Hotwire Hotel: Disney help.

[cclaser]

We are planning a trip to Disney with our 7 year old daughter in Feb.  the dates are 2/24-2/29.   Looking for suggestions on a nice hotel. 3.5 to 4.  Are we better off staying on Disney property or off site?   Should we rent a car?   I'm assuming that we will spend a lot of time at Disney.  Thanks !

[thereuare]

What is your target budget for this stay? (per nite before fees/taxes)

 

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPS and HOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.

[joeman]

The on-property vs. off-property is one of the age-old Disney conundrums, and it is actually tied-up with your second question about rental cars.

 

Disney hotels are almost always more expensive than Non-Disney properties with similar amenities.  Sometimes, in the case of Disney's "Deluxe Resorts," the difference is significant ($100's per night), compared to a comparable 4-star resort off-property that you can get using the Hotwire or Priceline links on this site.  However, for the extra cost, you do get things that off-property resorts cannot.  First off, Disney resorts do not charge any "resort fees," or parking fees.  In addition, if you are staying at a Disney resort, you can park for free anywhere on property, including at the theme parks, an $18/day (I think) value.

 

Also, if you are staying at a Disney resort, you can use their "Magical Disney Express" service (MDE), which is Disney's airport shuttle.  Free of charge, they will pick you and your luggage up from the airport and take you to your resort, and at the end of your stay, do the same for the return trip to the airport.  This is all free of charge, and eliminates the need for a rental car.  However, if you do this, you are essentially "trapped" at Disney World for the duration of your trip -- not necessarily a bad thing, right? :)  But, if you want to spend a day at Universal or eat (less expensive) meals at off-property restaurants, you'll have to find other transportation (often a taxi), which can get expensive.

 

Possibly the 3 best amenities that Disney resorts provide are: location, location, & location.  The Disney World property is huge and sprawling, but many of its resorts are either within walking distance of one or more theme parks, or no more than a short boat or monorail ride away.  Some of the less expensive resorts on property are a bus ride away, but the Disney transportation system is by far, more convenient and efficient than any shuttles run by off-property resorts.  If you drive from an off-property resort, be prepared for up to an hour or more from the hotel to the park turnstyles, depending on which park you visit (Magic Kingdom is the most remote.)

 

Finally, Disney resorts have that "Disney Magic" -- it's hard to describe, but is a culmination of elaborate theming with attention to every detail, the pleasantness of every employee (Disney employees are actually called "Cast Members"), and the fact that you are really secluded from the "outside world."  This is a game-changer for some, but will get a "Meh" from others.

 

Please note that there are some resorts (Swan & Dolphin come to mind, but there are others) that are located on Disney's property, but are not run by Walt Disney World.  That may or may not have some of the above mentioned amenities, but may also have the feel of off-property resorts.

 

So, having said this, why stay off-property?  Well first, there is the cost factor.  You can find resorts (especially using Hotwire or Priceline) for much, much less.  We have actually found some gems off-property over the years (some not-so-much-gems, too).  And, depending on which park(s) you plan to visit, you can find some resorts that are actually closer than Disney resorts.  For instance, some hotels in the "Maingate West" area will be closer to Animal Kingdom than most Disney resorts.  Also, as you might imagine, everything from food to souvenirs will be cheaper outside of Disney.

 

Off property resorts usually have some kind of shuttle to the various parks.  Some are free, but many charge.  Schedules are often very limited.  You can get by without renting a car during your stay, but it might make more sense to rent one.  Finding economical transportation to & from the airport might be the deciding point in whether or not to rent a car.  If you do decide to rent, make note of which resorts offer free parking, and which do not, and remember that the theme parks will also charge for parking.

 

One other thing we have found, is that while the Disney resorts have sometimes magnificent theming throughout the resort, the actual room quality does not always live up to the rest of the resort.  We have found that the furniture, flooring, bath fixtures, etc. are often nicer in the less expensive off-property resorts than in even the Deluxe Disney resort rooms.  Also, note that you can visit any Disney resort, even if you are not a guest there.  So, you can still stay off-property, but still consume some of the resort's "Disney Magic."  We have done this before, for example, taking the monorail or boat from the Magic Kingdom over to the Grand Floridian resort just to take a look around.

 

In the end, it all comes down to your budget and what is important to you.  For some, the "Disney Magic" goes a long way.  For others, it's not worth the extra cost.  Good luck with your resort purchase, and have a great trip!

[cclaser]

Thank you both for the excellent replies.  This has to be one of the harder searches that I have done.  There seems to be a million different options.  Since we are not planning on going to Disney often, you want to get the first trip right.  The convenience of staying on property seems like it might be worth it.  I have found places on Priceline, like the New Orleans French Quarter, etc for around $200.   This would allow us to take a break mid-day and use a pool with a slide.   Thank you very much for getting me started on the search.

[thereuare]

joeman provided some excellent information (thanks)

 

I'll add a few of my own comments...

