POLL - accomodation choice!

[U2_rocks!]

If these were your only 2 options due to budget constraints, which would you pick? Please expand if you like!

If it makes a difference, it would be in October.

 

[macraven]

i would stay onsite.

the car means nothing to me.

when i am at the darkside, i am there until i have to leave for the airport.

 

[Laurabearz]

On Site for sure!

There are enough dining choices within walking distance, no need for a car, and 3 days of FOTL means touring at a leisurely pace.

 

[coastermom]

i vote onsite ... always ... there is nothing like onsite for us .

 

[Metro West]

i would stay onsite.

the car means nothing to me.

when i am at the darkside, i am there until i have to leave for the airport.

 

[donaldduck352]

On-site with the FOTL perk,only way to go!!

 

[Darcy03231]

We stayed off-site on our last trip (we were in the Orlando area for 16 days). This summer we're planning an on-site trip. While off-site had its advantages, I found we wasted a lot of time driving to US/IOA, getting parked, walking from the garage (and back), and standing in line for the rides. With staying on-site you get the FOTL for the entire length of your stay. That right there will save you lots of time. I think we'll also have a lot more time to enjoy the little things and not feel so rushed.

 

[keishashadow]

i voted 3 nights, onsite no car (don't need one really if ur trip is dedicated to all U)

remember 3 nights onsite = 4 days FOTL , get there early & stay late the last day...bell services will hold ur luggage until it's time to leave

re Oct, don't forget it's HHN a def bonus u should try to work in if ur into scary stuff...the best haunted houses ive seen anywhere

 

[U2_rocks!]

Check out day won't be late - it's a LONG way home, no late flights! So it would only be 3 days FOTL. Check-in day would also be late into the parks - maybe 11? So let's call it 2.5 days of FOTL. Would that still be "leisurely"?

Based on the plan for the week before, we're talking about check-in Sat, check out Tues. So Sat & Sun would be early closings due to HHN, but not Monday - we'd have that whole day.

ETA: we generally can't stand to spend an entire day in a theme park, which is why I'm wondering if it's better FOR US to spread our time at Universal over 4 days instead of 3. If we are onsite and have a bit less than 3 days, can we really get enough breaks in the day so that we don't feel burnt out?

 

[keishashadow]

Check out day won't be late - it's a LONG way home, no late flights! So it would only be 3 days FOTL. Check-in day would also be late into the parks - maybe 11? So let's call it 2.5 days of FOTL. Would that still be "leisurely"?

Based on the plan for the week before, we're talking about check-in Sat, check out Tues. So Sat & Sun would be early closings due to HHN, but not Monday - we'd have that whole day.

hmmm...not imo for a 1st time guest even w/FOTL...still, ud get way more done than adding extra day offsite imo

might want to consider a cheap offsite place to crash the last night? in Oct mid week, not too hard to find an adequate place for under $50

 

[U2_rocks!]

hmmm...not imo for a 1st time guest even w/FOTL...still, ud get way more done than adding extra day offsite imo

might want to consider a cheap offsite place to crash the last night? in Oct mid week, not too hard to find an adequate place for under $50

The difficulty for us is we're a family of 5, so too many for most of the cheap places. I can find places for around $100/night. Another issue I have is that it takes me a while to get used to a different bed, so I hate moving around too much on vacation. When I overnight somewhere, I always have the WORST sleep! The ideal would be 4 nights onsite, but because we don't all want to be crammed together in one room, we were going to get the kid suite. We might be able to swing the 4 nights onsite if we could bear to all sleep together!

 

[circelli]

We went in October last year, stayed onsite, so close to go back to hotel for a rest and a swim!!! With FOTL I think this would be your best bet.

 

[avic77]

The difficulty for us is we're a family of 5, so too many for most of the cheap places. The ideal would be 4 nights onsite, but because we don't all want to be crammed together in one room, we were going to get the kid suite. We might be able to swing the 4 nights onsite if we could bear to all sleep together!

