Please help me decide

[80skid]

Last time I went to Orlando we stayed 7 nights POR with upgraded DDP and then 6 nights Homewood Suites with free breakfast & 1 night Hard Rock Hotel for the FOTL passes.

That was in 2016. We used Disney transport in the first week and hired a car for the 2nd week

This time obviously no DDP but would get £400 odd worth of dining credit.

Looking at 6 nights POR then 1 night RPR then 7 nights Dockside at universal.

I dont feel like I want to hire a car this time as I have a new partner and I dont feel confident they would direct me calmly and I'm a nervous driver.

I'm worried about the expense of eating onsite when staying at POR but then does the Uber/Lyft to an offsite restaurant negate the saving?

I'm really unsure what to do. Last time was my first time as an adult but obviously things have changed since 2016

[Claudette]

Well I would have thought a Lyft there and back would negate the cost of cheaper dining for two people. Other than perhaps if you were going out for fine dining, which is particularly expensive at Disney. I think you can manage onsite costs quite well by utilising QS rather than TS.

[Thorpy]

We're getting ready to go next week, after about 15 years of annual August/September trips and feel like newbies. Covid regulations, park reservations, no fastpass, no dining. Crap dollar rate. 10 days instead of 14. Indirects for the first time.
I'm expecting the most expensive holiday by a distance, and have the lowest expectations I've had in a long while... that said If I learn anything useful, I'll feed back !

[80skid]

Thank you

Its 4 of us going as I have 2 teenagers

I just wish I had the confidence to drive, I was fine last time but this time I just don't think I could do it.

[Thorpy]

Originally Posted by Claudette

Well I would have thought a Lyft there and back would negate the cost of cheaper dining for two people. Other than perhaps if you were going out for fine dining, which is particularly expensive at Disney. I think you can manage onsite costs quite well by utilising QS rather than TS.

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We're taking cereal and plastic bowls. Standard practice for us to manage costs. It tastes slightly different with American milk, but it allows us to be up, fed and in the parks nice and early.

[80skid]

Originally Posted by Thorpy

We're getting ready to go next week, after about 15 years of annual August/September trips and feel like newbies. Covid regulations, park reservations, no fastpass, no dining. Crap dollar rate. 10 days instead of 14. Indirects for the first time.
I'm expecting the most expensive holiday by a distance, and have the lowest expectations I've had in a long while... that said If I learn anything useful, I'll feed back !

See more...

This is it, if it was still Fast passes and DDP I'd feel much more confident that I knew what I was doing!

I booked DIY last time more than a year out but now I cant find any flights released but want to book soon to stop the hotels getting booked up

[danisleigh]

We have been paying 85-85 dollars for meals in Disney this last week (apart from space 220 which we knew was crazy!) We have generally shared an appetiser or shared a dessert and had an entree each and 2 sodas for that price (2 adults). One night we fancied bahama breeze so got a Lyft there and back. We had an appetiser, 2 entrées and 4 cocktails during happy hour and it was around $60 including tip. That’s 25-35 cheaper than onsite but the Lyft was around $13 each way. Having said that if you are a party of 4 the savings will be better as the Lyft will still cost the same.

[lcm23]

Staying in those locations you shouldn't need a car and what you'd save on a car and parking costs you can use on dining/Uber. Like others have said, an Uber to off-site restaurants from disney will be around £10-15 each way so depends on type of dining as to whether it's worth it. You will be able to walk to I drive and get itrolley from dockside. I would say if you want to cut costs, use quick service more often when at disney. We have just been for 17nights (10 onsite Disney) we had 3 table service meals and the rest quick service and one night a takeaway delivered by Uber eats. We spent less than we expected to on food. This worked great for us also as we weren't tied to pre-booked meal times and the stress of booking ADRs.

[Mortimer Mouse]

Your plans sounds great to me. Alot of QS meals are easible sharable and places like EOS still offer good value.
We ubered offsite one afternoon from AK to Rolling Oaks, as it was nearer than from the hotel. So we combined a shopping trip to Target/Doller Tree and a meal at Olive Garden which was about $7 there and $10 back to the hotel.

[Centralsimon]

We didn't stay at Disney but have just returned from 14 days at Universal Dockside.

Unless you want to, you won't need a car for Dockside.

Universal transport is efficient, the I ride and Lynx buses are around the corner and there are plenty of places to eat within walking distance.

When you compare to the daily parking charges, cost of insurance and the hassle you would experience, the cost of either an Uber or Lyft would make massive sense.