Need Help Staying Outside of Disney

[Tapp]

Hi everyone, I hope this is the right place to post this. My family will be vacationing to Orlando in October for 8 full nights. We are booked to stay 5 nights at a Disney World resort DVC rental. We will need accomodations for the first 3 nights of our vacation. I was going to just stay at one of the Disney "values" for the first 3 nights but I was thinking...... We want to do 2 days "outside Disney". 1 or 2 days Universal and maybe 1 day Seaworld. Do you guys have a recommendation for staying outside of Disney for these first 3 nights? There will be 5 of us and I prefer 1 separate bedroom for me and wife and pullouts for the kids (in the living area).

thanks!

 

[damo]

Check out the Hyatt Place Universal. It is under $100 and it is a newer hotel with continental breakfast and free parking. It is within walking distance to the parks too.

 

[Tapp]

Thanks Damo, I did check it out and it's on the top of my list. I don't see that it has a separate bedroom though; I'm just wondering if 3 nights with all of us in the same room will do me in LOL.

Since we plan to go to Seaworld too; another option would be to stay at the Westgate Lakes in a 2 bedroom. More money but not nearly what Disney would charge. That would mean staying closer to Seaworld than Universal.

T

 

[damo]

Thanks Damo, I did check it out and it's on the top of my list. I don't see that it has a separate bedroom though; I'm just wondering if 3 nights with all of us in the same room will do me in LOL.

Since we plan to go to Seaworld too; another option would be to stay at the Westgate Lakes in a 2 bedroom. More money but not nearly what Disney would charge. That would mean staying closer to Seaworld than Universal.

T

I don't think any of the close offsite hotels have a separate bedroom. The only way you can get a separate bedroom and fits 5 people is with a kids suite at the onsite hotels and they are awfully pricey. The normal king suites only fit 3 people.

 

[DaddyDon]

Tapp
I would recomend Beuna Vista suites...close to disney and close to universal if you take the back roads. room for you and mom and a seperate area for the kids.

 

[Tapp]

Thanks I'll check Buena Vista out. Yeah, Damo I think the kid suite is too pricey; I'm trying to save a little for my "outside Disney" portion of this vacation.

Although I do hear that the "first in line" option at Universal with onsite stay is pretty sweet. Decisions Decisions.......

 

[damo]

Thanks I'll check Buena Vista out. Yeah, Damo I think the kid suite is too pricey; I'm trying to save a little for my "outside Disney" portion of this vacation.

Although I do hear that the "first in line" option at Universal with onsite stay is pretty sweet. Decisions Decisions.......

Oh it is really sweet. However, October crowds aren't bad.

Staying onsite it a completely different experience at Universal than Disney. You get so much more bang for your buck by staying onsite at Universal. Being able to walk back and forth to the hotel at any time is wonderful and express passes are fantastic. It actually saves you money since you don't have to spend as much time at the parks.

 

[macraven]

october crowds are not bad except on weekends.
if it is a hhn event night, studios closes at 5 and ioa closes at 7.

on those weekends of hhn, the studios does get crowds in the later part of the afternoon.

 

[Tapp]

I've read where Universal IOA is not too bad on Sundays. I was planning on going there on Oct 9.

Could I get your opinion? I've got 2 full days outside of Disney. My kids (8 and 5) have never been to Disney or Orlando. I will have Sat and Sunday (Oct 8&9) to choose either:

1 day (Sat) at Seaworld: My wife and 5 year old will love this park; and 1 day at Universal; probably choose IOA since my kids are into superhero stuff.

or

2 days at Universal and skip Seaworld this time.

If the crowds are not too bad at IOA, then I would probably stay off-site at Westgate Lakes or Buena Vista, or other; I'm planning to rent a car anyway. If I do just Universal, I would like to stay onsite if I can get a good price.

What do you guys think??

 

[damo]

It is cheaper doing the one park for two days, but SeaWorld is fun for little kids.

 

[macraven]

I've read where Universal IOA is not too bad on Sundays. I was planning on going there on Oct 9.

Could I get your opinion? I've got 2 full days outside of Disney. My kids (8 and 5) have never been to Disney or Orlando. I will have Sat and Sunday (Oct 8&9) to choose either:

1 day (Sat) at Seaworld: My wife and 5 year old will love this park; and 1 day at Universal; probably choose IOA since my kids are into superhero stuff.

or

2 days at Universal and skip Seaworld this time.

If the crowds are not too bad at IOA, then I would probably stay off-site at Westgate Lakes or Buena Vista, or other; I'm planning to rent a car anyway. If I do just Universal, I would like to stay onsite if I can get a good price.

What do you guys think??

the dates you will be doing the parks, sw/ioa, falls on the columbus day weekend.

if you go to ioa, be there early to avoid crowds that might come later.
i have noticed for sundays that the onsite and those with a special package do go for the early entry of one hour before the official opening time.

off site guests usually are in the parks around 10:30-11:00 ish.
(that is what i noticed the last 3 years for that sunday during the columbus day weekend.)

so, go early and be there for the opening 9:00 for the general public.
ioa should be open until 7:00 since the studios will close at 5:00 that day.


you mention that if you do 2 days at uo, you would like to stay onsite.
if that is the case, you should book now or very very soon.
many of the hotels book up quickly during the HHN season, especially weekends.

i do not know how the crowds will be at seaworld on saturday.


i hope you and your family have a wonderful time at seaworld and universal.

 

[Tapp]

Thanks, that helps a lot.