Where to stay economically in Orlando?

[albertablueskies]

Any Suggestions?

[jdmaillet]

Well, it would help if you could be more specific. We go to Orlando area every year and stay in condos. This is a great option if you are with a group of people or your family. You can get a good rate on hotelkingdom.com or Skyaution.

 

If you are traveling alone or with someone you'll be sharing a bed with, then Priceline is a great option. You can get very nice hotel rooms for low $$. If you are traveling with a family, that wouldn't be a good option as they only guarantee one bed.

 

There is an abundance of every type of accomodation in all price ranges, particulary in the Orlando area. It really depends on what you are looking for.

 

Jenn

[albertablueskies]

We're looking for something near Disneyworld. Is it cheaper to book online or just drive around and find something cheap nearby?

[mirthmaiden]

Any Suggestions?

 

We have stayed once at the Ramada Maingate East (Kissimee area). It was a nice place and a good deal for the $. I think we paid under $50 per night, but that was 2 years ago. It seemed clean, safe and good amenities. Only a short drive to Disney also.

[PTarbay]

Priceline or Hotwire are the way to go.You get to pick which area you want and there are some incredible deals.Hotwire will give you the most information and an actual price and is only usually a couple dollars more than Priceline.I prefer Hotwire myself.You seem to be looking for a lot of info for an Orlando vacation.I'm not a travel agent but if you would like to email me and give me your email address I will be happy to send you a lot of links for you to get some discounts and information.It isn't really appropriate on a RCI board to give a lot of Disney info. PTarbay@aol.com

[ducklite]

We're looking for something near Disneyworld. Is it cheaper to book online or just drive around and find something cheap nearby?

 

Bad idea. During peak season it can be impossible to find a room. There are some BAD areas around WDW that you don't want to stay in.

 

How much do you want to spend per night? How many are in your party?

 

Anne

[cruz1234]

Sometimes you can get great deals right on Disney property so don't forget to check that. We have gotten rooms on Disney Property for as low as $49 per night. Great deals sometimes there. You can check mousesavers.com that has a list of all the discounts and when they are available. There are some real DUMPS in the surrounding areas and also if you are on parts of International drive it can take forever to get anywhere..light,after light,after light! There is also a really nice Holiday Inn Family suites right outside the Property...I paid $99 for a 2 bdrm family suite there one time. Depends on the time of the year. Good luck.

[Bluenose Sandy]

Try Radisson Resort Parkway. Stayed there last year and it was nice for the price, also very convenient for the Disney parks.

 

Maybe you need to hang at the Disboards instead of Cruisecritic to get info on Orlando hotels!

[jdmaillet]

I second disboards.com. Everything you could possibly need help with for the Orlando/Disney area will be there.

 

Jenn

[shelbylook]

We've stayed a week+ 3 times since 2000 in the area of WDW. (Love it!!)

In 2000 we stayed at the Radisson Resort Parkway and it was nice, but we paid about $90 per night (it was the week of the Daytona 500 in Feb).

 

We went back at Christmas in 03. Spent the week before Christmas at the Fairfield Inn at the Marriott Village, Lk Buena Vista. It was perfect. At the time, the hotel was new and we paid $56/night. Had a top floor so there was no noise above and appreciated having the laundry in the next room (real convenient).

 

We liked the Fairfield so much that we stayed there again this past March for a week post cruise. This time the price was I think, $63/night. Still a bargain if you ask me. And we got the same room... top floor, next to the laundry.

 

The Marriott Village is very convenient to Disney, I-4, shopping, and lots of restaurants.

 

Good luck and have fun!

 

Cathy

[stillfrantic]

Check http://www.mousesavers.com if you aren't willing to take the Priceline/Hotwire plunge. That website will have a lot of money saving tips for resorts in the WDW vicinity.

[flyerwife]

I agree that the Fairfield Inn Marriott at Little Lake Bryan is a great deal, and nice and close to the parks. There is also a Courtyard and Spring Hill Suites, both Marriott hotels, in the same complex if you need a little more room. You also get access to the pools at all 3 hotels, which is nice.

 

The Disney All Star hotels sometimes run around $75 per night if you are in the low season, so check those too.

 

I've found that the really inexpensive hotels are usually in Kissimmee (on I-192, also known as Irlo Bronson Hwy). But some of them are not the most upscale of hotels, so make sure you search on line for reviews.

 

Priceline is good too. I would specify a 3 star just to be sure I get something decent.

 

Have fun. You should definitely have a good selection of hotels under $100 a night.

[elleluv]

If you are interested in renting a house or a condo try....

 

www.villadirect.com

 

We've rented from them once before and are renting again from them this Christmas. You can save a little additional money by having your own kitchen and cooking instead of eating out every meal.

[gambler]

The Courtyard in the Marriott Village was great. Ask for a balcony room over looking the pool in the center. Everyone was so nice. The rooms are big and clean, we had a refrig and video gaming. Internet is free but it is not wireless.

