Rooms for 6

[KTR]

Hello!
Now that our most recent Disney trip is done our next Florida vacation with be to Universal Orlando, Sea World and Busch Gardens.

I was thinking we would do 2-3 days at Universal and stay at a resort that gives us the front of the line access. Do any of those resorts offer rooms for 6? Is that enough time to do Universal with the pass? If we stayed at a less expensive resort how much does it cost to add that on?

I know very little about Universal and even less about Sea World. Does Sea World even have its own hotels? Is there any advantage to staying there? I know Busch Gardens is in Tampa and will be a bit of a drive. Any ideas on how best to fit all of this in to one week?

 

[macraven]

Check out the hotel stickies
Many pictures and info listed that is helpful

Some large families ( more than 5) book two connecting standard rooms at the premier hotels

Some of the value hotels do accommodate larger groups

You could stay at UO and use the shuttle from your hotel to sea world

 

[allison0523]

I don't think any of the hotels with the express pass offers a single room for 6. I think the largest would be 2 double or queen beds with a possible rollaway for a child. We are staying at the endless summer resort in a 2bedroom suite for this reason and just buying the express passes as needed. I assume it's the express pass you are talking about and it's not front of the line access. Just a shorter line.

 

[Lynne G]

I'd stay with 2 rooms at one of the 3 hotels that have the free express pass, for 2 nights. Then you have 3 days to en;joy the parks, with express, which I think is the best for a week. Then I'd move to a hotel closer to SW, there are many neighbor hotels around it that have accommodations for bigger families, like yours. Take a look at SW's website, they list all the neighbor hotels. And sometimes, they offer ticket and hotel deals, that are a good deal, and may also include BGT tickets. I'd spend 2 days at SW and 2 days at BGT. The drive to Tampa is pretty much all highway, and takes around an hour or so, depending on the traffic you may see. There is not many, what I would call, want to stay there, directly around BGT. I would think you'd rather be closer to St. Pete, for nicer places to stay. BGT is near the college, and every fast food place is open on your way back from the park.

Have fun, lots of park time will be great. Coasters, shows, and other rides. Lots of fun. We have done both. We like Royal and the Portofino the most, but would be okay staying at the Hard Rock, but with the HR being the smallest of the hotels, the price for it is usually more than the other 2. We tend to stay 3 or more nights, as we really enjoy the parks, and just drove up to SW and Aquadica when we had APs for both. However, we have stayed 3 nights and then moved on, to stay in the SW area, or go on a cruise, thus being there for more than a week vacation total.

I am only a family of 4, but we have stayed at the Fairfield on International Drive, right up the street from Aquadica, and almost across the street from a SW exit. That hotel is next to Staybridge Suites. We have also stayed at the Residence Inn and the Hampton Inn, both on the same small street, less than a 5 minute drive to SW, and very close to Discovery Cove. From all 3, we have drove to BGT, rather than stay the night in the Tampa area. All 3, we would stay in again. The free parking and free breakfasts by all 3, were why we chose them. Plus, the prices were right, each time time we wanted to stay in the area.

If you'd like to stay around Universal, you can always move over to the Surfside Inn and Suites, and they have 2 bedroom rooms. SW is not that far a drive.

Know that your Universal express pass is your hotel key from the 3 hotels that give it as a perk for staying there, and that express is good through the day you check in and works until the end of the park day, the day you check out. So, if you think you'd like to do 2 days at Universal,,I'd still stay at one of the 3 express pass ones, for at least one night.


My thoughts, and hope you have fun what ever you do.

 

[Lynne G]

Oh, and express passes you can buy, almost everywhere, if you do need it. Price differs at different times of the year. They are date, and park(s) specific, with no refunds. Hence, many wait until they get into the parks, to see how crowded before purchasing. You can purchase a one time entry express pass, or unlimited entry express pass. Prices can be seen on Universal's website or app.

Know that the hotel's express pass is the unlimited entry one.

And I have to say, were are a spoiled family. If we do Universal, we stay with the hotels that include the express pass. While we tend to go on once a time, it's so nice say, lets ride again. And depending on the time of year, express passes are a very good thing to have. Most of the time, the lines are 10 to 20 minutes versus an hour or so in the regular line. During the Christmas holidays, regular lines can climb to 2 hours, so express tends to be around an hour or less.

Hope this helps. And oh, while I haven't stayed at the 3 SW hotels above in a few years, I think this is still true: you can get a free one time quick que at the hotels, to be used at SW. I don't believe there's any place around BGT that does that for BGT.

I hope this helps you get a better idea of what your week may look like, since enjoying the parks other than Disney.