[SillyMe]

My Jr High youth group voted to go to Islands of Adventure for our end of year trip in May. I am pulling my hair out trying to find a place close by, not too expensive. Any suguestions out there? I really wanted to stay at the Royal Pacific, but I am told there are no rooms available for the weekend we want to go. Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I have 12 kids in my youth group, 6th,7th & 8th grades. Thanks:heart
Maria (Joes mom)

[jmouse]

Do you have the Entertainment Book? With that book, you can get 1/2 price at the Hard Rock Hotel for some dates. That would be so convenient as you would not have to worry about transportation to the park.

[geeman]

There are a bunch of places in the Universal area, since it is right by International Drive. Most of the hotels there are now known by Universal names. Most of them are in the very very budget range.
I used to stay at a place right across from Wet and Wild. There were a few places there to stay at for less than 70 bucks a night that weren't too scary, and just a stone's throw from Universal. (In fact the last time I stayed at what was once "Las Palmas" on International Drive (now it's known as the Universal Movie World or something like that) , I could see Islands of Adventure being constructed from the window-- it's that close by.
Try something on International Drive if you can't find anything at the park itself.

[SillyMe]

Thanks for your help. I've calmed down abit since my post. I found a Homewood Suites that sounds interesting and it serves a (free)hot buffet breakfast. I'm told it is 5 miles from Universal. When I go next month to the Disney Central Meet and Greet I plan to stop by and check it out.

[disneyguy]

I am not sure whether you will have the ability to travel in a bus down there or not. If you do I would highly i mean highly recomend the Holiday Inn Family Suites. I have stayed there twice now both times were great. While, it is outside of Disney not Islands of Adventure(The Islands are about a 10-15 minute bus trip), it is a great deal for the amount of space that you get. Basically it has three sleeping areas. 1) A private bedroom normally with a king or queen bed. 2) a room that does not have a door, but has a curtain, this room has bunk beds and its own TV and a lot of times a N64. 3) there is the living room which has a pull out sofa. They also have refrigerators in all the rooms. The absoloute best part of this hotel is the FREE HOT BREAKFST. This is an all you can eat, free buffet that has tons of food. The rooms are usually very reasonable, atleast when I stayed there it was. I hope that this helps you! Good luck I have planned youth group trips before and it is hard work but really pays off.

[LRTJS]

Don't have any advice for you about a place to stay, just wanted to wish you luck on the trip with the kids! I have taken youth groups on trips and I know the challenge in front of you along with the blessing!!!!:D

[SillyMe]

Hey thanks Disneyluva for your suggestion of the HolidayInnFamily Suites I will give them a call! By the way, I see in your profile that you live in Maryland, we used to live there, in Arnold, Anne Arundel County. Moved down here to Fla 6 years ago. We really miss living in Md. The people are SO nice. We don't miss the cold! or the icestorms! I dream of being a snowbird. Maybe one day.

LRTJS thanks for your kind words of encouragement. I love being one of the Jr High advisers. These kids are great and I really learn alot more from them than they do from me believe me!:laugh

[disneyguy]

Yeah i live over on the eastern shore: Salisbury!!! good luck the ppl at the Holiday Inn Family Suites are very helpful and should be able to help ya. good luck!

[disneyguy]

Hey there, just wanted to see how it was comming. Just to fill ya in here on da eastern shore we got 5 inches of snow!!

[ilvminnie]

Originally posted by SillyMe
Hey thanks Disneyluva for your suggestion of the HolidayInnFamily Suites I will give them a call! By the way, I see in your profile that you live in Maryland, we used to live there, in Arnold, Anne Arundel County. Moved down here to Fla 6 years ago. We really miss living in Md. The people are SO nice. We don't miss the cold! or the icestorms! I dream of being a snowbird. Maybe one day.

LRTJS thanks for your kind words of encouragement. I love being one of the Jr High advisers. These kids are great and I really learn alot more from them than they do from me believe me!:laugh

I also wanted to wish you luck. Folks like you are extremely important & not everyone (TRANSLATE: very few people) have that gift. Have a wonderful time!

We used to live in MD, too! Southern MD (Waldorf) to be more specific. The only thing we miss about that area is the downtown DC area! We love the climate here in CO...it was the best move we ever could have made!