Country Inn & Suites Calypso Way [Archive] - The DIS Discussion Forums

littleducksmom

12-20-2001, 09:07 PM

we( dh, me and 1 year old) stayed here the first week of december for 4 nights. excellent value for a brand new hotel. we stayed in a king suite for $54 per night. we mainly just slept and ate breakfast here. it was unfortunate that the whole time we were there, through the middle of the week, there were maybe 6-10 cars in the parking lot. we did speak with a staff member who said that on the upcoming weekend they had 60 rooms booked. the hotel was empty.

here are lists of the things we liked about this hotel.

1)brand new.....looked like no one had even stayed our room before. actually we had to request a shower curtain......:) , as there was not one hanging.
2) service very prompt and courteous
3) very nice complimentary breakfast buffet, including cold items, boiled eggs, french toast, pancakes, biscuits and gravy, yogurt, fresh fruit......if something not on the buffet, host went out of his way to get it for us.
4) excellent host at breakfast buffet. his name escapes me at the moment, but he was from st thomas. he would be cleaning up a crumb on the floor the minute it was dropped. he was very proud of his new breakfast buffet. he was great and fun to talk to!
5)very good proximity to wdw. i believe it was not more than 10 minutes to parking at the magic kingdom.

ok....there were some negatives (but none that bad to warrant not staying here)

1) construction noise waking us at 7:30 every morning. it was loud. we had requested a pool view......well that was also a construction view too........:). i would request a room on the front side of the hotel.....although there will be no great view. i would think by this coming summer that area of construction will be done. pool construction was also going on at the water park area. i would say from what i saw of it......it would appeal to kids 10 and under. it was not at all complete though.
2) the most annoying thing .......having to sit next to a poor couple who were being "treated" to breakfast by a time share salesman.......ugh!!!!! the man actually excused himself from the couple when we were leaving the breakfast area and caught us in the parking lot to bug us about timeshares.......ugh again!!!!! my husband politely told him how he felt and we were never bothered again.....oops....except for a phone call from a timeshare sales associate once. so i would say we were bugged about timeshares 2 or 3 times while there. but were never pressured to take a tour. we said no thanks a few times and were left alone. i still think it would have been nice to not to have been bothered at all though. you can definitely tell that this hotel is part of a timeshare development, unfortunately.

all in all if you can get past the minimal amount of timeshare "stuff", this hotel is an excellent bargain place to stay.
if you have any questions please ask.....thanks

deb

ncbyrne

12-28-2001, 05:31 AM

I wasn't aware that Country Inns offered time shares. I'll be sure to tell them when we check in that I am NOT interested. I'm encouraged by your post and I'm sure by May the construction will be done and the rooms will be filled. This property is very close to WDW and I'm sure will become a popular resort.

ncbyrne

12-30-2001, 03:59 PM

bump

ncbyrne

01-06-2002, 07:45 PM

saw a thread about this on another site and thought maybe we could get another response by keeping this near the top.

Disney Dreamer

01-07-2002, 12:43 PM

I will be staying at County Inn Calypso Cay next week. I got the Entertainment Rate at $39.50!! I have stayed at this chain before so I think it's a great deal. I'll post my thoughts when we return.

ncbyrne

01-07-2002, 04:05 PM

http://www.valuetrips.com/FL/ORL/CISOM/CISOM.htm
Here is the original link where I booked our reservation. Click on the super value rates in the red bar to see the discounts.

sonnyday

01-08-2002, 07:56 AM

Hi ncbyrne,
My family and I will also be staying there in May! We are busy counting the days!
:jester:

kapeppy

01-19-2002, 10:51 AM

Bumping it up again!

I have been keeping my eye on this post and want to keep it near the top. I have already made a reservation for the Comfort Suites Maingate for our trip in May but have been considering this property as well. Great rates! I would love to hear from someone else who has stayed here before I make a commitment.

littleducksmom, I see you said that it's not more than 10 minutes to the Magic Kingdom. Was it an easy drive? Was there shopping nearby? Thanks!

Kris

PennyHM

01-19-2002, 09:05 PM

I have some free nights saved up and this is one of my choices. The others are the LBV location, Radisson locations (LBV and Resort Parkway). I had posted about these but did not see a reply. Will bookmark this post and bump my original one :)

littleducksmom

01-19-2002, 09:59 PM

kapeppy,

this hotel is definitely worth the $54 we paid. i can only encourage you to stay there. granted it, there werent many people staying at the hotel when we were there, but the staff was always looking for ways to help. in a previous post i mentioned the man from st thomas who was taking care of the breakfast buffet while we were there. his name is gerry, what an excellent host. we met our maid in the hall one morning......she just wanted to chat and chat........asked several times if needed anything.....left all kinds of extra towels, toiletries for us. the staff wanted to do so much for us.....i think they needed more people there to take care of......:) . by the way tell gerry "hi" if you do stay there.

i am absolutely sure it took no more than ten minutes to any of the parks parking lots. the osceola parkway runs right beside this hotel. it does cost 50 cents each way to use it.....but when we were there in early december there was hardly any traffic on it.

535 is one stoplight away from this hotel also. we didnt go this way to disney, that i can remember, but i cant imagine it being much further this way to any of the parking lots. i am not sure which one would have more traffic on it....that could make a difference, maybe.

also 192 is not far from this hotel either, but i think it would take you a little longer this way to get to the parks.

we didnt do any shopping in the area while at this hotel......but i am sure there is shopping and restaurants on 192. that is not far at all. we ate at giordano's on 192 west and there was publix near to it. i would say this was within 10 minutes of the hotel.

if you have any more questions i'll try to help.

deb

ncbyrne

01-21-2002, 04:33 AM

bumping back up to the top

Emme

01-21-2002, 03:02 PM

I was just going to ask about this location. I just booked the suite for March 23-30 for $64. I hope it was a good choice...anyone else have a recent stay there? It sounds great! Please keep us posted!

Emmy

sonnyday

01-22-2002, 12:32 PM

Hi all! We have ressies there in May at a great price! I can hardly wait!

Disney Dreamer

01-22-2002, 12:38 PM

We just returned and I would highly recommend this hotel! Of course, it is brand new so it is very clean. We had a standard room with 2 queen beds. They have a nice wingback chair and a desk with 2 chairs also in the room. There is a microwave and a small refridgerator as well. The staff was very friendly, the continental breakfast was good and had a good selection of cereal, pastries, oatmeal, muffins, bagels, frozen waffles and french toast. The hotel was sold out the nights we were there so breakfast was quite crowded. The breakfast staff was very pleasant and friendly and kept it well stocked. The pool area is great. They have a small pool right outside the hotel with a nice patio area with tables. The waterpark style pool is in between the CI&S and AmeriSuites. (AmeriSuites also had a smaller pool). My kids, 9 & 8 had a ball at the pool. There is also a playground area and mini golf (not yet completed). They also have complimentary coffee and hot chocolate all day and cookies at night.

Littleducksmom is right about Disney, it is only about 5 minutes away. We did take SR 535 and it takes you by Downtown Disney and there are a lot of non Disney restraunts down there. There is an outlet mall on SR 535 just minutes from the hotel.

It's not the same as staying on Disney property and you won't get the "Disney" experience, but if you are looking for a great, offsite property that is VERY affordable, this is it!

littleducksmom

01-22-2002, 01:55 PM

welcome back disney dreamer.....glad to see your high recommendation for this hotel also. very much worth the price for an offsite hotel room, wasn't it?

did you get to meet gerry at the breakfast buffet? sounds like he would have been much busier than he was when we were there. that is a good thing. glad to see that the staff had guests to take care of.....they seemed like they were just itching to do have more guests at their hotel. i am glad to see things picking up there. i'll bet it was even busy enough that no timeshare salesmen were around......lucky you.....:).
did you notice any construction noise while you were there?

thanks for your report,
deb

Emme

01-23-2002, 06:22 AM

Well, I guess I am the next to go March 23-30. Disney Dreamer, how was the construction? A lot of noise? I spoke to Jason at the hotel yesterday and he said the minigolf wouldn't be done by March either...Oh well. Any other info would be great (that you can think of) Thanks!

Emmy

ncbyrne

01-23-2002, 07:12 AM

I've found two different websites for this property. One gives a description of a "water park" style pool, which influenced my decision. We will be traveling with three children (8,8,4) and a child friendly pool is very important to us. We've got reservations here for May, but I didn't realize at the time that this property was still under construction. I'll have to make SURE that the pool is open for use during our stay, or I'll have to look for different accomodations.

Ludwig Von Drake

01-23-2002, 05:31 PM

Made ressies today at this great rate. I asked if the pools were complete and the reservationist claimed they were. I request our room be near the waterpark pool! Would love more details on the pool, as it is a MAJOR deal with my kids 8 & 11. Please let me know if you here any differently!

ncbyrne - could you post the web-sites where you got the details on the pool?

This is our first stay off-site, but it must be a budget trip, and with the lack of EE - this place seems more appealing than the All Stars! Appreciate everyones reviews!

ncbyrne

01-24-2002, 01:14 PM

http://www.valuetrips.com/FL/ORL/CISOM/CISOM.htm
This was the only site I saved as I made my reservation through this website. The first paragraph describes a water park style pool.

singitalto

01-24-2002, 05:23 PM

If you look at the pictures at the Calypso Cay website you will see the pool is finished
(Plus Disney Dreamer's kids were in it and loved it) Here it is:
This website is slow loading.
http://www.calypsocay.com
Here is the page on Country Inn and Suites:
http://www.calypsocay.com/reserv/countryinnreserv/countryinnreservhome.html
Here is the pictures of the pools:
http://www.calypsocay.com/RESORT/webcamshome.html
Hope this helps!!

Emme

01-25-2002, 06:18 AM

Littleducksmom and Disney Dreamer ??
O.K. this may be a silly question but...How were the toletries (soap, shampoo...)? Was there a hairdryer? We will be there in 57 days and counting...

Thanks!!]

Emmy

littleducksmom

01-25-2002, 09:58 PM

emmy,

there is a hairdryer in the bathroom. as for toiletries...i can't remember what brands they were. but the maid gave us plenty. not as many types of toiletries that we received at the poly concierge(which of course of we more than paid for:).....but the standard hotel things....two types of soap, shampoo, etc.

hope you have a wonderful trip......let us know how your vacation goes.

deb

charlie2969

01-25-2002, 10:44 PM

I'm considering booking the king suite. Could you give me some details as to the room layout? Does the bedroom have a separate door so that it is completely private? Also, did you try the hide-a-bed? Any details would be appreciated. I currently have reservations at the new Residence Inn for $105/night. The 2BR, 2B suite sounds great, but I'm always looking to save a few bucks. Do you think there would be enough room? My husband is concerned about privacy. We have two girls, 2 and 4, and would probably set them up on the hide-a-bed.

