Park & Fly? (DTW -- long)

[CdnMom2]

Yes, another Park & Fly out of Detroit Question, please.

We got great flight rates with Spirit out of DTW for September ($678.60USD return, non-stop ) We are a family of 2A4K though.
Staying at the airport hotel Westin is pricey mid-week & for 2 rooms I don't think the convenience would be worth it. I'm not sure there is a convenience as Spirit flies out of different terminal than that hotel so I think a shuttle is still involved? Sure loved the idea of just rolling with our luggage through halls the next morning rather than loading us all onto some kind of bus. When there's 4DDs & more luggage everything seems a bigger hassle. I am still trying to convince my skeptical (sp?) DH that flying at that price will be such a great, smoother experience for him than our usual load & unload at the Days Inn/Motel 8 on-the-road nightly fun for the 2 1/2 day drive down & back. (& Don't forget the Domestic Harmony at the end of the long day's drive where we make the essential State Welcome Centre stops then the 1/2 hour of scouring the red/green books & maps & choosing possibilities with small flashlight while trying to orient myself to cities & we pass the turn-offs just as I figure it out! )

So do we book a room elsewhere with a Park&Fly package & then another room with a CAA rate? Can the other person/people still go on the shuttle to airport free/$ ? Or do we just pick whichever hotel & drive ourselves to park at the airport's parking next day for ease. Does one still need to take a shuttle if you park at the airport for longer time? Is parking at the airport's parking garages considered as safe/ not-as safe? than these hotel ones? other commercial ones? Never done Park&Fly. The Hilton Suites DTW will accomodate all 6 of us in 1 room (no convenient free breakfast, don't really need fridge, MW, not sure Park&Fly). The LaQuinta looks like a great deal w/ Parking, but with 2 rooms, no pool? not so great. Hampton Inn would sleep 5 of us, good rate, free breakfast, free internet, looks good.

Our flight is mid-day, but I don't think I (or the family that has to deal with me) could handle the stress of driving same day from home to make it & crossing the border. So I'm pretty sure we'd book a Detroit hotel. But perhaps instead a Windsor hotel if we're going to end up parking at airport. Save a day on insurance (small $) & $ exchange (fortunately also not so bad, right now anyway). With 4K (1 with medical condition) I always breathe a little easier when we travel in Canada. And we are a little afraid of Detroit! But I do see some reasonable rates with DTW Park&Fly hotels Dis'ers have recommended. But x 2 rooms... I'd much rather spend that $ at WDW!

Sorry for long post again. Advice is very welcome, please. Just not sure how it all works. DH drops us at a hotel with luggage then parks car at lot then shuttles back to us? The next morning we all load up on shuttle with luggage to airport? Or we shuttle to our car in the lot then drive to park at airport? Or we pick a hotel that has a secure insured lot beside it so don't have to do that step?

TIA!

P.S. Wow! love the new smilies on the right! Just gotta use this one

 

[WDWBOB1]

We live in the Windsor area and use Metro airport extensively. It basically sounds like you have a variety of options open to you and it boils down to personal preference really. But here's one more option to consider. Since you have the luxury of a midday flight, I would simply shop around for the best deal for the hotel only, (be it in Windsor or along I-94) then I'd drive the family to what is called the 'Blue Lot' at Metro. We've parked there the last few trips and it's either a short shuttle ride to the Spirit terminal or you can even walk if you're feeling adventurous. Whatever way you choose, make sure you allow yourself plenty of time to get to the terminal. To me that's the key to a stress free vacation. Good Luck!

 

[phabric]

We are flying out of Detroit(DTW) to LAX Sept 4. I have booked Howard Johnson, 7600 Merriman Rd, Romulus, 734-728-2430 for $75 plus taxes. It includes parking, breakfast and airport shuttle.

 

[CdnMom2]

Glad to hear the Blue Deck Parking is doable if we go that way.
And I'll look into the HoJo also -- nice rate. We had a very icky HoJo experience coming back from WDW once (& our standards aren't that high for our overnight-just-trying-to-get-there stops).
I'll be sure to cushion our timing well. Thanks!

 

[Daddio]

We stay at the Baymont Inn which is off of Merriman and just a few minutes by shuttle. Even at the Westin, you'll need to shuttle because Spirit is out of Smith terminal, not MacNamara. I think the Baymont offers up to 10 days free parking, and unlike the other hotels in the area, lets you park right at the hotel rather than a coupon for an airport parking lot (they let us park 16 days for free, shhh). One less transfer to do. The rate in April for a King suite was 95.00 plus tax.