Onsite vs off site - solo traveler

[practicallyperfect77]

Hi folks - hoping you can offer some advice. I am thinking of heading down early dec for a couple days (3 nights max). Really what prompted trip is the fact that this is the last year for Osborne Lights at Hollywood Studios, but I'd rather spend more time at Uni/IOA vs WDW since it has been 8 years since I've visited those parks. I am pretty sure I'll be traveling solo which I'm fine with, but trying to figure if it is worth the extra $$ to stay onsite at Uni/IOA. I checked prices on Orbitz today and cabana bay was $105 or so and that is fine, but I know that just gets you in early not express pass. The other onsite hotels were over $200. Do they have deals later on and I should wait? Do rides have single rider lines? I honestly haven't read any of the Harry Potter books nor have I seen the movies so if I see that stuff great, but it's not like I have to. I do love rides tho and don't mind some waits, but really not sure what to expect on say the thur/fri dec 10/11. Any insight is appreciated. I'll more than likely rent a car since I'll need to head over to HS to visit the dancing lights one last night.

 

[bumbershoot]

Well first, start reading those HP books.

On one hand, you're totally worth the money to stay at a nicer hotel and spend $200+ per night. On the other hand, there are single rider lines for many (most? all?) rides. As a solo traveler I think I personally would rather be close and not have to travel anywhere; easy just to walk or boat over to the parks. But I'm a HUGE fan of staying onsite.

Remember that there will be parking fees at the onsite hotel lots (and you can't just park at the citywalk/themepark garage to save money), so include those. CB is a little cheaper, but as you mentioned, no unlimited Express Pass.

I'm jealous that you get to make a special trip. I believe DH's words were "since we just bought Disneyland APs and we have a trip in Jan, you have a running WDW trip in Feb, and we have a cruise over pre-Easter week in March, that would be financially irresponsible" to go out for Osborne Lights. Sigh. Stinker. (and I can't even express my anger with WDW for getting rid of the Lights. But someone floated the idea of Uni grabbing them up, and I bet that would be AWESOME, what they could do with them...)

 

[practicallyperfect77]

Thanks much Bumbershoot! My sister said the same thing about reading the books! While I obviously know how to read, I lack the ability to draw the picture in my head so I honestly find it quite boring. I *might* watch the movies tho.

I really have no business making a trip, but there is room on the cards and I can get a real good price on flights. I've only seen the lights once and it honestly is one ofnthe happiest experiences of my life. I need to get back one more time. The joys of being single and no kids, I guess.

Is there an equivalent of easy WDW for Uni/IOA? I really don't know much about the parks. Maybe I could shorten trip to 2 nights and do those parks in 1 busy long day and then HS the next day.

Is there decent transportation b/t the two parks? I feel like I have read Mears does something and that would cut down on parking fees, but wpull need to price it all out. Did I understand correctly that Uni charges to park on campus if you are a guest at resort?

 

[vatmark]

Thanks much Bumbershoot! My sister said the same thing about reading the books! While I obviously know how to read, I lack the ability to draw the picture in my head so I honestly find it quite boring. I *might* watch the movies tho.

I really have no business making a trip, but there is room on the cards and I can get a real good price on flights. I've only seen the lights once and it honestly is one ofnthe happiest experiences of my life. I need to get back one more time. The joys of being single and no kids, I guess.

Is there an equivalent of easy WDW for Uni/IOA? I really don't know much about the parks. Maybe I could shorten trip to 2 nights and do those parks in 1 busy long day and then HS the next day.

Is there decent transportation b/t the two parks? I feel like I have read Mears does something and that would cut down on parking fees, but wpull need to price it all out. Did I understand correctly that Uni charges to park on campus if you are a guest at resort?

Try orlandoinformer for Uni/IOA info.

 

[johde]

I normally travel Solo. This last trip was the was my first trip staying onsite at Cabana Bay. It was great and a definitely improvement over staying offsite. I would make a reservation at Cabana Bay now. With 3 nights, you should be able to use the various coupon codes for Orbitz, Travelocity etc.

 

[practicallyperfect77]

I normally travel Solo. This last trip was the was my first trip staying onsite at Cabana Bay. It was great and a definitely improvement over staying offsite. I would make a reservation at Cabana Bay now. With 3 nights, you should be able to use the various coupon codes for Orbitz, Travelocity etc.

Thanks much! I'm concerned with waits. I'm probably going to be in thise parks on fri & sat so will definitely be busier than mid week. I guess tho it might actually be cheaper to buy express pass if I find I need it compared to paying the extra for deluxe hotels.