That is why we are going to stay offsite! Last year we stayed onsite at Disney and it was in no way magical crammed together in that one little room.

I personally suggest offsite with car for 4 days... thats actually what we are doing (well off site 5 days rather then about 3 onsite).
I never stayed onsite at Universal (and havent been to Universal yet) so take my suggestion with a grain of salt

 

[U2_rocks!]

That is why we are going to stay offsite! Last year we stayed onsite at Disney and it was in no way magical crammed together in that one little room.

I personally suggest offsite with car for 4 days... thats actually what we are doing (well off site 5 days rather then about 3 onsite).
I never stayed onsite at Universal (and havent been to Universal yet) so take my suggestion with a grain of salt

The kids suite onsite is really nice, and the kids are in a separate room (so not all crammed together), but it's almost double the price of a standard room!! I'd love to do 5 nights offsite, but that would entail the kids missing too much school.

 

[Jonny_Duck]

The difficulty for us is we're a family of 5, so too many for most of the cheap places. I can find places for around $100/night. Another issue I have is that it takes me a while to get used to a different bed, so I hate moving around too much on vacation. When I overnight somewhere, I always have the WORST sleep! The ideal would be 4 nights onsite, but because we don't all want to be crammed together in one room, we were going to get the kid suite. We might be able to swing the 4 nights onsite if we could bear to all sleep together!

When I was a kid we were always in the same small room on vacation. Personally didnt mind it... with how young your kids are they could probably share a bed its not "cramped" imo but thats up to you whether you would like to or not. Then again when I go on vacation the hotel room is only a place to sleep and to change.

I am not a fan of mid day breaks when staying offsite. It takes probably 15 mins to leasurely walk to your car and thats assuming your kids are not slacking with another 15 to get back plus I absolutely hate traffic in Orlando it is the most annoying place I have ever driven around in. I am not sure what the hours will be like in October though may also close early. I have found at Disney it wasnt rly a problem leaving mid day because they were open later but for Universal they tend to close way too early imo. Plus the parking fee is added expensive I hate to pay.

I think until the hours are released it may make it hard to decide. Also when offsite since you have no FOTL its imo important to get there at park opening with 3 little ones that may be a stretch. Personally I would probably stay onsite and on you 11:00 ent day do Universal and enjoy the pool after the park closes then on Sunday do a water day and bring suits and do the water play area and Fievel at Universal and do the water rides at IOA and spend the whole day and then Monday mid day do the other resort pool Hard rock possibly mid day. I think with FOTL you should have plenty of time for everything. I brought my nephew in summertime and I was able to ride pretty much every single ride except Dudley which he refused to do and the coasters in one day. We did only 1 ride twice and we used one of the bought FOTL passes. Also spent last like hour in Universal at the ball bit which he absolutely loved and it was a close early day.

The theme'ing is wonderful and its not rly to be rushed but if you did spend that first Saturday arrival at 11 going semi commando you will have an idea of what you would like to repeat and enjoy slower pace the rest of the time.

 

[circelli]

We stayed at the RPR and we had 5 ppl. 3 adults 2 kids. The rooms aren't huge but the cot fit comfortably between the wall and bed therefore it did not take up any space at all!!!

This is of course my opinion but like the last poster said it isn't worth taking a mid day break if you are not on site!! The FOTL is the BEST thing ever!!!! So if the crowds do come later in the day you will have no problems!!!

 

[macraven]

Check out day won't be late - it's a LONG way home, no late flights! So it would only be 3 days FOTL. Check-in day would also be late into the parks - maybe 11? So let's call it 2.5 days of FOTL. Would that still be "leisurely"?

Based on the plan for the week before, we're talking about check-in Sat, check out Tues. So Sat & Sun would be early closings due to HHN, but not Monday - we'd have that whole day.

ETA: we generally can't stand to spend an entire day in a theme park, which is why I'm wondering if it's better FOR US to spread our time at Universal over 4 days instead of 3. If we are onsite and have a bit less than 3 days, can we really get enough breaks in the day so that we don't feel burnt out?

