Recommendations staying near Disney?

[Tsi2quick]

We are planning on staying at Old Key West resort from Oct. 18-21 but were going to drive down on Oct.17th so we dont waste a day driving mostly and then recovering from the 10 hour drive. So my question is this, where is a nice area to stop for the night before heading on into Disney on the 18th? We'll be coming in on I-95 so I thought about Daytona Beach but those hotels may be more than I wanted to spend for just a place to sleep.

Can anyone recommend a town on the way into Orlando? Or more specifically a decent place to stay outside Orlando? I'm a little hesitant to drive on into Orlando on the 17th as by that time I will have been driving for 10 hours or so and I do not know that city at all so getting lost would really be easy to do! lol I had hit Orlando the next day when I am fresh and alert!

Any help would be appreciated! Thanks.

 

[disneysteve]

When we drive down from NJ, we usually drive 12-13 hours on day one, then the remaining 4 or 5 hours on day 2. Personally, I would do a 10-hour trip all at once. But if you want to break it up for some reason, there are plenty of hotels in and around Jacksonville, FL. A bit farther North is Brunswick, GA area. There are hotels concentrated in that area too.

The drive to Disney is actually pretty easy assuming you don't hit bad weather or major traffic. Doing the 10 hours in one day really isn't tough so you may not need to stop.

Steve

 

[Tsi2quick]

Its not really so much that we couldnt do 10 hours in one day but given the circumstances going into the trip it might be a little bit more rough. We have a family reunion that day as well so we wouldnt get to leave here (NC) until around 2pm, maybe. After 10 hours of driving that would put us in Orlando at 12am and I just wasn't sure if I wanted to go on into Orlando that night given the conditions (new place, late at night, fatigued). I dont mind driving almost to Orlando but just navigating through the city late at night and tired isnt something I was looking forward to, you know?

Definitely though, if I could get out of the family reunion I would start our trip around 9am so that way we would roll into Orlando around 7pm.

Staying about 30 minutes or so outside of Orlando would work for me.

 

[disneysteve]

Originally posted by Tsi2quick
I dont mind driving almost to Orlando but just navigating through the city late at night and tired isnt something I was looking forward to, you know?

I'm not trying to be difficult - sorry if it sounds that way. Have you been to WDW before? Your comment about "navigating through the city" made be wonder. There are dozens of hotels where you could spend the nite of 10/17 that would be just off I-4 in Kissimmee or Lake Buena Vista. Getting to any of those really wouldn't be anymore difficult than getting to a hotel just off I-4 30 miles away. In fact, it might actually be easier around the Disney area due to better lighting, signs, more developed area, etc.

If you really feel the 1/2 hour would make a difference, then I guess that would put you around Sanford, FL. My AAA guide lists a Best Western, Holiday Inn Express, Springhill Suites and Super 8 Motel under Sanford. The last 2 are just off the road. The first 2 are a few miles from I-4.

 

[Tsi2quick]

Good investigative work Steve, I have never been to WDW before! lol

If going into Lake Buena Vista is just as easy and the roads aren't that impossible to drive late at night I wouldnt care at all to go into Orlando and be done with the driving basically. I am pretty much open to all suggestions. Got any recommendations for places in that area?

 

[kylara]

tsi, I would suggest that rather than stopping a 1/2 hour away you just go straight through. If you are coming in about 11pm to midnite, you are not going to hit much traffic at all. Waiting til the next day would put you having to navigate more traffic. If you stay on I-4 you can take it right to the LBV exit and stay at one of the hotels right outside of WDW. There are a number of decent ones on Palm Parkway that are not too costly. I know that the Sierra Suites or Homewood suites are not bad for the price.

Now if you want to stop a couple of hours out, I would suggest St. Augustine. It is a nice historic little town, but if you do this, I would also suggest taking a couple of hours the next morning to look around the place.

 

[disneysteve]

Originally posted by Tsi2quick
If going into Lake Buena Vista is just as easy and the roads aren't that impossible to drive late at night I wouldn't care at all to go into Orlando and be done with the driving basically. I am pretty much open to all suggestions. Got any recommendations for places in that area?

How many in your party? Adults? Kids? What's your budget? Do you need more than one room or a suite-type hotel? You can wade through the Best/Worst list to get some reviews.

As for "navigating" you will drive south on 95 and at Daytona you will turn west on I-4. That will take you right in to the Disney area. Then you will either get off at route 535 for Lake Buena Vista area or go a tiny bit farther to 192 for the Kissimmee area. Not difficult at all.

One word of caution, though. There are LOTS of hotels in this area. Many have very similar names. Make sure you know which one you are going to. For example, on a 1-2 mile stretch of road, there may be 2 or 3 EconoLodges, 2 Days Inns, 2 Holiday Inns, etc. That can get a bit confusing at times. When you make your reservation, ask them for a landmark or to tell you what is near the hotel to help you identify it better.

 

[Tsi2quick]

There are only 2 people, the wife and myself. Just your basic room will do fantastic as long as the place is clean. I figure we will probably only use the room for 8-10 hours anyways before heading on over to WDW the next morning.

I definitely dont want to spend very much money on a room I am strictly using to sleep in for a few hours and nothing more. I would say in the $50 range should get me in a decent place to stay the night?

 

[disneysteve]

Originally posted by Tsi2quick
I would say in the $50 range should get me in a decent place to stay the night?

$50 will do you just fine in that area in October.

Here are hotels convenient to I-4 exit 28/68 route 535 in order of distance from the highway. The first 2 are on Apopka-Vineland Road which is what you are on when you exit the highway. The next 5 are on Palm Parkway which is the first right off of Apopka. Days Inn and Comfort Inn are likely to be the cheapest choices.

Days Inn Lake Buena Vista 407-239-4441
DoubleTree Club 800-521-3297
Radisson 407-239-8400
Courtyard Marriott 407-239-6900
Comfort Inn 407-996-7300
Homewood Suites 800-370-9894
Sierra Suites 407-239-4300

The hotel options in the area are truly endless and overwhelming. For one nite just to sleep, don't drive yourself too crazy. Just check the hotel websites and/or call for a rate you are happy with and book it.

 

[Tsi2quick]

Thanks Steve.

I am a planning freak so I am sure I have already done way too much planning for this one night! lol I just try to limit these sort of "surprises" as much as possible and save them for the parks!

My sister and her family just got back today from WDW and stayed at a Best Western near to the parks. She said it was very clean and a good rate so I might check it out as well.

Thanks for the help!