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enotsola and I are considering tacking a trip to Disney World onto the beforetime or the aftertime of our trip to Infinitus. Being natives of two points quite far from Orlando (California and Nova Scotia by way of Ontario), we are the cluelessest of n00bs* and gravely in need of your sage advice:
1. How many days would you suggest spending at Disney? We did three days in Disneyland last summer and that was actually a touch too much time since we were fairly bored by "California Adventure" and aren't much for watching musical performances, parades, etc., but I feel Disney World may be quite a different story. Even so, I am considering three days, in an effort to keep the expense of all this at least slightly in check. But if that's really, really, really not enough and even one more day would make a difference, tell me so.
2. Do you think it would be better to do it before or after Infinitus? We are currently leaning towards after because I think Disney will burn us out more than the con, and I don't want to be physically and mentally exhausted just as things are starting (plus have wrinkles in my robes from them being packed so long *wink*).
3. We're going to do our darndest to stay in the (expensive!) on-resort hotel for Infinitus, but I'd rather go somewhere else while we're visiting Disney, if it makes any sense to to do (i.e., if we can find a cheaper non-resort hotel/motel -- my intuition says "of course you can" because on-resort is always sky-high, but for all I know proximity to Universal Studios comes cheap compared to any reasonable proximity to Disney World). However, I don't even know where to start on this besides going down to AAA and saying "help!" which will lead them to try to sell me a vacation package.** Any suggestions for hotels? Also, for the purposes of this question, consider ease of available transit or shuttles; the two parks are about 20 miles apart and we'd need to get from one hotel to the other (once) as well as from the hotel to Disney World (and back to the airport, but I imagine airport shuttles to MCO aren't hard to come by in this area). I imagine a lot of places have either private shuttles to the park or stops for some kind of local dedicated transit line (like the one in Anaheim that loops past a bunch of local lodgings and then stops at Disneyland), but the point is that I don't know whether we'll bother to rent a car, so we may not have utter freedom of transportation.
* Except to know that we are going to hate hate hate the weather, and hope to all that is good and merciful in the universe that the hotel for Infinitus takes its air conditioning more seriously than the Parc55 did, albeit that's understandable given the sparse need for air conditioning in San Francisco.
** OTOH, that might turn out to be the right idea; we took a package for Disneyland which was decent, and they have far better value ones for Disney World, including a whole bunch of actually-meaningful meal vouchers and things.
enotsola and I are considering tacking a trip to Disney World onto the beforetime or the aftertime of our trip to Infinitus. Being natives of two points quite far from Orlando (California and Nova Scotia by way of Ontario), we are the cluelessest of n00bs* and gravely in need of your sage advice:1. How many days would you suggest spending at Disney? We did three days in Disneyland last summer and that was actually a touch too much time since we were fairly bored by "California Adventure" and aren't much for watching musical performances, parades, etc., but I feel Disney World may be quite a different story. Even so, I am considering three days, in an effort to keep the expense of all this at least slightly in check. But if that's really, really, really not enough and even one more day would make a difference, tell me so.
2. Do you think it would be better to do it before or after Infinitus? We are currently leaning towards after because I think Disney will burn us out more than the con, and I don't want to be physically and mentally exhausted just as things are starting (plus have wrinkles in my robes from them being packed so long *wink*).
3. We're going to do our darndest to stay in the (expensive!) on-resort hotel for Infinitus, but I'd rather go somewhere else while we're visiting Disney, if it makes any sense to to do (i.e., if we can find a cheaper non-resort hotel/motel -- my intuition says "of course you can" because on-resort is always sky-high, but for all I know proximity to Universal Studios comes cheap compared to any reasonable proximity to Disney World). However, I don't even know where to start on this besides going down to AAA and saying "help!" which will lead them to try to sell me a vacation package.** Any suggestions for hotels? Also, for the purposes of this question, consider ease of available transit or shuttles; the two parks are about 20 miles apart and we'd need to get from one hotel to the other (once) as well as from the hotel to Disney World (and back to the airport, but I imagine airport shuttles to MCO aren't hard to come by in this area). I imagine a lot of places have either private shuttles to the park or stops for some kind of local dedicated transit line (like the one in Anaheim that loops past a bunch of local lodgings and then stops at Disneyland), but the point is that I don't know whether we'll bother to rent a car, so we may not have utter freedom of transportation.
