Staying off-site at Four Points Sheraton Orlando- International Drive

[MarBee]

Hello!
Planning my first trip to Universal in February and was weighing some resort options.

When staying at Disney I prefer to stay in the "Disney bubble." I won't even go if I can't stay on site.

Having never been to Universal before, do you think it is imperative that I stay on site? Is there a "Universal bubble?"

I understand the Universal hotels are luxury resorts. While I certainly don't mind staying in luxury, I usually just need a hotel to be extremely clean, have a pool (but a pool is probably not as big of a deal in February), and be convenient to the park (we won't have a car).

I am able to stay at the Four Points by Sheraton on International Drive for free for Points.

What would you suggest? All opinions and advice are welcome for this newbie

 

[macraven]

Staying onsite is convenient
It works for me

Staying off site means you need to work out ways from the hotel to the parks

If your offsite hotel provides decent free transportation to the parks, it saves you money

 

[PoohIsHome]

"Bubble" means something different to us. We have what we call our "family bubble" and on vacations, it's valued above all else. Our home life isn't extravagant, we're just normal everyday people living a busy and hectic life. My husband has a high stress job and my son is in the midst of the stressful teen years and if spending a bit more on vacation means that we can stroll up at our leisure and board a cute little boat or walk up to any ride we choose at any given time or get preferred seating when we decide it's time to eat.....I'm going to do it and do it happily.

Is there a "Universal bubble"? Most definitely.

 

[MarBee]

So would you guys say that we are losing out on the Universal experience by not staying on site?

 

[PoohIsHome]

So would you guys say that we are losing out on the Universal experience by not staying on site?

It's something you have to decide for your family, but my personal opinion would be that you are. Others may feel differently, but we think there's most definitely a bubble that you'd lose by not being onsite.

 

[bumbershoot]

So would you guys say that we are losing out on the Universal experience by not staying on site?

I think so.

4points is officially in walking distance, but it's an unpleasant walk. It's in $10 can distance but that drops you at citywalk and then you have that walk.


Oh and I don't care about bubbles, but I care about things being a pain in the butt. And I care about decent perks and enhancing my visit. So we stay onsite at Uni.

 

[jsmla]

Oh and I don't care about bubbles, but I care about things being a pain in the butt. And I care about decent perks and enhancing my visit. So we stay onsite at Uni.

This is pretty much me and I feel you get more bang for you buck with the three Universal resorts that offer unlimited Express. This is the best hotel perk in Orlando as far as I'm concerned. These resorts are also all within a pleasant walk from both of the parks, much more to my taste than a bus.

But that's just me. I drive to Orlando (no need for DME) and really don't need the +10 ADR. The 60 day FastPass booking is really the most important perk for me at WDW. Disney price increases have pushed me into the Values and, while they get the job done, don't exactly give me that relaxed vacation feel. In September, for example, I'm paying $160/night (one night w/o Free Dining) at Pop and $174/night at Royal Pacific, a much, much nicer resort with a lovely pool and unlimited Express. No comparison when it comes to value, IMHO.

 

[MarBee]

This is pretty much me and I feel you get more bang for you buck with the three Universal resorts that offer unlimited Express. This is the best hotel perk in Orlando as far as I'm concerned. These resorts are also all within a pleasant walk from both of the parks, much more to my taste than a bus.

But that's just me. I drive to Orlando (no need for DME) and really don't need the +10 ADR. The 60 day FastPass booking is really the most important perk for me at WDW. Disney price increases have pushed me into the Values and, while they get the job done, don't exactly give me that relaxed vacation feel. In September, for example, I'm paying $160/night (one night w/o Free Dining) at Pop and $174/night at Royal Pacific, a much, much nicer resort with a lovely pool and unlimited Express. No comparison when it comes to value, IMHO.

Off the original topic, but how are you getting RP so cheap? One of the reasons I was looking off site was because it is so expensive. (The other hotels that do not offer express pass don't interest me as I'm in it for the express pass as well.)

 

[jsmla]

AP

Off the original topic, but how are you getting RP so cheap? One of the reasons I was looking off site was because it is so expensive. (The other hotels that do not offer express pass don't interest me as I'm in it for the express pass as well.)

