Hotel recommendations (with pool) that have shuttles to Universal Studios and Disney World in Orlando?
We are planning a trip to Orlando this October. We are visiting Magic Kingdom at Disney World one day, and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal the second day. We are traveling on a very tight budget (just bought a house!) and I need a hotel that is affordable, but still nice. I’ve heard horror stories of hotels in the area that are filthy with cockroaches, etc.
Hotel must have a pool, at least an outdoor but an indoor would be nice, too, as I’m unsure of how the weather will be in october.
Hotel must also have shuttles to both Universal Studios and Disney World because we aren’t planning on renting a car. Shuttle to MCO airport would also be very helpful.
Any other tips would also be appreciated! Neither my boyfriend or I have ever been to the theme parks in Orlando before, we’re taking our daughter for the first time. She’s 10.
We are going for 5 days/4 nights, but we are only spending 2 days going to the parks because I know that will be plenty for us. I really want to go to Harry Potter, but the trip is mainly for his daughter, and she wants to go disney. One day will be plenty because she can’t even go through the entire 6 flags park and she’s tired/done/ready to go home.
That’s why its important the hotel has a pool, too, because she’s entirely happy in a pool and we will be spending one day just hanging at the hotel. We simply can’t afford another day at the parks, and we don’t really want to spend another day there, so we are opting to just go the two days. And that’s fine with us!
The airport, Disney & Universal aren’t all that close to each other — so there aren’t any hotels that offer free shuttle service to all of them…
In fact, there are only a handful that offer service to both Disney & Universal…
Country Inn & Suites
http://www.resideo.com/us/florida/orlando/39911699.hotel
Radisson Celebration
http://www.resideo.com/us/florida/kissimmee/69449659.hotel
Villas of Grand Cypress
http://www.resideo.com/us/florida/orlando/18717430.hotel
Hilton Garden Vacation Suites @ SeaWorld
http://www.resideo.com/us/florida/orlando/39625997.hotel
Galleria Palms
http://www.resideo.com/us/florida/kissimmee/11442952.hotel
Sleep Inn
http://www.resideo.com/us/florida/orlando/81046504.hotel
Econo Lodge
http://www.resideo.com/us/florida/orlando/45394522.hotel
$15 round trip per person
Enclave – http://www.resideo.com/us/florida/orlando/00588908.hotel – offers free shuttles to Universal, and they charge for service to Disney.
Hope that helps!
please realize that these shuttles are very time consuming. they stop at 4/5 hotels and drop off at more than one park. they are over crowded and drop you off far from the ticket gate. these buses can not use the disney bus stops at the parks.
Unless your hotel has a airport service (I have never found one outside of disney who did) you need to call Mears transportation. this can add $ to your trip.
You are only going for 2 days? You are better off just doing disney. This is going to be a very expensive weekend. You should save and go when you can spend more time there. and look into a value resort at disney
You should give a dollar amount for "affordable" Disney value resorts can be $88 a night.
The first trip my husband and I took I didn’t like the idea of paying a little bit more to stay on property at Disney when we could save and stay off, but near by and take a shuttle for free. That was such a bad idea! We would get up and get to the lobby and wait for the shuttle. And wait. Then rush and shove to get on – then have to stand…. Then travel to at least 3 other hotels to pick up more guests, where we were all crammed on there…. It was horrible. Then when it was time to go back, you had to again push and shove, and stand the whole time, then – go all over dropping others off at their hotels. It was so not fun! If you stay on Disney property, you can get a value resort at a good price in October, as it’s the off season! They will pick you up at the airport and drop you right off at your hotel which is great. No matter which way you decide to do it – have fun, enjoy yourself – and congrats on the new house
!
If I were you I’d book at one of the three All Star Resorts(Movies, Sports, Music) in Disney World . We always stay at the Movies. They are so cute and so clean with a beautiful pool. Then you can book a shuttle to Universal for around $20 each. I’m sure you’ll have fun whatever you decide to do.
The Comfort Inn Lake Buena Vista is a great family hotel with two outdoor pools. Each room is a suite with mini fridge, microwave, and coffee maker in each room. It has shuttles to all Disney parks, Universal, and SeaWorld. Usually it goes directly to the attraction on the way there, but will make drop off stops on the way back.
It’s the only hotel I’ll stay at in Orlando! Every restaurant you could possibly want is less than a 12 minute walk away with CiCi’s Pizza and Olive Garden just down the street. Walgreens is a 5 minute walk away as well.