Booking Disney Land

Which parks.........pretty sure it isn't the case with universal?

We're looking at California because my husband is working there later in the year. Universal Hollywood website says:

Per LA County’s Public Health order, all persons ages 5+ must be prepared to show proof of full FDA or WHO approved COVID-19 vaccination (a full 14 days after final dose was administered), or a negative test taken within 24 hours (antigen i.e., “rapid” test) or 48 hours (PCR test) of visit, prior to entry to the theme park. A COVID-19 self-test, sometimes referred to as a "home test", is not acceptable.
 


Is the lake buena vista area as good as international drive for eating out etc?
I can’t say if it’s better, I’ve never stayed on International drive.
LBV is really in 2 halves either side of I4. The crossroads area which had a lot of restaurants (north of I4) has gone now, but there are still a ton of restaurants around the Palm Parkway junction. If you stay in this area there is loads that are walkable, with footpaths and proper road crossings. It also a great alternative route to Universal and Seaworld if you don’t want to go on the I4.
most importantly there is a Millers Ale House and right next door is Twin Peaks which is similar to ale house but better if you want a few beers.
The South side of I4 is more spread out and isn’t really walkable between hotel areas. There are still some decent restaurants but you would have to drive between them.
I can’t say if it’s better, I’ve never stayed on International drive.
LBV is really in 2 halves either side of I4. The crossroads area which had a lot of restaurants (north of I4) has gone now, but there are still a ton of restaurants around the Palm Parkway junction. If you stay in this area there is loads that are walkable, with footpaths and proper road crossings. It also a great alternative route to Universal and Seaworld if you don’t want to go on the I4.
most importantly there is a Millers Ale House and right next door is Twin Peaks which is similar to ale house but better if you want a few beers.
The South side of I4 is more spread out and isn’t really walkable between hotel areas. There are still some decent restaurants but you would have to drive between them.

 
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I can’t say if it’s better, I’ve never stayed on International drive.
LBV is really in 2 halves either side of I4. The crossroads area which had a lot of restaurants (north of I4) has gone now, but there are still a ton of restaurants around the Palm Parkway junction. If you stay in this area there is loads that are walkable, with footpaths and proper road crossings. It also a great alternative route to Universal and Seaworld if you don’t want to go on the I4.
most importantly there is a Millers Ale House and right next door is Twin Peaks which is similar to ale house but better if you want a few beers.
The South side of I4 is more spread out and isn’t really walkable between hotel areas. There are still some decent restaurants but you would have to drive between them.


I'm looking at a hotel called Caribe Royale, not sure where that falls in relation to what you're saying?
 
I'm looking at a hotel called Caribe Royale, not sure where that falls in relation to what you're saying?
It’s right at the Southern end of LBV it may officially be in LBV but it’s like calling parts of Hendon, Ashbrooke. You would definitely need a car to get anywhere.
zoom in on the map link above and check some of the hotels that are shown on the map.
 
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I'm looking at a hotel called Caribe Royale, not sure where that falls in relation to what you're saying?
I’ve stayed at the Caribe Royale, it’s a great hotel just off the bottom of I Drive. The location is very good, only 10-15 mins drive from Disney depending on the park, Universal is approx 15-20 mins but that is purely dependent on The I4 traffic. You have a large shopping mall just round the corner and Walmart is over the road.
 
I'm looking at a hotel called Caribe Royale, not sure where that falls in relation to what you're saying?
That's right next to LBV resort where I stayed.
Definitely need hire car or Ubers staying in that area.
I'd definitely be going with Ubers if I was staying that way on again.
Just get an Uber back from the park to go to whatever restaurant you want, then an Uber back from restaurant to hotel when you done. Still works out cheaper than paying for parking at Disney each day.
Canny few times we just got Uber down to Old Town and had food and drinks down there and a mooch about.
 