Disney Dreamer

01-25-2002, 11:17 PM

Sorry it took me so long to reply, my link to the DIS boards was not working so I thought the boards were still down! I'll try and explain how the buildings sit on the property and hopefully it will make sense! :D Picture a block letter C. The AmeriSuites would be on top, Country Inn and Suites at the bottom and the timeshare on the side. The BACK of Amerisuites and Country Inn face each other and the pool areas are in the middle. Both hotels have a basic "hotel" pool and the waterpark is in the middle. Each hotel pool is separated from the waterpark by nice shrubry. There is one hot tub by the waterpark pool and it is closer to Country Inn. The waterpark has a zero entry at the end closest to Amerisuites and as you walk deeper into the water (about 3 ft deep) there are two big crabs made out of cement that spray water out. The waterslide is near the hot tub area. You go up about 10 steps and its an open tube slide and it had one loop. My 8 & 9 year old sons loved it and had very creative ways of coming down, including pretending to surf down, which quickly caught on with all the other kids in the pool! An accident waiting to happen! (noone got hurt). There is also water spouting out on the other side of the pool but I can't remember exactly what it did as I didn't spend any time there. Next to the hot tub area is a playground with big toy as my kids call it and that is fenced in. There is also a bar by the waterpark pool, closest to the timeshare, but it was not open yet. There are tables and chairs and plenty of lounge chairs. There is a restroom near the zero entry side of the pool and another building, probably where they will have the stuff for the mini golf course which is in between that and Amerisuites. The minigolf was not ready yet.

The only negative thought I had was that the pool area would be really crowded if all three properties were full.

As for construction noise, we didn't hear any. We stayed there 3 nights 4 days but it was a holiday weekend so maybe they took time off. It looked to me like most of the work to be done on the timeshares was inside, as the outside is almost complete.

We were never botherd at all by timeshare salesmen in fact nobody even mentioned it to us. They do have a desk in the lobby and are offering park passes to different parks for $10.00 if you want to listen to their shpeal.

Just outside the back of the Country Inn, by the pool, they have a covered area with ceiling fans and tables and chairs set up. It is right ouside the breakfast room.

They are also putting in a basketball court somewhere at Country Inn but it was not yet completed. DH (works out 4 days a week at the gym) used the workout equipment and said it was great!

They do have hairdryers and toiletries and they also have coffee makers in the room.

Oh, I almost forgot! The kidsuites are DARLING! They are painted like a pirate ship with 2 tall beds on each side with drawers under them. The TV is at the end of the beds in the middle. They said they will not discount these rooms and they are $99 per night. The kids would really love them but after the cruise and 6 days at the parks, our wallet was very thin!

Sorry this is so long, but I was really curious about this property also, that is why I went into so much detail. I think you will be very pleased.

I hope I answered everything. Please post you thoughts after you return. I'm sure I'll be lurking here!

Have a great trip.

:cool:

singitalto

01-26-2002, 11:05 AM

I presently have reservations for Country Inn and Suites kidsuites at the discounted rate of $54 through valuetrips for September- I have the confirmation letter and all.

Is the kids area a seperate room or is it partitioned off- basicly one large room??

I am so excited about this propertly, it sounds great!

Thanks for the details of the pool, we all appreciate it!!!

Disney Dreamer

01-26-2002, 11:35 AM

The kidsuites are a separate room but there isn't a door on either of the areas. That is a great rate, I tried to talk them into a discount but they said no. Your kids will love it! They had and Nintendo 64 on the tv in the kids area and you can rent games at the front desk. If you have any N64 games maybe you could take them with you.

Have fun!

autumnblue

01-26-2002, 03:41 PM

Disney Dreamer

Do you know if the $10 dollar tickets for the time share presentation include any disney parks?

Autumn

2minnies

01-26-2002, 04:08 PM

Are the regular suite rooms like a "traditional" Country Inn room where there is a door to separate the bedroom area from the living area?

Thanks,
Kathy

Emme

01-26-2002, 05:12 PM

Kathy, The man I spoke directly with at the hotel said yes, it's a king size bed in a seperate area with a door, then the sofa in the living area pulls out into a queen sleeper. I have a 13 year old ds so this is perfect for the three of us. He even gets his own T.V. ;) !
Does anyone know of any restauraunts close by? I forgot to ask that...Thanks!

Emmy

littleducksmom

01-26-2002, 09:45 PM

fyi .....the kingsuites do for sure have a door, and this room and the living room are separated by the restroom. we did not pull out the queen sleeper sofa.....since we were using a pack n play for our one year old.

autumn.....the only tickets i saw related to the time share thing were for the universal theme parks.....when i was there in december.

emmy.... there are restaurants close by...but i can't remember what. i dont believe there were any within easy walking distance. maybe disney dreamer can help out with this one too.

deb

2minnies

01-27-2002, 01:18 PM

thanks for all of the information!

ncbyrne

01-27-2002, 02:15 PM

We have two standard suites reserved for May 8-13. How many tvs are in the two room suites. I'm assuming there is one in the living room area, but wondering if there is also one in the bedroom. (I sure hope there is).

Emme

01-27-2002, 03:19 PM

Yes there are two T.V.'s according to Jason at CI&S. One in the living area and one in the bedroom. 55 days and counting!

Emmy

ncbyrne

01-27-2002, 04:19 PM

THANK YOU for that last post EMME....that's just the answer I was hoping for!

kapeppy

01-28-2002, 09:22 PM

I called Country Inn and Suites to inquire about a reservation for my trip in May and the girl I spoke to offered me a rate of $99 for two nights and that included two passes to Universal Sutdios. It sounded like a great deal so I asked if there was a timeshare presentation involved. She said that there was so I told her that I wasn't interested in that and that I would just like to book the room. Now, keep in mind I don't know who I spoke to, but she told me that from now on they are booking rooms only to those who are willing to attend the timeshare presentation. She said that since they are a new property and going to be in the "timeshare business" they need to promote their property so they are offering the discounted packages to encourage membership. I thanked her for her time and told her again that I was really just looking for a hotel to spend five nights in she said that I could book the special package (timeshare presentation included) and then pay the standard rate of $130/night for the other three nights. I couldn't believe she said $130 after I had read about the great rates everyone was getting! I haven't called back yet to see if I get the same info from someone else but I was wondering if this has happened to anyone else? In the meantime, I have booked Comfort Suites Maingate but I may try calling Country Inn back later this week.

charlie2969

01-28-2002, 09:30 PM

Hi. I also called Country Inn and Suites just to get some general information about the hotel and the setup of the suites. I inquired about the time share presentation. She said that whether or not you are expected to attend a time-share presentation depends on what agency you booked the room through. She said that if you book directly through them that no time share presentation is required. I asked her about ValuTrips, which is how I booked mine, and she said that she didn't think that a presentation was expected. I searched through the entire ValuTrips website and nowhere does it say anything about attending a time share presentation, so if I am confronted, I plan to decline. I figure that we're not going to be spending that much time in the hotel anyway. The woman I talked to was really nice. She also told me that the pools and mini golf course are fully constructed now and that the only construction going on now is in the interior of the time shares. She said plans are to finish all construction by March 1 (but she said that there were no guarantees). She also said that the Tiki pool bar should be open by mid-March. I also asked about TVs and VCRs. She said that in the suites, there are two TVs, one in the bedroom and another in the living area. There are no VCRs in the rooms but they can be requested at the front desk. (I didn't ask if there was a fee.) I'm looking forward to our trip in mid-March. I'll be sure to post a report.

Emme

01-29-2002, 06:06 AM

I too booked through ValuTrips and no timeshare presentation was ever mentioned. Maybe this woman was right, it depends on who you book it through and the "deal" you agree on.

Charlie we will be there in March too, when are you going? I am looking forward to this place I hope it turns out O.K.

Emmy

charlie2969

01-29-2002, 06:41 AM

Emmy-I'm getting excited, too. We'll be there March 10-15. Have a great trip.

susy

01-30-2002, 07:31 AM

I haven't read all four pages of this thread, but I am checking out this property for some friends I might be sending there. For those wondering about the proximity to the parks... it is very close. You are right near the All-Stars and Animal Kingdom.. As soon as we got on Osceola Parkway from the All-Stars to go home, there was Calypso Cay. It would take you two more minutes to get to any park, than it took me to get to them from the All Stars.

Ludwig Von Drake

02-02-2002, 05:28 PM

Have a ressie all set for a regular suite, but thinking that a kid suite might be better. Both my kids sleep in twins at home - would my 11 yr old 85 lb DD fit in a kid suite bunk? I'm sure they would think Nintendo in the room "heaven" - don't have it at home!

Also, is the mini fridge a cube size like Disney rentals, or an "under-counter" size like at Doubletree's?

Kay1

02-03-2002, 05:29 PM

Hi. We stayed at the Country Inn and Suites Lake Buena Vista last night, and, assuming they are uniform in their bed sizes, I can say with some certainty your child will fit in a bunk. My boys slept very comfortably in the bunk beds until early morning when my youngest found his way in our bed and I switched and took his top bunk. I slept just fine and I'm 5'10". We liked the place a lot but I don't care for those unit air conditioners that shut off and clank on all night. It did disturb my sleep.

singitalto

02-03-2002, 10:41 PM

Can anyone tell me how the kid suite is setup? Is there a main room with fridge and micro with a king bed and then off of that room is a kids bed room?????

Kay1- You were there! How is it setup? Thanks!!

Kay1

02-04-2002, 06:25 AM

Singitalto, our suite was built in one long room. The entrance area had stand that held the fridge which is about two or more times the size of the tiny Disney ones, a small microwave, and on top a coffee maker and ice bucket. The bathroom is just off that. Next was a second sink followed by an area for hanging clothes. Then was the kids' room which was the two bunks and a long counter with the television/vcr and game station. The counter also held a few drawers and there were two kid-sized chairs. Ours was decorated as a swamp and was pretty cute. That is separated by partition from the largest part of the room which held a king-sized bed, chest of drawers with a second television, an easy chair, and a table with two chairs. We usually stay at Amerisuites which I slightly prefer because I like the couch and kitchenette area, but I think they have suites designed that way as well. If you wanted to use the fridge and microwave to prepare meals it would be tricky because there is no preparation area except the top of that stand.

