View Full Version : International Drive Area
britprincess
23-07-2007, 14:15
Hi Guys,
I've booked a spur of the moment trip for september cos the rain here finally got to me![msncry]
As it was a cheapy week i found, its staying in a hotel on Idrive,
as i normally stay in a villa on us27 i know a hotel on international drive will be different!!
So i guess im asking some of you guys what to expect!! ive been down idrive millions of times but never stayed there!!! i know theres lots of places to eat and drink.
But what else can i expect?
Thanks.............
To be honest if it is a good deal, I would use the flights and ditch the hotel! But, I may be a little biased [msnwink]
Sarah
When we first started going to Florida we stayed in an hotel on I Drive - I think it was a Holiday Inn. The children were younger then and they loved it because they could meet all the other children in the pool etc. We quite enjoyed it and had a good holiday there. We also stayed in the Clarion Floridian which is down the side road to Wet and Wild (off I Drive). That was a good holiday too. Since we have been going to villas and the children are now into their twenties, we prefer being somewhere quieter and more private for all of us, not that I wouldn't go back to holiday in an hotel, especially if it was a good price. If you have hired a car as well, you will probably be out for most of the days and will be in a good location to get to places. You don't have to stay around the I Drive area, not that there is anything wrong with that; so as long as it is safe and clean I don't see a problem. Just have a great holiday and enjoy yourselves! [msnsmile2][msnwink]
mfairhurst
23-07-2007, 17:58
I would agree with the comment use the FLIGHT and ditch the Hotel if you can ,There is no privacy in HOTELS plus can be noisy and if you have been in a villa before you know the feeling your own pool as well .
Have a lovely holiday .
MAUREEN
www.onlinefloridavillas.com/villas/1683.aspx
britprincess
23-07-2007, 18:05
I would love to stay in a villa but due to my friends lack of £'sss this is the cheapest offer we could find!!
We will hardley be at the hotel as we only have a week so it will be a case of shopping eating and visiting a park or two!! i doubt even if we will have time for the pool or the other hotel facilities!!!
We got it for £331 each for a week!
Bargain... best idea is just enjoy it !
You are only there a week and as you say you have plenty to do... so long as its clean, and relatively quiet.... at £331 enjoy !
Completely agree with Steve, I'm sure it will be a great holiday and definitely be a bargain for shopping if the exchange rate stays the same.
mfairhurst
23-07-2007, 19:10
You did well for that price and lots of shopping and eating out .
Enjoy your week .
MAUREEN
www.onlinefloridavillas.com/villas/1683.aspx
I'm sure you'll have a great time.
£331 is a very good price for the week especially as you were on a budget.
Just go and enjoy yourself. You can always stay in a villa next time!
ncmurray
25-07-2007, 15:59
I have to say, that I would try to persuade your friends! I don't know how many of you are travelling, but why don't you do a search on the villa sites at the top, and see what you come up with? Depending on how many people you have, it might work out at an extra hundred pounds each. You would be able to eat at home whenever you wanted to, and that might save some money.
Either way, I hope you have a wonderful holiday!
I'm sorry, but what a selfish thing to say.
Yes i understand you have a villa to rent and this is primarily what the forum is about, but to say that, is so one sided.
I have stayed many many times on Idrive, it is such a wonderfull place. yes it does not have the privacy of a villa, but to just dismiss it off is so wrong.
What about the fact you can leave the car behind and walk to lots of different restaurants and eat and drink as you please. It is also a good base to vist all the attractions.
There are good points to both types of vacation, so please don't just dismiss it.
ncmurray
26-07-2007, 00:10
Neil and Kay,
Apologies.....I didn't mean to offend anyone.
I didn't dismiss I-Drive, but I won't change my opinion, and I am as much entitled to state my opinion as you are. I take offence at the word "selfish", and for your information, my villa is mostly booked out for September.
Britprincess asked for opinions, but I didn't realise I needed to check my reply with anyone else first.
As I said, no offence meant.
No offence taken, funny you sought the need to reply though, when my post wasn't directly refering to your reply.
For the record, you don't need to check your reply with me first.
Oh and as you so rightly added, Britprincess did ask for opinions, but i think if you read her post again, you will see that she has stayed in villas before and that it would be her preferred choice, and so she would be aware of all the pros from staying in a villa.
