How far is the airport?

[piglet too]

Ok, this may seem like a silly question, but I have never been to Orlando. DH is going to be in Orlando from 1/31-2/3 for a convetion. We are planning on my going along and trying to go to Universal ~ Island of Adventure only, on Saturday. (DH is a Spiderman fanatic, and all he really wants to do is go on the ride and shop at the store)

How long of a drive is it to the airport?
Will there be shuttles or will we have to hire a taxi, and if so how much will that cost?
Do a lot of hotels in Orlando offer shuttles to the park?
Would we be better off with a taxi?
Renting a car?

 

[damo]

There is no free shuttle from the airport to Universal or the surrounding hotels. There is a Mears shuttle bus that you can reserve or just take a taxi. It costs around $35 for a taxi one way and around $15 per person (not exactly sure) if you take the Mears shuttle. The shuttle, however, goes to all the hotels in the Universal area and you have to wait your turn to get dropped off. It takes around 15-20 minutes to get to the hotels from the airport.

Many of the surrounding hotels offer a free shuttle from the hotel to the parks.

 

[piglet too]

Thank you!

I figured the hotel would have a shuttle to the park.

 

[robvia]

Most hotels that have shuttles to the park or airport hire 3rd party companies to do it, and they charge a fee.

If you are comfortable with renting a car, that works out better because you have total freedom.

Disney brainwashes people to not rent the car because of their magic carpet ride thing. The people get on Disney property and never leave. Yes, you'll pay more money if you rent the car (rental fee, gas, parking fees), but then you can go anywhere. Try Thrifty rental car, they don't charge more during the week like the other companies do.

 

[damo]

Here is a list of hotels (the Universal partner hotels) that have free scheduled transportation. I think there are 9 of them. Of the the posters on this board just returned from the Clarion and was stating that the partner hotels had free transportation. The problem with scheduled transportation is that it is scheduled the way THEY like it and it probably doesn't go directly to the park but stops at the other partner hotels along the way.

http://www.univacations.com//hotels/uph.asp