I'm sure we'll stay there again as the boys loved it. They also had free cookies and free games and tapes for the kids.

ncbyrne

02-06-2002, 12:15 PM

Looking forward to more positive reports about this resort before our trip in May.

Alis aka Merryweather

02-10-2002, 07:35 AM

:bounce: More info please good or bad.:bounce:

momoftwins

02-10-2002, 07:53 AM

Do they offer transportation to the parks? If so, was it adequate and do they drop you off at the parks?

Cindy B

02-11-2002, 03:19 PM

There was a reply about the "required" timeshare on this hotel on the Budget Board, the poster said they kept them 2 and a half hours instead of the requisite 90 minutes.

When I spoke to Faye Goldberg (hotel manager) she did say to me that a presentation is required if you book through them. However, if you use a broker (valutrips, etc..) that it MAY not be required, but the rate may change if you choose not to do the presentation.

AFter that conversation we decidied to go elsewhere..(although it broke my heart).

charlie2969

02-12-2002, 01:06 PM

Cindy B's post made me a bit nervous as I don't want to take time out of my vacation to attend a time-share presentation nor do I want to be surprised by an increase in my room rate if I refuse. I e-mailed ValuTrips and got the following reply which I plan to print out and take with me :-) :

"Your reservation and Value Rate booked through ValueTrips.com for
the Country Inn & Suites Orlando Maingate does not require any
timeshare presentation. While there is a timeshare resort in the
development, it is separate from the hotel and your reservation
and rate are not linked to it in any way whatsoever."

That's the confirmation that I needed. I am--once again--looking forward to my stay.

ncbyrne

02-12-2002, 01:47 PM

Thank you charlie2969! I was beginning to feel a bit apprehensive about out stay here in May. This is just the information I wanted to hear, as we booked thru Value trips too

Disney Dreamer

02-12-2002, 06:29 PM

I booked our January stay direct through the hotel on the entertainment rate and we were never bothered at all about the Timeshare. Good thing!!

cottontail

02-13-2002, 12:08 PM

Can someone help me figure out what kind of room to book. There is my hubby and I and young adult son and daughter, so a suite with a king bed and sleep sofa will not do for us, unless they have rollaways. What kind of setup should we look for. We need two beds for the adult children and a bed for hubby and I. The other question is why isn't anyone booking the amerisuites that is at that location. Just wondering.

Deb.

singitalto

02-13-2002, 12:40 PM

I booked the Country Inn and Suites kids-suite. Ijust called the hotel and asked for the rate with the valuetrips code from the website: ( VALU) I got it for the suite rate of $54 a night. I heard earlier on this post that you couldn't get the kidsuite for the discounted rate, I didn't have a problem. The kidsuite has a king bed and bunk twins, in a seperate area- also tv in each area, which was perfect for us and the kids. It also has the fridge and microwave.

cottontail

02-13-2002, 03:00 PM

Hi: Does anyone know if adults can fit into the kidssuite bunkbeds, or are they child sized.

Deb.

Disneyworldfan_In_CT

02-13-2002, 03:13 PM

I have reservations for this hotel in March and I noticed most of the replies are from people who have stayed in the "King Suite" or the "Kids Suite". I have a few questions for anyone who may have stayed in the double bed suite and any help or tips you could offer would be greatly appreciated.

does anyone know if there is there a seperate livingroom with the double bed suite or is it one room?

Is the refrigerator very small?

Are there two televisions?

Is the continental breakfast worth the stop in the morning?

This is our first trip to this particular hotel so any help anyone could offer would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so very much... Tom :)

ncbyrne

02-17-2002, 04:12 AM

bump

BKFranks

02-17-2002, 08:15 PM

I didn't know about this hotel until I read this thread. I just sent a request for a reservation through valutrips.com. We only need a room for 2 nights prior to moving to the VWL, so I really excited to find these rates with such a great looking pool area.

cottontail

02-17-2002, 08:23 PM

Can anyone tell me what is around this hotel, any shopping malls, restaurants?

Deb.

sonnyday

02-20-2002, 11:59 AM

bump...

I also would like some info about the surrounding area. We have ressies here for May 25-31.

fgoldberg

02-20-2002, 12:42 PM

Hello everyone. My name is Faye Goldberg, Director of Sales for Calypso Cay Resorts. The Country Inn and Suites does not require a timeshare tour to reserve a room. Just call the hotel directly to make your reservation or use Valuetrips.com for some great deals. Either way, no tour is necessary. There are companies that do promote a hotel stay combined with a timeshare tour, but they state that in their advertisement and these companies are not affiliated with the hotel. I am always available at the hotel to answer any additional questions anyone may have.

BKFranks

02-20-2002, 02:35 PM

I'm glad to hear this because my reservation was confirmed today through Valutrips and I have no interest in buying a timeshare.

fan1disney

02-22-2002, 02:41 PM

this hotel complex is less then 10 min from the cross roads shopping center where Goodings grocery store is and the start of the street the hotel plaze is on and downtown Disney .GREAT LOCATION also to go to Walmart in kissimmee.

LISALISA36

02-27-2002, 09:31 AM

does anyone have the direct # to country inn & suites????
thank you,
lisa

singitalto

02-27-2002, 02:06 PM

Phone number to Country Inn and Suites Calypso Cay is 407-997-1400. This is from my letter of confirmation.

cenicienta

03-17-2002, 03:20 PM

Does anyone know what Disney property Calypso Cay is nearest? Is it close to Downtown Disney?

charlie2969

03-18-2002, 07:33 AM

I just returned from a 5 night stay at this hotel. We had a fabulous time. We stayed in a King Suite. If anyone has any questions, I would be happy to answer them.

cottontail

03-18-2002, 07:43 AM

Hi:

Glad you had such a nice time.

Is there some sort of central pool area that amerisuites and country inn and suites uses, if so how was it, was there a slide?

Did you drive to seaworld from that location, if so how long a drive?

Deb.

charlie2969

03-18-2002, 09:42 AM

Country Inn and Suites has its own kidney shaped traditional pool located directly behind it. The Amerisuites has its own pool as well, which is a rectangular shaped traditional pool. A shared pool is located between the two hotels, which is really close to Country Inn's traditional pool. It is shaped like a clover leaf. One entry is zero depth entry (gradual like a beach). The other two entries have steps down to a 3 foot entry. There is a water slide in the middle which is really fun. It's not huge, but it does have a few twists and turns. The pool is nice and warm and very clean. There is a tiki bar located in the area, but it wasn't open when we were there. There is also a hot tub and a sand playground area located in the shared pool area. We did travel to Sea World when we were there. It is very easy to get to. You simply take 535 North (the road the hotel is located on) to I-4 East. Sea World is exit 27A. It took us about 10 minutes to get there. Have fun. If you have any more questions, let me know.

marymouse

03-18-2002, 10:09 AM

Did anybody use the transportation to WDW? And if so, how was it? We have one night booked at the Country Inn and the rest of our stay is booked at ASSports. IF the transportation is decent we may move whole stay to here. It sounds much nicer than All Stars. We will have a car but don't always like to drive.

Mary

charlie2969

03-18-2002, 10:19 AM

Hi. We didn't use the hotel transportation because we rented our own car. I must say that transportation to the parks was sooo easy. The signage in that area is great. From Country Inn and Suites, you simply take 535 North ( the road outside the hotel). You can only exit to the right out of the hotel, so you'll have to head up the road a bit and make a u-turn. Once you're heading north, you simply take a left on 536 and follow the signs to whatever park you want to go to. Each of the park's parking lots has shuttles to pick you up where you parked and deliver you to the entrance as well as take you back to your vehicle. good luck.

Bev J

03-18-2002, 11:00 AM

I am also interested in the transportation, we will have a rental car but are going with another couple and there may be times when we want to split up.
Also mini golf was mentioned, is this completed and can anyone from the 3 properties use it and it there a charge for it.
We had been thinking about the grovesnor or the hampton inn LBV untill I read this thread, this hotel almost sounds too good to be true and the price wow. We are planning on September 20-26. Any updated information will be appreciated.

charlie2969

03-18-2002, 11:46 AM

Hi. The mini golf course is completed and open. Anyone at either hotel can use it. However, we did not use it, so I do not know what the fee is. It is located right next to the shared pool area. Just so you know, a continental breakfast is available every morning. It is your typical breakfast--juice, coffee, cereal/milk, fruit, yogurt, sweet rolls, muffins, bagels, biscuits and gravy, toast, boiled eggs, waffles and french toast (the to-be-toasted variety), and many varieties of jelly, peanut butter, syrup, etc. There are no restaurants in the complex nor are there any within walking distance. About a half mile up the road there is a Burger King and a Taco Bell.

mar3990

03-18-2002, 12:26 PM

I tried to get on Calypso Bay's website and see what there was in the way of room set-up and their website is down. I called the number on the site and the reservationist said that for six people I would need a condo. Since they are doing maintenance on site I can't see any pictures right now and I was wondering what does she mean by condo? Are there condos there in addition to the other hotels? Has anyone stayed there and do you know what the set-up is at the condos and where are they located? Do they have their own pool or is it just the shared pool? With the hotels, condos ect. won't the shared pool area be crowded? She said the condos also included the breakfast but didn't say where it was located.

cenicienta

03-18-2002, 12:29 PM

We are sure looking forward to seeing this place, all the pictures of it look beautiful! I get turned around pretty easy in Kissimmee, does anyone know about how far to the Marketplace this is and which direction? Are the directions the same as the poster said about doing the right turn, go around the turn around, get on 526 and drive? If I know for sure which roads to take I can look at a map, LOL:D

cenicienta

03-18-2002, 01:03 PM

Condos are called Runaway Bay Luxury Apartments and they have one, two and three bedroom units I think. From what I can understand they are also brand new and very pretty but I haven't found pictures yet. If anybody finds interior pics please post the link! :) We also would love to know where the breakfast is located.

Bev J

03-18-2002, 05:56 PM

I looked aat the map in my Rita Aeros guide to Disney and this hotel is in a spot that makes it easy to get to the parks and the market place with a minimum of twists and turns. Also if you take the greenway from the airport it looks to be less than a 5 min drive from where you exit the greenway, easy to get to. I think we will book this hotel and plan on having a great time and a fantastic price.

