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arcanetrivia) wrote2009-08-26 12:16 am
arcanetrivia) wrote2009-08-26 12:16 am
advice please?
Dear Internet (or at least the subset of it that comprises my flists):
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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
* 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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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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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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