Me and the mrs. Were talking about taking our son to Disney world/universal studios. I was just curious if anyone had any tips on where to stay and when to go to help save a little money.

I'm not looking at spending $300 a night on a room but at the same time, I don't want to stay in a dump either. Maybe that's not possible, I'm not sure.

I know there are a lot of brothers in the Florida area and I figured you guys might be able to give me a little info.

Any help, tips or advise would be appreciated.

Thanks guys.
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When I go to WDW we like to stay at a WDW resort -- it's a lot more convenient and while it might cost a little more for the room you can save money on transportation and travel time (opportunity cost). The Pop Century resort is a very nice value resort at WDW and might fit your needs.

You can take a cab or other transportation when you want to visit other attractions (like Universal).

Just my :-)
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Thank you good sir!
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Ever think of going to Disneyland in California instead? You can find some bargains in the area, and could make a side trip to San Diego while you were there.
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It has been discussed, still might be an option.
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Nice, some great BOTLs to herf with in San Diego!!
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Go online and check out some of the package deals at the All Stars Resorts at Disney. They are the least expensive resorts at disney, you can have transportation back and forth from the park, any souvenirs or pictures can be delivered to your room, and there are meal passes available as well. I feel your pain in spending a bunch of money for the room, but if you shop through some of their packages, it can be well worth it. We have done this several times in the past.
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I've lived in Orlando and worked in tourism for the last 22 years, so if you need help, shoot me questions.

Personally, I like to stay in a villa with a kitchen whenever possible, and although your price range won't get you one on Disney property, there are more timeshare resorts within 10 minutes of Disney than I can count.

Sure, there are many plusses about staying on Disney property like convenience, but it comes at a high cost and you have a hard time finding anything that isn't mobbed and a tourist trap when you leave the parks to eat.

A big factor on cost will be the time of year you plan to travel, and I am guessing it will be when your son is out of school, which means many others will probably be doing the same.
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same goes for Orlando :-)
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Originally being from Florida, by cocoa beach and now living in SD, I can say wholeheartedly that Disneyland is barely comparable to Disney World, not even close. :-)
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I agree with Pete. I always look for the full kitchen. Feed the kids breakfast. Eat in the parks for lunch, cook dinner in the room. And since you mentioned Universal and Disney, the cheaper resorts are off Disney property and will put you closer to Universal. My boys are 14 and 11. If your son is in that age or older, 1 day at Disney( if he has never been) and the rest at the Universal Parks. Better coasters.
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Check out the log cabins at Fort Wilderness in Disney. They should be close to your price range, have 4 beds and a kitchen. You can either take trams to the park or if you want to drive, staying at a Disney resort gives you free parking in any park you want to visit.

Good luck with you trip and planning! :-)
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There is so much to do at Fort Wilderness. We stayed there 4 days and only left for the park 1 day. Kids loved it and met a lot of kids at the pool.
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Another fun thing to do is pool hop at the different Disney resorts.

I've been doing it for years and never had anyone ask if I was staying there.

To avoid being too much of a freeloader, I always patronize the overpriced pool bar and grill while enjoying some really nice pools.

The nicest of them all isn't at Disney though; it's at the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal with the underwater speakers and frequent live music.
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Wow, a lot of good info here. Thanks guys.

Pete, I may shoot you a message.

Thanks!
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You have several good suggestions here, especially between the timeshares and Disney. I used to work for the Disney reservations Department if you have any questions about those resorts I'll be glad to try and help answer them. They have 3 levels of resorts. I like to shoose the Mid range for usually about $160-200/night but if you want to splurge the Animal Kingdom lodge is great too but they start around $360. There are some decent smoke shops in the area too!
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Do you know any Active Duty Military? They get a CRAZY discount. My Wife says it's like $130 for 4 days per person for all the Parks.
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We are going this summer and decided to rent a house from I think villa direct. 5br, 4ba with pool. Hope this helps. Any way you go will be a great time. Enjoy.
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We've gone to Disney and Orlando numerous times. Anything Hilton (Hilton, Double Tree, Hampton) and the Holiday Inns have always been good for us when we have stayed there.
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This month (march) they have some really good deals going on for rates etc., since it's off season.
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