Emme

03-19-2002, 03:04 PM

Charlie,
So glad you had a great time...can you tell me a bit about the suite, we have the same one booked. Also, how long was driving time to the parks? How was housekeeping, did the hotel have a "Disney" feel to it at all? Sorry so many questions :). Any info would be helpful! Thanks!

Emmy:D

charlie2969

03-19-2002, 03:24 PM

Emmy-King suite was great. When you first walk into the room, you enter the living area. There is an armoire unit to the right which holds a good size TV and a game controller of some kind. There are three drawers below the TV. Also to the right is a large sofa with a pullout queen sleeper, a side table, and a nice wingback chair. To the left is a small table with two chairs. Our two young daughters slept on the pullout couch and really enjoyed having their own space and TV. As you move straight ahead, to the right is a recessed shelf area with a small refrigerator and a microwave. There are also a few drawers and cupboards. To the right is the bathroom--average size with a tub/shower, hair dryer, coffee maker, and toiletries. Straight ahead is the King room. There is a door that closes it off from the living area. To the left of the door is a very small closet area for hanging clothes. There is also an ironing board and iron. The bed is very nice and was very comfy. There is a large TV in this room as well and a desk. Cable TV includes HBO, the Disney channel, Nickelodeon, and The Cartoon Network, so our girls were happy. There are phones in both the living area and king room. Local calls were free. Housekeeping was great. We left the room early in the morning, and when we came back around 2 p.m. each day for our park break, the room was clean. The parks are very easy to get to. I would say it took about 15 to 20 minutes to get to the parks. Traffic was never a problem. Although the hotel is very nice, there is no Disney feel to it whatsoever. But, that was fine for us because after spending all day in the Disney parks, all we cared about was relaxing beside a nice pool. If you have any more questions, just ask.

cenicienta

03-19-2002, 08:07 PM

Did it have a "vacation" feel to it? Was it all tropical looking and pretty?

crusoe2

03-19-2002, 10:48 PM

I've been trying to look at the pictures and info on the calypso cay website but I keep getting a pop-up box that asks for a network user name and password. The home page will open for me but I can't look at much else. Does anyone know how I can get around this so I can see the rest of the site? TIA:)

Bev J

03-20-2002, 10:21 AM

I have been having the same problem with this site, I too would like to know how to get beyond the password so I can see this property. I am going to make a reservation anyway, based on all the good reviews I have read on this thread.

ncbyrne

03-20-2002, 12:30 PM

http://www.iwanttovacation.com/ (http://) This site is actually for the Amerisuites, but it has an aerial photo of the entire property at the top of the page, that includes the Calypso Cay Country Inn and Suits.

banjo

03-21-2002, 04:43 AM

i have booked the clarion universal for aug 22nd for myself dh and my12yr old and his 13yr old friend do you think the kid suite here would be a better idea than 1 roon at the clarion as the thing that swayed me towards the clarion was the nintendo and tennis courts any replys appreciated
thanks margaret.

cenicienta

03-22-2002, 05:09 PM

I'm pretty sure they told me this resort has an indoor basketball court and a movie place as well as free transportation to all the major parks. For me the big thing is the whole property is new! The people who work there seem totally proud of it from the posts here and that attitude lends a lot to the general air of a resort. I know nothing whatsoever about the other place you mentioned. Good luck with your decision. Call the toll free number here and ask what all they have for the boys???:sunny: :sunny:

banjo

03-23-2002, 04:52 AM

thanks for your reply i checked out their web site and it looks really nice so i think i will give it a try
thanks again.:wave:

ncbyrne

03-25-2002, 06:41 AM

Anyone have a web address that they can get into? For some reason it's not accessible anymore.

LISALISA36

03-25-2002, 07:50 AM

http://www.countryinns.com/CHI/Reservations/HotelSearchRes.jsp

cenicienta

03-25-2002, 07:56 AM

I can go to www.calypsocay.com but it's not updated.

ncbyrne

03-25-2002, 08:23 AM

Thanks...
LisaLisa36 - I couldn't find the Kissimmee location using that link.

Ccenicenta - thanks! The webcam photo is live and updated and it shows a wonderful view of the courtyard and the pool! I'm REALLY looking forward to our stay here in May?

Anyone else staying here May 8-13?

LISALISA36

03-25-2002, 08:25 AM

if you put in orlando: 3 different sites come up.....
i believe you want the calypso cay one.
i hope it works.

fgoldberg

03-27-2002, 05:08 PM

Hello, my name is Faye Goldberg, Director of Sales for AmeriSuites Lake Buena Vista South and Country Inn and Suites Orlando Maingate at Calypso Cay. If you'd like to view the websites try these www.amerisuitesorlando.com and www.countryinnandsuitesorlando.com
I'd be happy to answer any specific questions anyone has on the resort.

cenicienta

03-27-2002, 05:18 PM

Faye, wow it must be wonderful to work somewhere so beautiful. Are there any interior pictures of the Runaway Bay units? If not, could you describe the decor for us?

FUNROVER

03-27-2002, 05:35 PM

Faye - I have called the hotel twice for reservation information and have received 2 very different rates. Is there someone I should ask for specifically?

cenicienta

03-28-2002, 07:18 AM

bump (hoping Fgoldberg will see this):)

fgoldberg

03-28-2002, 09:47 AM

I am going to try to find some pictures for you. All I have in my office are floor plans. I can mail a brochure to you if you'd like. Just email me at fgoldberg-calypsocay@cfl.rr.com with your mailing address. If anyone has photos i'll still let you know.

fgoldberg

03-28-2002, 09:48 AM

By the way, it is a wonderful resort to work at and I am definitely very happy to be here. :)
Faye

lmichar

03-28-2002, 10:17 AM

fgoldberg-

What is the cost of the minature golf course?

Thanks - looking forward to our visit in april.

Kevenswife2

03-28-2002, 10:32 AM

I'm not Faye, but I just read that the minature golf is "complimentary". My 3 year old will love it! We're staying at Country Inn and Suites Maingate April 28-May 4. I e-mailed Faye yesterday about shuttle schedules for my vacation times and she said that she'd mail them to me as soon as they come out. Should be very soon. I know some of you were curious about the shuttle service. I'll let you know what I find out. :wave:

ncbyrne

03-28-2002, 08:07 PM

Please be sure to let us know the hours that the shuttle runs to Disney. My stay if from May 8-13.

Kevenswife2

03-29-2002, 09:49 AM

Faye did tell me that the schedule changes every month...that's why I have to wait till the end of March for April's. I won't be able to get May's until I'm down there, but I'll post it as soon as I get back. That should be late May 5 or May 6. Close to the time you're leaving, but if you're driving it will give you at least two whole days to think about it! I know because we always drive down from OHIO. :sunny:

fgoldberg

03-29-2002, 10:11 AM

Yes, the miniature golf is complimentary.

Blanca Nieves

03-30-2002, 12:09 PM

I appologize if this has been address already but does anyone know how late your family can swim here? With the parks closing earlier it might be nice to come back and swim.

LADYnTRAMP

04-01-2002, 09:22 AM

Just thought I'd pass this along. If you are a AAA member and would like to stay at the Amerisuites Calypso Cay Way they have great rates with their "Freedom To Travel" specials. We will be there for 6 nights the end of May and can't wait! Stayed their 1 night last Sept. and it's very nice (and the waterpark pool wasn't even open yet!). Have a blast everyone!!!

AmeriSuites of Florida/Orlando Lake Buena Vista

AAA Diamond Rating:

4991 Calypso Cay Way

Kissimmee, FL 34746

(407) 997-1300

For reservations, contact your local AAA Auto Club South office
Top Introduction_&_Dates: Rates Additional_Charges General_Information Pictures_&_Video

Introduction & Dates:

Introduction:

This property is listed in the 2002 Tourbook as AmeriSuites at Calypso Cay on page 638. The new AmeriSuites Lake Buena Vista South is located in the exciting new Calypso Cay Resort Complex just 3 miles from Disney. Our 151 suites have two double beds or one king size bed plus a sleeper sofa. Each suite is equipped with microwave, mini-refrigerator, coffee maker, iron and ironing board and hair dryer. Enjoy a complimentary deluxe continental breakfast buffet daily, heated swimming pool, 18-hole mini-golf and fitness center.

Dates:

1/02/2002 - 12/31/2002

Top Introduction_&_Dates: Rates Additional_Charges General_Information Pictures_&_Video

Rates: (Subject to Change)

FREEDOM TO TRAVEL SPECIAL OFFER 1/10/2002 - 12/20/2002 Rates are per night, plus tax for 1-4 adults or 2 adults and 4 children per room.

2/14/2002 - 4/13/2002 , Per Night Price is $74.00

4/14/2002 - 6/8/2002 , Per Night Price is $54.00

6/9/2002 - 8/17/2002 , Per Night Price is $74.00

8/18/2002 - 12/20/2002 , Per Night Price is $54.00

Per Night Information 12/21/2002 - 12/31/2002 Rates are per night, plus tax for 1-4 adults or 2 adults and 4 children per room.

12/21/2002 - 12/31/2002 , Per Night Price is $79.00

:D

LADYnTRAMP

04-01-2002, 09:24 AM

The above may only be for AAA South members.....Good Luck everyone!

reeddi

04-05-2002, 12:28 PM

just bumping up to find out what the shuttle schedule is for April.
Did Faye get it to you - Kevinwife2?

Kevenswife2

04-05-2002, 03:44 PM

No, and I'm patiently waiting. I thought about e-mailing her, but we don't leave for another 21 days and I don't want to seem like a nag. I'm sure she is busy. I'm starting to wonder if she lost my address AGAIN. She had to send me a personal letter through these boards asking me for my address once already. I'll let it go another week and then I'll e-mail her again.

Question: Anyone know if there is a guest laundry facility? I haven't seen anything about it but I would think there would be something....especially since they are turning it into a resort area.

