For your trip to Orlando choosing your accommodation is one of the hardest parts of the trip as you try to decide whether to stay in a hotel or villa. There is also the decision of whether to choose to stay in a Disney or Universal resort hotel.

If you want to stay at a Disney hotel there are plenty of hotels to choose from, all with a different theme and all at different prices. Personally before booking or looking at accommodation I think it’s best to set a budget for your trip as you also need to consider the extra costs of park tickets. A perk to staying at a Disney hotel is that you are able to enjoy magic hours where you get to go in the park an extra hour before opening as well as staying an extra hour after closing. Another perk to staying at a Disney hotel is how easy it is to get to the different parks using the Disney transport system.

If you want to be away from the hustle of the parks then a villa or hotel away from the parks is another choice. When I went to Orlando I stayed on International Drive where there are various hotels located. It was easy to get from the hotel to the parks as it provided a shuttle bus. Staying at a hotel on International Drive is cheaper than staying at one of the Disney or Universal hotels which could help make the trip to Orlando more financially possible.

If you choose to stay in a villa you are going to need to hire a car as well so that you are able to get from your villa to the parks and you also have to pay for parking at the parks. Depending on how many of you are going to be travelling will depend on what type of accommodation is best for you. If there is going to be a large group it may be best to get a villa to be together but this could result in having to hire at least two cars.

Personally I would rather stay at a hotel on International Drive like I did when I visited. I stayed at the Sonesta Es, this also means that I had more money for spending on merchandise. Along International Drive there are different things to do such as mini golf, shopping, Madame Tussauds as well as going on the Orlando wheel.

What’s your preference for accommodation when visiting Orlando?

LauraJane