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Orlando Blog including tips and tricks!

22nd October 2024

It’s no secret that Orlando is my favourite destination having been multiple times over the years from the age of 10 so it certainly holds a special place in my heart! There are multiple options for says in Orlando from staying off site on international drive, a hot spot for tourists, to staying onsite at Disney or Universal.

Now what do I mean by staying off site?

When staying in Orlando there are a vast number of hotels that you can choose from to suit the needs of your family. Two of the most popular areas in Orlando to stay is International Drive and Lake Buena Vista.

International Drive has so much fun and excitement to offer with may attractions, great dinning options and entertainment for the entire family I can guarantee there will be something for you and your family including couples alike! On one of our visits to Orlando we stayed at the extremely popular Rosen Inn Pointe Orlando. The location of this hotel is fantastic, whichever direction you look there is an attraction or restaurant. Opposite the hotel you will find Wonderworks Orlando, the quirky exterior will catch your attention, an upside-down house! Featuring over 100 attractions this is the perfect break away from the heat and hustle and bustle of the parks. We did this as a couple, and it made for a fun afternoon away from the parks and Florida heat. A short walk down International Drive is ICON park featuring well known attractions Madame Tussauds Orlando and Sea Life Orlando as well as the eye-catching Orlando Starflyer offering views from 450 feet in the air on a double seat swing! Along with these attractions you will find an array of eateries to choose from, the Yard House been a favourite of ours! The Yard House is a high-end sports bar offering and extensive list of draft beers and food choices!

Other restaurants you will find local to the Rosen Inn Pointe Orlando are:

• TGI Fridays
• Dave and Buster’s
• Olive Garden
• Miler’s Ale House
• Bahama Breeze
• Pizza hut

To mention just a few!

The Rosen Inn Pointe Orlando is also just a 15-minute drive (traffic dependant) to the Universal Orlando resort, around 30-40 minutes from Walt Disney World (traffic dependant).

Our trips have consisted of the use of a hire car and making use of Ubers that can easily be booked using the App. Ubers are quick and easy to use and often have little to know wait times however be aware upon parks closing this can be a peak time for ordering Ubers so may not be as easy! One thing to bear in mind when hiring a car is the daily parking charges at both Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando, with Universal’s parking starting at $32 per day (correct as of August 2024), and Walt Disney World’s parking starting at $30 per day, this is an extra cost to consider when thinking about car hire.

Staying onsite – Universal Orlando Resort

On one of our previous visits to Orlando we stayed onsite at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort. The theming of this hotel was amazing it swung us right back in to the 50’s and 50’s! The retro theming of this hotel truly is amazing, even down to the retro VO5 shampoo and conditioner and the Zest soap! Staying at this hotel allows you early theme park admission (Theme Park tickets required) meaning you can enjoy the park when it is a little quieter! Universal’s Cabana Bay is also within walking distance to Universal Volcano Bay with an exclusive footpath leading the way. This to us was a fantastic perk! Another perk to mention is the free shuttle bus that will take you to the entrance to city walk, leading you to the entrance of Universal Studios or Island of Adventure.

There are also other onsite hotels:

• Lowes Royal Pacific
• Hard Rock
• Lowes Portofino Bay
• Lowes Sapphire Falls (this resort dose not offer express passes)

The above hotels are signature hotels that offer express passes as perk of staying on site.

Other hotels that are classed as value or moderate resorts are:

• Universals Endless Summer resort- dockside Inn and Suites
• Universals Aventura Hotel
• Universal Stella Nova Resort (Opening January 2025)
• Universal Terra Luna Resort (Opening February 2025)
• Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort

All of Universal’s onsite hotels get Early Park Admission for selected attractions.

Theme Park admission is required to benefit from the free express passes.

• Currently tickets available to purchase before you travel in the UK are:
• Universal Orlando 2 Park Explorer ticket: Covers Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure
• Universal Orlando 3 Park Explorer ticket: Covers Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and Volcano Bay.

These ticket options may change following further announcements relating to Universal Orlandos new park Epic Universe!

Keep an eye out for part 2 on all things Disney!

Victoria