:bounce: This is how my 3 year old daughter goes through her day...bouncing from one thing to an other

fgoldberg

04-05-2002, 04:34 PM

The shuttle schedule is only available for one week at a time. I haven't forgotten but I won't have it until closer to your travel dates. I'll send it to you as soon as I get one.
Faye

fgoldberg

04-05-2002, 04:35 PM

The shuttle schedule is only available for one week at a time. I haven't forgotten but I won't have it until closer to your travel dates. I'll send it to you as soon as I get one. In answer to your last question, yes, we do have a guest laundry facility.
Faye

cenicienta

04-05-2002, 04:47 PM

Faye, could you post the current shuttle schedule so that we get an idea of how it runs? According to the "unofficial" hours we are seeing for May it shoud be similar, maybe? It would just be interesting to see a sample shuttle schedule.

Also, can you tell us how late you can swim there? With parks closing earlier it would be fun to come back and swim.

Kevenswife2

04-05-2002, 08:38 PM

Thanks Faye. We don't mean to keep nagging, we're just curious about your Inn. There are so many choices and price ranges that it is hard to be sure that you picked the "right place" unless you know EVERYTHING. You're willing to share info about your place...that's more than I can say about some of the others. I've read many threads about other hotels BUT I have NEVER seen anyone associated with the place post any answers. Keep up the good work and keep us informed!

Also, we're all curious about the shuttle schedules. I know I've heard of hotels advertising shuttle service and then you find out there is only ONE VERY PACKED shuttle going in the morning and the same thing at night. That's why we all keep asking for some info on the service. I'm sure you'll let us know more.

Laundry service on site sounds great! I've stayed at some places that didn't have this convience! Bad choice!

Lynnette-Kevenswife2

Gagebre

04-06-2002, 11:56 AM

I called the hotel directly about the shuttle and they said they have 3 in the morning and 4 or 5 in the evening starting around 5pm. I have not been able to find an offsite hotel that has any early afternoon shuttles. This would really be a selling point for me! I have a one year old and would like to take a midday break.

cenicienta

04-06-2002, 12:24 PM

Thanks Gagebre so much for that infomation. I'm so happy to see that they have several daily.

mar3990

04-06-2002, 02:07 PM

I read several posts asking if the pool was open late. I did not see anyone answer. Did anyone ever get this info? We too like to swim late in the evening after the parks.

momoftwins

04-06-2002, 02:48 PM

I was curious on the times for the shuttles. I also have 5 yr old twins that like breaks midday. Did the hotel give you any idea on the times of the shuttles (both day and evening??).

I'm also wondering if, for example, they would be packed say after the Spectromagic parades. We also have two strollers to drag with us.

Thanks so much.

fgoldberg

04-08-2002, 08:42 AM

The shuttle times change periodically, however, if it helps - here is the current schedule for today April 8, 2002.

Shuttle Departs hotel for Walt Disney World
8:40 AM
10:40 AM

Shuttle departs Walt Disney World for Hotel
7:15 PM
9:30 PM

Shuttle Departs hotel for Universal Orlando, Sea Word, Wet 'N Wild
8:05 AM
10:15 AM
7:00 PM Universal Orlando ONLY

Shuttle Departs Universal Orlando for Hotel
4:10 PM
6:10 PM
8:00 PM

Shuttle Departs Sea World for Hotel
4:20 PM
6:25 PM
8:15 PM

Shuttle Departs Wet 'N Wild for Hotel
4:05 PM

Shuttle Departs City Walk at Universal Orlando
9:30 PM
11:30 PM
12:45 AM
2:00 AM

Keep in mind these schedules are subject to change - these times only reflect the schedule that is posted today for today. Hopefully, this will help give everyone an idea of the frequency.

By the way, the pools at the hotel are open until 11pm daily.

Faye

cenicienta

04-08-2002, 09:08 AM

Faye, thanks soooooooooooo much! Those times look real flexible and managable. I am thrilled. Will you read the thread on here called offsite shuttles and tell us if you use the one that sounds nicest? We know you are very busy and appreciate all your help. With the thousands of views, you can see your resort is a true interest to us!

Gagebre

04-08-2002, 10:26 AM

After posting the times for the shuttles I realized I had called the Country Inn & Suites at LBV. Sorry! I then called the Calypso Cay location and was about to enter the times but see that Faye had already posted the schedule. Thanks Faye. I only wish there was something returning early afternoon.

ncbyrne

04-09-2002, 03:57 PM

We will be at this Country Inn and Suites from May 8-13. Flight arrives at MCO at 9:30 a.m. and departs 4:30 p.m. What time is check-in/out and is there a place to change clothes to use the pool before and after check in time on our arrival and departure days?

cenicienta

04-09-2002, 06:08 PM

I think they're building a changing and bathroom area. The web site is going through "growth" and the pics aren't working but the descriptions below the red X says changing area at calypsocay.com

sonnyday

04-10-2002, 09:02 AM

HI,
Does anyone know what time they have the breakfast at County Inns and Suites?

Gagebre

04-10-2002, 10:19 AM

Does anyone know if there are sandwiches or snacks available anywhere in the complex? Maybe at the Tiki Bar? I would think with a place this big they would have some sort of food available.

Kevenswife2

04-10-2002, 02:15 PM

I was just looking at the Calypso Cay website and there was a picture of "a snack cabana next to a waterfall". Don't know what they have as the picture didn't come through...only the words.

singitalto

04-10-2002, 09:06 PM

Since this thread is becoming the FAQ's of Country inn and Suites Calypso Cay, I would like to see if any one knows if the busses are handcap accessable? My DH will be in a scooter because of bad knees. We are planning on driving to the parks because of the scooter,but honestly, if we don't have to put the scooter in and out of the car, it would be great.

crusoe2

04-12-2002, 07:53 PM

Does anyone know for sure if the 1 bedroom suite has a game system in the living room? I think I read something about that somewhere along the way. My DS is all set to stay at HIFS but the 1 br. at CI&S is much less expensive - I'd sure like to convince him that he will like it as well. Also, we are wondering how comfy the sleeper sofa will be. Our DS is a big (and I do mean BIG) 10 year old so I want to be sure the mattress on the sleeper sofa will be thick enough for him to be comfortable. TIA.:)

BKFranks

04-12-2002, 10:30 PM

I'm not sure about the king suites, but we're going to be staying in the kidsuite, 1 king bed, 2 twin beds in a separate area w/game system. It is $69.00 through valutrips.

fgoldberg

04-19-2002, 05:03 PM

Hello everyone!
I've been traveling so I haven't been able to check the DIS Boards. I am back and here are the answers to some of your questions.

The Tiki Bar at the pool is due to open in about one month and it will have alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks along with some food items like hotdogs, hamburgers, ice cream, etc.

As for the question about the scooter - does it fold?? The bus is a large bus - like a city bus. If it folds they may be able to do it. If not let me know and I can check on what options are available for you. You can email me at fgoldberg-calypsocay@cfl.rr.com

There is a changing area at the pool and breakfast is served at the AmeriSuites and the Country Inn beginning at 7 AM.

Let me know if there are any additional questions (or if i've missed answering any )

Faye

sharbear

04-21-2002, 12:58 PM

Bumping this up

FUNROVER

04-22-2002, 07:38 AM

Does anyone know whether the in-room coffee maker is regular size or a 4-cup pot? Will probably be stopping at the store for supplies before we get to the room and need to know what size filters etc. to buy. Thanks in advance.

fgoldberg

04-22-2002, 09:44 AM

The coffee makers are 4 cup pots and they come with the coffee packets for you to use so you don't even need to purchase them.

Faye
Director of Sales/ AmeriSuites - Country Inn and Suites at Calypso Cay
fgoldberg-calypsocay@cfl.rr.com

ncbyrne

04-25-2002, 03:13 PM

What time is check in? Our flight arrives at 11, figure by the time we stop and have lunch and drive out there it should be about 1 or so. Are the rooms ever ready that early. And btw, when is check out?

reeddi

04-27-2002, 09:30 AM

We stayed here in a king suite from Sunday April 21 to Friday April 26.

First some bad...
There is no closet in the king suite.
There was no blanket for the fold out bed. Had to ask.
There was a towel on the floor (we spilled some coke) the maid service didn't pick it up till my husband said something.

Now the good...
The breakfast is good. You can toast waffles, bread and bagels. They have frest fruit, cereal, donuts, and boiled eggs.
The room was nice but a little small.
The pool was perfect for my daughters. ( 6 & 1 )
They had a guy playing music by the pool in the morning very good.

Over all a good place and we might stay here again.

Gagebre

04-27-2002, 03:07 PM

We stayed at the new CI&S near Universal a few months ago and I thought the room was very small. We also had a king suite. The bedroom door and the bathroom door kept hitting when we opened one or the other. Since it was new it was very clean but basic.

Cyndirella

04-27-2002, 08:12 PM

and overall enjoyed it. We were in a king suite and I thought it was a bit small for my family of 4, but since we were hardly there it wasn't that much of an issue.

The only complaints I have are:

The water pressure in the shower was terrible. I had to stay in there 10 minutes longer than usual to get all of the conditioner out of my hair.

There was not ample closet/drawer space for all of our clothes (and I packed light). There is a very small hanging area just outside of the bathroom (I think it had maybe 5 or 6 hangers...not room for any more). The king bedroom had a small 3-drawer chest. The TV hutch in the sofa area also had 3 small drawers.

And, although this is somewhat beyond the hotel's control - our room faced the pool and the noise level was pretty loud up until 11 p.m. (when it closed). So if you have to have peace & quiet in order to go to sleep (like me) you may want to request a room on the
parking lot side. I can say the hotel security did strictly enforce the 11 p.m. rule - one night there were a lot of teenagers in the pool and at 11:10 I looked out the window to see the security guard making them leave.

On the positive side, the room was clean, breakfast was good, and it was in close proximity to the parks. My daughters loved the pool but I would agree with an earlier post that it would probably be very crowded if all rooms were booked (CI&S, AmeriSuites, and condos).

I would stay here again and thought it was a great deal for $59/nt.

ncbyrne

05-05-2002, 04:17 AM

We'll be arriving several hours before check-in time and plan to hang out by the pool. Are there towels available pool side, or should I pack some in our luggage? Our trip is May 8-13

Carrickdisfan

05-05-2002, 05:57 AM

Hi from a sunny Sunday morning in Belfast, Northern Ireland,

We are going to Orlando on 22nd June (our 7th time) and as we are timeshare owners we book our accomodation through exchange with Interval International. We have our first week arranged at Fairfield Orlando at Star Island however our second week beginning on 29th June is yet to be sorted. I am very particular about which resort we stay at as I find several in Orlando are now quite old and as it costs us so much money for flights etc we like to make sure we are not disappointed by our resort.