The pool is an outdoor/indoor one. There is a video arcade, gift shop and a shared food court with Pizza Hut, Grilled food and other things plus drinks to pick up. The breakfast buffet was $8.95 adults, half price for kids, lots of great stuff, fresh cooked mickey waffels, omelets and other items.

[Nliedel]

Any of the Maingate Hotels will be a good value and have shuttles to the Mouse. We stayed on property last time but probably never again, poo. Now that the younger two are getting up there and will be interested in going it will be too expensive to stay on property.

 

You can get some really good ideas about hotels off property at:

 

Mousesavers.com

http://www.disboards.com/

and http://allearsnet.com/

[ducklite]

Any of the Maingate Hotels will be a good value and have shuttles to the Mouse. We stayed on property last time but probably never again, poo. Now that the younger two are getting up there and will be interested in going it will be too expensive to stay on property.

 

You can get some really good ideas about hotels off property at:

 

Mousesavers.com

http://www.disboards.com/

and http://allearsnet.com/

 

Be careful with those Maingate hotels. Some of them are in deplorable condition and are downright dangerous.

 

As far as the shuttles, some have one shuttle in teh am, and one in the pm, and if you want to come or go at a different time you'll be stuck with an expensive cab ride.

 

Sometimes you get what you pay for.

 

The Hilton at DTD sometimes has low rates (I've paid $104 per night inc tax) and that's a convenient choice, and very nice hotel.

 

If it's our of your price range, I'd look at any of the Marriott property's at Marriott World Center--the Fairfields are economical and clean, and the area is safe.

 

Anne

[medolee]

I ALWAYS make it a point to stay anywhere on I Drive ( Highway 4) south of Sand Lake Road and North of Ocseola Parkway. NOT INTENDING to hurt anyones feelings, but they are the cleanest, and best in my opinion, places to stay. That allows you from not quite at Universal Studios all the way to Mickeys. We made the mistake one year of staying 1 night off our beaten track and were so sorry we did. It was shady, felt dirty, (although you couldn't SEE the dirt) pool was less than nice, never again. I now book online anywhere from the 2 points I have mentioned and I feel safe. After our cruise we will be at the Wyndham Resort, and it is lovely. A truly great place to stay--excellent security, clean, nice rooms, ect. We were there 2 years ago. Also, last January, we stayed on Dis property at the new Pop Century for 55$ a night. Not a bad place either. Any of the places ON the Disney property is nice. We have been to Buena Vista Best Western there. I know everyone has there own opinion, but be careful when you book off these routes. We did stay last December at the Radisson Maingate and it was nice, I think it was the maingate, not the o ne with the big waterfall in the pool, I booked it through priceline as a 3+star hotel and got it for 50$ a night. We only stayed one night--pre dis cruise, Priceline is pretty reliable.

[larasmom]

i actually looked and had enough marriott miles to book a room at the residence inn by sea world. we are going to florida in april to visit my parents in miami for the 2nd week of april. we are taking their car and driving up to orlando for 2 days.

 

only problem is because it is spring break time most of the hotels are not offering any types of cheap rooms and don't have many "mile" rooms left because they know they can sell them.

 

we had to get a studio suite which is one giant room with 2 queen beds and a kitchen area because that was all they had available during spring break at any of the marriott hotels.

 

they said if we wanted a bigger room we could use our miles for one night and pay close to $300 for the 2nd night..........i was like......NOT.......i want a free room that is what i earn the miles for.

 

i figured while driving from my parents to orlando we will stop on the road and get discount tickets to sea world somewhere.

 

we also plan on taking the kids at night to city walk which is adjacent to universal studios............. no cost to get in and they have tons of restaurants and shops.

[Nliedel]

Be careful with those Maingate hotels. Some of them are in deplorable condition and are downright dangerous.

 

As far as the shuttles, some have one shuttle in teh am, and one in the pm, and if you want to come or go at a different time you'll be stuck with an expensive cab ride.

 

Sometimes you get what you pay for.

 

The Hilton at DTD sometimes has low rates (I've paid $104 per night inc tax) and that's a convenient choice, and very nice hotel.

 

If it's our of your price range, I'd look at any of the Marriott property's at Marriott World Center--the Fairfields are economical and clean, and the area is safe.

 

Anne

 

That's why I suggested those websites. They all have really good and current information.

[medolee]

Also, there is a Walt Disney and Orlando Book for Dummies that is also helpful, and I found to be really accurate.

[Kpstill]

I booked Sheraton Studio City Hotel on I-Drive for $41.

[abridalmaven]

I have a timeshare at the maingate area, Rte 192. It is very easy to get around from there to any of the attractions. Before we bought it I did use Priceline extensively, but first using expedia to get a lowdown on what is availalbe. Priceline does keep their vendors inline. If it is rated badly, it is dumped from the list, on the other hand Expedia and others do not monitor the list and have gotten semi dumps from them. But you can get the higher star hotels for much less on priceline. And 192 has instant access to the Disney parkway and Rte 4, and in my opinion more to do at night. Last year I used priceline for a Century 21 convention and got rooms at the Clarion for under $40 Go for 3 star at least and you will do well.