resort or international drive?

[wicket2005]

It's surprising how few people use Universal Boulevard, it's always empty.

True. I am just wondering by mentioning it here we will experience jams on it now.

 

[peewakio]

We've stayed on I Drive three times and will be doing so again in October and thouroughly looking forward to it. How people can compare I Drive to the Costas is without a doubt going totally OTT. I stay In Fuengirola twice a year (not the worst resort on the Costa Del Sol) with my golfing buddies and I assure you that I would never in a billion years consider taking my family there. However I have no hesitation in spending our time on and around I Drive. I've never seen drunks, never felt threatened in any way.People could be reading these threads and be totally put off by I Drive and to be perfectly honest I personally believe people are being unfair. If you prefer Disney then great, stay there but don't give the place a bad name because you heard about it or drove along it. Some people love the place (moreso than Disney). I'm one of them.

 

[jonkatony]

One mans meat is another mans poison; maybee the consumption of achol is the no1 priority in the life of some of these people?
LOL

 

[luvtinkerbell]

Hi,
I am planning a trip in next year for 7 days and I am trying to decide whether to stay in international drive or at Pop Century. I am the only adult with 3 kids of age 11,11 and 7.
I like the idea of the disney themed hotel with the advantages of the transport to the parks and extra hours for residents etc. and as I don't want to drive everything is ideally located.
The only reason I am considering International drive is that it is my first trip to America and feel that being in the resort I would not get a flavour of Floridan life. I mean I could be anywhere in the world.
Do you know what I mean?
If I did stay at the resort I would definetly plan a day or 2 away if the bus service is good.
Anyone got an opinion.
Cheers

i havent stayed on I drive before have always stayed on resort last time pop century fantastic cant fault it and its always disney great time had by all go for it

 

[steery1]

If you had decided to spend one week on site and one week off which would you do first?

 

[alisonbestford]

Personally, just in case I loved it so much, I'd do onsite last ;-)

 

[Hilary]

If you had decided to spend one week on site and one week off which would you do first?

Hi steery1 and welcome to the DIS boards!

Like Alison, I'd definitely leave onsite to last

 

[cazzie]

I would do it first as I could give it 100% knowing that all my shopping etc I could do the second week.

 

[maggs]

Off site first and the magic second.

Maggs

 

[UKDEB]

I think that after reading all your kind replies it is fairly obvious I should spend my first trip onsite. This is clearly due to the short amount of time I will be there. Ideally I would spend 2 weeks there with the second week somewhere like Kissimmee (in villa with car). This would mean I could do all the other touristy things like swim with dolphins, boat ride in everglades and visit the beach. Unfortunatley my funds are not going to stretch that far so one week it is.

I think you've made a sensible decision. We enjoy the benefits of both offsite (in a villa) coupled with one or two nights at Unversal or WDW to take advantage of the onsite benefits. However, we've visited many times, we don't have to cope alone with 3 young children, and we visit for more than 7 days at a time.

For the first few days, the jetlag will have you awake at the crack of dawn, so you will be able to take advantage of the parks before they start to get busy. As someone has already mentioned, though, even as an onsite guest, the best strategy remains to avoid the EMH parks - they become increasingly busy as the day wears on. With 3 little ones to get ready in the mornings, you'll probably struggle to arrive for the start of the EMH mornings after the first couple of days in any case.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[edenlee]

I have to stay - WDW on site for me every time. We have stayed on I Drive and at KIssimmee. I DRive is a nightmare. I agree whole heartedly with the Blackpool meets Benidorm post above. It is tacky, dirty and totally awful.

Kissimmee on the other hand is lovely. We stayed along the 192 and had easy access to Disney and were able to walk feeling safe when we wanted to.

HOwever, we then stayed on site in the Beach Club. We will never go anywhere else. It si superb - luxury, fabulous pool and the staff can't do enough for you. We have bought into Disney Vacation Club which is a whole other story!!

Enjoy youselves

 

[wifey]

7 days is not long enough!! It can take 4 days just to see Disney without water parks Universal will take 2 days Seaworld first time 1 day that's before your flights in and home another 2 days. See what the kids feel they must do and try to work your itinerary around them. If they want to do more outside Disney stay either at Lake Buena Vista or IDrive and use the shuttle buses from the hotels . If they concentrate more on Disney you can stay onsite and take full use of the facilities and have no stress getting things and kids back to your room, Disney buses are fab and always frequent and easy to find.