Can anyone tell me of a good hotel very close to Universal in Orlando? I am not going to rent a car and would like to stay outside of Universal? I have been looking up hotels and have read reviews on the Hilton Garden Inn. Has anyone ever stayed there? Will appreciate any other hints as to where to stay. I know most people will say to stay right in the park. Trying to cut down the cost if possible.

There really is no hotel where you safely walk to Universal since you would have to cross a huge highway. Yes, I will say to stay on site. Go to this site and maybe some people there can help. They are experts on Universal Orlando:
http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=30

I agree with schmerl.

Stay at one of the Universal on site hotels. You won't be sorry.

I believe if you stay at the Universal hotels, then you don't have to wait in the regular line. That's what it was a few years ago. We stayed at Universal hotel for 2 nights of the trip so we didn't have to wait in line - it was so worth it just for that, never mind the hotels are very nice.

That is right...by staying at on on site hotel you just show your room key and you get express access all day.
If you even stay just one night on site, you will get two full days of the express access. It is so easy to walk to the parks and City Walk from the on site hotels too.

It's true there's nowhere close enough to Universal to avoid a pretty long walk, but I'm also sure plenty of the hotels have shuttles. I've pasted the Hilton Garden Inn many times and it looks fine. Staying on site is absolutely the best of all, though, both for convenience and saving hours of waiting on line.

I really like the Hilton Garden Inn - a lot. Have stayed there many times. I don't consider it "walking distance". Check to see if the hotel offers a shuttle (I always had a rental car). If you stay at Hard Rock, Portofino or Royal Pacific you get front of the line access.