet & Wild just over the road walking distance. Disney will be hard to get to with out a car (we did a week on I-drive & a week at Disney hotel so we could use their transport) Taxi to disney is about $26 one way, there are buses but they take you to disney ticket centre not actual theme parks.

 

[traceycooper]

Make sure to join the priority club on the Holiday Inn website. My daughter did and was upgraded at check-in to a suite.

Wish i'd known about that!!!

 

[logley]

Did you daughter have to tell the hotel she was a priority club member or did they already know??

 

[cazzie]

We don't have a car and stay on the I Drive but I would imagine like home everthing is easier if you can just jump in the car, its just that neither of us fancied driving.

 

[lexie32]

Hi Lee, IMHO don't bother with the car ! Taxis are easily available and cost approx 7$ to universal and $30 each way to disney, the i-ride is very convenient for int' drive and only costs a $ per day. You can relax and have a drink and not argue over who has to drive. Ps the car parks cost 6 or 7 $ per day! So taxis can be cheaper and less hassle!

Alex

 

[nowellsl]

Did you daughter have to tell the hotel she was a priority club member or did they already know??

She told them at check-in (showed them her priority club card) but they already knew. She didn't join until after she had made her reservation.

 

[wilma-bride]

We stayed there last November, we used shuttle, we caught the earliest one & would be at universal about 30 mins before it opened, although its only about $6 one way by taxi, if you dont want to get shuttle or miss it. I-ride trolley will take you to seaworld about $9 for 7 day unlimited travel! Wet & Wild just over the road walking distance. Disney will be hard to get to with out a car (we did a week on I-drive & a week at Disney hotel so we could use their transport) Taxi to disney is about $26 one way, there are buses but they take you to disney ticket centre not actual theme parks.

Tracey, why didn't you use the Hotel shuttle to get to Disney?

Joh

 

[nicknsara]

hi

my hubby stayed in this hotel three different occassions in the early nineties and loved it.last year we stayed next door in the rodeway.nick told me the hotel had changed an awful lot for the worse in his opinion.the rooms had not been updated and a nail bar /beauty saloon has been added and the comedy club taken away.the pool still looks fantastic.

the shuttle bus used to run 1o times a day( 5 each way).they are a good idea but you are limited to the running times.and remember everyone wants the last bus!!!.

we do not have a car as well and we do get around very well.the i ride trolley.lynx bus and taxis are all just outside youre hotel.part of the fun for us is just getting up and going where we want without the hassle and cost of a car.disney parking is $8 a day plus there fuel is going up n up.

with the cost of a car we managed to upgrade to AKL for a week this year then we go to idrive for a week.

see you in orlando in october

nick n sara

 

[Soprano]

We stayed there and have no complaints. It's a standard type of Inn which are all over Orlando. Nice pool. We are going back in February and will be staying there again.

This will be our third Orlando trip and for the first time using a car. In the past we have managed fine without one. International Drive is a good central location. Staying at Disney would be overkill for me!

The coaches to Disney are fine. They should not be too busy. They left at four times in the morning. The only problem we found was the last one would leave around 9.00pm, which means we did not see the late shows and Fantasmic.

The bus to Universal actually took longer than walking! It went around a number of hotels picking up people heading AWAY FROM Universal, then after everyone is packed on like sardines, it heads to the parks. We only used this bus once, the chose to walk instead.

Its only a short walk and we would get something to eat on the way home or pop into Walgreens and pick up a few bits.

Getting around Orlando without a car is pretty easy. I would guess those who think its not have never even tried it. As long as your I-Drive has free transportation to Disney, then your okay.

We are getting a car this time so we can travel to the coast and have complete freedom when to come and go to parks, and to carry the shopping!

 

[uktigger]

hi just subsribing
we are thinking of staying here when we go in 2007 so it's great to hear good reports altough we are only staying a week here and then off to AKL and getting married at sunset pointe

eve

 

[traceycooper]

Tracey, why didn't you use the Hotel shuttle to get to Disney?

We did!! They changed the times on a a Thursday though so we missed the one we wanted that day & caught a taxi there, & on a few occasions when we didnt want to wait for the hotel bus to return we jumped straight into a taxi & got taken direct to our hotel for around $6.
Didnt like the linx buses, the driver thought he was in a grand prix!!!
Still prefer it to driving though!

 

[Cochise]

I stayed in the Holiday Inn in 2003. Make sure you get a room in the Tower Block. The room was big thoughh the "ambiance" of the Tower Block was a little "Tower Hamlets". The facilities were fine, though we only ate breakfast there (DD got hers free). Its cheaper to eat in other places on I Drive.

We never used the shuttle bus as we had a car for the 2 weeks. Universat Studios approx 5 minutes, MK approx 20 minutes. Driving a car is easier in the US as the majority of people drive more slowly over there. However, getting used to some of their roadsigns can be a bit of a chore. If you're not careful you can easily pass the exit you want. They also have "filter on and filter off" roads on the Interstates which means a lot of concentration needed.

Can you explain Filter on and Filter off.

Thanks

 

[Richard Bruvofetc]

Can you explain Filter on and Filter off.

Thanks

On our motorways we have an exit with a decellerating lane followed by an entrance with an accelerating lane.

Many US Interstates have just one "on and off" lane: by this I mean that there is a road which enters the Interstate, this carries on for about a quarter of a mile before the same road exits the Interstate. Therefore you have vehicles entering and exiting the Interstate on the same section of road.

...it can be interesting when you have an 18 wheeler coming on and going off and you're in the middle