Any advice for one night @ offsite hotel

[turkeymama]

We will be going to WDW in December. We drive down the day before our reservation so we can be rested for the park instead of tired from driving. Can someone let me know what hotels are affordable and close to the resort? We basically just need a nice, clean place to sleep and eat supper.

Last year, I think we stayed at a Motel 6. My sister found the room on Expedia to get the best deal, but I'm not familiar with the street names or areas. She isn't going with us this time (family squabble).

Thanks.

[Jiminy Cricket]

The road on which World Drive (south of the Magic Kingdom) is accessed is called US 192 (Irlo Bronson). There are a number of motels on the 6 mile or so strip from 1 Star to 3 Stars for the most part. The old saying about getting what you pay for holds true in most cases. I would shy away for the places with the flashing signs advertising their "low" rates. You might end up sharing your room with univited guests (bugs, mice, etc.) and/or get a room that reeks from stale smoke.

[Jiminy Cricket]

P.S. If you can get ahold of a AAA Guide Book look for places with a Kissimmee address. There are also many hotels and motels to the east of WDW (off the Turnpike), or you can try a place near Downtown Disney, which would have a Lake Buena address. Good luck in your search.

[turkeymama]

I didn't even think about trying near Downtown Disney. Thanks. This gives me some direction to go on now. I don't have AAA, but I do have some points to redeem on a credit card so I may be able to at least get a discount on a nice room.

[GIOny]

You could also check on http://www.mousesavers.com/ they usually have some good deals:$$: , you may have to sign up for their newletter (it's free). I agree with Jiminy that Downtown Disney is a good area and most of those hotels offer deals but you do have to look for them.

[turkeymama]

I don't know why I didn't check there before. Not thinking these days. I did check some of the rates for specials Downtown. I started out looking for something simple, just to get us through the night. With the discounts my DH can get and a possible gift certificate for redeeming points, it looks like we can get something pretty nice instead of having to settle for okay.

[ky71]

We stayed for two weeks at Days Inn in Kissimmee. Real budget accommodation there. But it was clean, staff friendly, has a laundry, vending machines, pool and pool bar plus a restaurant. Rooms are basic and fridges are few but for overnight it would be great. We enjoyed our time there and I would stay again but we have been caught in the Disney magic and now prefer on site for our Disney days. Only neg. is the restaurant is not a real restaurant but more like a school canteen! However there is a large choice of restaurants/shops within walking distance so food is not an issue. The address is on the West Irlo 192 Highway on the way to WDW at Kissimmee. Just a few miles away...

[MainStreet, USA]

Like JC mentioned, for the most part when you're trying to go cheap, you will get what you pay for. Here's an example... I found a real cheap place last year for about $35 (which is still the current rate listed on hotels.com) - the Masters Inn at 5367 W est Irlo Bronson Memorial. There are like 3 Masters Inns in the area, and I don't know what the other ones are like, but you couldn't pay me to go back to this one. The whole place just screamed shifty to me, and I just plain didn't like it one bit.

On the other hand, sometimes you can get a suprisngly good deal. Just a few weeks ago, my gf and I gambled on a $44 place just outside Disney, the Ramada Maingate West ( 7491 W Irlo Bronson Memorial), and this place far surpassed either of our expectations. A nice looking lobby, clean rooms off of internal hallways with ample-sized bathrooms, an outdoor swimmming pool with a tiki bar, an expansive courtyard area with an indoor swimming pool with a waterfall, a whirlpool, a small food court/snack bar kinda thing with a Pizza Hut that's open late (11pm if I remember correctly), a bar for the big kids, an arcade, nightly karaoke, and more I'm sure. They have far more stuff than you will probably need for a one-night stay, but it's much better than the Masters Inn with its motel style rooms with the doors that didn't hang quite straight, the dirty bathroom, the insects on the walls, the tiny "tourist trap" lobby, no clock alarm clock in the room or wakeup call available, the squeaky bed... the list goes on.

There's a ton of options in the Orlando area, and many for a great price. You could end up finding a place, like I did, that went above and beyond what I expected of it for the price. But remember to be picky, or else you could very well end up with a place like the Masters Inn I stayed at last year.