It worked!!!

[wilma-bride]

Thank you so much to whoever recommended that I use my 'feminine wiles' to persuade DH to book for next year.

He finally agreed last night - and, believe me, it was the easiest 3 minutes work I've ever done

I am just waiting, now, until pay day (Wednesday) to book - keep your fingers crossed that I can still get availability.

As an aside, has anyone ever stayed at either of the following hotels - and, if so, what were they like:

Best Western Plaza, I-Drive
Comfort Inn, LBV

Thanks
Joh (hopefully to have another countdown soon )

 

[wicket2005]

Excellent news Joh.

I stayed in the Comfort Inn, LBV in 2000. The hotel is okay, we didn't try its food. However, it is very closely situated to the I4 (8 lanes of non stop traffic day and night). Some rooms are closer to the road than others, looks about 100 metres at a guess.

We were a little bit further back but faced on to the road and I had great difficulty sleeping. The first night my hubbie woke up to find me stark naked with two pillows and a sheet over my head trying to knock out the noise. The air con was that noisy we had to knock it off hence the room was very hot.

I ended up resorting to wine to make me sleepy enough to ignore the constant traffic noise. I wouldn't stay there just because of the noise, its location and the hotel were nice though.

However, some people have stayed there and have not been bothered by the noise. Some have had rooms facing the car park which is quieter. I just remember coming home and thinking how peaceful it was. My ears had been used to the constant theme park noise then the constant traffic noise with horns blaring throughout the night.

Have a look over at tripadvisor for hotel reviews from people who have actually stayed in the hotels.

 

[wifey]

We have stayed at this hotel twice the last time 4thJune 2005 -18th June 2005. It is an excellent location there are plenty of shops near by and a mini golf course (Pirates) also a local medical centre and 2 local pharmacies and about a 20 min walk to Downtown Disney. Also close to the Premium Outlet Mall . They do a FREE Shuttle bus to Disney(all parks)and Universal and Seaworld so getting around is easy!!Just make sure to queue up early to get seats.They also do a free breakfast or you can upgrade to a hot breakfast which is very filling for a few dollars extra.The pools are very clean (they have2)and the shallow end is great for little ones , the gift shop has some cheap arm bands rubber rings etc for the kids to enjoy the pool with.There are plenty of food choices too in the area try Steak'n'shake just up from the junction from PalmParkway they do briliant burgers and have a kids menu as do Denny's before the turn into PalmParkWay.Kids play area at the hotel is in a quiet area fenced off accessible by room card only and is great fun for kids if they don't want to swim.Ask for room 1435 it's close to the elevator, non-smoking and importantly faces the parking lot NOT I4!!Rooms are spacious and they deliver food to the rooms which can be grear after a busy day!!

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

He finally agreed last night - and, believe me, it was the easiest 3 minutes work I've ever done

3 MINUTES!!??? get him to give me a call, I want to know aht you do in the extra 2 mins

 

[wilma-bride]

3 MINUTES!!??? get him to give me a call, I want to know aht you do in the extra 2 mins

 

[julie d' tooth fairy]

Hi Wilma
We are staying at the BW Plaza on I'Drive...
I'll let you know what its like when we get back,
We'll be there in 14hrs or so...

Jue

 

[wifey]

If you want more info on the Comfort Inn have a look at www.comfortinnorlando.com, they have more info about the shuttle buses on the website.They are run by Bethany transport company and serve other hotels in the area too.
Rooms are in 4 buildings and share 2 pools and have coin op laundry facilities in 2 of the buildings ,on the 3rd floor, might be cheaper to take your own detergent tablets as the pack to wash 1 load i think was a dollar and $2.75 for a wash or dry, they do take large loads i know all these costs add up quickly.The desk at the front of reception also can book tours and entry to dinner shows etc. Very good service when we used them to go to Kennedy Space Centre we even had a tour guide included in the price who was a fountain of knowlege and interesting trivia.We loved every minute of our stay here .and will return in the future

 

[wilma-bride]

Thanks for that wifey. Can I just ask, did you have any problems with noise from the I4? Also, what restaurants/stuff is there within walking distance - stuff to do at night, on chilling days etc.

Thanks
Joh

 

[wifey]

Hi Joh! Just down the road there is a little shopping area (Vista centre) where you can find a mini supermarket, irish pub, Domino's, new york bagel shop, Ice cream shop, Hooters pub, a steak house( I think it's a shogun) Cici's ,and a little further down a pizza hut, Olive Garden, turn left at the bottom there's a Denny's , and further down there's a Burger king,McDonalds,Crossroads with Goodings Supermarket (well worth a visit for groceries toiletries etc),Sony shop etc. (There is a website for them http://woolbright.net/noflash/vista/vista.htm. will give you up to date info on the vista centre)also a hair salon, TGI Friday's and some other food places I remember Jungle Jim's being very popular at the weekend and the frozen yogurt shop next door.There's a Walgreens to the right of the junction with PalmParkway opposite the Steak"n"Shake and a Dunkin Donuts and there is another restaurant up there too very popular with locals that does pizza, ribs etc.Down the 535 is another favourite Wendy's and Chick-a-fill if you have a car hired for your stay, it's quite a walk and you will pass Bahama Breeze on the way!!Hope this is some use to you, planning is so much fun, Wifey ps forgot to say the walk in medical centre is on the SR535 down from the junction, plenty of crossing points in the area too!!Ask for room1435 and you will get almost no traffic noise from I4 at all!!ITFACES THE PARKING LOT NOT I4 and quick access to the buses to the theme parks !!