What days are you going to Universal?
Will it be the Columbus day weekend?
If it is, Monday will have its crowds starting around 11ish.
staying on site will alleviate the issue of long waits for rides and attractions.

i have gone during that time period for the last 4 years with this fall being the 5th time then.

on nights HHN is happening, the studios closes at 5:00 and IOA at 7:00 pm.


for the Monday, not sure as it might not be the same as last year with a 6:00 closing.


October has the early closing times due to the time of year.
After August is over, park hours are cut back each year.
September does not have late park hours either.

with the info of you having a total of 2.5 days at the park, stay onsite.
others have given you great advice.
the down time of gathering up the kids to leave during the day and then return for a few hours, will add up.

i have stayed offsite before with kids and once we left, got something to eat, back to the hotel for an hour, we were too tired on some days to return to the park. we did that to take a break and save money on food.

i realized what we did save on $ was eaten up by loss of park time.

if your priority is to do as much of the park as you can, you might want to rethink staying off site.

 

[U2_rocks!]

It would be third week of Oct, so after Columbus Day.

I'm starting to think that onsite really is worth the money. Now we just have to decide if we can bear to be all in one room, or if we want to fork out for the kid suite. The week before we'll have a 2-bedroom and lot of privacy and adult time, so I guess those 3 nights won't be too big a deal.

I'd also thought of doing Wet n Wild, Seaworld or Aquatica during our Universal time, but now I'm thinking we might try to fit that into our Disney week. The focus of this trip is more Universal this time, so we won't need the whole previous week for Disney - we really just want to pop into the Disney parks to do the rides that the kids were too short for last time, and to do a few faves and new things. We went in 2007 for 2 whole weeks and did almost everything at WDW and Seaworld, so there's not a lot of new stuff to do.

 

[macraven]

It would be third week of Oct, so after Columbus Day.

I'm starting to think that onsite really is worth the money. Now we just have to decide if we can bear to be all in one room, or if we want to fork out for the kid suite. The week before we'll have a 2-bedroom and lot of privacy and adult time, so I guess those 3 nights won't be too big a deal.

I'd also thought of doing Wet n Wild, Seaworld or Aquatica during our Universal time, but now I'm thinking we might try to fit that into our Disney week. The focus of this trip is more Universal this time, so we won't need the whole previous week for Disney - we really just want to pop into the Disney parks to do the rides that the kids were too short for last time, and to do a few faves and new things. We went in 2007 for 2 whole weeks and did almost everything at WDW and Seaworld, so there's not a lot of new stuff to do.

The third weekend of October will be a busy time for the hotels.
Book early as the hotels fill up quickly due to the HHN hard tickets event.
Sometimes you can't get a Saturday stay without a Friday stay on one of the hotels if you book late.


I booked the end of January for a 6 day stay at RPH.
I tried to get PBH but they did not have the rooms available for my entire stay. They are already booked up for a couple of conventions and HHN guests. I wanted the suite but only a few standard rooms were available for my time period. Therefore, I booked for RPH.

Just don't wait until mid summer to make hotel plans for your dates in October.
One poster stated in another post he booked at HRH in January and was told they are already booked at 75% so far on the dates he needed.

There are always conventions going on at the hotels.
That does take up room space. Good thing is the ones at the hotels for conventions, usually do very little park time.

When HHN is happening in the evening on the Sat/Sun dates, you won't find bad crowds at the park until about 2ish in the afternoon.
HHN begins at 6:30 but the studios side closes at 5:00 pm.
The ones that are coming for HHN usually come in the afternoon to do the rides before the park closes for hhn.

guests that stay onsite at universal are provided free shuttle bus from the hotel to Sea World and also to Wet & Wild.

There are about 2 times in the morning and late afternoon for this transportation.
disney does not have free transportation from their resorts to SW.


Why don't you call and put a temp hold/i think it is 48 hours, on a room now?
or call and see if they have the kids suite available for your time period.

 

[U2_rocks!]

Thanks for all the info!