Booking a hotel that's not too far from WDW/ Epcot but not sure which area is closest (aside from downtown Disney LBV)...
Is Seaworld area close enough, is International drive further, is Universal near the World or ?
thank you all.
I've stayed in probably 50% of the off site hotels in the tourist areas and my choices are always going to favor Lake Buena Vista and the International Drive south/Sea World area.Basically International Drive and Universal blvd but stay south of Sand Lake Dr towards the convention center and Sea World.You will find some good hotels north of Sand Lake Dr but the area gets more cramped,older and from what I hear has more crime.Lake Buena Vista along 535 is good and closer to Disney but a hotel south of Sand Lake near I Drive won't be that much further.
For close to the Disney parks and offsite, we love Caribe Royal. It's on 536, which is the Epcot exit from I4, and the back entrance to Downtown Disney, and is also at the south end of International Drive. There are a few hotels close here, the Nick Hotel (which I do NOT recommend, very old and expensive for not as much quality), the Marriott World Center, Caribe and Buena Vista Suites.
I've stayed hundreds of time on International Drive without any incident.The Oak Ridge area near the northern end of I-Drive is not the greatest area out there and supposedly adds crime to the northern I-Drive area.I stay south of Sand Lake Dr on I-Drive and Universal blvd which is nicer with better hotels anyways.Whether you stay anywhere on I Drive,Lake Buena Vista,192,or even inside Disney you should always be alert and avoid any unsafe scenarios.Is crime getting really bad around International Drive? That's too bad because we like to stay part of the time on nearby Universal Blvd since it's such a straight shot into Universal.