* Except to know that we are going to hate hate hate the weather, and hope to all that is good and merciful in the universe that the hotel for Infinitus takes its air conditioning more seriously than the Parc55 did, albeit that's understandable given the sparse need for air conditioning in San Francisco.
** OTOH, that might turn out to be the right idea; we took a package for Disneyland which was decent, and they have far better value ones for Disney World, including a whole bunch of actually-meaningful meal vouchers and things.
no subject
Date: August 26th, 2009 10:19 am (UTC)From:Staying on property at Disney is usually a good idea. They have some nice hotels (like the All Stars and Pop Century) that are not too expensive, and frankly you'd probably only save about $20 a night staying off-property, and you wouldn't get meal stuff, and you wouldn't get into the parks early, and you'd have more of a commute.
I don't know much about Universal hotels though.
Regarding the parks, I can personally spend AT LEAST an entire day at each, so that's four days, but if you know that one in particular doesn't interest you that can save you some time.
Also, Universal: Two parks. Regular Universal Studios, which from what I can tell is just like the Studios in CA, and Islands of Adventure, which rocks and has lots of coasters and stuff, but unfortunately you still won't get to see much Harry Potter stuff because they have built these big walls. If you do go to Islands, which you should, do not miss the Dueling Dragons coaster if it is open, because that is going to be repurposed into the HP world, and it is the best place to catch glimpses of the HP stuff that is being built.
LMK what else.
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Date: August 26th, 2009 05:24 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: August 26th, 2009 05:35 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: August 26th, 2009 07:17 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: August 26th, 2009 07:16 pm (UTC)From:Seriously? The difference in the Disneyland area is substantial, anywhere from 25-50% less than what the Disney hotels cost. (What do they run in WDW? $20/night would be less than 10% difference if it's comparable to the Universal Royal Pacific's $210/night.) That is not the case in the WDW area?
you wouldn't get into the parks early
Not a huge concern for as as we are very much not early risers. We got early admission one day with our Disneyland package and didn't use it because like hell we were going to show up at the gates at 7 AM or whatever it was.
I don't know much about Universal hotels though.
The Royal Pacific is the one the convention goings-on are at, is why we want to be there for Infinitus. It just seems silly to me to continue to stay there while going to WDW because 1) they're some 20 miles apart and that's tricky to traverse without a car and 2) if I can do better than $210/a night, by god I'm gonna.
Also, Universal: Two parks.
We won't be going to Universal unless we need to get a main park admission for something connected to Infinitus.
eta: haha, sorry, forgot I already said that.
unfortunately you still won't get to see much Harry Potter stuff because they have built these big walls.
Um... you realize we are talking about next July here, right?
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Date: August 26th, 2009 07:21 pm (UTC)From:I'm seeing room rates at the Pop Century starting at about $82 a night. You could probably find a discount hotel in Kissimmee for less, but you would have to get a shuttle to the parks, and traffic in Kissimmee is astronomically bad (or at least it was twelve years ago when I lived there and I can only imagine it's worsened as Orlando does not invest in public trans or infrastructure). So if you're not early risers you're looking at an annoyingly long trip into the parks.
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Date: August 26th, 2009 08:11 pm (UTC)From:Wow, that is exceptionally cheap. The least expensive hotel in Disneyland (Paradise Pier) is $290/night (although one could probably do a bit better with AAA packages or something). I was assuming it'd be the same story in Disney World. O.o
Just FMI, what is the hotel tax there? I am figuring on about 10% which is the average around here.
eta: "during Value Season". Dollars to donuts that doesn't include July, which has got to be peak season with commensurate prices, but hell, if it beats $210 it's still worth it.
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Date: August 26th, 2009 08:20 pm (UTC)From:* The All Star Resorts have a resort tax of 5%, and a combined sales tax of 7%. Your room, then, will be taxed at 12% and purchases (sundries and souvenirs) will be taxed at 7%.
