Stay at MCO Hyatt or at WDW one night?

[firstwdw]

Flight lands around 3. Would you stay at the Hyatt at the airport the night before the cruise or a Disney resort? I could also switch to a flight that gets in around 7pm and just stay at the Hyatt (but is it better to have more time, try to arrive to MCO earlier in the day, on an earlier flight just in case?) Have never stayed at MCO Hyatt so not sure what we'd do other than hanging out at the airport, maybe using the pool and getting food.

 

[Marthasor]

It will certainly add to your drive time the next day, but if I were getting into MCO at 3 pm, I would go to WDW for the night. I think I would be bored out of my skull staying at MCO for the afternoon/evening. I would also take the earlier flight.

 

[kiford]

What's your ultimate goal? Are you heading off on a cruise the next day? That's why we usually stay at MCO Hyatt. If we are cruising the next day and if we were expecting to arrive at 3 pm, we definitely wouldn't consider WDW because it's usually way more expensive and we wouldn't have any quality time at a park or even DS. You get in a 3 pm (if you're on time), 30 minutes or so to get your luggage and check in. I'm thinking about unpacking at least my carry on bags, relaxing, freshening up, then I'm ready for dinner at McCoy's, then it's back to the room and TV watching and early night. No way I want the cost and hassle of getting to WDW that night. Maybe the pool - we've never been there early enough to take advantage of it.

 

[enzy65]

We always take a flight that gets in around 6:30pm, drop off luggage, have dinner, maybe a little shopping and that’s it for the night. I’d love to be able to get in earlier just to use the pool at the MCO Hyatt ,but I’d have to take an early morning flight. My next stay is over $400.00 with taxes so I might have to bite the bullet and try and get there earlier so I could use the amenities.

 

[anricat]

You could go for the Hyatt and chill at the pool. I mean, you'll have to decide if the price difference is worth it to you. You could probably get a value resort for cheaper. But you'll also have to factor in transportation cost to any WDW resort.

We've done both. For our next trip, we've chosen WDW, but that's largely because it's our anniversary and we want a nicer stay with a really nice meal. (It just so happened the cruise we wanted to take embarks the day after our anniversary.) But if it weren't our anniversary and we didn't have DVC points to use, I'd probably just go for the Hyatt for convenience sake.

 

[EPCOT Terran]

Flight lands around 3. Would you stay at the Hyatt at the airport the night before the cruise or a Disney resort? I could also switch to a flight that gets in around 7pm and just stay at the Hyatt (but is it better to have more time, try to arrive to MCO earlier in the day, on an earlier flight just in case?) Have never stayed at MCO Hyatt so not sure what we'd do other than hanging out at the airport, maybe using the pool and getting food.

I have an AP so I'm staying at WDW and going in for the night. Actually, I'm arriving 2 nights before so staying at WDW makes even more sense. If I didn't have an AP, I'd still check if they had After Hours or, depending on time of year, MNSSHP or MVMCP. That still gets you a fun experience before boarding the ship the next day.

If not, I think the MCO Hyatt makes a lot of sense, from a price perspective.

ETA: Though I might still book it using credit card points rather than paying cash.

 

[Orcmeat]

for me, i just watch out for all the taxes and fees at hotels around orlando...that cheap sounding $129 per night quickly turns in to $180 bill. Then add extra hassles of parking, traffic etc., disney wins everytime for me

 

[JM_97]

I'd stay at one of the Disney Springs hotels. You could hit up DS that afternoon/night or go resort hopping near MK or Epcot. A 1 day park ticket wouldn't be worth it to me, but you could squeeze in a few hours if your flight lands at 3 pm.

 

[MICKIMINI]

So what is a few hundred extra dollars at this point, right? Stay at Poly or AKV Jambo House and enjoy a nice meal and the pool under the palms. Doesn't get better...MCO not so much!

 

[Pixarfans]

How I would decide. If I want to goto Disney Springs I would stay at either Saratoga or A Port Orleans hotel. If I want just pool and at resort food options either the Swan/Dolphin or a deluxe (love wilderness but would stay at any depending on mood and price). If it want very easy and don’t need things to do then the MCO Hyatt.

 

[dreamer17555]

Have you priced both options out? *If staying at WDW resort make sure to add in for transportation to the resort (Mears or Uber).

How much difference is there?