AP discount-I highly recommend UO's annual pass. It's much cheaper than WDW (I have one there too) and the hotel discounts can recoup most of the cost. Only one member of your party needs one. I just buy a 2/3 day ticket for DH. AP holders get discounts on extra tickets too

 

[MarBee]

AP


AP discount-I highly recommend UO's annual pass. It's much cheaper than WDW (I have one there too) and the hotel discounts can recoup most of the cost. Only one member of your party needs one. I just buy a 2/3 day ticket for DH. AP holders get discounts on extra tickets too

Thanks! Waiting for the February AP discounts to come out before I decide on upgrading or not but this has been suggested and seems to work well for a lot of people!

 

[jsmla]

Off the top of my head:

A 2 day park-to-park ticket is around $250. A Preferred AP is around $400. My September AP discount saved me $50/night off the Stay More, Save More rate, so $200 total savings for my four nights. I made up the cost with just one visit. The danger is you may come down with AP syndrome and make multiple trips!

 

[MarBee]

Off the top of my head:

A 2 day park-to-park ticket is around $250. A Preferred AP is around $400. My September AP discount saved me $50/night off the Stay More, Save More rate, so $200 total savings for my four nights. I made up the cost with just one visit. The danger is you may come down with AP syndrome and make multiple trips!

It'll be my first time at Universal (many a Disney trip). I wonder if I will be moved to "the Dark Side."

 

[jsmla]

It'll be my first time at Universal (many a Disney trip). I wonder if I will be moved to "the Dark Side."

I'm very much a Disney girl but am leaning more and more toward Universal. I love the hotels, City Walk and the Harry Potter areas. (superheroes and Transformers not so much.) Universal is also so much easier than WDW, no FastPasses to worry about and I've never had a problem getting dining reservations, even day of. Of course, with only two parks, there's not as much to fill your time but even that has it's appeal. I feel like I spend less time rushing from attraction to attraction and more just taking things in.

I definitely haven't jumped ship on WDW, just added UO to the Itinerary. My next trip will be 4 nights at Royal Pacific followed by 8 nights at Pop

 

[macraven]

bubbles, schumbubbles....


when i stay at the darkside it is a total relaxing, no rushing, make plans at the moment vacation.
for me, it is more than just being there for the rides.

i have no set time frame and can enjoy everything there ...
parks, hotels, entertainment, city walk, special events, food, pools, BMG, etc

i have no time frame and can be minutes away from anything i want to do when i stay onsite.


but, if you are only there to do rides and not much else, staying anywhere will work.

 

[DisBuckMan]

I stay onsite at Universal for two reasons...EP, and to avoid traffic. I will not visit Universal without Express Pass, no matter what time of year...it's just not worth taking the chance. The "other" reason I'm about to discuss insures that I always stay onsite at Universal, so I might as well use my AP to get a good rate at one of the resorts that offers EP.

The second reason is because traffic in getting out of Universal is ridiculous, unless you leave the park early. We've fought the traffic twice leaving Universal at closing, and both times were an absolute nightmare. The first time, we were staying in our DVC at Disney, and the traffic getting out of Universal onto I-4 was insane. The last time we tried it, it took two hours to go 4 miles up I-drive, on top of the nearly hour it took just to get off Universal property. Never again.

 

[Patience]

We loved staying at an onsite hotel (Royal Pacific) last fall. It was amazing to be able to walk to the parks or take a water taxi. We upgraded our tickets to annual passes while we were there and are going back in December. I agree with the previous poster about the traffic. We drove offsite to eat a couple of times last time and the traffic was an absolute nightmare. We won't do that again.

 

[schumigirl]

We leave the resort often going for dinner and apart from the total abomination of roadworks last year traffic has never been a problem.

I will say however we aren't driving out at park closing usually.

So traffic isn't always an issue. We also avoid the I4 if heading back down to LBV area for dinner. Don't think we even went on it much last year.

But I'm with most. Staying onsite is for us, the best option.

 

[GoldmanTrust]

Staying off site with a car means at least 20 dollars every visit for parking.

If you are working dollars and cents, that right there is huge if you plan on going often. Our first visit we bought 2 week tickets and paid 200 dollars in parking haha.

 

[MarBee]

Staying off site with a car means at least 20 dollars every visit for parking.

If you are working dollars and cents, that right there is huge if you plan on going often. Our first visit we bought 2 week tickets and paid 200 dollars in parking haha.

We actually won't have a car but definitely something important to factor in on the price for most people considering it!