Orlando

phishcakes

djayforza wrote: »

I did look at the Rosen inn but it seems to booked out for my dates.

Stayed in the rosen inn last august and while its nice and clean and good location with millers ale house across the road for the evening drinks, i dont think id stay there again.

djayforza wrote: »

Has anyone had any great experiences in hotels on international drive area? I dont want to spend 10 days in a below par hotel when i could have spent a little extra on quality. Thanks

Also stayed in the enclaved suites on i drive, really nice hotel and we wanted to stay there the 2nd time we went instead of rosen inn but the price had jumped too much from the first time we went.

GoProGaming

I stayed in the crowne plaza on universial bvld. Just just a 2 minute walk from idrive. Very reasonably priced and nice inside.

Its just off the crossroads of international drive and w sand lake beisde.

owenc

I found Orlando to be rather overrated.

tubos

I was in Orlando before with my partner (now wife) and hated it. I stayed on I-drive and didn't have a large budget!! So this time I am going with the wife and 3 kids, so its Disney all the way and probably will stay in a villa and am going to save for the next year and a half!! I'm starting my research today so its great to have all this information on boards.ie

One tip I would give to people is this - dont get the bus from I-drive to Downtown Orlando. First off there is nothing in downtown Orlando. I only went there as I had booked basketball tickets. I got the bus which was basically a tour of the ghetto and local crack dens, you get to see a few fights and get a number of odd balls getting on and off the bus, I really though I was going to die at one stage when two gangbangers started a fight on the bus. I had to get the bus back to I-drive and was sh*tting my pants.

Tipsy McSwagger

Looking into this too and for some reason I thought you can only get indirect flights from Ireland to Orlando.

The Mig

Tipsy McSwagger wrote: »

Looking into this too and for some reason I thought you can only get indirect flights from Ireland to Orlando.

Aer Lingus go direct from Dublin on certain days. I'm flying direct in October!

phishcakes

The Mig wrote: »

Aer Lingus go direct from Dublin on certain days. I'm flying direct in October!

Flew direct myself last year, its worth the extra few bob for the added comfort of aer lingus and not having to change over

phishcakes

tubos wrote: »

One tip I would give to people is this - dont get the bus from I-drive to Downtown Orlando. First off there is nothing in downtown Orlando. I only went there as I had booked basketball tickets. I got the bus which was basically a tour of the ghetto and local crack dens, you get to see a few fights and get a number of odd balls getting on and off the bus, I really though I was going to die at one stage when two gangbangers started a fight on the bus. I had to get the bus back to I-drive and was sh*tting my pants.

Thats why i always recommend a car rental if you can drive and have a license, very reasonably priced and means you can leave parks whenever you want and head straight for food etc, gives you so much more freedom having a car over there

djayforza

Ok, Im torn between 2 hotels.

Crowne Plaza on I-drive and The Point Orlando Suite Resort.

Im seeing the point listed as a 3 and 4 star hotel along with being listed minus the "Suite" on different sites. Is this a different part of the same hotel?

Both Hotels are similarly priced so there has already been a positive review here about the crowne plaza. Is there anything to be said for The Point Resort?

naughtysmurf

Can't help other than to say, just check if there are any tax's, resort fees & parking charges that you have to add to the advertised rate to get the actual rate you will be paying as these aren't always clear

Callanutd

We will be there this time six weeks, cant wait for it now. We are staying in the Hilton Garden inn. It has great reviews on trip advisor, its really close to Universal and free parking. We were originally going with the rosen inn but Trip advisor put us off.

The Mig

Callanutd wrote: »

We will be there this time six weeks, cant wait for it now. We are staying in the Hilton Garden inn. It has great reviews on trip advisor, its really close to Universal and free parking. We were originally going with the rosen inn but Trip advisor put us off.

Will be there in 6 weeks myself. Stayed in the Rosen Inn International last year and we're staying there again!

nikon74

Hi Mig,

we are planning a trip next year and Rosen Point was recommended. How do you do park tickets, do you get them before you go or buy them when your there ?

The Mig

nikon74 wrote: »

Hi Mig,

we are planning a trip next year and Rosen Point was recommended. How do you do park tickets, do you get them before you go or buy them when your there ?

All depends on what parks you want to do really and how many of them also. Are you travelling with kids?

Last year i bought the Orlando flex ticket+ from my travel agent before I went. That covers Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios, Wet 'n' Wild, Busch Gardens, SeaWorld and Aquatica.
We bought our Disney tickets over there as we we're only doing a couple of their parks. Cost was just over $90 per park which included FastPass

I'm doing the exact same this year but only doing Magic Kingdom in Disney

nikon74

Thanks for the info Mig. two kids 13 and 15, will have to run it by them again and see what parks their interested in. We weren't planning on renting a car ( is this wise)?

The Mig

nikon74 wrote: »

Thanks for the info Mig. two kids 13 and 15, will have to run it by them again and see what parks their interested in. We weren't planning on renting a car ( is this wise)?

