Hire a Mustang (preferably a GT), go out to an open highway, and leave the throttle wide open. That would be my advice. Just putting about in a car between Disney resorts is a waste of a good automobile.

Whilst you can see Universal from the Four Points, it isn't really walkable. You would have to navigate very busy roads including crossing over I-4.

Seaworld is certainly not walkable either but you could catch the I-Trolley which stops just outside the hotel and runs to Seaworld. It costs $1.25 each way but will probably take 20/25 minutes with all the stops.

Many hotels run shuttle buses to the theme parks. I suggest you check the hotel web site or in the tour operator brochure to see if the Four Points does. Some are free, some with a charge. Some tour operators will have negotiated free travel on shuttles that will charge guests that have booked direct with the hotel or via an internet site selling hotel only.

The hotel is nearly opposite Wet n'Wid water park so at least that is one day's activity with an easy commute.

Personally - I'd hire a car. There is so much to do and see in Orlando and a car is the easiest way to get around and not have to worry about always timing your day to shuttle bus timetables.

Thanks for your reply Traveller,

I think I will end up hiring a car for the freedom, that way you can come and go as you please.

Cheers.

i think this is the hotel you stopping at...on website offers transport to disney....saves hiring a car, get to universal in a taxi,wouldnt cost much from where you are...seaword/wet and wild on the i ride...and use hotel transport to disney...only problem is using hotel transport you are limited to the times they take you,,,but it saves the $9-10 dollar parking fee every time you go...

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/fourpoints/property/area/transportation.html?propertyID=1142

It is only a 20 minute walk to Universal. Footpath all the way with traffic light controlled crossing. Probably walk there in the time it takes to get the car organised, park it and walk to the entrance.

I am hiring a car as there is six of us and we have to get from Sanford airport to disney area, not a bad price either, people carrier for 14 nights with collision waiver and fully comp £418. Wanted to hire a sat nav as we are going to busch gardens and beaches, does anyone have a price on this???? i also want to heat the pool but can't find price on that either???

Can you tell us which car rental company you have booked with? You will probably find the information regarding the cost on their web site.

As for the pool heating, have you booked with a tour operator or direct with an owner? It sometimes will differ depending on whether the pool is heated by electric (most common) or gas. You will probably pay around £130-£160 per week.

Hi Traveller, car hire booked with Holiday Autos, they don't give a price on web they just say you can hire locally. We booked through COOP travel but no one seems to know the answer about the pool and everywhere shut until tues. I have heard anything from $80 - $200 per week!!! don't want large chunk of my spending money eaten up!!!

I would expect Sat Nav to be no more than £5-£6 per day.

I think only Co Op Travel will be able to accurately answer the question on pool heat as I suspect they have created a holiday for you, with separate flights, car rental and accomodation being booked independant of each other, rather than booked a package from a tour operator. They have probably made the villa reservation via a bed bank supplier. They should fairly easily be able to call them and ask the question for you.

Just a point on pool heat. The heating will raise the temperature about 5/10 degrees over air temperature - don't expect it to be like a hot bath! You probably won't need May - Sep but it would certainly be advisable during winter months. If you do decide to book pool heat, ask that it is turned on ready for your arrival as it can take 2/3 days to reach best temperature. If the villa has it, remember to place the pool cover on the pool each night to maintain the heat (looks like a large piece of blue bubblewrap).

Thank you for your reply and your tips, every little helps!!!

Why not buy a SatNav at WalMart for about $100.00 and sell it on Ebay when you have finished with it? Pool heat is expensive for what it does; lots of places use solar panels (usually no cost to the visitor if this method is used) that work through until about the end of October but, as mentioned above, use of the pool cover is essential to retain the heat overnight.

I already have a sat nav and tried to buy a map to install on it but i don't have enough memory. I may ask my cousin who lives there if any one has one we can borrow, thanks for all your tips.

One thing to bare in mind when picking car up. Do not bother with the toll pass they try and push on you for around $45. It's a complete waste of money if your only using the car for parks off I4/192 as the only only tolls you will probably use are the 2 totalling 1.75 each way from the airport.

That is a good tip, thankyou

I agree that the toll pass is almost certainly a waste of money but just wanted to point out that it's unlikely they are trying to rip you off. $45 is probably the monthly cost for the pass, the cheapest they have available and the same that it would cost for Floridians too. Either way, unless you intend on using it several times a day, it's not worth it.

SunPass $4.99 but you need a Florida Bank account to keep it automatically topped up. You also get a $500 credit when you first use it!

Take your point about the cost of the pass being the same as for a Florida resident but they obviously still make money out of selling them. The fact is most tourists coming into Orlando, at least from the UK, are coming there for the parks and are staying in the I4/192 corridor where the pass is totally pointless. It's taking advantage of people's naivety. It was quite funny seeing the Dollar representatives attitude change when he dealt with me and realised I'd been before and wasn't interested in toll passes, pointless extra insurances, upgrading to a gas guzzling suv etc.

We have just come back from Orlando and didn't hire a car, we got around absolutely fine. The I-trolley runs the complete length of I drive and is only $1.25 a trip (children under 12 are free and senior citizens are only 25c). Also the Lynx buses run to all the parks and are only $2 a ride and you get a free transfer to another Lynx bus (as long at it's within about 90mins I think)

Did You have a Good time sarahcolin????