Disneynutcase
New Member
Wow! Did we just come back from a great trip! And what makes it even better are some nice surprises we ended up receiving along the way.
First, once my in-laws decided they wanted to go on our long-in-the-works planned trip, Mom-in-law got to work finding us better accomodations--helps that she used to be a travel agent.
We had originally booked cottages at $90 a night for the two families of four at the Regal Palms resort and ended up cancelling free of charge and instead got a six bedroom house through Villas Direct.
Their office is off Hiway 192 (exit 24A) right behind Arabian Nights. For $1200 we had a week in a huge six-bedroom house with its own pool, a DVD player and VCR, four t.v.s, 3 1/2 bathrooms, and a completely stocked kitchen (utensil-wise, not food-wise). The house was in the Wyndham Palms resort, close to the parks, at mile 8 marker in the Maingate West area (right behind Splendid China). And Publix supermarkets were right down the road for groceries. We ate most breakfasts in house.
If you have a big party, I highly recommend going this way.
Second tip: Although we had one party travelling down from Atlanta by car, we needed to rent another car to get us from place to place. Using Travelocity and Orbitz, I found that the best prices were from an unknown carrier called Pay Less. I hesitantly booked a standard sedan (which on-line was supposed to be a Ford Focus), and pon arrival was told I was going to get a Mustang by the person behind the counter. Whoo-hoo!
Then it got better. The gal started asking me questions--where we're staying, how many in our party. Next thing I know she's handing me keys for a Caravan for the Standard sedan price. $186 including tax for the week! Major score!
Her rationale for giving me this gift: they are a new company in Orlando, at about 1/3 of airports in major cities, and she wanted me to use their services again. You got it, baby!
Last, for food outside WDW, I highly recommend the New York Pizza joint on hwy 192 at the Mile 7 marker (right across from Sizzler and Ponderosa steak house). Excellent pizza, some of the best I've ever had. This place came recommended from a friend of ours who works at House of Blues Orlando, and exceeded expectations. We ordered pizzas take-out, then while waiting went across the hiway to a mini-mart and got wine, salad fixings, and ice cream. Then had a mini-feast when we got back to our de-facto home. Yum!
If anyone out there reading this decides to try any of the above tips, I'm absolutely certain you won't be disappointed in the results.
First, once my in-laws decided they wanted to go on our long-in-the-works planned trip, Mom-in-law got to work finding us better accomodations--helps that she used to be a travel agent.
We had originally booked cottages at $90 a night for the two families of four at the Regal Palms resort and ended up cancelling free of charge and instead got a six bedroom house through Villas Direct.
Their office is off Hiway 192 (exit 24A) right behind Arabian Nights. For $1200 we had a week in a huge six-bedroom house with its own pool, a DVD player and VCR, four t.v.s, 3 1/2 bathrooms, and a completely stocked kitchen (utensil-wise, not food-wise). The house was in the Wyndham Palms resort, close to the parks, at mile 8 marker in the Maingate West area (right behind Splendid China). And Publix supermarkets were right down the road for groceries. We ate most breakfasts in house.
If you have a big party, I highly recommend going this way.
Second tip: Although we had one party travelling down from Atlanta by car, we needed to rent another car to get us from place to place. Using Travelocity and Orbitz, I found that the best prices were from an unknown carrier called Pay Less. I hesitantly booked a standard sedan (which on-line was supposed to be a Ford Focus), and pon arrival was told I was going to get a Mustang by the person behind the counter. Whoo-hoo!
Then it got better. The gal started asking me questions--where we're staying, how many in our party. Next thing I know she's handing me keys for a Caravan for the Standard sedan price. $186 including tax for the week! Major score!
Her rationale for giving me this gift: they are a new company in Orlando, at about 1/3 of airports in major cities, and she wanted me to use their services again. You got it, baby!
Last, for food outside WDW, I highly recommend the New York Pizza joint on hwy 192 at the Mile 7 marker (right across from Sizzler and Ponderosa steak house). Excellent pizza, some of the best I've ever had. This place came recommended from a friend of ours who works at House of Blues Orlando, and exceeded expectations. We ordered pizzas take-out, then while waiting went across the hiway to a mini-mart and got wine, salad fixings, and ice cream. Then had a mini-feast when we got back to our de-facto home. Yum!
If anyone out there reading this decides to try any of the above tips, I'm absolutely certain you won't be disappointed in the results.