DISNEYWORLD...2adults at the Ramada Maingate
 

I got a great rate at the Ramada Resort Maingate for $49/nite (a special internet rate) in March. Has anyone stayed there before? It seems to be located very near the entrance. Any suggestions for first timers to Orlando? What's the best way to get to the hotel from the Orlando airport, and its cost? Is renting a car necessary? From February to March, college students show ID for $29 oneday/onepark plus Pleasure Island.

Be cautious! I just returned from Orlando and found that my budget was too small for the prices there. FL has a 12%25 tourist tax on hotels, car rentals etc... Entrance fees to parks average $40 per person per day. BEWARE of the Tourist Centers that advertise discount tickets...many of them are outlets for Vacation Timeshares. A 90 minute lecture turned into a 3 1/2 hour nightmare! There is an official visitors center on International Drive that allows you to purchase discount tickets...very worth the time to go there. Note that Hwy 192 (where your hotel is located) is close to the Disney parks (about 4-5 miles), but it is also very crowded (much like the "strip" in Las Vegas). Dining is less expensive if you go east into Kissimmee. Try a VERY GOOD Italian Buffet at a restaraunt named A Taste of Little Italy. Take along good walking shoes...all Disney parks require a LOT of walking. It's also handy to carry along a couple rain slickers (you can store them in the lockers just inside the gates at all the parks). I found that EPCOT took 2 days to "do" the park well. MGM Studios took 1 day. Sea World and Universal Studios were offering a deal where you pay for your first day and get another free day if you come back within 7 days. Hope that this helps you out and that you have a wonderful trip!

OPPS! I forgot to answer your question about the car rental and directions. From the airport you take the Bee Line Expressway (toll road...save your quarters!) to Interstate 4 to Tampa. Look for Exit 25A and 25B. These are the exits to Hwy 192 where your hotel is located on. 25A goes East and 25B goes West on 192. Ask your hotel which way they are located on 192 off of I-4. Car rental...if you would like the freedom to come and go and eat in Kissimee away from the zoo...then a car rental is a good idea. If this doesn't matter, check with your hotel and see if they run a shuttle to the Parks that you want to visit. Note that most of the hotel shuttles take you to the park at opening and don't come get you until the gates close (a VERY long day!). There are shuttles from the airport to your hotel too. Check with a company called Meade Transportation. They run yellow and black buses all over town and especailly from the airport. Beware of the car rental upgrade "scam". If you rent, take the name of the agent you spoke with and an exact description of what the charge you're agreeing on will get you in the way of a car. I was told I'd have a Neon for the price I was paying and found that I was really being given a GEO without power anything! Blew my budget to upgrade...and let's not forget the 12%25 tax too! I found that the car was nice to have though. I was able to park at any of the parks for $5.00 a day. They allowed me to come in and out of the parking area as much as I'd like all day. I would visit the park upon opening and leave around lunch time (VERY expensive to eat at the park...$3.10 for a hotdog!) I would then return to the park around 3:30 p.m. until closing. I found that many of the parents and their kids were leaving about that time and that the lines tended to thin out considerably around then. Don't forget to stay for the fireworks shows, they're spectacular! If you go to EPCOT...stop by the bakery in Norway! School Bread is to die for! If you stay for the fireworks...go back to the area around Norway to watch the show...and slip into the bakery just before closing. They run sales on all the baked goods...Cinnamon Rolls for breakfast the next morining! Whatever you do...have a good time! Please let me know how your trip goes! Have fun!

Thanks Sue for all the info!! A few more questions...I've been reading on these message boards that a lot of people suggest staying on the Disney properties and that it's well work the higher prices. However, most of them say it's better especially if you're travelling with kids. We're not, but now we're wondering if it's actually going to be a hassle to stay at an outside hotel. The cheapest Disney property hotel is the All-Star Music or All-Star Sport hotels and they're running about $89/night. Compared to the Ramada at $49/night, that's quite a difference. Does anyone who's travelled without kids know if it's worth the extra $40/night to stay on the property, or should we save our money for all the other expenses we're bound to face? Also, has anyone gone to the Kennedy Space center? How far from WDW is it and what's the cost? Thanks for any info!

Hi. In reply to staying in the Disney hotels as aposed to outside. I have done both. With children and without. We got a hotel on the 192 that was okay I believe it was a Ramada as well. It was 39.00 per night and was adaquate. We only stayed 2 nights there and then moved to the All Star Music resort on Disney property. We payed 69.00 per night there. That was 2 years ago. I was so happy when we got to the Disney Hotel!!! The service was great! We did'nt need a car. The transportation system worked beautifully for us. We had a cooler in our room for eating breakfast and making lunches. So all we bought was dinner. We live in Canada so our dollar is 40%25 less than the U>S> dollar. I would have to say that unless you have a beautiful room outside Disney World. It is more adventageous to stay on property. You can use the early admission which you don't get off property as well. You can still have a great time staying off property but If your only doing the Disney thing once, DO IT RIGHT and stay on property!! Have a wonderful time.
Cori

The Ramada Inn is only a few blocks from a gate into Disneyworld. So, you cant beat the price for
your location!!..Staying on site has its perks, the early admission being a BIG one...Also the flex pass
good at all parks.Come and go as you please, use it just like a credit card also. TO handy!!! hehehehe
About Kennedy Space center.. Its about 50 miles
from Disney. The cost is around $14 a person if you do everything there. They have 3 imax movies and 2
bus tours. depending on how old you are you might
want to go on the cape canaveral tour. It takes you to the older launch sites. John Glenn, that era.
This was our 3rd time to Disney, so if i can make a few suggestions..Get some GOOD shoes!!!. Allow at least 2 days for epcot, 1 for MGM, (dont miss the tower of terror!!!!!).1 for universal, and 1 for the magic kingdom. I would recommend Typhon lagoon over the other water parks, if you had them in mind.Also
Pleasure Island is a great way to spend a evenning.
The comedy club is a hoot!..If you have any other questions feel free to drop me a line. More than happy to help..

Have fun
Rick