 

[KeroKero]

I stayed solo at Cabana Bay last year for 3 nights before meeting up with my family at WDW for 8 nights. I LOVED it! Being so close to the parks was great and being solo, this was the easiest way to travel back and forth. Plus as a solo rider you're going though single rider for almost everything and that just makes the days fly by meaning more time to relax by the pool with a cocktail and a book (Harry Potter, possibly? )

 

[practicallyperfect77]

I stayed solo at Cabana Bay last year for 3 nights before meeting up with my family at WDW for 8 nights. I LOVED it! Being so close to the parks was great and being solo, this was the easiest way to travel back and forth. Plus as a solo rider you're going though single rider for almost everything and that just makes the days fly by meaning more time to relax by the pool with a cocktail and a book (Harry Potter, possibly? )

Ok - I think you have me sold. Time to get stuff booked!

 

[tinydancer09]

I wouldn't worry with express pass to be honest. When I travel with my sister and mom I take the single rider lines on most everything because UO rides make them sick. (they can't do high intensity or simulators.) Single rider lines in some of them merge you into express pass and in some cases can actually be faster than express. Plus crowds don't start piling in until the last 2 weeks in December. I wouldn't worry about the lines too much and save some cash by staying at CB. I've never stayed there personally... but I hear it's a big hit! I might be trying it in December as well if I can get the funds together after my big trip this weekend!

 

[practicallyperfect77]

I wouldn't worry with express pass to be honest. When I travel with my sister and mom I take the single rider lines on most everything because UO rides make them sick. (they can't do high intensity or simulators.) Single rider lines in some of them merge you into express pass and in some cases can actually be faster than express. Plus crowds don't start piling in until the last 2 weeks in December. I wouldn't worry about the lines too much and save some cash by staying at CB. I've never stayed there personally... but I hear it's a big hit! I might be trying it in December as well if I can get the funds together after my big trip this weekend!

Oh this makes my heart happy. I wasn't sure how many single rider lines there were. Guess I need to get reading some HP so I have an idea what I'm looking at.

 

[tinydancer09]

Oh this makes my heart happy. I wasn't sure how many single rider lines there were. Guess I need to get reading some HP so I have an idea what I'm looking at.

If you get there and it seems crowds are too much and there's not as many single rider lines as you like you can always buy an express pass in the park. I'm not one of those goes so much I have everything memorized... I'm going this weekend though. If I realize I'm wrong I'll let you know!

 

[bumbershoot]

My sister said the same thing about reading the books! While I obviously know how to read, I lack the ability to draw the picture in my head so I honestly find it quite boring.

Have you ever tried books on tape? My husband has some reading issues, so I read HP to him and it helped a great deal. I've heard that the American and the British versions of the HP books on tape are excellent (with slightly higher marks to the British version).

 

[practicallyperfect77]

Have you ever tried books on tape? My husband has some reading issues, so I read HP to him and it helped a great deal. I've heard that the American and the British versions of the HP books on tape are excellent (with slightly higher marks to the British version).

I have not tried books on tape. A good friend has the series tho and I know she'll let me borrow them. People that I know that love to read always talk about how they draw the picture in their head. I don't do this....I'm just reading words. And I also might have a self diagnosis of attention deficit disorder too. Very easily distracted. Maybe I could listen while I clean my house tho!

 

[practicallyperfect77]

If you get there and it seems crowds are too much and there's not as many single rider lines as you like you can always buy an express pass in the park. I'm not one of those goes so much I have everything memorized... I'm going this weekend though. If I realize I'm wrong I'll let you know!

Ahhh - thanks. I usually do ok in lines (I mean that is great candy crush playing), but I def want to get a bang for my buck too.

 

[tinydancer09]

I have not tried books on tape. A good friend has the series tho and I know she'll let me borrow them. People that I know that love to read always talk about how they draw the picture in their head. I don't do this....I'm just reading words. And I also might have a self diagnosis of attention deficit disorder too. Very easily distracted. Maybe I could listen while I clean my house tho!

I personally watched the movies first. Actually... this is how my harry potter obsession went down.