 

[wicket2005]

There is also a Subway shop which is handy if you fancy a sandwich made up to your own taste.

 

[wifey]

Oh yes forgot to mention Golden Corral, Foot Locker, 7-11, Denim shop, IHOP, and they were busy constructing more access on the roads which will be for more shops being constructed in the future on the road that takes you the back way to Disney (directly opposite the junction) but we were unable to hear the work whilst it was going on, they were pretty quick with it too and had nearly finished when we left!!Downtown Disney has Disney Quest and a multiscreen cinema which has IMAX theatre and it's easy to walk to.Dolly Parton's Dixieland Stampede is worth a visit too it's close by just up from the Premium Outlets( call at the chinese food place in the food mall mmm) and not far from Publix another good supermarket. Of course the Pirates mini golf is popular too.If you need more inspiration read SimonV's Brits Guide to Orlando it's full of stuff to try if you have time left after recovering from the theme parks.Cypress Gardens has reopened and seems to be back in the running offering a redesigned park with things to do for all. There's lots more stuff to see and do it all depends on what your interests are and whether you have your own transport or want to book either independently before you go or through your hotel on arrival!!

 

[wilma-bride]

Thanks so much wifey but we've actually just booked to stay at the Renaissance Orlando @ Sea World - got a good price on it this morning so went for it. Will bear what you've said in mind for 2007 though

 

[wicket2005]

a multiscreen cinema which has IMAX theatre

Did you try the IMAX theatre?

 

[wicket2005]

Thanks so much wifey but we've actually just booked to stay at the Renaissance Orlando @ Sea World - got a good price on it this morning so went for it. Will bear what you've said in mind for 2007 though

Fantastic. We thought the hotel looked lovely when we saw it in July and if we couldn't have got in at the Rosen, we would have gone for this one. You will just be able to walk to Sea World and go on the Kraken (front row of course ) to your heart's content. It is lovely you are taking your daughters with you this time, have they been before?

 

[arieljasmine]

Congratulations, Joh, on talking your hubby into it!!

Pleased that you were able to get availability.

Now, on with the planning!!

ArielJasmine

 

[wifey]

DH went to see Star Wars Episode 3 there and said it was awesome he thinks he had the best movie experience ever there because of IMAX . He was buzzing when he came out of the theatre and talked about it for ages so I must say it had to be good!!He refused to see it at home knowing it would be shown at DD on an IMAX format.
He's very fussy about his film viewing experience because we have had our own dvd player( fully Digital) with the sub woofer and surround sound speakers for abour the last 9 years or so. Our local cinema was awful for years, they have improved recently,so we don't go much but when we do go it's either to one several miles away or in DD.DS and I saw Madagascar in the ordinary theatre but it was still good!!

 

[wicket2005]

Thanks wifey, I love home cinema too and have done for many years, dragging all the family in. Fortunately our local cinema is a new one so has a good sound system.

It sounds like seeing a film at a IMAX cinema is quite the experience. We will look into it next year. Thanks.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

He's very fussy about his film viewing experience because we have had our own dvd player( fully Digital) with the sub woofer and surround sound speakers for abour the last 9 years or so.

Sorry wifey, I have a pedantic mode on me today
Fully digital?? does your DVD player connect to your TV with a HDMI or DVI lead, or SCART/component leads?
The reason I ask is that only in the past few months have DVD players come out with HDMI/DVI connections.
All DVD players before this convert the picture from digital back to an analogue signal which your telly can play.
You also need a HD ready plasma/TV to show the picture.
Now sound is a different matter
That can be fed into an amplifier digitally

(told you I was in a pedantic mood, sorry )

 

[jen_uk]

Sorry wifey, I have a pedantic mode on me today
Fully digital?? does your DVD player connect to your TV with a HDMI or DVI lead, or SCART/component leads?
The reason I ask is that only in the past few months have DVD players come out with HDMI/DVI connections.
All DVD players before this convert the picture from digital back to an analogue signal which your telly can play.
You also need a HD ready plasma/TV to show the picture.
Now sound is a different matter
That can be fed into an amplifier digitally

)

Does it really matter?!!

 

[wifey]

If you want to get into specifics there are 2 types of HD tv too!!!We've picked out a replacement for when our current model expires on us through heavy viewing ,that meets DH's technical requirements, he did tell me the specs on the one he wants I just can't recall them at the moment. I do know that it's not just an ordinary HD tv. Oh middle age is creeping in fast!!
Any takers from you techie people??