first night

[mary219]

I am not sure if i am posting this in the right forum,i apologize if im not.What i am wondering is about the first night.We are arriving in orlando on aug 25 at MCO airport.At about 7:00 pm.We are booked at pop as of 8/26.I am looking for a decent place to stay the first night(its a saturday)for less than 50.00.any recommendations ,we will be renting a car (any advice on car rentals would also be helpful)so any area from the airport towards disney would be fine.thanks for any help you can provide.

 

[Ella's Mommy]

Well I cant help with a place to stay, but we always rent a car. We use dollar rent a car which is the cheapest and is located in the airport. Our car is always ready when we go to the desk and fill out the paper work. Actually one time we had to wait but that is because we had two cars and I screwed up the reservations. But the cars are always nice and clean and they get you from point a to point b. You can make your reservation online at dollarrentacar.com. Hope this helps:wave:

 

[slappy magoo]

Sorry I can't help beyond offering this suggestion...

You can rent a car while at WDW. There's an Alamo/National Car Rental Center on-site, just outside the entrance to MK. Either the Car Care Center OR Guest Services should be able to help arrange to get you to and from the center to drop off or pick up a rental car.

Why do I mention this?

Because unless the Pop Century is totally booked on 8/26 (which is admittedly possible), you can book your stay one night earlier, fly in to MCO, use Disney Magical Express to get to Pop Century on 8/26, wait a few days before you get a rental car, return the car the night before you leave WDW, and use DME to get back to the airport.

And the extra money you lay out for one more night at WDW could, conceivably, be absorbed by the money saved by only having a rental car for part of your trip, rather than the entire trip.

EDIT: I stand humbly corrected. Though you can book cars while at WDW, it seems that the airport rates are significantly cheaper than if you book while on-site at WDW. It doesn't look like you'd save any money using my logic. But it might still be easier...

 

[jvenegas]

You can try any of the hotel search engines on the web. Just write Kissimmee, FL as your destination city and you can find hotels for up to $34.00 a night within 3 to 5 miles from Disney. Hope this helps. :wave:

 

[coltow]

Well I cant help with a place to stay, but we always rent a car. We use dollar rent a car which is the cheapest and is located in the airport. Our car is always ready when we go to the desk and fill out the paper work. Actually one time we had to wait but that is because we had two cars and I screwed up the reservations. But the cars are always nice and clean and they get you from point a to point b. You can make your reservation online at dollarrentacar.com. Hope this helps:wave:

We've used Doller in the past and never had a problem. My cousin tried Alamo last year and it was somewhat of a disaster. She had lost the credit card they used to rent it. She called them at least 3 times before arriving to make sur it wasn't a problem and was told it wouldn't be. Well it was and it took her forever to get it straightened out and get her car.

 

[elabron]

There are plenty of Days Inn and Red Roof type motels in the area that should fit in your budget.
Why not pitch in the extra $39 and spend another night at Pop or one of the other Values? :shrug:

 

[mary219]

There are plenty of Days Inn and Red Roof type motels in the area that should fit in your budget.
Why not pitch in the extra $39 and spend another night at Pop or one of the other Values? :shrug:

thanks for the replies,the extra night idea is not a bad idea.perhaps,but i am going on free dining which starts 8/26.Would i still be eligible for free dining if i check in on 8/25?

 

[OneLuckyMom]

thanks for the replies,the extra night idea is not a bad idea.perhaps,but i am going on free dining which starts 8/26.Would i still be eligible for free dining if i check in on 8/25?

If you change your existing reservation to start 8/25, you won't get free dining. BUT you can book a second one night room-only reservation for the 25th. It's what I did Ask the reservation's agent to link the two reservations together to improve the chance that you will get the same room for both reservations and don't have to move your luggage. Rooms at Pop run about $92 with tax for a one-night, room-only reservation.

 

[WDWRLD]

Id vote the one extra nigt idea with seperate reservations. Link the two reservations together and remind them when you check in. Get there that night and go to a park. The next day two things can happen..
1-you have to move to another room, which will not be ready till 3 or so so get up, pack, either put your luggage back in the car ro let bell services handle moving it and go to a park. Call the phone # they give you (free from any disney property phone) to find out when your room is ready.
2-Call down to the front desk in the morning and find out that you can stay in the same room and your all set, get a early start and go to the parks.

 

[OneLuckyMom]

Id vote the one extra nigt idea with seperate reservations. Link the two reservations together and remind them when you check in. Get there that night and go to a park.

Since the reservation for 8/25 would be a room-only reservation, going to a park would be out unless the OP has season passes. Getting a package reservation for the one night that includes tickets or just buying one day tickets separately would cost significantly more and I'm thinking it probably isn't worth that extra cost for her to get a couple of hours in a park after they've been travelling all day. I'd say just hang out by the pool or go to Downtown Disney that first night then hit the parks at opening the next day - any tickets included with the MYW package will be valid under the 8/26 reservation then.

 

[WDWRLD]

I have a AP so im not up on all the ticket stuff but couldnt she just bought the hopper ticket for the total number of days for the whole stay and use that.

 

[shanny]

because of the myw thing, esp. with the dining, it would have to start on the 26th. she would have to get a one day adm. for the 25th, which is certainly not worth it. the flight may get in at 7, or later depending on delays and all, then waiting for luggage, she wouldnt get back to the resort until 8-830 most likely. i would suggest settling in, wandering around the resort and learn where everything is, check out the gift shop, and order room service or just go to bed early and try to sleep before your first exciting full day at disney! ( i wont be sleeping my first night, too excited) :sohappy: :ROFLOL: :snore: :ROFLOL: :hammer:

 

[OneLuckyMom]

I have a AP so im not up on all the ticket stuff but couldnt she just bought the hopper ticket for the total number of days for the whole stay and use that.

I could be wrong, but to get possession of the ticket on the 25th to be able to use it, I'm pretty sure she'd have to make the 8/25 reservation a one night hotel MYW with an x-day ticket. Then she would have to buy at least another 1-day ticket on the 8/26 reservation to get the free dining. Not worth the price, given that she's arriving so late on the 25th.

 

[DisneyChik17]

Id vote the one extra nigt idea with seperate reservations. Link the two reservations together and remind them when you check in. Get there that night and go to a park. The next day two things can happen..
1-you have to move to another room, which will not be ready till 3 or so so get up, pack, either put your luggage back in the car ro let bell services handle moving it and go to a park. Call the phone # they give you (free from any disney property phone) to find out when your room is ready.
2-Call down to the front desk in the morning and find out that you can stay in the same room and your all set, get a early start and go to the parks.

Actually, when we checked into the POP the lady who checked-us in told us that if you have two separate ressies at the same hotel back-to-back, you will always stay in the same room.

So, ask when you check in, but apparently it's policy.

 

[LoriMistress]

I would either relax at the resort or visit DTD. Do some shopping, or go to PI.

 

[WDWRLD]

Actually, when we checked into the POP the lady who checked-us in told us that if you have two separate ressies at the same hotel back-to-back, you will always stay in the same room.

So, ask when you check in, but apparently it's policy.

I think they try to but its not a guarentee. I think that it has alot to do with how packed the hotel is and if there is a large group checking in and they have a large chunk of room reservations and you are in the middle I dont think you will be so lucky.
But I think you have a pretty good chance of not having to move.
Like others have said go to DTD or boardwalk, go to the poly and watch the water pagent and wishes from the beach there.

 

[shanny]

first night there i would hang out in the room, get aquainted with some cms, learn your way around, chill by the pool, order room service(if pop has it?). we are staying at akl and figured we would just relax before our busy first full day.