kristenrice
NOT just an ambulance driver
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2006
Bear with me...
We are trying to plan ahead for every possibility when SWA releases their schedule for October. Here is the situation...
My sister and her daughters (ages 11 and 7 at time of travel), my parents, and myself and my daughters (ages 16 and 14 at time of travel) are heading to WDW for a week in October. Our "group" reservation starts on Friday. We are staying in a 2BR at AKV-Kidani on my DVC points for 5 nights and then moving to a 2BR at the Boardwalk for 3 nights and departing the following Saturday.
My sister is planning to take her girls out of school on Thursday and fly down as early as possible. My parents will be flying with her on whatever flight she chooses. They figured since her girls are younger, she may need more assistance. I am NOT taking my girls out of school Thursday, in fact, I wasn't planning on taking them out on Friday either, but they are doing exceptionally well and most of their work is being assigned online. Their teachers have no issues with it (they go to private school) and have given us their blessing.
My sister went ahead and booked a room at POR that sleeps 5 and so that is where she is going to stay with my parents for Thursday night. Then on Friday, they will move over to AKV in the morning. My problem is that I don't know when I will be able to arrive. My dad is "compensating" me for the use of my DVC points by covering my airfare with his SWA points. The problem is that if we fly out of our local airport (GRR), the flights rarely arrive before 4pm and if they do, they are over $300 one-way. That means I may have to take a late flight (i.e. after school) on Thursday in order to get a "cheaper" option. I prefer to arrive early (before noon) on Friday, but there is almost no chance of that happening out of GR within our price range. I also don't want to arrive really late Friday night because I don't want to wake the younger girls who will be sleeping in the living room of our villa. So, as I said before, it is really all hinging on what the flight schedule looks like when SWA releases their next batch. We may end up flying to Orlando after school on Thursday night as well...
...which (FINALLY) brings me to my question...
What are some good choices for hotels that are near the Animal Kingdom Lodge area? I'm looking for nice, clean, SAFE hotels (Marriott, Hyatt, etc) that are going to be under $200/night. I will probably be arriving around midnight so safety is paramount. I am not sure yet if I will do a rental car or an Uber so I would prefer no self-parking fees. I would also prefer hotels that offer the option of booking the room without pre-payment so that I can lock in the rate now and cancel it if we don't end up needing it.
Thanks for bearing with me
**FYI, I have already ruled out staying at the airport Hyatt. That was my #1 choice as I have done that twice before. I loved it and I would do it again in a heart beat...but the rate for our date is $350 and that is just too much for me to justify for what will amount to about a 9 hour stay.
We are trying to plan ahead for every possibility when SWA releases their schedule for October. Here is the situation...
My sister and her daughters (ages 11 and 7 at time of travel), my parents, and myself and my daughters (ages 16 and 14 at time of travel) are heading to WDW for a week in October. Our "group" reservation starts on Friday. We are staying in a 2BR at AKV-Kidani on my DVC points for 5 nights and then moving to a 2BR at the Boardwalk for 3 nights and departing the following Saturday.
My sister is planning to take her girls out of school on Thursday and fly down as early as possible. My parents will be flying with her on whatever flight she chooses. They figured since her girls are younger, she may need more assistance. I am NOT taking my girls out of school Thursday, in fact, I wasn't planning on taking them out on Friday either, but they are doing exceptionally well and most of their work is being assigned online. Their teachers have no issues with it (they go to private school) and have given us their blessing.
My sister went ahead and booked a room at POR that sleeps 5 and so that is where she is going to stay with my parents for Thursday night. Then on Friday, they will move over to AKV in the morning. My problem is that I don't know when I will be able to arrive. My dad is "compensating" me for the use of my DVC points by covering my airfare with his SWA points. The problem is that if we fly out of our local airport (GRR), the flights rarely arrive before 4pm and if they do, they are over $300 one-way. That means I may have to take a late flight (i.e. after school) on Thursday in order to get a "cheaper" option. I prefer to arrive early (before noon) on Friday, but there is almost no chance of that happening out of GR within our price range. I also don't want to arrive really late Friday night because I don't want to wake the younger girls who will be sleeping in the living room of our villa. So, as I said before, it is really all hinging on what the flight schedule looks like when SWA releases their next batch. We may end up flying to Orlando after school on Thursday night as well...
...which (FINALLY) brings me to my question...
What are some good choices for hotels that are near the Animal Kingdom Lodge area? I'm looking for nice, clean, SAFE hotels (Marriott, Hyatt, etc) that are going to be under $200/night. I will probably be arriving around midnight so safety is paramount. I am not sure yet if I will do a rental car or an Uber so I would prefer no self-parking fees. I would also prefer hotels that offer the option of booking the room without pre-payment so that I can lock in the rate now and cancel it if we don't end up needing it.
Thanks for bearing with me
**FYI, I have already ruled out staying at the airport Hyatt. That was my #1 choice as I have done that twice before. I loved it and I would do it again in a heart beat...but the rate for our date is $350 and that is just too much for me to justify for what will amount to about a 9 hour stay.