I notice from the latest edition of Interval International's directory that this Amerisuite resort is now included. I was wondering if anyone has actually exchanged into the timeshare part or could anyone give me some info on it. Obviously we are not intending to take a timeshare presentation and are not obliged to do so. Perhaps Faye could help me with this. We like to see floor plans etc before we confirm an exchange and prefer a 2/3 bedroom unit.

I think we noticed Calypso Cay last year on the 535 and the only thought which I had at the time was it seemed to be sitting on its own with not a lot beside it. However if the facilities are all included (pool etc) this is not a problem.

I look forward to hearing from you. Many thanks.

Carrickdisfan

simonmunro

05-05-2002, 08:52 AM

Carrick, I think if you go to the actual calypsocay site there are pictures of the units and floor plans. They are in the (I think) construction update or construction new area of the site. They are beautiful in the pics. I know because I called there a couple months ago thinking you could book these for a vacation. I was told they have apartments- runaway bay or two hotels on property for "regular" vacationers and that the time shares were only for y'all time share folks. Do they say y'all in Ireland???:D

Carrickdisfan

05-05-2002, 09:56 AM

Hi Simon,

Thanks for your reply. I must look up the website and have a nosy at the rooms.

We only say y'all when we have just come back from the States - usually for about a couple of days we are talking about the footpath being the sidewalk, the bathroom being the restroom, chips being french fries, crisps being chips, definitely being for sure and of course saying to people 'have a nice day' and then they look strangely at you as if you are not wise.

The equivalent to y'all could be yous or yousins. In different parts of Northern Ireland there are different dialects - I suppose just like the different states in the good old USA.

Another one of your sayings - see you real soon or as we would say see you later.

Cyndirella

05-05-2002, 06:11 PM

ncbyrne -

There are towels poolside but they were gone as quickly as the bin was filled. They did refill them throughout the day - you'll need to
keep an eye on the bin and get them as soon as they're put in there. (this was by the common pool - don't think there were any by
the CI&S pool).

Hope this helps! Have a great time! I'm jealous because I'm ready to go back!

Kevenswife2

05-06-2002, 09:54 AM

I just got back from Country Inn and Suites at Calypso Cay and wanted to tell you my experience. First, let me say that the place is nice and clean. I stayed in a KING SUITE and found, like a previous writer, that my bathroom door and bedroom door kept getting "caught up" on each other. You can't have the bathroom door partially open since it opens out, it either has to be open all the way or closed to not be in your way. The common area pool "waterpark" was small but my three year old had fun. There's zero entry, spraying crabs, and three fountains, but from pictures I expected more. Like someone previously said, if all the rooms were full, it would be packed! Each hotel has their own pool BUT, ours was closed 5 of the 6 days we were there. The Tiki Bar isn't open yet and the loud music they played on the speaker was nice BUT it kept cutting out in the middle of the songs. I feel that security in the parking lot is a big issue as only one-third of the lights work and there were some VERY DARK areas.

Shuttle Schedules: STINK! Only one shuttle was going over to the Magic Kingdom and one back. The day we were there the shuttle was to come back at 7:30pm which would have been fine the rest of the week, BUT this day the park was closing at 9:30! If we had used the shuttle we would have missed the Spectromagic parade and the fireworks!! The shuttle to Magic Kingdom stays the same ALL week not taking into account that the park changes it's hours...sometimes daily. All other shuttles you have to catch at AmeriSuites. One driver in paticular was very nice and professional...the other was down-right rude to a couple from China. He was yelling at them to GET ON THE BUS, I DONT HAVE ALL DAY and, I HAVE A SCHEDULE TO KEEP! No wonder some other countries think we're rude. This "large " man wouldn't even get off the bus to open the door and get out our stroller. This was my first time with a shuttle that it was "self serve" and then he has the gull to stick out a GRATUITY can! The schudule was a little better for the other parks. BUT the shuttle stops at other hotels and it took us 1:10 (one hour and ten minutes) to go the 8 miles to Universal. This hotel is stop number 2 out of 7.....they don't tell you that in the brochures.

Laundry Service: On a previous reply I had asked about a guest laundry. Faye Goldburg had said that there was one. This, right here, IS THE REASON I'LL NEVER STAY HERE AGAIN!! The director of sales had told me that there was a guest laundry so I packed fairly light. I knew I would have to do laundry during the week...AFTER spending a day at the park. I got back after a long, hot day at IOA. It's 9:00 and I'm tired but I need to do laundry so that my family will have clothes to wear the next day. Laundry rooms are on floors 6 & 4. I was on 7 so I went down to 6 and opened the door....there's a laundry room BUT NO WASHER OR DRYER! Okay, I roll with the punches so I go down to the 4th floor. Open the door and guess what...NO WASHER AND DRYER!! I'm now slightly pissed. I go to the front desk and they tell me to go over to AmeriSuites! That's almost a football fields length away, carring my dirty laundry! When I get over there there is already a line THREE PEOPLE DEEP! Mind you, it's now 9:30 at night. AND....THERE'S ONLY TWO WASHERS AND TWO DRYERS!! Two each for over 300 rooms. Now I'm really angry BECAUSE FAYE HAD TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A GUEST LAUNDRY! You would think the Director of Sales could be a little more honest. A gentleman at the front desk of AmeriSuites said that they have many guests from County Inn complain to them about this very thing. He told me of a laundromat in Kissimmee....but it was closed at 9:30. I had to wash some clothes in the tub for the next day...we had a reservation on the Shuttle Express to Busch Gardens which I couldn't cancel, and then take a whole day off to go to Kissimmee and wash my laundry. The gentleman at the front desk of CI&S said that they used to have washer and dryers but when the building was built they forgot to install outside vents for the dryers and the rooms kept heating up. He never apoligised for our inconvience.

So, if you want to catch a shuttle to anywhere but Magic Kingdom you have to go to AmeriSuites. If you need an ATM, it's at Amerisuites. If you want to swim in a pool that's not full of kids, it's at Amerisuites. If you want to do laundry, it's at Amerisuites. If your child likes kid type cereals, they're at Amerisuites. Want free popcorn...it's at Amerisuites. If you want a parking lot that has it's lights working, go to Amerisuites. If you want to avoid all the timeshare salesmen at breakfast, go to AmeriSuites. And, if you want to see the fireworks and Spectromagic parade drive yourself OR stay somewhere else like Holiday Inn Maingate East which has direct shuttles and changes it's schedules to accomadate the parks hours.

My advice...go to AmeriSuites or better yet, with all the other properties and great deals, stay somewhere else. I'm not picky about my hotels, but I didn't like these surprises. All I need is a clean room which I feel secure in, and the shuttle service and the guest laundry were two of the reasons I chose this place...and they didn't meet my expectations. :(

LISALISA36

05-06-2002, 10:42 AM

WOW,,,, THANKS FOR ALL THE INFO!
THIS WAS THE HOTEL I HAVE CHOSE FOR OUR MAY 2003 TRIP.
BUT NOW I'M THINKING HOLIDAY INN FAMILY SUITES AGAIN.
HOW WAS THE WATER SLIDE? IS IT AT AMERI-SUITES ALSO?
THANKS ,
LISA

Kevenswife2

05-06-2002, 11:04 AM

The waterslide was fun but it was small. One loop around was it. I had seen the artists rendering of the proposed "waterpark" and had expected an island with palm trees and for the whole complex to be larger. There was no island and the complex was compacted together more than I expected. The waterpark is in between AmeriSuites and CI&S. It was fun but got very crowded when everyone came back from the parks. If you are talking about Holiday Inn Maingate East, I stayed there in 2000. I really liked their shuttle service to the Disney parks. Straight over and back. No stops at other hotels. And there was several shuttles going both ways, not just one in the morning and one at night. Oh, and you got to stay for the fireworks and late parade. I actually told my husband that we should have stayed there this time but all the praise on these threads and the shuttle service to ALL the parks and shopping changed my decision. You just never know until you get there. Faye had made it look like there was a couple of shuttles coming and going to Disney, but I found that that was not the case. Any more questions, just ask. Lynnette, Ohio too! (I'm near Mt. Vernon, where are you?)

LISALISA36

05-06-2002, 11:06 AM

BROOKVILLE OHIO CLOSE TO DAYTON

Kevenswife2

05-06-2002, 11:19 AM

I've never heard of Brookville, but I have been to the Air Force Museum in Dayton several times. Are you planning on flying or driving? We've always driven (17 hours, breaks included) but decided after this trip that we will fly the next time. I hate the traffic around Jacksonville, FL! Scares the c**p out of me every time.

sonnyday

05-06-2002, 11:26 AM

:confused: I hate to hear of the problems you had. I have ressies there for the end of May and know it will be hard to get another hotel for the price I am paying, plus it is a holiday weekend. Anyone have any suggestions?:confused: Life is like a box of chocolates, If you are not careful you will get it all over you!

LISALISA36

05-06-2002, 12:41 PM

BROOKVILLE IS ABOUT 45 MINUTES FROM THE AIR FORCE MUS..
WE ARE DRIVING .... DONT KNOW IF I'M READY TO FLY YET.
I AM PRETTY NEW TO FLYING ANYWAY.
I AM DREADING THE DRIVE THOUGH.
WE ARE PLANNING ON DRIVING TO THE SOUTH SIDE OF ATLANTA THE FIRST DAY.
AND THEN ON TO ORLANDO THE NEXT. YUK!
I JUST ASKED THE HUBBY LAST NIGHT( YOU SURE YOU DONT WANT TO FLY?)
HE SAYS DRIVE!!!!
O.KKKKK

Kevenswife2

05-06-2002, 01:30 PM

Sonnyday, don't get me wrong. It is a very nice place. Our room was comfortable and clean. Everyone was friendly and helpful. If I had planned on driving to all the parks and had not planned on doing laundry I would have been quite happy here. I just feel like Faye deceived me when she told me that there WAS a guest laundry. Two washers and dryers in the other hotel for over 300 rooms!?! Not a very good ratio. I got a very good price of $54 and was very happy with that.

LisaLisa, I know you probably go a different way down. I've only gone that way once...29 years ago! Any horrible cities to go through? I would fly in a heart beat if I had the extra money! Hope you have a safe trip when you do finally go.