I was dating a guy who grew up around it all. When the first part of the park opened we went that following September. I had only seen 3 of the 6.. maybe 7 were out, but I had only seen 3 of them and not in order... (1, 3, and 6) so I had no idea what anything was. So he was explaining all of the store windows, etc. Then we get on FJ... the ride at the castle... and OH MY GOSH! Great ride! Fantastic! So when we got home I said okay I want to start watching the movies.. fell in love! Went to the premiere of the 8th movie. Fell in love more because of the packed out crowds and people dressed up. So then several years after (2013 to be exact) I finally decided I was going to sit down and force myself to read these things. I quickly found out it was not forcing at all... well except for the the 5th book. That one is rough. I hate umbridge!!! But everything else was fairly easy. The first 3 are very easy readers... they were meant for kids.. and then they grow up to an epic ending and more difficult reads. But, if you get through the first three honestly you'll get the gist of what's going on. You'll "see" diagon alley, meet you know who, know who all the teachers are except for a few of the defense against the dark arts teachers.

Long story short.. if you have problems, or... attention problems reading I would recommend watching the movies first. That way you have all the characters and scenes already in your head. Then when you go to read you'll have that imagery already and don't have to play pretend. For someone who grew up with difficulty reading and then just a lack of want to read as an adult this is how I had to do it. Either way! We'll make a wizard out of you somehow! (or at least an educated squib )

 

[practicallyperfect77]

I personally watched the movies first. Actually... this is how my harry potter obsession went down.

I was dating a guy who grew up around it all. When the first part of the park opened we went that following September. I had only seen 3 of the 6.. maybe 7 were out, but I had only seen 3 of them and not in order... (1, 3, and 6) so I had no idea what anything was. So he was explaining all of the store windows, etc. Then we get on FJ... the ride at the castle... and OH MY GOSH! Great ride! Fantastic! So when we got home I said okay I want to start watching the movies.. fell in love! Went to the premiere of the 8th movie. Fell in love more because of the packed out crowds and people dressed up. So then several years after (2013 to be exact) I finally decided I was going to sit down and force myself to read these things. I quickly found out it was not forcing at all... well except for the the 5th book. That one is rough. I hate umbridge!!! But everything else was fairly easy. The first 3 are very easy readers... they were meant for kids.. and then they grow up to an epic ending and more difficult reads. But, if you get through the first three honestly you'll get the gist of what's going on. You'll "see" diagon alley, meet you know who, know who all the teachers are except for a few of the defense against the dark arts teachers.

Long story short.. if you have problems, or... attention problems reading I would recommend watching the movies first. That way you have all the characters and scenes already in your head. Then when you go to read you'll have that imagery already and don't have to play pretend. For someone who grew up with difficulty reading and then just a lack of want to read as an adult this is how I had to do it. Either way! We'll make a wizard out of you somehow! (or at least an educated squib )

Thank you, thank you thank you! I really appreciate your insight and the fact that you also say you grew up with reading challenges....makes me feel more at ease. I really need to get my plans made so I have a vacay to look forward too. It is much easier to be motivated at work when I have a trip to look forward too.

 

[tinydancer09]

Thank you, thank you thank you! I really appreciate your insight and the fact that you also say you grew up with reading challenges....makes me feel more at ease. I really need to get my plans made so I have a vacay to look forward too. It is much easier to be motivated at work when I have a trip to look forward too.

Haha, oh yes. I great up with a lot of reading problems. I didn't knw how to read until 3rd grade. I was part of the drank era of florida school systems. Didn't learn phonics I learned memorization. Didn't work real well. Then I moved to GA and it was a whole different ball game up here. Within three months they got me up and running... but I still struggled with retaining what I was reading. To this day in educational settings I learn much, much more from oral lectures than reading a text book. However, it took 23 years, but I finally love reading and have "mastered" it. However, my brother who is 35 still struggles. He is very dyslexic.

And my sister was just saying the same thing! She cam ein from work the other day and said "WE HAVE TO BOOK OUR FEBRUARY VACATION!" I said okay.... she said "Work is really rough right now and I need something to look forward to to get me through it!" Aye aye cap-e-ton whatever you say!

 

[Stavs]

I have been traveling to the parks solo for the past 3 years about 4 times a year. I have stayed both onsite and offsite. I have stayed at Portofino, Hard Rock and Cabana. All three are wonderful hotels and each have their benefits. As a passholder I get discounts on their hotels which drives the prices down. Since I don't spend much time in the room, its kind of a waste IMO for the Deluxe hotels. I usually will stay one night in those hotels as a "treat" for special occasions. Cabana Bay I stayed at because I got really good deals and wanted to try it out - its a wonderful hotel for the price, but as a solo traveler, I just slept there and ate breakfast there. I did love the bowling alley though. WHen I stay offsite, I usually stay at Country Inn and Suites right outside of Universal. Decent rooms and cheap or free with points. There is no reason for me to spend a ton of money on a fancier hotel since I am by myself. Think about how much time you will spend in the hotel, the cost, the additional fee for parking vs what being onsite gives you.