Vacation Help! Hotel Help!

[klwdisney]

DH and I are hoping to go to Orlando next fall to celebrate our 10th anniversary. Originally I was planning WDW for the whole week. Now Im leaning towards working in 2 days at USF and SW. What would you do?

Option 1:

Stay in WDW for the week and take a cab to USF and SW on those days?

Option 2:

Stay in WDW for WDW days, and stay in Orlando for USF and SW days?

If we transferred to an off-site hotel, it would need to have a free shuttle service. What hotel would you recommend? It's just DH & I... no kids. We are hoping to be able to afford a moderate WDW hotel... so something comparable off-site would be great!

Thanks for your help!

 

[spiceycat]

I think the Royal Pacific on US/ioa property is about the same price as a WDW moderate.

it is on their property - you can walk to IOA.

so I would go with Option 2 - but only for US/IOA.

you can actually ride a bus - Lynx 50 from WDW TTC to SW.

http://www.golynx.com/schedule.cfm?route=50

so getting back and forth to SW from WDW property is very doable.

 

[winterman]

Option 1:

Stay in WDW for the week and take a cab to USF and SW on those days?

Option 2:

Stay in WDW for WDW days, and stay in Orlando for USF and SW days?

If we transferred to an off-site hotel, it would need to have a free shuttle service. What hotel would you recommend? It's just DH & I... no kids. We are hoping to be able to afford a moderate WDW hotel... so something comparable off-site would be great!

Thanks for your help!

I strongly recommend renting a car. You can rent a compact pretty cheap (there is only 2 of you). Having a car just gives you so many more options.

 

[kilee]

I have to say I'd probably rent the compact car too. Otherwise I'd probably switch to a hotel in the US/SW area that had free shuttles. Then pay the taxi or a town car once to shuttle us over. But you will also need a ride back to the airport I'm assuming. I'm assuming you're using the DME to get to the Disney hotels. So this would be another expense of staying offsite to add in.

 

[Brian Noble]

Is there really no choice to rent a car? I *hate* having to move hotels in the middle of my vacation, and if it were me and my wife, I'd pick one WDW hotel, and rent a car from the National/Alamo desk at the Swolphin fo the days I wanted to visit US/IoA.

If you were going during peak season, I'd argue for staying in one of the Universal hotels, for the Front-of-line access. But, in the Fall, you're not going to need it.

 

[klwdisney]

Thank you all for your advice!!

After FINALLY getting DH to sit down and discuss a trip that's still 15 months away ... he informed me that he'd rather do a package deal and stay the entire week at WDW. Guess we'll have to plan a separate US/SW trip for another time...

Thank you all again so much! I'll be back when it's time to plan that other trip!

 

[bamabelle]

I think you made a good decision. We just returned from a week long trip that included one night at the Sheraton World, adjacent to Sea World, a night in St. Pete at the Bayfront Hilton, then 5 nights at the Poly at WDW. Sea World was okay, but we could have done without it. We only had one day there and got to see all the shows we wanted, but were overall a little disappointed. The exhibits need a MAJOR overall when compared to the new Georgia Aquarium. Sea World is about 10 years behind. If you haven't been to the GA Aquarium or one in another comparable city, you will probably still like SW. But, once you are at Disney, you completely forget about SW. The St.Pete leg of the trip included a Tampa Bay Devil Rays game as we have a good friend who is a pitcher for them. We had great seats and even though it is nothing like a Braves or Yankees game, the kids loved it. Next time we go, we will do nothing but Disney. I found myself thinking about all the things me and DH could or would do if we ever went without kids--and I never felt a stitch of guilt while I secretly planned a no-kids trip! You will have a BLAST!!!