Our main base: Courtyard Lake Buena Vista
We spent 10 nights at the Courtyard Lake Buena Vista. The stay gave us a consistent base near restaurants and shops, breakfast was included, and the hotel had a shuttle for the Disney service it covered. We used rideshares to get to Universal and SeaWorld.
We paid just over £800 for the 10 nights at the time. Our room had a balcony, fridge and microwave. The resort fee was $10 per night with a $5 daily hotel credit; parking was listed at $20 per night. Check current rates, fees and shuttle details before booking because they can change.
A Disney night: Port Orleans Riverside
We stayed one night at Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside around our Disney Springs and water-park plans. The grounds are spread out, and room location can mean extra walking. The boat towards Disney Springs was useful for us; check operating times for your dates. Breakfast wasn’t included in our stay.
Our recorded room cost was £224.45 for that night. Ask about luggage assistance and include food and transport when comparing a short resort stay with another hotel.
A Universal night: Cabana Bay
We stayed one night at Universal’s Cabana Bay before our park day and paid £127.32. We were upgraded to a suite at check-in; treat that as a bonus rather than something to expect. The resort has pools, a lazy river, bowling, an arcade and a diner.
Check the exact hotel benefits and transport details for the room and rate you book, and decide whether a resort night saves enough travel time for your plan.
One base or move hotels?
One hotel for the whole stay means fewer check-ins and less luggage moving. A split stay can put you closer to a special resort or park day, but you’ll need to handle checkout, bags and the transfer to the next hotel.
For a fair comparison, add every night, resort and parking fees, included breakfast, transport and any lost time moving. We liked our split stay, but it won’t be the best fit for everyone.
See the three stays for yourself
Courtyard Lake Buena Vista
Palm Parkway · Lake Buena Vista
Just over £800 · our price thenRead our stay review →
Port Orleans Riverside
Disney Springs resort area
£224.45 · our price thenRead our stay review →
Cabana Bay
Universal Orlando resort
£127.32 · our price thenRead our stay review →READY TO CHECK YOUR DATES?
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