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Old 9 Apr 21, 09:28 AM  
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Seaworldfan
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3 Weeks at a Universal Resort

Hi All,
We were planning (and had started booking) for 2 weeks at Sheraton Vistana Villages and 1 week at Sapphire Falls next year but have seen a video saying that they may be starting major building work at the Vistana Villages in the near future (400 apartments behind the resort with a road bisecting it) so may not be ideal. I dont like the look of the Vistana resort nearer WDW due to it being sandwiched between 2 major roads.
This got me looking at other options and with Disney being off the table (Unless POR comes back at a reasonable price...some hope!) I keep coming back to just doing 3 weeks on site at Universal. Maybe switching to 18 nights at Cabana bay and 3 nights at Hard Rock (which we loved last time).
The pricing is great even if you factor in parking and we would still have that on site feel and the facilities of the universal hotels for the full 3 weeks.
We would only have 14 day park tickets but would just do Disney in the first week.

Anyone done something like this before? sounds odd to be onsite that long especially when you cant go in the parks for a good part of it, but just looking at it as a hotel base i cant think of many down sides (maybe locked in to on site/Citywalk food pricing, but we would have a car and i-drive on the doorstep).

Cheers
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Edited at 09:29 AM.
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Old 9 Apr 21, 09:32 AM  
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123
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Much as I love the universal hotels I'd go stir crazy after anything longer than a week in them.

Maybe look at a hotel with serviced apartments (Marriott world at Orlando has some lovely apartments in their residence collection and a number of other locations around Orlando).

You'd get to move around a bit and try different things rather than being up in universal area
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Old 9 Apr 21, 10:24 AM  
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Softy
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Nothing wrong with the Vistana in LBV at all. Once you’re in there you have no idea you’re sandwiched between 2 roads. It’s a massive resort and very peaceful.
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Old 9 Apr 21, 10:29 AM  
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Bellasmummy
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I’d happily stay there for 3 weeks.

We’ve done 2 weeks before and will be again in august.

I love that CityWalk is walkable and it’s nice for a wander and has a good mix of food choices.
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Old 9 Apr 21, 10:34 AM  
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shack69
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Personally I would look for something nearer Disney for the first week , mainly because of the hit on parking fees (universal + disney each day = $50+) . I have no issue with staying in a suite at cabana bay for a long period and the pool area has a lazy river etc so a nice place to relax.
Have you considered dumping the car and using lyft or uber during your universal stay.
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Old 10 Apr 21, 09:36 AM  
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orlandoamber
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We have stayed at Cabana Bay twice, once for 14 nights and once for 9 nights. The 9 night stay followed 7 nights on-site at Disney.

We love the universal hotels and resort area but if you’re going to solely do Disney for the first week then I’d probably look to stay somewhere closer. When we did 14 nights at Cabana Bay we only went to Disney twice, and when we were there for 9 nights we just went back for 1 day as we’d already had a full Disney week. I probably would find it annoying having to get from universal to Disney every day for a week, but that’s just me! Are none of the Disney springs area hotels suitable for you?

A happy medium for me is definitely the split stay between Disney and universal, or just dropping down on the Disney days and for example doing three Disney days, one per week over the three weeks

If you do stay at universal for the three weeks, how about upgrading to annual passes? It is not much more expensive than the two week ticket. Check the black out dates on the different types of passes and provided you get at least one preferred/premier pass then you will get discounts on food and merchandise including city walk restaurants so this could save you a lot of money over three weeks.

Also I’m not sure when you’re planning to book but virgin do free parking for cabana bay guests (and some other extras) - the offer is due to end at the end of this year but it might be extended (I’m sure it was meant to end last year too) so I’d keep an eye out.
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Old 10 Apr 21, 09:52 AM  
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may
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We are doing three weeks similar to this,3 of us, first 12 nights Bluetree lake buena vista, 2 bed apartment very inexpensive. One night hard rock, 7 nights cabana bay family suite, 1 night Royal pacific club level. I choose not to drive on holiday. We are planning to use uber / lyft throughout. I have also considered doing the full 3 weeks at universal surfside or at Cabana bay but didn't want the longer travel to Disney.
ETA we upgraded to annual passes when the 15 month for 12 offer was on because it wasn't much more than the ordinary 14 day ticket and I thought we might get a cheeky second visit in at the same time next year. A girl can live in hope :-)

Edited at 09:58 AM.
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Old 10 Apr 21, 05:05 PM  
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Rescuer
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I’d have no issue with being at Universal for 3 weeks. Depending on when you are going and black out dates the upgrade to annual passes could be a really small amount. Orlando informer provides great details about all the different annual passes.

There are really good food options at universal now and you can easily Uber off site.

Cabana bay pricing is great for certain times, Aventura is also great and can come out the same price at times.

Although just a week, we’ve booked a split stay at Universal for our next trip in February.
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Edited at 06:17 PM.
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Old 12 Apr 21, 11:07 PM  
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123
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Originally Posted by 123 View Post
Much as I love the universal hotels I'd go stir crazy after anything longer than a week in them.

Maybe look at a hotel with serviced apartments (Marriott world at Orlando has some lovely apartments in their residence collection and a number of other locations around Orlando).

You'd get to move around a bit and try different things rather than being up in universal area
I thought I'd just clarify my post a bit. I'd have no problem being at Universal for three weeks, but their hotels are a bit "hyper" and so whilst we will always have a night or two in them (for the front of line pass for a couple of days) we don't really want our whole holiday there.

That said we go to Tampa/Clearwater/Miami/Keys on most holidays to Florida so we usually get a change of scenery by default
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Old 13 Apr 21, 06:31 AM  
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PoohBears#1fan
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I once did 7 nights at HRH, admittedly this was in 2005 so there was a lot less there than there is now, but it did feel well and truly done by the end of the week and we were very happy to move on.

I'm not sure I'd want to stay there for 3 weeks to be honest BUT as long as you have a car so can escape if you need to, I guess it's the same as staying anywhere for that long.
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