Entrance to the parks is expensive (plus parking), so when we go to the parks it's an arrival early and leave late affair.  Not sure how many times during your 5 day trip you intend to go to the parks, but i would plan 'park days' and 'recuperate days' (ie- pool days at the hotel).  For example on our most recent trip to Disney for 7 days we did as follows: Arrival - Park - Park - Pool - Park - Pool - Park (before heading to the airport)

 

As indicated in my previous posts, and mentioned to by joeman as well, it ultimately comes down to budget... the Disney hotels are certainly nice, but you have to decide if it's worth the extra expense.

 

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPS and HOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.

[cclaser]

Thank you to my helpful advisors. Can you give me the name of Disney on or off property hotels that you have stayed at and been happy with?

[Romelle]

I'm sure you will get some excellent lists from your previous request, but you might also check a couple other sources.  At the very end of this site is Hotel Reviews.  It has the unique perspective of members here having gotten a bargain rate.  And then the larger public www.tripadvisor.com can often also be very helpful.

 

I think you need to have a good list of just what is important to you.  People's wants and needs can be very different.  

 

 

[thereuare]

We stayed at the Hilton Bonnet Creek and enjoyed our stay... although we were 'out and about' most of the time and probably didn't use the hotel to its fullest.

 

However, as i've already mentioned twice you should first really decide what you want from a hotel this trip and a budget, as that will largely determine your options and help narrow the field to a more manageable number to start to research and evaluate.

 

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPS and HOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.

[joeman]

On-property, you really can't go wrong as all resorts are up to Disney standards.  As I said before, they all have elaborate theming and excellent staff, and the grounds are immaculately kept.  Each resort has unique pools that go with the main theme of the resort.  I would recommend any/all of them, if they are in your budget.  If safety is a concern, note that all resorts are well-lit and have manned gated entrances. 

 

I have stayed at Pop Century and All-Start Sports, which are Disney's "Value" resorts.  Depending on the season and available discounts, you can get these rooms for as low as around $100/night.  If you consider that the per night rate includes parking at both the hotel and theme parks, and no 'resort fee,' the Value resorts can really be a bargain.  They feature 'motel-style' buildings in that they have exterior corridors, and they are both located such that you will need to take a bus or drive to all theme parks.

 

Between the two, I would give a slight edge to Pop Century for better transportation (1 central bus stop vs. up to 3 separate stops at the All-Stars).  

 

As for the "Deluxe" resorts, I have stayed at the Boardwalk Inn, Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge, and Saratoga Springs Resort.  Again, I would recommend any of these, if they are within your budget:

Boardwalk -- Walk or boat to Epcot and Hollywood Studios; lots of restaurants/activities including dancing, mini golf, biking, etc. within walking distance.

Wilderness Lodge -- A less expensive alternative to the "Monorail Resorts" (Contemporary, Polynesian, Grand Floridian -- closes access to the Magic Kingdom), but still only a 7 minute boat ride to the Magic Kingdom.

Animal Kingdom -- Closest to Animal Kingdom, but still a bus or car ride away;  Definitely spring for a "Savannah View" room to see the animals literally right outside your window.

Saratoga Springs -- Probably the "Least Disney" of the Disney Resorts -- more subdued theming;  A ways from all 4 parks, but a short walk to Downtown Disney (now called Disney Springs), and right in the middle of the Lake Buena Vista Golf Course.

 

If your budget allows for a Deluxe resort, I'd consider what you want to do at WDW, and choose the one that is closest to where you want to go.  At Disney, time is money, and the less you have to travel to get where you want to go, the better.

 

Of the off-property hotels I have stayed at, I can recommend the Buena Vista Palace.  It is a very nice 4* hotel that is right across the street from Disney Springs.  At the time, they had free transportation to/from the parks that ran every 1/2 hour or so.  They have a hefty resort fee, and I believe they also charge for parking, but I was able to pick it up on Priceline for an excellent price.  Technically, this is still on Disney-owned property, but for all intents & purposes, it can be considered off-property.

 

If you are travelling with a large group, I would recommend the Lake Buena Vista Resort Village & Spa.  They have 2- 3- & even 4- bedroom villas with a kitchen, sometimes for the price of a regular room at a similar property.

 

If you are on a budget, I would recommend the Buena Vista Suites.  It's very close to Disney (Epcot and Hollywood studios being the closest parks).  They often have very good deals, and their rooms include a free breakfast, free parking, and no resort fees (at least they did 2 years ago).

 

[cclaser]

Thank you again for all of the great input on our Disney trip.   We ended up booking our stay at the Disney Polynesian.  As luck would have it, we were able to get a good deal using American Airlines points.  The hotel was very nice for our visit.  It was great to stay at one of the resorts on the monorail.  This allowed us to easily come back to our hotel for a mid day pool break.  Disney sure has it figured out.  My wife was luke warm about the trip beforehand, and practically ready to sign up for the Disney vacation club.  That won't happen, but we look forward to going back again in a couple of years.

[thereuare]

Glad you found something that worked well for your needs and that you had a good trip.

 

Please remember to follow-up your threads with your wins/decisions as you make them (even if you don't ultimately use PRICELINE / HOTWIRE, cancel the trip, book direct, etc) as this help keep the board better organized and more useful for everyone... as well as being a courtesy to anyone who took the time to help with your travel plans.

 

Please remember to return to BetterBidding and use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPSandHOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.