So, with the peace of mind that I won't be stranded in the airport without a car I'm concentrating on the hotel. I'll update this post later to share with you all the process.
Lets see how it goes.
-----------------------------------------------------
Updated - September 6, 2014
Getting from the Airport on the plane and back again to the other airport was a breeze. Electronic tickets with jetblue meant we only had to scan our bar code on a booth right next to the ticketing center to get our boarding passes. After that it was just a matter of waiting in line and following instructions to get on the plane and then off again to pick up our bags. (Funny enough, they sent us to pick up the bags to the wrong area so we had to wait a little over 30 minutes before they re-routed us to the correct pickup area (and when I say us, I mean every person that got off the plane).
Budget rent a car
After getting our bags on Orlando we took the escalator down to the first floor and right we saw the budget counter right next to Avis. The person that attended us took the confirmation number, asked if we wanted the insurance for Loss damage waiver and personal injury. The cost added another 189 bucks to the final cost so we had to give him the new credit card and he proceeded to add the final total. In total it the rental with Budget for 6 days costs around $400 bucks with the LDW and injury insurance plus taxes in Florida. So if you plan on following our footsteps beware, Avis has better deals for this and most credit cards already cover damage loss so check with your bank. I went over and asked about the debit and got the same response as in the email, they run a query to your credit and depending on your score the computer decides if you're a worthy renter.
We got our contract after signing the papers and went on our way to pickup the car. No issues there, they give you a parking number in the Budget parking and the car is already there waiting for you, open and no one will really say anything. You get on the car, turn it on and drive out of the parking where the budget rep will check your contract at the exit.
A word of advice. Turn the toll sticker on, it's normally a box on your windshield. If you don't you'll be charged A lot if you run by a toll pass and have it set to off. If you do end up going over one don't sweat it though, just turn it On after the first toll and the next one will register both entries.
GPS craziness
We didn't get the GPS service, since I planned on using the google maps and thank God I did. Our car was a compact Ford Fiesta, these include the "Ford Sync" function that pairs up with your phone through bluetooth so you can get the navigation app paired up or just the sound to hear the directions from the google map app and you'll be on your way.
The road
Interestingly this was my first time driving in Orlando and I'm happy to say everyone follows the road directions so you won't get lost or hyped because someone made you take the wrong exit by not letting you pass to your right. The drive from Orlando international airport to Royale Parc Suites hotel was around 17 minutes, has 2 tolls too so take note on what I said on the budget rent a car area.
Hotel first impressions
Royale parc suites was kind of hidden behind a 7-eleven but very very well placed. The area was well lit, the parking was secure, the hotel entrance was clean, the lobby and cafeteria were great, the pool was clean, the service overall went above and beyond my expectations. I read reviews on this place and I can make sure that at least since August 31st up to September 6th the hotel was super nice. Friendly room service, billingual (so my Spanglish wasn't a problem), great breakfast that always had something different every day and lasted from 7AM to 10AM. The pool is a heated pool.
 |
| Royal Parc Suites Shuttle times |
the Room:
The room we got on Royal Parc Suites deserves a whole separate section. The room is spacious. For the price we paid we were expecting way less. It has 1 bedroom, two beds, an LCD TV with cable, an air conditioner console and a window that faces towards the parking. The kitchen was complete with crystal cups and utensils that were there in case we wanted to cook, the mini fridge had space for two gallons of water, snacks, more water, fruits and a bag of taco bell with tacos (so yeah. mucho espacio si necesitan mantener algo frio). The bathroom was big, clean and had a bathtub with a curved bar holding the curtain so you didn't feel like space was an issue.
The main room had the kitchen table, another LCD tv with cable, a little table in front of a sofa, another air conditioning console and another window facing the pool. Overall a great place. I will be staying there next time if we go with a larger group.
The trip was amazing, Old town is literally walking distance from Royale Parc Suites and the maingate flea market is very close as well. Lots of fastfoods and sit-in restaurants keep the whole street active at night. The best thing of all is that the road links directly with international so we reached every park without any issues. It was a great adventure.
Jetblue - A+
Budget - B (Avis was cheaper in my case, but even Alamo would charge less for the insurance)
Royale Parc Suites - A+
Orlando Roads - A
We arrived at every Disney park in less than 15 minutes from the hotel.
Hi. I’m a social researcher, developer and consultant. Bringing you news that would probably make your head hurt and some others that will make you want to hug a puppy.
0 comments:
Post a Comment