Rachel

Help me plan a surprise trip to Disneyworld for my family, I've got the airfare & car, but need help with the hotel. Here's my options: Moderate resort at WDW (Carribean Resort, Port Dixie/Port Orleans), All Star resort (rooms sound small), Radisson Maingate Resort (dirt cheap and looks like a great pool), or Hardrock in Universal. The surprisees will be my reluctant husband (hates to fly, hates amusement parks, but will love it once he's there) and two sons (12 & 15) absolutely dying to go. It will be a short trip-3/12 actual days to do things. I plan a day at WDW, Epcot and Universal and 1/2 day somewhere else. Please tell me which hotels you recommend and why. Trip will be in late may. Thanks for you help. It's hard planning when you can't ask your other half for his imput.

nina

Rachel given your time constraints and sons ages, I vote staying at the Hardrock (truly a Deluxe Hotel, which everyone will love, but at half the price of any Disney Deluxe Hotel). The entertainment rate is $125/nt and worth every penny. Awesome pool, close to parks. Go to Universalorlando.com and order a 7 day ticket for the price of a 2 day ticket. This is a special which you can order until Feb 20th. The cost is 85.90 per ticket (this gets you up to 7 days admission to Universal, IOA and citywalk!). Cancel the car since you will not need it. For $75.00 Round trip you can have a towncar pick you up at the airport and bring you back. Cheaper than a car and no hassle, they'll be standing there with your name on a card. Go to yourride.net for a reservation.

If your heart is set on WDW and Epcot, stay at a Disney moderate, you don't have enough time to stay off-site, the All-Stars will seem too childish for your kids. You will then have to rent a car for the trip to Universal. I would spend the whole time at Universal with kids your age though. They'll love it, they AND you will love the HardRock, and it is very convenient for a short trip. Good luck and let me know if you need any more info.

nina

The other reason that you want to stay on-site at Disney is so you can get a length of stay pass for as short as 2 days, which you can use to visit multiple parks in one day. You can't get this type of pass when staying in a non Disney resort. This will allow you to go to say WDW and MGM in one Day, or a waterpark (The boys will love this) and Epcot in one day. You really should take advantage of this. You can also go to Disneyquest in addition to other parks in one day. They'll love Disneyquest too!

mickey

You may want to research this further, but I think the Radisson Maingate could be a bad choice.

If it's where I think it is, it's not really near the "main gate" but on a busy road that last year was under construction and packed with traffic. That may be why it's so cheap. Again, suggest you look into it because I may be wrong, and maybe the construction is finished.

Rachel

Thank you Nina and Mickey. You have given me much needed insight and info. I've been surveying the Disney elated websights, but there's nothing like first hand knowledge. R

yankee

I strongly recommend that you stay at the Hardrock Hotel! I am a Disney fanatic, but have been enjoying Universal so much more. Your sons are the perfect age for IOA and Universal. I stayed at the Portofino Hotel and it was fantastic. Also, one major convenience, you can walk from the Hardrock to Universal and IOA. I agree that at Hardrock you'll be getting much more "bang for the buck." I hope this has been helpful.

Rachel

Thanks for the help everyone. WDW gave me a much better rate than Hard Rock (94/night for Carribean, plus American Express White Glove treatment-discounts for food, souveniers, stuff at Downtown Dsiney) so the decision is made. Special thanks for the tip about the Radisson-it looks like a great hotel, but who wants to spend your vacation in traffic! Maybe that's why they were offering a terrific rate. Trip report to follow in June.

dan

As disappointed as I may be that you will be passing up the Hard Rock [it's PERFECT for a husband who doesn't like the 'theme-park idea' and 12 and 15 yo boys], it sounds like you did get a good deal on the WDW Caribbean Resort.

I've lived in Orlando for 3 1/2 years, and used to work at Disney as a lifeguard at Blizzard beach and some hotels. The Caribbean is a nice one for the price, and the great part about it -- if you're only going to have 3 days to stay busy-- is that you Don't need a rental car on property unless you really want the extra flexibility. Disney has an extensive shuttle system, including buses, boats and the monorail.
You can have a Mears transportation shuttle to or from the airport for about $35.

With three/four days you can do exactly what Disney wants you to do: stay on Disney property the whole time. [And yes, the All-Star is basically a little hotel room with neat decor-- think "Disney Hard Rock"].

A couple of suggestions---> If EPCOT is in your plans, don't go before noon; plan to be there at the END of the day as opposed to the beginning. At 9:15 pm, The 'Illuminations' show over the lake is one of the best Disney offers.
For a great dinner experience, take your family to the Luau at the Polynesian Resort; it's my favorite resort-- I even go there just to hang out sometimes-- and the dinner show is a great experience, with fire dancers, all you can eat and drink, and crowd participation. [should cost a little over $100 for four, well worth it].

Oh, and one more quick one-- If you do get a rental car, DO NOT buy gas on Disney property on route 535 in Lake Buena Vista... drive just a few miles in any direction and save a good 30 cents a gallon. [a small thing to consider, but, if you'll be anywhere else, just fill up away from Disney to save $$]

Have Fun!

Rachel

Dan, thanks for your advice. The dinner sounds like something everyone would enjoy. Hard Rock sounds great, but it was so much more than the Carribean-I'd rather have the $$ to spend om admissions, food, souveniers.