FYI: ALL the parks are checking all bags, backpacks, hippacks, etc. Disney is doing the most thorough job. Condense everything as much as possible. We started the week out with several hippacks, a backpack, and a camera bag. By the end of the week we were down to a hippack and the backpack because we had to open EVERY ZIPPERED COMPARTMENT so that they could look through. If you want to save time...condense! ;)

kotagg

05-06-2002, 02:02 PM

Are there really timeshare salesmen at the breakfast at CI&S? If so, I am really starting to regret my decision to book here rather than HIFS. I have no interest in any timeshare pitches.

lmichar

05-06-2002, 06:33 PM

We were at the hotel last week also. Had the King Suite - pull out couch was comfy. I laid down with my daughter one afternoon. Not the usual bar in the back like most pull-outs.
I noticed the noise from the pool in the evening but never in the morning on our sleep in days.

We saw several time share pitches at breakfast. No one ever approached us about one though. If your kids like cereal - I would bring my own and use the milk. They only had raisen bran while we were there for a week. It got old quick.

The lack of the laundry room also caught me off guard. I had to go to Amerisuites.

We had a rental car so we didn't have to rely on buses. It was very easy to get to the parks.

Kevenswife2

05-06-2002, 07:12 PM

If your kids like Fruit Loops or Frosted Flakes they're at AmeriSuites. I saw at least six timeshare salesmen every morning. One in particular kept telling her "clients" ,"victims", whatever you want to call them, that a group of six could go to Disney, each get a fastpass for a different ride, and then go as a group to the first ride. When the cast member asks for passes for everyone in the group, act dumb and say that you didn't know that everyone had to have one. The cast member will just wave you on through. Then you can ride six popular rides one-after-another. Every morning she would tell her "people" this. Personally, I don't think Disney would just wave you on through. They seem pretty strict about everyone having a pass. I just got tired of hearing her trying to deceive people every morning. No salesmen ever approached my family. They seem to have their "targets" all lined up each morning.

I too layed down with my daughter on the fold out sofa and found it to be comfy. Wished I had a comforter though. Seemed like the front room was colder than the bedroom.

We had our own car, but I had found that I liked to leave the driving to someone else after a long, hot day at the parks. I was suprised when we went to Downtown Disney. It was basically a straight shot.

Did you see the gas grills near the pool that were roped off? Are they going to have a snack bar there or something? Surely those weren't for guest use. :confused:

BKFranks

05-06-2002, 08:34 PM

My family is staying at the Country Inn and Suites for 2 nights this weekend. I'm a little bit disappointed in hearing the above posts.

Fortunately, we won't need a washer and dryer while we're there. However, I will be upset if the pool is not open. My brother and wife are coming with us and may want some quiet pool time.

My question is, if you stay at the Country Inn and Suites can you go to the Amerisuites for breakfast? The selection sounds better over there for kids.

Cyndirella

05-06-2002, 08:59 PM

I too was under the impression there were laundry facilities at the CI&S for our stay two weeks ago. When I found out I would have to go to Amerisuites I decided I really didn't want to have to haul our laundry over there and wait on it. I found a coin laundry with wash and fold service, took the entire laundry basket to them in the morning, and had clean, folded clothes in the afternoon. It was a little pricey (about $20) but well worth it! I was able to spend the day by the pool instead of in a laundromat!

Can't remember the name of the laundromat but it was near the WalMart. We found it in one of those coupon books that
are everywhere.

A word of caution...each day there were about 3 or 4 pizza delivery restaraunt menus pushed under our door...we ordered from 2 of them and they were both terrible! If you want pizza stick with a well known chain like Domino's or Pizza Hut!!

BKFranks - I heard one of the CI&S employees tell a guest to go to Amerisuites for breakfast...the CI&S buffet closes at 9:30 and Amerisuites is apparently open a little later....so I don't think it would be a problem. We never had to show a room key or anything.

fgoldberg

05-07-2002, 08:07 AM

Kevinswife2,

My apologies if our hotel did not meet your expectations. We really try to be as informative as possible.

The shuttle schedule is actually posted on here so there should not be any surprises as far as that goes, however, as you said the Universal, Sea World, Wet 'N Wild, and Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores pick up point is at the AmeriSuites. I guess the goal of the resort is to provide as many features as possible but not to necessarily provide the same features at each property. For instance the Country Inn breakfast opens earlier than the AmeriSuites Breakfast but the AmeriSuites Breakfast stays open later. There are fitness rooms at both hotels but the Country Inn Fitness room is more extensive. There is a game room available at the Country Inn but not at the AmeriSuites. The benefit to staying at Calypso Cay Resorts is to enjoy the amenities of the entire resort as well as those at the specific hotel you choose.

The Laundry facilities at the Country Inn are being worked on so hopefully they will be open shortly. Hard to say when though. There are laundry facilities available, yes, they are small, and they are at the AmeriSuites - there are many times when there is absolutely no one in the laundry room. Unfortunately, when you went to the laundry room there was a long wait.

I am glad you felt the resort was nice and the staff friendly - we really would like you to come back again. Once again, my apologies if the information we exchanged led you to believe anything other than what we offer. We really try to be as specific as possible when answering questions about our amenities and resort.

Faye

sonnyday

05-07-2002, 08:18 AM

:( I am so disappointed! I was looking forward to staying there. All I have heard for the past month was how good it was and now 2 weeks before we go I start hearing the bad. No time to change hotels now(plus I have changed 2 times already). I am planning this trip for my family (mother, sister and son) We have had a really bad time the last 2 years and this was suppose to be a reward for making it thru all the hard times. I guess no matter how good a plan you make somethings can go wrong. We will just have to make the best of it. I see that Faye from Country Inns and Suites has not responded to this post, wonder if she will? I guess I will have to wait and see how it goes. I will be sure to post a trip report when we get back.:rolleyes:

sonnyday

05-07-2002, 08:21 AM

:rolleyes: Sorry Faye! You posted your reply while I was posting mine. I must say if the staff at the hotel is as helpful and prompt as you then I am sure we will have a good stay:p

Kevenswife2

05-07-2002, 12:17 PM

You mean we could have eaten breakfast at AmeriSuites? Noone ever told us either way. My three year old was eating donuts and milk every morning. I really would have liked her to have something a little healthier to start her day at the parks.

As for the laundry, my husband went over on three different occasions and there was always a line. I suppose if he had gone over at 3 am there wouldn't have been one?! I'm not trying to sound nasty, but are there really times throughout the day when there isn't anyone using the laundry room? I found the laundromat in Kissimmee to be a nice, clean place. The gentleman running the place was very friendly and greeted everyone that came through the door. I probably got my laundry done a lot faster too. It was very easy to find, but they do close earlier than other laundromats.

Also, where is the shuttle schedule posted on here? I'm sure others would like to see it.:)

sonnyday

05-07-2002, 12:41 PM

fgoldberg

05-07-2002, 01:10 PM

Sonnyday:
Thanks for reposting the shuttle schedule for me :)

Kevinswife2
Usually during the day the laundry is empty. In the evenings once people return from the theme parks, it usually gets busier. There are a couple of actual laundromats in Kissimmee with lots of washers and dryers. I understand it must have been frustrating to see a long line and only a few machines. Please accept my sincerest apologies for our laundry facilities not meeting your expectations.

Faye

LISALISA36

05-07-2002, 02:04 PM

HI FAYE,
SO LET ME GET THIS RIGHT:
WE ARE ABLE TO EAT BREAKFAST AND USE THE FACILITY'S AT AMERI-
SUITES ALSO????
HOW FAR IS AMERISUITES FROM CIFS?
WHY IS IT THAT THE SHUTTLE ONLY LEAVES FROM AMERISUITES?
IS IT A CLOSE WALK?
THAT IS ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WE ARE STAYING THERE,,,IS TO SHUTTLE BACK AND FORTH TO UNIVERSAL.
HOW BIG ARE THE KID-SUITES?
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE INFO,
LISA

Kevenswife2

05-07-2002, 02:27 PM

Sonnyday, I too have seen that schedule. As Faye has mentioned, that was for that week only and the schedule changes every week. As I was checking in I looked over the shuttle schedule. The shuttle service was one of the reasons I choose this hotel. The first thing I noticed was that there was ONLY ONE shuttle going both ways to the Magic Kingdom. Pickup at 8:15 in the morning and park pickup at 7:30pm. Is it possible that the previous printed schedule has two shuttles both ways BECAUSE it was Spring Break/Easter time? There were many shuttles to and from Universal, Wet & Wild and Sea World and I didn't have a problem with that. Shuttle service is one of the deciding factors for many families, mine included. It was just a disappointment my first morning there to realize that we were going to have to drive over to the MK. Luckily, it was easy to get to and traffic wasn't bad.

I just want to add that I was very happy with the room. housekeeping, and the size of the breakfast area. The waterpark pool was enjoyed by the whole family. The water was always nice and warm. No odor of chlorine or burning eyes. This is a very nice place, but I'm just not big on surprises while on vacation, especially after I have spent so much time researching hotels and I thought I had FINALLY found MY perfect one. :cool:

fgoldberg

05-07-2002, 05:12 PM

Lisalisa36:

There are two shuttles - one goes to Magic Kingdom and one goes to EPCOT. The EPCOT Shuttle leaves EPCOT at about 9:30. I don't know if you realize this but you can take the monorail to EPCOT if you are staying at Magic Kingdom and just catch the shuttle from EPCOT. Does that help?

The shuttles to the other attractions can be taken from the AmeriSuites. I am not sure why they leave from the one hotel and not the other. I'll check around and see if they can change that but I don't know.

The distance between the hotels is about 110 yards.

Yes, you can use the amenities at either hotel. Breakfast can be eaten at the Country Inn or the AmeriSuites.

The kidsuites are approximately 350 sq feet. I can email a floorplan to you if it helps. Just let me know.

Kevinswife2:

Hopefully as we grow and add our third hotel, our shuttle service will increase. We just broke ground for our La Quinta and it should be open in March/ April 2003. I hope you don't write us off just yet. We still may be your favorite hotel if we add some more shuttle times and some additional laundry facilities

Faye

kotagg

05-07-2002, 06:52 PM

Faye,

Could you please email me the floorplan for the kidsuite to kotagg@yahoo.com.

Thanks in advance.

