Which offsite condo?

[Shannon G]

We're planning a trip in February 2013, and do not (gasp) plan on going to WDW - we're going to do Universal, Seaworld, Discovery Cove & Aquatica. My plan is to stay at a condo resort, preferably in a two bedroom. I'd like to stick with the major name brands, so I'm considering the Sheraton Vistana (leaning more toward Vistana Villages than Vistana resort), the Hilton Grand Seaworld, or one of the Marriott timeshare resorts. I'd like to keep the price to under $200 / night (the further under, the better, lol). We'll have a car, so driving around is not an issue, but I don't want to be too remote - we'd like to keep the drive to all of the parks fairly short. Oh, and a nice pool area is key - my kids love hanging out at the pool. If there's a water slide, even better.

Any recommendations as to which of these resorts you would pick and why?

 

[cheerky]

I don't think you could go wrong with any of the properties you mentioned. Hilton Grand is a Seaworld hotel so those perks may be worth exploring. You can get a discount with an annual pass.

 

[erineab]

Check out private rentals at Vista Cay. Very close to Universal/Seaworld and a multitude of restaurants. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and will definitely return for any future non-Disney vacays.

 

[kathy884]

These are all excellent centrally located properties, so pick whatever works for your budget and dates. If you are planning to stay for seven nights Friday to Friday, Saturday to Saturday, or Sunday to Sunday, a rental from a timeshare owner could save you some money. We do this frequently in Orlando. I often look for owner rentals at Redweek.com and TUG2.net classified ads sections.

 

[shell8558]

We have stayed at the Caribe for several nights before we checked into our disney hotel and loved it! We had a 2 bed/ 2 bath unit and it had tons of space. We got a mousesaver rate and it was pretty good. Their pool area was really nice and it did have a waterslide....

 

[Mom2HandR]

We stayed at Holiday Inn Orange Lake. Two bedroom condo with lots of pools and waterside, plus lazy river etc. Just thought I would throw it out there.

 

[jeff968]

You mention all good choices. 100% agree with you staying with a name brand. We stayed at orange lake a few years ago and wasn't nearly as nice. I would choose the Villages over the Resort but both are very nice. Our favorites are the HGVC Parc Soleil and Marriott Cypress Harbor. Look for rentals. You may be able to find something on TUG, eBay, or Craigslist. Good luck.