Where to stay in Orlando

[Mikalen]

We will be arriving in Orlando around 6:00pm (12/8/21) the evening before the cruise.  Our plan is to stay in Orlando and get a shuttle to the port the next morning.  Can anyone recommend a hotel not too far from the airport.  Don't really want to stay at the airport. Our plan is to check in and then find somewhere nearby to eat. 

[KeepCalmBearOn]

You really are better off staying by the airport, especially landing as late as you are.

 

The SpringHill Suites, for example, has Bar Louie, Chili's, Marlow Tavern, Sonny's BBQ, Rock & Brew's, Red Robin and Outback, all in easy walking distance.

 

Homewood Suites has Bonefish Grill and Bonchon near it.

Edited October 2, 2021 by scottca075

[skrufy]

6 hours ago, Mikalen said:

We will be arriving in Orlando around 6:00pm (12/8/21) the evening before the cruise.  Our plan is to stay in Orlando and get a shuttle to the port the next morning.  Can anyone recommend a hotel not too far from the airport.  Don't really want to stay at the airport. Our plan is to check in and then find somewhere nearby to eat. 

Google MCO hotels. Follow Rte 436 to the north. On the north side of Rte 528, and east of Rte 436 you will see a large hotel complex with restaurants. There about 7 hotels to choose from. Most have shuttles from and back to MCO.

[BoozinCroozin]

There are a ton of hotels. However, many near MCO will not have too many amenities with all of the restaurants around. My recommendation is to look at what you want to do that evening (dinner, drinks, etc). Find a hotel within walking distance and choose it. There are tons of hotels with places right next door. We arrive at 10PM and expect to be at our hotel at 11PM. I wanted a place with a bar open that late. There was only one place I could find and it was Hooters. I know the hotels right there and they are nice. We chose in that little area because I could stay for free, walk to Hooters which is open late, free breakfast, and a short walk to Walgreens if we need any last minute things before our ride picks us up.

 

You are also getting in early enough to make the run to PC. There is not a drastic price difference in the hotels right now for 12/08. If it were me, I would go to PC in that case the night before. It is only worth staying near MCO if the price is drastically less and/or you are getting in late at night.

[poocher]

Look around Semoran Blvd (sp?), Augusta National Dr.  There are multiple hotels in the area close to lots of bars/restaurants.  Almost all have airport shuttles and the port shuttles (Cortrans, Cruise Control) pick up at them.  Our favorite for a longer stay is the Marriott but for one night we are staying at the Fairfield Inn with complementary breakfast.

[Mikalen]

On 10/3/2021 at 8:35 AM, BoozinCroozin said:

There are a ton of hotels. However, many near MCO will not have too many amenities with all of the restaurants around. My recommendation is to look at what you want to do that evening (dinner, drinks, etc). Find a hotel within walking distance and choose it. There are tons of hotels with places right next door. We arrive at 10PM and expect to be at our hotel at 11PM. I wanted a place with a bar open that late. There was only one place I could find and it was Hooters. I know the hotels right there and they are nice. We chose in that little area because I could stay for free, walk to Hooters which is open late, free breakfast, and a short walk to Walgreens if we need any last minute things before our ride picks us up.

 

You are also getting in early enough to make the run to PC. There is not a drastic price difference in the hotels right now for 12/08. If it were me, I would go to PC in that case the night before. It is only worth staying near MCO if the price is drastically less and/or you are getting in late at night.

 

On 10/3/2021 at 5:25 PM, poocher said:

Look around Semoran Blvd (sp?), Augusta National Dr.  There are multiple hotels in the area close to lots of bars/restaurants.  Almost all have airport shuttles and the port shuttles (Cortrans, Cruise Control) pick up at them.  Our favorite for a longer stay is the Marriott but for one night we are staying at the Fairfield Inn with complementary breakfast.

 

[Mikalen]

Thanks for the suggestions.  If I decided to just go ahead and head towards PC that evening, which shuttle service would you recommend.  It looks like the one I am looking at only have shutttles going in the mornings

[poocher]

Sorry can’t help with that.  We’ve always stayed near the airport & shuttled in the morning.

[BoozinCroozin]

39 minutes ago, Mikalen said:

Thanks for the suggestions.  If I decided to just go ahead and head towards PC that evening, which shuttle service would you recommend.  It looks like the one I am looking at only have shutttles going in the mornings

Most likely you are looking at Uber or private transportation at that time to get to PC. There may be some shuttle service out there, but I don't know. Cruise Control Transportation is who I am using. Corey has been extremely easy to work with.

 

It all really comes down to what you want to do. MCO hotel and shuttle is the same price as just the hotel in PC. You can save money by staying near MCO. Priceline has an Express deal for $82 for an MCO 3.5* hotel. It is either Embassy Suites, Holiday Inn (I am staying here), or Sheraton. There are some decent places within walking distance: Sonny's BBQ, Bar Louie, Hooters, and many others. 

[KeepCalmBearOn]

I'd use Uber, but in the days before Uber we always used Mears Transportation.

 

29 minutes ago, BoozinCroozin said:

It all really comes down to what you want to do. MCO hotel and shuttle is the same price as just the hotel in PC. You can save money by staying near MCO. Priceline has an Express deal for $82 for an MCO 3.5* hotel. It is either Embassy Suites, Holiday Inn (I am staying here), or Sheraton. There are some decent places within walking distance: Sonny's BBQ, Bar Louie, Hooters, and many others. 

 

Good points (bolded) above. If money isn't a big issue, then by all means transport to PC when you arrive.

[JohninDC]

3 hours ago, Mikalen said:

Thanks for the suggestions.  If I decided to just go ahead and head towards PC that evening, which shuttle service would you recommend.  It looks like the one I am looking at only have shutttles going in the mornings

I would look at a one-way car rental - stay and dine where you want and drop the car off the next morning in PC/Cocoa Beach and ride their shuttle to the port.

[BoozinCroozin]

Car rentals are insane right now. One way will be over $100. That is about the price of 5 people on a shuttle like Cotrans. For a car rental to be effective, you would need 6 people to fit in a Chevy Malibu. Since that won't happen, it is cheaper to get a shuttle or car service.