A few people have contacted us recently to ask where they should stay when they visit Orlando, whether it be their first time, or whether it’s been a long time since they’ve been, so we thought we’d revisit the topic and make it a bit more snappy and to the point so that the pros and cons (in our opinion) are listed in an easy to navigate way. So here it is – hope it helps you make your decisions – and with the help of some of our super vlog friends, who inspire us and increase our knowledge, you’ll be able to sift through the vast array of accommodation on offer and find the perfect spot for you and your family and friends.
Before you start looking for places to stay and booking your holiday we should say that you need to set yourselves a budget – think about how much you can afford to spend on the whole holiday and that may well guide you towards a particular accommodation type or package. Think about the cost for the whole holiday – flights, accommodation, food, spending money and park tickets, as those things can all add up pretty quickly to quite a large amount. Theme park tickets are pretty expensive and if you’re travelling during UK school holidays then your flights are also going to be pretty pricey. There are some deals to be had and some packages prove to be very good value. Shop around, look at packages with travel companies which include hotel, flights, park tickets and even food packages, look at flights, hotels, villas and townhouses, and UK ticket providers. Put the homework in and hopefully you can get what you want for a price you can afford to pay.
Staying on site in a Disney World Hotel/Resort
PROS
The resorts are fantastically themed and have everything you need all in one place, restaurants, shops, entertainment and bars.
The resorts are split into Value, Value Plus, Moderate and Deluxe Resorts as well as Deluxe Villa Resorts and Wilderness Cabins and Campsites so there should be something for everyone and every budget.
You get free use of Disney transportation – buses, Skyliner and boats so ideal if you don’t want to hire a car.
You get early/late park hours offered only to guests staying on site so you can beat the crowds or the heat.
You can make dining reservations at any resorts, parks or venues 180 days before you travel.
You can book Fastpasses for the most popular rides 60 days before you travel.
Disney Dining plans are available so you pre-pay for your meal packages and get credits to use as and where you wish on property and in the parks.
You’re fully immersed in the whole Disney experience – fantastic for kids!
You can go to any resort to use any restaurant or bar and use any mode of transport.
Charge park purchases to your room and have them delivered to your hotel to save carrying things around all day.
Free parking at the resort if you do hire a car.
CONS
Can be pretty expensive especially in peak season
The value resorts contain a lot of accommodations and therefore potentially have busy pool areas and restaurants with lots of people around all of the time.
The rooms are comfortable but basic in the value resorts so don’t expect luxury – but do expect bright and cheerful and Disney!
If you book a whole package which includes the Dining Plan and park tickets it is quite a high cost to pay out before you go (but of course you would need less spending money as your food is all prepaid).
If you are planning to visit other parks such as Universal you’ll need to factor in the costs of travelling to those parks and tickets for those parks.
Staying in a Universal Resort Hotel
PROS
As with Disney, the resorts are themed and have restaurants, bars etc.
You can get early park access and also Unlimited Universal Express to get on the rides without queuing.
Transportation around the Universal area.
In park purchases with your hotel room key.
Package delivery to your hotel room.
Free parking at the resort and at City Walk
Free priority seating at selected park restaurants and CityWalk.
Pool hopping privileges between Universal resort hotels.
CONS
Can be busy as you’re around a lot of people a lot of the time.
Again can be expensive for a fairly standard hotel room.
If you don’t have a hire car you’re a bit limited to the restaurants in and around the parks and resort hotels and CityWalk and you may want some more variety and/or something a bit more budget friendly – although there is a vast array of fantastic places to eat.
Staying in the International Drive area in a hotel
PROS
You are likely to find a very reasonably priced option and will probably get a better sized room with more facilities – such as a little kitchen area, or an extra seating area separate to the area with the beds in.
Plenty to do around the International Drive area – lots of good restaurant choice around and entertainment, shops and plenty of things to do.
Close to Universal Studios and Volcano Bay water park.
I-Drive trolley runs up and down and is cheap to travel on and is regular and convenient.
Some hotels offer free shuttles to Universal, and reasonably priced shuttles to Disney World.
CONS
I-Drive is a very busy area for traffic so if you are driving you can be stuck in traffic jams and at traffic signals.
Lots going on so can be very busy and sometimes noisy, not always the most tranquil option.
A little way away from Disney World (although not too far) so if you haven’t got a hire car you’ll need to factor in transport to get to Disney World.
Some hotels can be a bit basic when included in packages – we suggest you read the reviews for the actual hotel that’s being offered in the package and do your research.
You’ll need to buy your park tickets separately as they won’t be included in any hotel packages.
Staying in a hotel on the 192 or around Kissimmee
PROS
As with above you are likely to find a reasonably priced hotel with more facilities.
Close to Walt Disney World
Lots of restaurants, bars and entertainment and shops.
Some offer free or reasonably priced shuttle buses to the parks and water parks.
CONS
Not a lot of transport options in this area if you’re not driving your own hire car.
Is a very busy road so again traffic queues and traffic signals at peak times can slow you down.
Can be noisy due to the amount of shops and bars and restaurants around.
Staying in a villa or house or townhouse
PROS
Can be great value if there are a few of you going – especially if you book it directly as it’s a one off cost (split between all the families/friends going) rather than a per-person cost if you book it as a package.
Away from the parks and hustle and bustle and crowds so you get some peace and tranquility when you’re having some relaxation time.
Quiet and dark at night for sleeping.
Off-road parking on private drive.
Usually have their own private pool (or possible a shared one between a few properties if a townhouse or condo).
Have full usually large kitchens so self-catering is an option and can be cheaper to sometimes buy supermarket food and prepare at the villa. Especially good for fussy eaters or people with difficult dietary requirements.
CONS
Can be pricey during peak season and especially if only one family bearing the whole cost of the villa.
You need to drive if staying a little further away from the parks – do some research to see how far you are from WDW and Universal, but you will need a car to reach all of the parks/restaurants etc so if you’re not driving you’ll be paying for taxis.
We hope these lists will give you some idea of the details you need to research to find the best holiday for you. The points we’ve made are pretty basic but will give you some pointers and may instantly rule out some options, for example, if you don’t want to hire a car.
For some excellent WDW resort vlogs check out Molly at Allearsnet, or Tim Tracker, who both do some fabulous resort tours, sneaky peaks into rooms and accommodation options and also investigate all of the facilities at the resort – restaurants, pools etc. Their videos will give you an insight as to what the resorts look like and whether you think you’d like to stay there.
If you’re heading towards International Drive or the Universal hotel options then again Tim Tracker has some brilliant resort tour vlogs as do The Despicable 3, who are UK vloggers and give fantastic reviews and information from a family with children perspective of the hotels and resorts and the International Drive area too.
If you want to have a look at the sort of villa accommodations available in the Orlando area take a look at HomeAway. There are lots of villas and houses listed on here with helpful maps and information about how far they are away from WDW and Universal etc. Even if you decide to book a package deal with a holiday company you should check out the villa/accommodation they are offering as part of the package and at least find out the area the property is in and what it might look like.
We love the planning stage – it’s very exciting! There’s so much information out there and you’ll have a fantastic holiday whatever you decide to do.
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