I-drive, Disney or Kissimmee? (Hotels in Orlando in general)

Member Name: Rosani

Product:	Hotels in Orlando in general
Date:	23/10/01 (397 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Something for everyone

Disadvantages: The 3 areas are quite different and they aren't often explained well enough by agents

In the Central Florida tourist area (Orlando) there are three main "resorts" that you can stay in. You can stay in the Disney property on a Disney hotel and be truly pampered for the length of your vacation. You can also stay in Kissimmee, which is the ORlando version of Anytown, USA. Or you can stay in the wildly popular International Drive area.

Staying within Disney property has its own pros and cons which I discuss in another review (found within Disney resorts section) so I won't go through them in detail again. Mainly: staying in Disney property can be expensive, not just for the cost of the accomodation but the cost of meals, car hire (necessary to get to Universal, Florida Mall and anywhere else) or taxis (VERY expensive). It has the advantage that all Disney hotels are the very top quality, very convenient for Disney parks (of course), and you get special privileges for being their guest.

On the other side of the economic scale is Kissimmee - effectively the town closest to the theme parks. Most of the accomodation is next to Highway 192 and it comprises mostly chains, motels, supermarkets, restaurants and other such places. It is very easy to find someplace to lay your head at the end of a tiring day, and if that is all you want your room to be, you can't go wrong with staying at the 192. Besides you've got the advantage that there are lots of cheap eats around there, but unfortunately you would need a car staying there as most places can be quite far. Also, most Villas are located in Kissimmee or around there in different developments like Buenaventura Lakes. The setting can be quite residential but also a long way from everywhere so a car is a must (especially if you'll be doing food shopping).

Before going on - a word about hotel shuttles. They are offered by lots and lots of hotels, a free shuttle to take you to the theme parks, sounds great doesn't it? Well, in my experience, most people grew t
o really hate the dependency on these shuttles: remember that you will get very tired after a whole day at the park and the last thing you want to do is wait for a shuttle to take you home. Or you find that the last shuttle leaves at 8.00, the fireworks start at 8.00 and you have to make a choice. Or the shuttle is there but is full and you'll have to wait for the next one. Believe me, it can be one of those things that can ruin your holiday so unless you absolutely don't want to, always rent a car. Worth its weight in gold. Especially if you want to do some shopping - Florida Mall is great for shopping but a LOOOONG way away from the theme parks.

Moving on, the last area you could stay in is the much maligned I-drive. I both love and hate it here; I love the newer side of it, by the convention center, with all the trendy restaurants and fantastic hotels. I truly hate the bit where wet n wild is, with all the tacky cheap hotels and restaurants but, I must accept, it is a fantastic bargain for the tourists. Here you can sleep and eat cheaply (and the way its built means that you can walk to shops and restaurants) and it is a very good location for Universal, Sea World and even Disney if you don't mind the longer drive. But it can be tacky, loud and nasty, so be warned.

So there you have it - now choose which one suits you and your budget and happy vacations!

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