The post is asking for opinions on what to expect from hotels on Idrive, not how best to diss it. That was my point!
I now live on 4 corners, off Hwy27 and so feel qualified to say that the Idrive has such more amenities, places to eat and locality to all attractions (Not just Disney) than this area does, additionally all the major Malls are again close to Idrive.
Yes, i would choose a villa over a Hotel, but when staying in a hotel and sunbathing round a pool, you get to meet and chat to people you would otherwise not see, staying in a villa can be somewhat reclusive at times, out at parks and then back to your own company means you never meet and make new aquaintances.
I would prefer to answer the posters question rather than just dissing the whole idea of staying in a hotel.
Hope that puts the record straight, no offence.
Britprincess, enjoy your stay and go out have a great time, take the chance to leave the car behind a couple of times and meet new people along the way.
niccola27
27-07-2007, 13:11
Hi Britprincess,
I-Drive is a great place to stay - me and my boyfriend managed to get a great cheapy for two weeks in september staying on I-Drive. The I-Ride trolly is $16 for a two week pass and can take you anyway on the drive so is a cheap and handy way of getting round to all the shops and malls that are a little too far to walk!! There are so many great places to eat and have a drink not to mention all the great shops and attractions. You'll have a blast staying there as everything is pretty much on your doorstep.
Have a great time
I don't think it matters where you stay, you're in Florida that's the main thing.You've had a bargain so no point in adding expense.I do honestly think though that if there are a few people going it does work out cheaper renting a villa, when you take not having to eat out all the time into account etc. I'm not biased I don't own a villa[msncry][msncry][msncry]
have a fantastic time[msnsmile2]
Hi Nikki,
Well done you did get a bargain. Just be aware that the traffic on I drive on Friday and Saturday nights can be terrible even at the quieter times of the year so I would walk to restaurants on those nights otherwise you will spend ages sitting in your car or taxi or on the trolley, it will probably be quicker to walk anyway. There are a good selection of restaurants within walking distance of most hotels.
Have a great time.
The big advantage with I-Drive, as far as I can see, is that you can walk to restaurants and you have plenty of choice. This means you can actually have some alcohol with your meal - something I generally don't get enough of when eating out in Florida.
The big disadvantage is that it's horrible and I hate it.
But for £331 for a week, I daresay I could overcome the latter and enthusiastically embrace the former.
flyrr100
08-05-2008, 18:32
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by benfilo
I don't think it matters where you stay, you're in Florida that's the main thing.
[/quote]
I-Drive is so NOT a fair representation of Florida, or the USA. It's a nice place to have a vacation, if seeing what the USA is all about isn't a priority.
If you have a car drive over to Winter Park and eat and shop there. Maybe drive up to St Augustine and experience some history. But to say I-Drive is Florida, is like saying Epcot's World Showcase is like seeing the world!
chrizzy100
09-05-2008, 19:24
My cousin always stays on I drive now...and yes she used to use a villa...but got fed up of sharing a place with others.... so booked a hotel suite ... she meets so many people from all over the world...and has made some very good friends over the years that way... its also a break from caring for others...no cooking or clearing up....
I'm sure you'll have a great time...its not an area I've been too in a while...but I used to like the holiday feel of the area...
Call me a snob, but to me I Drive is the Benidorm of Orlando, and every time we drive up it looks worse.
I have no doubt that many people enjoy that sort of thing, but it is not for us.
DLB-GOUROCK
10-05-2008, 00:09
Well this thread has surfaced back. If you look at the start date it was July 2007 and Brtiprincess was going in September.
I was wondering just how the holiday went.
Did you enjoy the hotel?
mollymegan
10-05-2008, 14:13
I drive is 14 miles long with prime outlets at the south side and prime outlets (belz) at the other. you also have the Pointe with great shops and restaurants .It also has a Imax cinema. Next to Prime (belz) there is Festival Bay that also has a cinema and opening next year it will have Ron Jons surf park . About half way down there used to be The Mercado which is under redevelopment ,it will have shops, restaurants and hotels .Some of the best restaurants are on I Drive , Texas de brazil ,Bahama breeze , Tommy Bahamas ,Tony Romas to name just a few .It also has the worlds biggest McDonalds . I agree that parts were looking a bit worse for wear but a lot of money is being spent on it . I think for those how have not been there for a few years it is worth a visit.