Overwhelmed by off site choices

[Coconuts]

The last time I stayed off site was almost 20 years ago. For our next trip, DH wants to cut costs by staying off site, but I don't even know where to start. We are a family of 5, which may limit our options. We may do a day at Sea World, but not Universal. We figured we would save Universal for when the kids are a little older, and want to stick with the Disney parks for now.

Any suggestions for a moderately priced, room for 5 hotel? We wouldn't need bus transportation since we would be renting a car.

 

[Detailor]

How about a suite hotel or a timeshare resort?

I saw something yesterday from mousesavers.com about specials from Buena Vista Suites (I think they're two-room set ups with two queen or king beds in the bedroom and a sofabed in the livingroom. There are also suites at the Doubletree near Downtown Disney and at the Fairfield and SpringHill hotels that are part of the Marriott Village off Vineland Ave.

There's also the special for Sheraton's Vistana Resort at the top of this page. Villas are available in either one- or two-bedroom configurations.

Dick Taylor

 

[sampsas]

Well my family went down last july and stayed at the Saralogo hotel... The family rooms are great as they have a little "cabin" in the room with 3 beds, TV and Xbox for the kids and the rates were great!!!! google saralogo hotel for the website...

 

[torinsmom]

If you will have a car, why not look into condos? I am renting a 2 bedroom condo for a week in June--not sure which one yet, there are a lot of choices there too. The ones I am looking at are around $500/month. We will be having breakfast and dinner at the house most days, which will save us a lot of money. With little kids, it would also be nice for you not to have to go to bed at the same time as the kids, or be tiptoeing around to keep from waking them up.

I am using VRBO.com, but there are other websites for vacation homes as well.

Marsha

 

[shalom]

Any suggestions for a moderately priced, room for 5 hotel? We wouldn't need bus transportation since we would be renting a car.

Define "moderately priced." Last time I checked (which admittedly was a while ago), you could get a 2 BR condo at the Fountains for less than a value room on the WDW property. The condos have full kitchens, so you could also save money by making food (or some food) at "home." The Fountains has 2 good-sized pools (one with zero entry and slides and whatnot), a lake you can ride boats on, daily activities, etc. I'm sure there are other condos with roughly the same options similarly priced. I've heard good things about Floridays as well, (mostly the pool, I guess), but don't know much about it.

You also might want to choose an area and look there - The Fountains and Floridays are on International Drive, but they're past the really busy intersection and a fairly straight shot to Disney World (you don't have to get onto I-4).

 

[loveysbydesign]

We love Windsor Hills and Indian creek. Here's a map of the developments in the Disney azrea...thanks to another dis-er!

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=U...8.272032,-81.608849&spn=0.068335,0.11055&z=13

 

[spiceycat]

The ones I am looking at are around $500/month. .

Marsha

$500 a month not a week?

 

[dyna]

Many condos in the area for same price as a value room at disney Windsor Hills comes to mind but there are others just about as close.

 

[Jill Schwartz]

We are a family of 5 and few years ago we stayed at Vistana VILLAGES on the south end of International Dr. and were very happy with how fast I-Drive it is to both WDW and Sea World. Some peole say I-Drive is congested, but we found that end of I-Drive to have very little traffic.
Don't know when you are going, but wdwinfo had rates as low as $109 per night for a very nice 2b/2b with kitchen and laundry.
Lots of info on this forum about VV.
From my understand Vistana RESORT is even a few minutes closer to WDW than VILLAGES but my guess is its further from Sea World?? (Some else will have to answer that!) The VRESORT rates on wdwinfo were about $10 more per night.

 

[torinsmom]

$500 a month not a week?

Sorry, that was for a week, LOL. Wish I could stay a month!

 

[Coconuts]

Thanks for the feedback. It's a good starting point.

 

[irisesareblue]

Thanks for the feedback. It's a good starting point.

If you dont mind budget type accommodations I've found the Royale Parc Suites (a Quality Suites hotel) - they have 2 bedroom suites that can accommodate up to 10 people - they have a living room/kitchen centre room and 2 bedrooms with 2 double beds in each of the bedrooms - they also have one with 2 bedrooms - one bedroom with a king sized bed and the other with 2 doubles in it.

I've got the rooms on a special springtime booking deal at 25% off their rates - I'm paying about $90.00/night. Plus they have breakfast included for everyone. Reviews on Trip Advisor have been varied but I think if you're wanting budget accommodations, you have to realize it won't be a 5 star resort.

 

[melliemelo]

We stayed at Windsor Hills in October. It was less than $120/ night for a 3 bedroom condo. I think it slept 6 or 8.

 

[mikehn]

Trying to pick an offsite is like trying to choose a bottle of wine among thousands. Im not sure which is more difficult.

 

[Coconuts]

We stayed at Windsor Hills in October. It was less than $120/ night for a 3 bedroom condo. I think it slept 6 or 8.

How was it? Would you stay there again?

Trying to pick an offsite is like trying to choose a bottle of wine among thousands. Im not sure which is more difficult.

Amen to that!

 

[Brian Noble]

The thing to remember is that you don't need to find the *very best* place. You just need to find a *really good* place that fits your family's needs. And Orlando is chock-a-block with really good places.

I'd start with asking yourself whether you want a full-service hotel (daily cleaning, on-site restaurant, concierge to assist with reservations, room service, etc.), a condo/townhome/pool home (more space to spread out, kitchen, washer/dryer, etc.), or a timeshare resort that is a bit of a blend of the two.

Once you've figured that out, it will be easier to pick a few likely candidates that are in the genre.

 

[sampsas]

The thing to remember is that you don't need to find the *very best* place. You just need to find a *really good* place that fits your family's needs. And Orlando is chock-a-block with really good places.

I'd start with asking yourself whether you want a full-service hotel (daily cleaning, on-site restaurant, concierge to assist with reservations, room service, etc.), a condo/townhome/pool home (more space to spread out, kitchen, washer/dryer, etc.), or a timeshare resort that is a bit of a blend of the two.

Once you've figured that out, it will be easier to pick a few likely candidates that are in the genre.

Agreed... We have decided to go next month!!! and for our budget we are going to stay again at the Searlago hotel... Yes it is a 3star hotel but for the time spent in the room and the amount of money we are able to spend it works for us... In a few years we will do the townhome/condo thing as the boys get older (and bigger!!! my 5 yr old is already 4 ft tall!!!!) for now they like the Seralago rooms...