I need some info and opinions on Orlando, FL

[tallfreak]

I need some advice from Orlando locals or frequent travelers.

Beginning about the middle of March I will be in Orlando for 3 months. I am looking for a place to stay. I have looked at countless extended stay hotels but most of the reviews say they are dirty with roaches or they are too far from where I need to be. I will be training close to Sea World. I would like to be near that area.

What areas should I avoid? What is the traffic like? Does anyone have tips on what hotels are clean?

 

[99cobrablack]

In my experience in traveling in and out of Florida, most places have roaches.

 

[Gary Macomber]

There are a few things you can do here. Many apartments in the area are vacation rentals, I have a friend that has one that rents it for something like $50 a day 2 bedroom with a full kitchen if you plan to cook yourself and want to save money. I can talk to him if you would like just need the dates so he can make sure no one else has it at that time.

Other option and what the wife and I usually do is Expedia(I think will have to ask wife she knows all the details) hidden hotels. When we go this route we always pick the 3-4 star hotel and always end up in the same hotel which is very nice, it is next to the conference center and actually has a skyway that connects them. I will talk to the wife and get some more info for you but if your company is paying for it then I recommend it since you don't have to worry about the small stuff just food.

Edit: Problem with the vacation rental is you wouldn't be able to get it for long periods of time because of the problem with squatters. Long term vacation rentals is a big no-no for the landlord.

 

[Gary Macomber]

In my experience in traveling in and out of Florida, most places have roaches.

I have never had that problem, the worst place we stayed in was a run down motel when we went for my wife's birthday. Reason we stayed in that place is because we knew we were gonna get wasted out of our minds at Capone's which is someplace I recommend to anyone that goes to Orlando. The show gets better and better the drunker you get and the drinks are included in the price to see the show.

 

[tallfreak]

I will be on a budget. I will need a kitchen to save money on food. I appreciate you looking into that for me. I submitted a request for info on a vacation rental. I guess I will see what they say about 3 months.

 

[HEMIHUNTER]

Nation Corporate Housing.Might be a little pricey though.

 

[32ValveRom]

Places to stay away from??? I-4 during rush hour traffic :kaboom:

 

[4u 2 nv]

do you need to be downtown? Call most of the hotels and explain that. Some will work on rates and make them realistic.

If you dont have to be downtown you could check other cities like Lake Mary, Heathrow etc that are nice as well.

 

[VirtualSVT]

You're training near seaworld? There a a billion hotels on I-Drive. That's tourist town. Plenty of places to stay.

If you stay in Orlando proper I4 is the only mainline down to the seaworld area and it sucks. So prepare for long drive times.

 

[DSG2003Mach1]

Lake Mary and such would be a long ass, miserable drive on I4 to Sea World if hes working normal hours

 

[vergil]

You're training near seaworld? There a a billion hotels on I-Drive. That's tourist town. Plenty of places to stay.

If you stay in Orlando proper I4 is the only mainline down to the seaworld area and it sucks. So prepare for long drive times.

This. You should be able to find a good place on I-Drive for a fair price and I-4 between 4-6 pm no good.

 

[Gary Macomber]

Find out if apartments there have short term leasing, or even look into renting a house short term. You can rent a house for dirt cheap there and apartments are even less.

 

[JasonSnake]

3 months is a good while. Why not browse CS room shares to see what comes up? Talk to the poster and ask about a month-to-month deal, or offer all three months up front if you can afford it.

 

[SLVRBLT]

Places to stay away from??? I-4 during rush hour traffic :kaboom:

This. **** I-4

 

[4u 2 nv]

Lake Mary and such would be a long ass, miserable drive on I4 to Sea World if hes working normal hours

agree...i completely read over the sea world part.

 

[Kevins89notch]

Welcome to hell my friend.

Orlando resident here. I4 horribly sucks. You want to avoid it if you can. I-Drive from about a mile or so north of seaworld and further north is out of the question due to tourists.


Do you have a budget to work with? I assume your boss is footing the bill? Once you answer that, they maybe myself and others can look into options and ideas.


The only real area to avoid is Pine Hills, aka Crime Hills, but there's absolutely no reason you would ever be looking at anything even in that area.

Or, and no matter what, the I4: 408 area is a cluster**** of a nightmare for about 22 of 24 hours of the day. You DO NOT want to be driving there.


Give us some numbers to work with and we'll go from there.

 

[tallfreak]

I will be going to UTI for a three month program. Class is from in the afternoon (12-5 I think). My employer is paying for it, but I am trying to keep it under $3500 for the entire stay. Not really interested in CL. I don't want to end up with someone I don't want to be with for three months. So far I have talked to several Extended Stays and a few other long term hotels. I would like to be close to the school so I don't have a long commute.

My main concern is what areas would I not want to be in at night. I don't know if Orlando has those areas, but I am from Memphis...

One of the Extended Stay hotels is at 4101 Equity Row, Orlando, FL 32819 and the other is right next door. They are about about 3 miles from school. A lot of the reviews for these hotels say something about being trashy or sketchy people hanging around. I definately don't want anything like that.

 

[VirtualSVT]

Oh yeah Orlando has those parts. Near where you are staying? It's a tourist trap so shit happens all the time. I-Drive has some dark spots where shit goes down.

I'd look at the hotels near 535 which is the exit before Disney heading west. There are some nice hotels there. It's about 10-15 minutes from Seaworld.

And FYI UTI's campus isn't really that close to Seaworld. Though the closest hotels near it are some high end ones running about 400-600 a night.

 

[Kevins89notch]

One of the Extended Stay hotels is at 4101 Equity Row, Orlando, FL 32819 and the other is right next door. They are about about 3 miles from school. A lot of the reviews for these hotels say something about being trashy or sketchy people hanging around. I definately don't want anything like that.

I've been to that walmart there before. I can't speak for that area, but at the same time, it's not a residential area. There's...well you can look at google maps youself. Sand lake and John Young are two major roads. I wouldn't think that's a bad area because no one lives there.

 

[tallfreak]

Google maps shows SeaWorld about 4 miles from UTI. Am I missing something? Maybe our definitions of close are different. Maybe my definition of close will change when I am in Orlando. :lol1:

What is I-Drive? Also, I noticed there are toll roads all over? Is there a monthly pass I can buy?