just booked hotel for airport About This Page:

[nurse_mom]

This is our 1st time we are going to stay at a airport hotel the night before the plane leaves. I have no clue why I am nervous about doing this. I guess because we mostly on travel to disney world and maybe an indoor waterpark. So I went ahead and booked a place with mixed reviews, but the price was right for a party of 7 and includes 14 days of parking, which is the biggest expense. Part of me just wants to awaken at 4am and drive to the airport for the 10am flight. But my parents and husband have thought that is too long of a day with the kids, and if our room isn't ready when we get to disney it make for even a longer miserable travel day. THoughts? Am I crazy to worry about this? Plus this is off site parking for our van, we always park at Detroit Metro......sorry for the long post. I have alot on my mind.

[chezp]

We nearly always go with an airport hotel the night before we fly. That way, we're at the airport and know that we'll make the flight and not get delayed. I find it makes for a more relaxing start to the vacation.

[mike56]

We always go into the City in Philly and get a room for the night before-we also stay at a hotel which gives you free parking. Our flights are around 8-9am and we make sure we arrive at the airport to check in at 2hrs before departure and allow 30minutes wait in lobby for the van to take us to the airport.
we set our alarm clocks one hr before we get picked up to go.
Most domestic airlines request you arrive 11/2hrs before departure.

If you leave at 10am I would ensure the hotel takes you at 7:30am to the airport-get up at 6-6:30am
Yes it will be a long day no matter what-most likely you might not get into the room until 1-3pm first day-try take it easy that day and spend time in the pool or closest Kingdom.

[Disney Dork]

We did this once before and it was great. We had dinner and a quick swim at the hotel so it was a nice way to start the relaxing before the real vacation.

[krisk11]

Originally Posted by mike56

We always go into the City in Philly and get a room for the night before-we also stay at a hotel which gives you free parking. Our flights are around 8-9am and we make sure we arrive at the airport to check in at 2hrs before departure and allow 30minutes wait in lobby for the van to take us to the airport.
we set our alarm clocks one hr before we get picked up to go.
Most domestic airlines request you arrive 11/2hrs before departure.

If you leave at 10am I would ensure the hotel takes you at 7:30am to the airport-get up at 6-6:30am
Yes it will be a long day no matter what-most likely you might not get into the room until 1-3pm first day-try take it easy that day and spend time in the pool or closest Kingdom.

Mike where do you stay before flying out of PHL because most of the hotels down by the airport look scary and I doubt I would leave my car there. Plus do you get reliable shuttles to the airport because I read a few bad reviews.

[toddjodybrent]

We usually do a park-n-fly stay at a hotel before a trip. I can only think of 1 when we didn't!

Love it! We enjoy the pool and relax knowing that we are well on our way to our next Disney vacation.

Have learned a couple of things. . . pack a bag just for that night, so you don't have to drag all your luggage in--just transfer it to the shuttle to the airport the next morning. Dirty clothes go back in the bag you used and into the car--no need to tote those along with you.

We have used the same hotels (or chains) more than once for park-n-flies--so we have signed up for frequent stayer accounts and have earned free stays! Yeah! Also, we have left our car keys and GPS at the hotel--they usually put it in an envelope and put it in their safe. That way, we aren't taking keys with us and potentially losing them. No need for the GPS on our trip and don't want to leave it in the car as they are very temperature sensitive. I then program the hotel's phone number in my phone so we can call for the return shuttle when we arrive at the airport. Works like a charm!

Have a great trip!

[mike56]

Krisk11

we have stayed at the Mariott Philly via Priceline bid for Hotel only-parking is too expensive-usually get a friend to drop us off/limo

We have used:

Wyndham Garden -$119[free 14 days parking plus your room]
Holiday Inn-Stadium-free parking for the nights you are staying.
Hilton-close to Airport.-paid minimum day for parking

Best one we like is the Wyndham-they give you free parking plus you call them with your ticket for your car and they pick you up free at the airport.

Look at stay123.com [book]and trip advior for reviews
also used just for parking-WINNER parking-$6.58/day

[Nova]

Krisk11 we also stay at hotel in Phila before flying out in the morning, it is part of the vacation for us and the Grandkids and myself come to think of it love watching the planes landing at the airport. we usually are lucky enough to get a room facing that direction. The last couple of times we have stayed at the Sheraton Suites Phila Airport they have a larger van that takes you in the morning than the Quality Inn Essengton that we have stayed in before. The Sheraton Suites is a bit nicer to be sure and we do the park and fly package.

[Dave Marx]

This is supposed to cut down on worry, right?

The advantages outweigh the disadvantages, as far as I'm concerned. Maybe the hotel won't be fabulous, but for an overnight sleep, probably more than adequate for your needs. If it turned out to be horrible, there's still more than a dozen other places nearby as potential back-up. Why don't you see if you can find out if flight crews are put up there by the airlines? A lot of the places that offer shuttles do just that, and the airlines don't put their people into dives - the market is too competitive for that.

I really can't say whether parking right at DTW will be more secure, but parking at the hotel isn't much of a risk. You'll save money, and it'll even be a bit easier in the morning - the shuttle will drop you all right at the terminal entrance, which is more convenient than parking in one of DTW's huge parking structures (drop the family and luggage at curbside, find a parking space, trek back to the terminal, reconnect with the rest of the family...).

I'm guessing you'd plan to be at the airport at least 3 hours early if you drove directly from home, to allow for possible travel delays. This no doubt contributes to your 4:00am wake-up time. You can plan to be at the airport 90-120 minutes before flight time instead, have breakfast someplace other than the airport, you'll already have the stressful, long drive behind you...

You won't feel the pressure of missing the flight while you're getting the family together, car loaded up, etc. - the flight will probably be around 18 hours in the future.

Overall, the "what can go wrongs" are far fewer than the "what can go rights."

[Sue M.]

We always stay overnight because it's a 3 hr drive down to Seattle and we get the 6am flights, wanting to get to WDW by late afternoon.
We stay at a Marriott Townplace Suites. It's clean, safe, parking is free, and security patrol at night. They have 24hr airport shuttle which is reliable.

I think if you stick with a major chain you'll be o.k.