All down to your preference really. I found it easy enough to get around using the public transport (I-Trolley and Lynx bus), I walked to Universal whatever days we went there, same with Wet 'n' Wild. Used the Trolley to get to SeaWorld and Aquatica. The Flex+ ticket provides free coach travel to and from Busch Gardens in Tampa which is just over 1 hour away. Its the best park there IMO and a must do.

naughtysmurf

I always advise buying park tickets, real ones not e-tickets before you go, undercovertourist & attractionticketsdirect.ie are reputable

For Disney, if staying off-site you can book FastPass+ 30 days in advance, (60 days if staying at a Disney hotel) you will have to have a mydisneyexperience account for this (just set one up on the Disney site) & the number on the back of your tickets, if you wish

This side of the pond you will get 14 days unlimited entry to Universal & Islands of Adventure for about €140 an adult, you will not get that stateside

Hire a car if at all possible, much greater freedom unless you want to limit yourselves to IDrive, Buses & timetables & Taxis

It will take you over an hour to get from IDrive to MK by Lynx bus(s)

cw67irl

We are looking at heading this September possibly doing a few nights in Orlando and a Carribean Cruise. We previously did it as our honeymoon in Nov 10 and the weather was great, Some worrying reports about the weather in September. Has anyone been in September?

naughtysmurf

September is the least wet of the wet months, good chance of a quick thunderstorm in the afternoons, still hot & humid, the thunderstorms can be quite localised, could be teeming down at Disney & sun drenched at Universal at the same time on the other hand you may see little rain

September is one of the quietest times to visit Orlando, good hotel rates fewer tourists about & shorter lines in the parks,

Wouldn't worry about the weather

It's the hurricane season but Orlando rarely gets hit

Searching for Mauser

Travel anti-clockwise around the parks
Get there 15mins before the park opens and before the kids arrive
Buy your tickets at home before leaving, much cheaper
Bring a packed lucnh, food there is crap and expensive
Bring a big thing of water, you can go back to the car to top up
Take a pic of where you park the car
Universal Studios, Island of Adventure and Busch gardens are awesome. Disney land is for kids. Sea world is for people with no soul.
Rent a car from dollar, great prices
Keep right coming out of the airport, the lanes where you pay cash are on the right hand side of the toll bridges, miss these and you get fined big
Eat in Applebees!!!!
Find out who's playing in Universal Studios and check them out. Some gigs are cheap and the setting is quality

Callanutd

Plan your days. My sister in law laughed at us as we planned out our holiday in October. Claims she would just arrive and decide what to do each day when she got up. Foolish. Planning really helps you enjoy it all. At a very minimum know where you are going each day, book your fast passes if you are going to Disney. Book any dining experiences you may want. Look up the busy day calendars and the times the park close. No point arriving to Universal at 2 or 3 if it is closing at 5 etc.

naughtysmurf

Searching for Mauser wrote: »

Get there 15mins before the park opens and before the kids arrive

Bring a big thing of water, you can go back to the car to top up

Keep right coming out of the airport,

I'd be aiming for 30-60 mins before park opens to arrive at car park

If you ask for it, you will get free ice water in the parks,

Two exits out of MCO, North & South, South exit will keep you off I4, a much quieter & easier drive, dual carriageway

Callanutd wrote: »

Plan your days. My sister in law laughed at us as we planned out our holiday in October. Claims she would just arrive and decide what to do each day when she got up. Foolish. Planning really helps you enjoy it all. At a very minimum know where you are going each day, book your fast passes if you are going to Disney. Book any dining experiences you may want. Look up the busy day calendars and the times the park close. No point arriving to Universal at 2 or 3 if it is closing at 5 etc.

Agree, some plan, some don't, I'm a planner too, wouldn't go to Orlando without a plan, it's an expensive busy holiday for us & I like to get my monies worth

Have some park free days to recharge the batteries every 3/4 days, I consider water parks, Sea World, Discovery Cove as park free days, different to Disney / Universal as they are slower more relaxing days

Ruu

I was in Universal (both parks) a few weeks ago. Arriving 30-60 minutes before is a must, it can be very busy, even when there is no school breaks. Plan early lunch, at that time the wait for the rides will be shorter and shorter again in the evening time. The parks close different times during the year, sometimes at 7 or 8pm but outside Universal (Citywalk), there are concerts that start at 9pm. Most hotels will have a free shuttle as parking costs $17 for the day at Universal and then you have the hassle of getting in and out. I had a nice hotel about 10 minutes walk from the park entrance. Stocked up with food from the hotel and best I could avoided the restaurants if only just to say I ate at the Three Broomsticks or The Leaky Cauldron.

cw67irl

Booked 5 nights in Rosen Inn at Point Orlando followed by 7 Night Cruise in the Carribean, Myself and my wife, the little one (will be just under 2) and my folks.

Anyone have any essentials? We were thinking of a day in Magic Kingdom, The usual shopping .

Any other suggestions? Last time myself and herself were over we ate in Friendlys usually for breakfast and Millers Alehouse at night. Any other recommendations? Anyone stayed in the Rosen Inn at Point Orlando?

Callanutd

cw67irl wrote: »

Booked 5 nights in Rosen Inn at Point Orlando followed by 7 Night Cruise in the Carribean, Myself and my wife, the little one (will be just under 2) and my folks.

Anyone have any essentials? We were thinking of a day in Magic Kingdom, The usual shopping .

Any other suggestions? Last time myself and herself were over we ate in Friendlys usually for breakfast and Millers Alehouse at night. Any other recommendations? Anyone stayed in the Rosen Inn at Point Orlando?

what time of year are you booked to go? I know a few people who have stayed in the Rosen Inn and they all only had good things to say.
For me Magic Kingdom and Universal Studios are a must. The best two parks IMO. Especially as you have the little one I would plan out your park days. Decide which rides you want to do, attractions you want to see etc. Lots of the rides will allow one of you to wait with your child while the other rides and then switch over without having to queue again.

codod

Hi there, Can anyone recommend a website that offers Villas for rental. I have already booked my flights but would like to book through a reputable website. thanks.

naughtysmurf

codod wrote: »

Hi there, Can anyone recommend a website that offers Villas for rental. I have already booked my flights but would like to book through a reputable website. thanks.

orlandovillas.com , TripAdvisor, ownersdirect, VRBO, there will be some on thedibb.co.uk