* Purchases at the Wide World of Sports would also be hit with the 7% sales tax.
* All other WDW resorts and retail locations have a resort tax of 5% and a sales tax of 6%. Your room, then, at any other WDW resort, will be taxed at 11% and purchases at 6%.
* If you stay offsite, just keep in mind that you'll be hit with that slightly higher rate if you stay in Osceola County (along SR-192, Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway).
You could always call 407-W-DISNEY and ask. They're VERY nice.
Keep in mind old Walt bought a metric boatload of land out here, so there's no need to squash things in like in Pasadena. So they can have zillions of hotel rooms at prices under $100 a night. Of course there are plenty that are more.
What you probably want is a "Disney Value Resort" like Pop Century, All Star Music, All Star Sports, or All Star Movies. I've stayed at All Star Music and the room was totally adequate. I have a friend who refuses to stay anywhere but Pop Century during her yearly visits so apparently that is a good one too.
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Date: August 26th, 2009 08:26 pm (UTC)From:This might be helpful http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/pop-century-resort/rates-rooms/ You can change the season to see different rates.
Most of the deep discount places will also raise prices during peak seasons.
Additional-additional, there are a few hotels ON Disney property that are not OWNED by Disney, such as the Hyatt and I think there's a Marriott and things like that, look for stuff on "Hotel Plaza Blvd". Most hotels there, you can walk to Downtown Disney and catch buses from there too.
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Date: August 26th, 2009 08:43 pm (UTC)From:Your room, then, at any other WDW resort, will be taxed at 11%
OK, comparable to here, then. (I believe lodging is not subject to sales tax as such in CA so the "hotel tax" or similar name generally stands in for it.)
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Date: August 26th, 2009 08:46 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: August 26th, 2009 09:08 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: August 26th, 2009 01:49 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: August 26th, 2009 07:10 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: August 26th, 2009 07:23 pm (UTC)From:And the Studios: Tower of Terror (excellent ride, I used to work there), Aerosmith roller coaster (indoor coaster based on a car concept rather than a train), lots of behind the scenes movie stuff, a stunt show (used to be Indiana Jones but I don't remember what it is now), the Star Wars simulator ride (Star Tours), Pizza Planet, and more. :)
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Date: August 26th, 2009 07:23 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: August 26th, 2009 07:43 pm (UTC)From:*shudders* Forget it. We both hate free-fall rides like that. I was coaxed to go on the Edge, similar but shorter ride in Great America here in California, once when I was younger and I nearly had a panic attack. We avoided Tower of Terror like an avoided thing in Disneyland.
If Star Tours is anything like it is in Disneyland, eh, we got our fill of it there. (It was so much cooler when I was 10, somehow... heheh. And yet I never seem to get tired of Space Mountain...) But, meh, we might want to have some time for it. I think what I am trying to decide between is the "one park per day" or the "park-hopper" option, which plummets in price-per-day after you get past like 3 days. I think we're going to want to have like a day and a half or something in some places and less than a day in others, so maybe 4 days park-hopper so we can go round in whatever order might make sense.
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Date: August 26th, 2009 07:46 pm (UTC)From:If you do hop, keep in mind how to get from park to park, and some take longer than others. The monorail easily connects MK and Epcot. Epcot and the Studios are reasonably close to one another and there used to be a ferry you could take plus a walking path to get from one to the other. AK isn't *far* but Disney won't shell out to extend the monorail. So, bus.
My favorite place to stay is the Yacht & Beach Club but I've only done that once because I got a crazy discount. It's easy to get to Epcot from there and you can enter at the quiet gate behind the UK. Good stuff.
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Date: August 26th, 2009 08:20 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: August 26th, 2009 08:21 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: August 26th, 2009 07:37 pm (UTC)From:Personally, I Wouldn't Go
Date: August 26th, 2009 11:36 pm (UTC)From:California had brick and some charm, at least. but I'm not going to either ever again if I can help it. See the Busch gardens, or Weeki Wachee, if you must tour Florida, or Cypress Gardens, if it's still there. Or just an orange grove. Something natural.
Re: Personally, I Wouldn't Go
Date: August 27th, 2009 12:07 am (UTC)From: