Where to stay before cruise?

[dr&momto2boys]

We decided to fly to Orlando the Wednesday before our Saturday 7 night cruise this September. (BTW, "We" consists of DH and me, DS4, DS3, and DD7mo.) Should we...

1. Stay at Universal and go to the parks and pool for 3 days? We have a free 7 day pass that expires at the end of this year, so this was our original plan--but really it's only $99 savings. We've always wanted to stay on-site, but it is pricey. We did have a lot of fun when we took little kids here before, so don't let that be a reason not to pick option one.

2. Book at a All-Star Movies with the free-dining promo? We wouldn't go to the parks. (Have trips planned in May 2010, December 2010, and April 2011.) We'd use the one day admission ticket that we have to buy for the promo toward AP's for 2010-2011. We'd do other stuff around the "World" like a waterpark, a pool day, and Hoop De Doo Review.
Pro: Our kids would love the theme there.
Con: The room is sooo small. When you have three little kids, someone is waking up all the time. It's nice when only one adult (not both of us) has to wake up to take care of it.

3. Stay in a Tree House Villa for Wed and Thurs night using our DVC points. (Don't want to spend 55 points on a Fri night so we'll drive and stay near the port that night.) The Tree House Villas look cool and when they catch on, we won't have a chance to stay there since we don't own at that resort and they'll likely fill-up at the 11 month reservation window.
Pro: Laundry facilities in room to start fresh on our cruise.
Con: Not really convenient location to anything.

4. Use our DVC points to stay at Beach Club Villas.
Pro: Great pool and close to multiple dining options. Laundry facilities.

5. Use our DVC points to stay at Vero Beach.
Pro: Probably the only time we would go there. (Unless we hooked it up with another cruise vacation.)
Con: Longer commute. Haven't really looked into the location compared to the port--just read it is 2 hours from WDW.

6. Stay at another DVC resort--where? and why?

Any thoughts/recommendations? So many good choices, I don't know how to pick!

I originally posted this on the cruise forum, but as I kept adding mostly DVC choices, I thought this would be a good place for advice!

 

[ibela]

Here's what I'm thinking prior to OUR September cruise:

1. Go to All Stars for free dining promo. It's Sept so I'm sure pool hopping won't be an issue if you don't like theirs.

OR

2. Stay by the airport or port. Personally, we're leaning towards this option since we're planning on flying in the day before and it's only 1 night.

It seems like you just want to relax those days and not go to the parks so I wouldn't let the free passes for Universal sway you, especially if the hotels are expensive. Same reason (relaxation) why I wouldn't want to do a hotel switch either.

I'm sure you'll have fun no matter what you decide!

 

[Brancaneve]

We stayed at VB after our cruise and it was such a nice way to unwind and relax but it sounds like you want to do it before. That would be nice too. I always think of laundry. VB would be a nice place to do laundry(grimy WDW clothes!) and relax before you get on the cruise ship.

The driving time from Cape Canaveral to VB was really short. Can't remember exactly, sorry.

 

[backyardponder]

VB would be a good choice in my opinion. It is 95 miles from the Orlando Airport and 48 miles from Port Canaveral. It is a whole different experience from the hustle and bussle of WDW. Nice place to kick back and get into "cruise mode".

 

[BWV Dreamin]

We are staying at the Hyatt Regency at MCO airport the day before our cruise. If you are using DCL cruiseline bus, the hotel will send your bags to the port....all you have to do is get on the cruiseline bus, and they will announce your bus while you wait in the hotel lobby. We are staying using a Stay Certificate (excellent room discount using this!)

 

[lah3hh]

We are coming down in September for the Members Cruise. The only problem is we are coming down 2 nights ahead of time and staying 1 night after the cruise at WDW. After that one night we are heading up to HHI to vacation with other family members.

We are choosing to stay at OKW before and after the cruise. We like to do this to get us Disney excited and ready before the cruise and provide a nice farewell when we get off. Plus if you stay at the same DVC resort before and after they will let you keep extra luggage that you don't need for the cruise in the luggage storage area (as long as they have the room). This really helps us because storage in the cruise cabins is limited.

Well there's my two cents on the subject....actually all of your options look great!!!

 

[dr&momto2boys]

It seems like you just want to relax those days and not go to the parks so I wouldn't let the free passes for Universal sway you, especially if the hotels are expensive.

Not necessarily. It's not our style to kick back and relax! We'd go the WDW parks if it didn't cost so much for tickets or if we weren't going three times in the near future (getting APs for that timeframe.)

Universal tickets are a lot cheaper and we're only going there on one of those future trips.

I think what I'm going to do is come up with a list of what we would do at WDW w/o going to the parks for those 3 days. Then compare it to 3 days at Universal and decide which is more fun. (Then decide where to stay at WDW if that's what we decide.)