I’ve stayed at the Caribe Royale, it’s a great hotel just off the bottom of I Drive. The location is very good, only 10-15 mins drive from Disney depending on the park, Universal is approx 15-20 mins but that is purely dependent on The I4 traffic. You have a large shopping mall just round the corner and Walmart is over the road.
It seems about the best option at the minute. 7k for 14 nights for 2 Adults and 2 Kids. 14 day Disney park tickets (we're going to leave universal this time) with the genie fast track thing, end of August.

I think they have a shuttle to the parks.
 
Is the lake buena vista area as good as international drive for eating out etc?
If you mean the hotels next to Downtown Disney / Disney Springs, "Hotel Boulevard" then yes, its canny. Its where we always stay (almost always at the hotel that's just over the road from Downtown Springs.

They count as "On premise" for Disney, so you used to get the advanced Fastpass and other benefits, but as you'll know those systems have all been changed now.
There is a small set of places to eat at the far end of the road - a 5-10min walk (its a nice walk) with places like Red Lobster, Dennys, one of those popular Ale House food-sports-pubs, Perkins and a few others.
And of course, all of the places to eat, drink and shop in downtown disney are literally 1 minute from the doorstep.

And the other great thing about those hotels is the all-day shuttle bus service. They come about every 30mins from before park opening until after close. So you never need to drive to the Disney parks. That's possibly the best thing about these hotels imo.

This is the hotel we've used for 15+ years (Its had a few names over the years!)


Food & drink choices as good as I-Drive? No. Not at all. (unless you count the disney springs option, but they're quite expensive of course)
But its a great location for other reasons.
 
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I've got the option to rent a car for £660 for the 14 days. Instead of transfers.

Is this worth it for short journeys to restaurants etc or would it be more cost effective to get ubers?
 
Whats the potential damage for 2 weeks, £8k?
We are going this August. 3 weeks in a villa with car hire and it’s coming in at £4000 for park tickets, £3250 for the flights. That’s for 2 adults and 2 children. We are Sharing the villa with friends and their kids (2+2 again) and it’s working out at about £750 per family
 
We are going this August. 3 weeks in a villa with car hire and it’s coming in at £4000 for park tickets, £3250 for the flights. That’s for 2 adults and 2 children. We are Sharing the villa with friends and their kids (2+2 again) and it’s working out at about £750 per family
May I ask where you booked all that?
 
I've got the option to rent a car for £660 for the 14 days. Instead of transfers.

Is this worth it for short journeys to restaurants etc or would it be more cost effective to get ubers?
Definitely Ubers mate.
You would need to put petrol in the hire car anyway so there's more cost.
If you took it to Disney it's 25 dollar a day.

Think we were paying about 12 dollar for Uber to Disney from that area, say you had 4 of those journeys a day that's still cheaper than hire car.
Also there is always sign-up deals for Uber and Lyft so you will get it cheaper.
Also factor in the resort has a shuttle service for Disney.
You probably won't use that all the time but it will come in handy on a few occasions
 
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The alternative is staying at Sonesta on International Drive. Doesn't seem their shuttles are on though.

The I trolley looks like a handy thing to go up and down on.
 
We are going this August. 3 weeks in a villa with car hire and it’s coming in at £4000 for park tickets, £3250 for the flights. That’s for 2 adults and 2 children. We are Sharing the villa with friends and their kids (2+2 again) and it’s working out at about £750 per family
£4K for park tickets is brutal, are you sure you need them all?
 
The alternative is staying at Sonesta on International Drive. Doesn't seem their shuttles are on though.

The I trolley looks like a handy thing to go up and down on.
Sonesta Es definitely makes things easier to walk to for scran and can use I trolley which are handy.
Would take a bit longer to get to Disney from there though, think the roads are always busy from there..

If you only doing Disney i would say Caribe definitely better option.
 
Sonesta Es definitely makes things easier to walk to for scran and can use I trolley which are handy.
Would take a bit longer to get to Disney from there though, think the roads are always busy from there..

If you only doing Disney i would say Caribe definitely better option.
All new to me this, never been as a kid ot an adult so a fair bit to consider.
 

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