Going To FUN

[gmarguli]

I'm planning on going to FUN this January and I was wondering if people who have been or know the area could give me some advice.

 

Any hotel suggestions? Some place close to the convention center. The Rosen Plaza which is next door (?) is booked solid. Any other places close by? How about the Wyndham Orlando Resort? Seems to be 18 blocks away, but looks nice from the photos I’ve seen. I'll likely be renting a car, so a small drive isn't too bad.

 

Is the convention center surrounded by a good neighborhood? How close is it to the major theme parks (which is what every place is giving me their proximity to)?

 

Does the show die on Saturday and fully dead by Sunday?

 

[ArtR]

Greg:

The Wyndham Orlando Resort is on International Drive, the same road as the Convention Center. I would recommend using the trolley that runs the length of International Drive and will drop you off right at the doors of the Convention Center.The parking of an automobile can some times be a hassle.

Is the convention center surrounded by a good neighborhood?

 

Yes, I have been going to FUN for years and never had any problems.

Does the show die on Saturday and fully dead by Sunday?

Normally Yes. Although I have seen some Sundays where there were still 150 to 200 tables still occupied.

[DonHeath]

Greg,

 

The convention center is about 10 minutes from all the parks, and International is loaded with hotels and restaurants. It's easy to find, and easy to navigate. The neighborhood is OK, and the area is very touristy.

[RobertB]

Ditto. Half hour tops to Disney and all. There are hindreds if not thousands of hotels in Orlando area. My wife and I go up there like everyu two monthes. Sometimes we just get a plaxce up there. Is the host hotel booked? Their rates seemed ok.

[gmarguli]

Is the host hotel booked? Their rates seemed ok.

 

I assume the Rosen Plaza is the host hotel. Their address is 9700 while the convention center is 9800. It was linked from the FUN show site. If so, it is booked. I've been checking out the hotels which I think are close by. They range from $70-$400 a night (**** or *****).

[mark]

Greg:

 

I have never stayed there, but the Peabody is just across the street from the convention center (which is farther than it sounds--you have to walk through a big parking lot, across a wide road, then down a large expanse to the convention center itself). The Peabody is famous for its marching ducks. I've taken my kids to see the ducks but I've never had the $$$$ to stay there. However, I have had a friend stay there and he told me it was quite nice. And the marching ducks are apparently nifty.

 

Mark

[gmarguli]

Peabody is also booked.

[EVillageProwler]

Greg,

 

Make sure that you get a hotel on the Rosen side of the convention center. That building is friggin' long, and the walk from the "wrong" end can be a royal pain...

 

Plus, I think the walk from the Rosen side of the CC is shorter to the better eateries.

 

EVP

 

[TomB]

I'll be damned if I can remember the name right now, however, the hotel immdiately behind the Rosen costs about one-fourth what the Rosen does and is pretty darn nice. The Rosen is on the side of the convention center that the show is likely to be on and that is convenient since the center is about ten miles long!

 

International Drive has hotels and motels all along its length and you will likely find something quite nice. However, I would not advise you to walk to the show if you are going to carry a heavy load of coins because of the distance involved and less so because of the security. There are shuttle busses available. If you decide to park at the convention center it is $6 per day, if I remember correctly, and the parking lot was being ripped apart last I was there so it was terrible.

 

There are an enormous number of places to eat and you will be smack-dab in the middle of tourist city so you will have a wide array of choices.

 

I always do the FUN show, however, this year I cannot make it!

[Leothelion]

I'm planning on going to FUN this January and I was wondering if people who have been or know the area could give me some advice.

 

Watch out for alligators!

 

Seriously, I've never been there! Mainly, midwest shows. I'm not too picky! I'll take the 20 min. drive to an area where there is a $38.50/night Budget Motel with a nice eatery and then I'll ask around for the best Chinese food. Next morning, after a nice breakfast, it's back to the coin show. I'll find another $10/day parking spot in some close by skylevel parking ramp and walk the two miles to the bourse floor and start again.

I almost made the trip there a couple of years back but instead I paid a visit to see an old timer FS collection. I figured I'd see more FS nickels there then at a coin show.

 

Leo

[BillJones]

I stay at the Best Western on International Drive. It's about a half mile from the Convention center, but while the rates vary I've paid $50 to $60 a night. And I need the exercise anyway. There's a pool and hot tub there, and the hot tub does wonders for you tired feet after a day at the bouse on those cement floors. Much of the clientel at this hotel are foreign toursts, which can make for an interesting evening's conversation.

 

There's a Comfort Inn () that's much closer to the convention center. In recent years it has charged only $29 a night. Two negatives. First, I don't know if they will be doing that this year because 9/11 really cut into the tourist business and induced them to charge that in past years. Second, I've heard from the those who have stayed there that there are lots of loud drunks and party people who go on until the wee hours of the morning. That's why I've avoided it.

 

As for the neighborhood, it's very much a tourist area, and there are few problems and lots restaurant choices from cheap eats to pretty pricey.

[cointagious]

don't be confused by the location of 'the rosen' hotel. the rosen plaza is on the north end of the cc and closest to the show hall. the rosen centre hotel is on the south end and about a ½ mile walk to the show. for all practical purposes, excepting the rosen plaza, all hotels are beyond reasonable walking distance.

try this site...

orlando hotel web site

use the maps to locate hotels close to the cc then try priceline for the best price, tho this site does offer some fine deals. if you're not familiar with the area, by all means, avoid hotels near universal studios (north international drive - seedy neighborhood). you can certainly stay at disney world, lake buena vista or in kissimmee. all are less than 10 miles and 15 minutes away.

if you can get your hands on a aaa florida tour book, it's worth its weight in gold as far as sorting out and locating appropriate hotels but you can certainly beat their prices.

[Leothelion]

Here I'll relate an adventure I went on, traveling to the CSNS show when it was held in Kansas City, Kansas in 1996. After a couple of days there, my plans were to continue on down to Arkansas to visit my parents. Well, as usual, my plans never seem to work out as I, well, had planned them. The Brother Keepers were also in town that weekend. After a day at the coin show, I could not find a place to hole up the family for one night of sleep. We made calls and stops along the way while heading south of KC until we stopped into a little Mexican Motel. I went in with high hopes that they would have a room but just as I opened the door the guy looked at me, gave me the ole baseball "your safe" signal" and said, "We booked!"

So back to the car I go to make the announcement, "Say goodbye to KC, I think we've seen the last of it." We were already 75 miles south of KC so we ended up in my parents driveway about 1:00 am in the morning and slept in the car til daybreak until my dad came out and woke up us and asked, why the heck are you sleeping out here? It was funny at the time but we didn't want to wake them so we waited til morning. They weren't expecting us til about 3 that afternoon anyway.

 

Leo