Also are flight costs the same for the earlier or later? (In which case take the earlier in case something happens). What about time off work\school? Would leaving later mean missing less?

Time of year you are traveling? Traveling party, etc would all play into the choice I would make. Also is this a once in a lifetime trip? something we are doing on a budget? do you frequently travel to WDW? Is money no object? If you saved money on your stay before the sailing what would it go towards?

Basically I would need more information.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Flight lands around 3. Would you stay at the Hyatt at the airport the night before the cruise or a Disney resort? I could also switch to a flight that gets in around 7pm and just stay at the Hyatt (but is it better to have more time, try to arrive to MCO earlier in the day, on an earlier flight just in case?) Have never stayed at MCO Hyatt so not sure what we'd do other than hanging out at the airport, maybe using the pool and getting food.

Personally, if I was arriving in the afternoon/evening, I'd opt for the Hyatt and take the DCL transfers from there in the morning.

Even if you arrive afternoon, if you opt for WDW resort, by the time you gather your bags and get to the resort, it'll (at best) be dinnertime, and after traveling, I'd be wanting to call it a night fairly early.

 

[auntlynne]

Here’s my initial reaction:

I’d pick a hotel with a great pool open late enough to enjoy it on arrival or after dinner. And I mean big pool.

That eliminates both the Hyatt and the hotels in Port Canaveral.

I would decide what I want for dinner. There are several choices in Disney Springs that aren’t chains that I could get elsewhere. Actually, if with my sister, we are at Cook’s of Dublin. Quick Service, yes, but it’s a favorite. Without her, perhaps Raglan Road. Eat early and avoid crowds (better chance at reservation). But, again, so many choices.

That gives a bit of the Disney bubble.

If I could get a good rate, I would go to Animal Kingdom Lodge. Pool. Dinner and breakfast and Boma, never leaving the property!

Even the value resorts have big pools.

Rent a car to get to WDW and the port, if the rate beats bus transportation for the party. And no waiting to pickup at various stops.

No park visit unless there were a seasonal party I wanted. And then pool wouldn’t matter - I would just hit the park at the early party entrance time (4 pm for MVMCP) and grab quick service there.

…There’s no food at MCO that screams “come eat me” at airport prices - and is outside security.

The Hyatt was a nice room. And quiet. But I need the right circumstances to stay there: mainly late arrival. And we are able enough to handle extra travel steps like hotel transfers and moving luggage. We don’t have children or wheelchairs.

 

[sponica]

I feel like for our first cruise we landed somewhere between 3 and 4, by the time we got the luggage and made it to the hyatt and dropped the bags, it really wasn't a ton of time "to kill" at the Hyatt.

If you were landing at say 11 AM, I'd be inclined to go to WDW but anything after 3, it's not worth it to me to go over to WDW. Land at 3, collect bags, and get to a WDW resort, it's probably 430ish by the time you get to the resort

 

[OhThePain]

Figure out which is less expensive and go that route. The cost of an Uber from MCO (order the Uber when you get your luggage and you'll be at your resort 25 minutes later, depending on traffic) and a night at a value is probably less expensive than a night at the Hyatt. If you stay at Disney, it gives you access to a larger pool (although the pool with a view of the runway at MCO is pretty cool), options for Disney Springs for dinner or in some cases ride the Skyliner.

 

[elsawasajedi]

So what is a few hundred extra dollars at this point, right? Stay at Poly or AKV Jambo House and enjoy a nice meal and the pool under the palms. Doesn't get better...MCO not so much!

exactly. we are staying jan 17th one nite at poly. pool, fireworks, trader sams, poly.

 

[Mommb]

I could also switch to a flight that gets in around 7pm and just stay at the Hyatt (but is it better to have more time, try to arrive to MCO earlier in the day, on an earlier flight just in case?)

I would keep the earlier flight. That way, if your flight is cancelled or delayed, you can try to switch the later flight and would still arrive in plenty of time for your cruise.

I have a trouble being in Orlando and not doing anything fun, so my family has stayed at a Disney resort and gone to dinner at a Disney restaurant before most cruises out of Port Canaveral. As others have noted, that is more expensive than staying at the Hyatt at the airport, and requires more transportation. We've rented a car at the airport, driving to WDW, then returned the car near the port, but we had 4 people so renting was less expensive than taking a Disney bus.