Why You Might Consider a Hotel Outside of Disney WorldOperation Pixie Dust

Lodging costs in the surrounding areas can vary greatly, from cheap and cheerful motels to private rentals and luxurious hotels.

There are three areas you can consider if you are thinking about staying off-site:

International Drive
Popular with tourists this area is about 15 to 25 minutes northeast of Disney World and is well placed if you wish to spend time at Universal Studios or SeaWorld.

Personally I’m not a fan of this area and the traffic on International Drive can be awful at times but some people swear by the hotels here.

Lake Buena Vista
There are a number of hotels and affordable suites to choose from on the FL 535 and west of the I-4. Within easy reach of Disney World and many restaurants this would be my second choice for off-site vacations.

US192/Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway.

My personal favourite is the Kissimmee area along the US192 West. You’ll find countless hotels and affordable private rentals – many with private pools. With access to Disney World property via the ‘secret’ Sherberth Road shortcut you can actually reach some of the parks more quickly than if you were an on-site guest!

Pros of staying off-site
1. The obvious one is cost. There are plenty of hotels, motels and private villa rentals available for less than the cost of staying in a Disney Resort

2. Easier to visit other attractions. There is life outside Disney World and you can choose your location depending upon the other attractions you want to visit on your trip – such as Sea World, Universal Studios, or the malls!

3. Access to cheaper restaurants. There are lots of “chain” eateries available to help you keep the costs down

4. More space. If you are travelling as a family then you may want to consider a private rental home – why cram yourselves into a hotel room when for a similar price you can rent a whole house?

5. Breakfast facilities. You need to be at the parks before opening to avoid the lines, so you don’t want to waste valuable time eating breakfast in a restaurant. Choose a private rental (villa) or a suite with kitchen facilities and you can fix yourself toast and cereal instead

6. Private pool. Most private rental homes come with private pools – so there’s no fighting over the sun loungers

Cons of staying off-site
1. You’ll need a car. I don’t really see this as a con but some people can’t/don’t like to drive on vacation. Of course you can get a coach or town car transfer from the airport, and many hotels do shuttle buses to Disney and the other parks but you’ll be pretty limited without your own transport

2. No Disney perks. You’ll miss out on things like Extra Magic Hours and Guaranteed Admission.

3. You’ll need to stay with your party. When relying on a car it’s less easy to split up during the day.

4. No Disney Magic. The extra magic you’ll experience by staying in a Disney Resort just can’t be found anywhere else!

My Favourite Private Rental

If you are planning a trip and you are looking for a private villa with a pool then you should know that my favourite home away from home is this 4-bed private rental in Cumbrian Lakes, Kissimmee. We stayed there for three weeks in May 2007 and loved it; I’ve stayed in a lot of villas over the years and this one put all of the others to shame – if we weren’t DVC members now I’d want to stay there every trip