taxi to Gatorland from HIFS

[macgim]

I will be staying at HIFS starting Nov 11/02 for seven nights, we have a 5 day park hopper pass, on one of our off days I would like to take my children and mother-in-law to Gatorland. We will not be renting a car. Does anyone know the approx. cost to get from HIFS to Gatorland?

Thanks

Marianne,
Mississauga, Ontario

 

[idontknow]

Ouch! I don't know, but Gatorland is a ways away. I'm sure it wouldn't be cheap. What about renting a car just for the day? We are renting a car from the airport and returning it the next day at Port Canaveral. The cost is less than $30 for the day. It might be worth it. you could also get groceries or snacks and water with the car to save a little money on your food budget. It wouldn't pay for the car, but it would help justify the cost.

 

[macgim]

That is a great idea, I do no know why I did not think of that. We could take that day to do some shopping too. Oh, just thinking of the possibilities is exciting...can you tell I am anxious to get there?


only 14 more sleeps til we get there

 

[disney funseeker]

macgim,

Just curious about how you're getting to HIFS from the airport.

We were going to use a limo service for transport to and from the airport and use the HIFS shuttle for the parks but got recommendations from everyone to rent a car instead.
The difference in price was $60(USD) between the rental and limo. I have to factor in gas and cost of parking at the parks now. But in our opinion it is worth the price for the convenience. Originally we were trying to save some money and avoid bringing car seats but I think there would have been a lot of stress and hassle.

Also, renting a car for 1 day is a great idea. We considered that as well. But which day are you going to Gatorland? How will you get to the car rental?

So many things to consider including our low dollar. If you have any questions, fire away. Dh and I have debated this issue back and forth and as mentioned earlier, our decision was to go for the car rental.

Hope you find a happy solution for you and your family. Have a wonderful vacation!!!

 

[macgim]

in leui (sp?) of the car rental, now I think I may have made a mistake. I wish I had found this forum before I booked my trip. I think it will be a real hassle using the shuttles to get to the parks, from what I have read so far. But... it is low season and the park will probably be quiet because most Americans will be saving themselves up for travel during the Thanksgiving weekend (at least that is what I am hoping for).

I am hoping that the car rental will come to us or at least have some sort of shuttle service like we do here.

When are you going? Have you heard good things about HIFS?

I so need this vacation. I have been twice before so I know that it involves alot of walking, but last time I went I was 6 months pregnant and went all day long, strong. I love WDW!!!!

 

[disney funseeker]

we'll be there from Nov. 11-18.

I having been reading the threads on HIFS on the Orlando Hotels and Attractions forum. There have been some excellent reviews on HIFS. The majority of people have had very good experiences. And there are a few who have had some problems. I think if you do encounter a problem, the solution is to speak up right away and have it resolved.

You're correct about it being low season. When I inquired about the shuttle service, they didn't know what the schedule was going to be but gave me a sample of what I might expect. There were 4 buses to the park in the morning and only 1 bus after that at 5pm.
Call them the week before you leave and ask for the schedule to see if it suits you. I was worried there might be less buses going out bec. of low season. You also have to reserve in advance.

If you decide to rent, you'll have to factor in the size of the car you need bec. of course the larger the car, the more expensive. If you need only a compact or economy car you might come out almost even in comparison to the cost of transfers and 1 day rental. Again, there are so many things to consider. Would you have to pay for extra coverage? Do you need car seats?

You'll have to do some calculations and ask yourself how much you'd be willing to pay for convenience.

We decided it would be nice to be on our own schedule and not worry about catching any shuttles because we have 2 young girls. There would be no rushing for breakfast and we could leave the parks at any time without waiting for buses. If our kids were older, we might have tried the shuttle.

We are renting a mid-size for $152(USD) all extra charges included. There was actually a car rental company even cheaper, if cost is the main factor for you. There are lots of choices and codes to try using. As Canadians, we are always on the lookout for even cheaper rates.

I could go on and on but this is getting a bit long. If you have any further questions on what I have found feel free to PM me.

 

[idontknow]

You mentioned shopping. We went, for the first time, to the Premier Outlet Mall on the last trip. It is on Vineland off of 535. It was great! They even had resort wear when we were there. Right across the outdoor hallway was the USF outlet. Everything was 50% off in that store. They also have lots of other shops from leather to luggage to perfume. We walked around for over 2 hours. (amazing! we even had DH with us and he actually wanted to go into some of the stores!)

There is another WDW outlet at the very end of I-Drive. Actually, there are 2 shops in the malls. I think they are open until 9 pm M-S and 6 on Sunday.

We went to Gatorland and got there at noonish. We were done by 5. It was a lot of fun, if you like that sort of thing. We just wanted something that was off of the beaten path and this place did the trick. You could stop at the vineland road mall first, then hit Gatorland, then head over to the outlet mall on I-Drive. The outlets are a GREAT way to save money on suvies.