Bev J

05-07-2002, 09:17 PM

Hi to all, I just want to comment that we are planning on staying at the CI&S in September and even though there have been a few problems we are still really looking forward to staying here. I will continue to read with interest comments made by people who stay here . Thanks to Faye for keeping up with our questions and hopefully helping to get the kinks worked out.

singitalto

05-08-2002, 12:01 AM

Hi,
I also wanted to say that we are planning on staying at Country Inn and Suites in Sept and are very much looking forward to it.
I wanted to thank Faye for all her responses. She has been a great help and I look forward to possibly meeting her when we visit. I was the person who posted a question about the transportation and ECV's. Faye, our scooter doesn't fold and I know the busses can't accomodate it. Thank you for your response. We actually prefer to take our own mini van to the parks, I just was curious to see if we had other options. Thank you again!

Oh yea- Faye, if you have a kidsuite floor plan available and you have the time, I would love a copy (email to singitalto@aol.com ). The kids and I just love being prepared and planning our events together and it would be fun to look at.

Have a great day!

MaryAnne

cottontail

05-08-2002, 07:34 AM

Hi Faye:

Just letting you know we had a nice one night stay with the amerisuites in april. Daughter and hubby played minigolf, swam.

We had planned to stay 3 nights, but could not move my akl reservation, so we opted for the one night on our arrival.

The room was clean, pleasant, love the pullout, and two doubles for a family, the kitchen would have come in handy if we were staying longer, loved the breakfast in the morning.

I have to wonder though if alot of the guests from the other hotel come over for breakfast then the guests at amerisuites might have a problem in the a.m. with crowds, getting a table, etc, but I can understand why the people staying at country inn and suites especially with children would want to come over if there is a better variety of food.

Why don't the two managers for each hotel get together and serve the same food at breakfast to make everyone happy. Sounds like a simple solution to me, I stayed in another country inn and suite that had all sorts of cereals for people, plus a waffle maker with little containers of the waffle mix.

I would like to thank those that wrote reviews, and faye goldberg for all her help for our stay. Yes I would definitely stay there again if I was looking for an offsite place to stay.

Deb.

Kevenswife2

05-08-2002, 09:02 AM

Oh Faye, I feel like such a dumbie!!! I should have known that I could use the EPCOT shuttle, even though I had gone to Magic Kingdom! My husband and I stood at the front desk and discussed the shuttle to MK with the guy there. I commented on the fact that it was coming back at 7:30 and the park didn't close until 9:30. He just smiled and shrugged his shoulders...like "Oh well". IF he HAD REMINDED me that I could use the EPCOT shuttle to get home, I would have been "A HAPPY CAMPER". Please remind the front desk people of this fact, or better yet, post it on the sign with the shuttle schedules. That way noone else will have a "suprise" their first morning there.

When I checked in, I was told that we could use ALL 3 of the pools. I wish they had said the same about breakfast. Every morning, while we were waiting for a shuttle, I could see the Fruit Loops and Frosted Flakes and felt like taking a bowl for my little girl. I even commented to my hubby that if the timeshare salesmen can come over to CI&S for breakfast, then can we go over to AmeriSuites? I didn't ask because I didn't want to look foolish. That's not something you normally do when you are staying with other hotels...breakfast hop.

Faye, you are right! You may become one of my favorite hotels. My family had a very good time there. The shuttle service was good....The schedule to MK was limited (Though I could have used the EPCOT shuttle and that would have given me more options. I feel so dumb on that one!) I feel the laundry situation would better be handled with a seperate building, about the size of the bath house, for laundry facilities. Something that size will especially be needed if you are adding another hotel. I'm sure all the little bugs will work themselves out in time. You may just see my family down there again sometime...if I can talk my hubby into it. He was more upset with the laundry situation and MK shuttle than I. ;)

cottontail

05-08-2002, 10:29 AM

Hi Kevenswife2:

Just wondering don't you think it would be good idea if both hotels had pretty much the same breakfast items for the guests. Then people would not have far to walkl to eat what they like.

About the shuttle, with all the excitement of being on a holiday not to mention wdw world, anyone can make mistakes about where to get the shuttle epcot or mk, I always feel like I'm in a daze for the first couple of days on my holiday. lol

Deb.

Kevenswife2

05-08-2002, 11:00 AM

I tend to think the fact that a guest can eat at either hotel isn't advertised because they don't want a crowd at one or the other. Yes, it would be a good idea to serve the same thing at both hotels.

I've been to Disney several times and still forget that EVERYONE can use their transportation around the parks. I keep thinking that is for the priveledged few who can afford to stay on Disney property. Dazed? Yes!! This sounds pretty dumb, but I got teary eyed when I got my first glimse of Cinderella's Castle and realized that I was here again! I'm 38, but it always feels like it did the first time, when I was 9! Brings out the kid in me! My hubby would grumble about the lines or something and I would stand there with a stupid grin on my face because....I WAS AT DISNEY!!! The Magic Kingdom was my first theme park and will always be my favorite. Hubby is a Universal man though. He thinks they have better rides, etc. He can have Universal....I'll always love Disney!

cottontail

05-08-2002, 01:39 PM

Hey Kevenswife:

I felt the same way while I was there, and I am 47. lol

Deb.

FFerret

05-09-2002, 03:36 PM

Faye
If you can find the time would you also send me an email of the KidSuites plans, and what themes they are? I'd really appreciate it; we're going for the first time to WDW in December and the KidSuites sound ideal for my 2 and 4 yr olds! Thanks!
fferret2000@yahoo.com

FFerret

05-12-2002, 04:26 PM

Thanks so much, Faye! Rooms look great!

kotagg

05-13-2002, 08:51 AM

Just returned. Please see my comments under Country Inn vs HIFS.

childsdream

05-13-2002, 11:03 AM

Hello everyone! I just returned yesterday from a week stay at Calypso Cay and wanted to give my two cents on the property!

I did not stay at the Country Inn & Suites or the Amerisuites on the property, but I did stay at the Runaway Bay Apartments at Calypso Cay and really liked the accomedations. The apartments are right across the street from the two hotels and we could use all the ammenities of either hotel.

My group consisted of myself, hubby, 3 1/2 year old daughter, and my parents. The apartment was a two bedroom/two bath unit with a FULL kitchen, living room with pull out sofa, and laundry room (actually in the apartment). We found it to be very nice and clean and lots of room to stretch out after a long day at the parks. The kitchen was great and we found ourselves fixing a few evening meals just so we would not have to go out every evening. We stocked the fridge with pop, water, and snacks.

The living room had a sofa and chair and tv. The bedrooms had a queen bed and we found it nice to have two seperate bedrooms with a bathroom connected to both ~ gave a little privacy for everyone. The washer/dryer in the room was wonderful. I had not planned on doing any laundry while there, but it was so convient I did ~ and one nice thing about it NO DIRTY LAUNDRY TO WASH WHEN I GOT HOME! The only down side was that there is no daily maid service but since we were not in the room too much it stayed clean. And every other day there seemed to be a cart in the breezeway with clean towels.

I am not a timeshare owner just a regular renter. As a matter of fact I originally had ressies at the Hawthorn Suites LBV but after reading so much about this property I made last minute changes and booked the two bed/two bath apartment for the same price as the one bed suite at the Hawthorn. When I originally called I was quoted a price that required me to attend a time share presentation, after explaining that I would not have the time for a presentation, I was quoted another slightly higher price but it was well worth it!

We took advantage of the daily breakfast. We just had to walk across the street which was not busy. We only ate at the Amerisuites breakfast because it was open later and found that it filled us up for a day in the parks. Also, there was always coffee in either lobby and in the afternoon there was cookies in the lobby at the Country Inn & Suites.

The pool area was not as large as I thought it would be but we found it never to be crowded and our 3 1/2 year old loved the small water slide. There were always towels available poolside. The complimentary miniture golf was fun and they had a nice play area that my child loved.

The hotels are not that far apart. The main pool with the waterslide is right in the middle of the property and then there were two regular pools on each side by they hotels.

We had a rental car so we did not take advantage of the shuttle. With a 3 1/2 year old we wanted the flexablity to come and go as we pleased. And remember parking is $6/day at the Disney parks but as long as you keep your receipt you only pay once a day!

Sorry this is so long, but I wanted to let everyone know my experience at Calypso Cay. If you have any questions just ask and I will respond!!!

simonmunro

05-13-2002, 11:22 AM

THANKS FOR THAT WONDERFUL REVIEW!!! We've got friends staying there in the future and yours is one of the VERY FEW reviews I've ever found.

Kevenswife2

05-13-2002, 12:41 PM

CHILDSDREAM, If you don't mind me asking, how much do the apartments run? Any good deals...like if I will take the timeshare tour? I haven't seen too much about their prices. Also, who did you contact about renting? :smooth:

childsdream

05-13-2002, 01:03 PM

I think the price they quoted me for the week with the tour was around $423 and around $525 without the tour!

I just called the phone number on the Calypso Cay web site to reserve. I just pulled up their website and it looks like on the home page it has a link saying that they updated the Runaway Bay page. Click on it and it shows pictures of the pool located at the apartments (never used this one because the 3 1/2 year old liked the water slide), fitness center, and interior pictures. It also list some the amenties that I did not even know about during our visit! At the top of the page it shows the unit that we stayed in (the landscaping is now done) and the road that runs in front of it is what you cross to get to the hotels and the pool with the slide is right there!

If you have any other questions please let me know!

cottontail

05-13-2002, 02:03 PM

Hi: Thanks for the info on runwaybay.

Did they have a balcony or porch, how high a building is it. We were at the amerisuites and I did not notice it, I did notice the building in between the country inn and suites and amerisuites. lol.

Deb.

childsdream

05-13-2002, 02:15 PM

The building that we were in was a three story building. Some of the units had porches but the particular one we had did not. The Runaway Bay Apartments were directly across the street from the pool with the slide. The buildings between the two hotels I think are the villas. If you go to the Calypso Cay web site there is a link on the home page that gives more info on the Runaway Bay Apartments.

mar3990

05-14-2002, 10:45 AM

Thanks you so much for your post. We are staying there in August also for a week at the same rate as you, no time-share presention either. Did anyone bug you when you were at breakfast to go to the presentation? I thought one of the bedrooms had two beds. Do they both just have one? Were the beds comfy and do they give you enough pillow, blankets ect? We will be using the pull-out if there is only one bed in each bedroom so did you try the sofa sleeper at all?Worried about bedding for the sofa. How far of a walk is it to the water park and breakfast? What restuarants are close by and how long did it take you to get to the parks?Is there parking close by the apartments? Also is there a good building or apartment to request(if you can) now that you know the layout?Sorry so many questions but am so excited to hear of someone who sayed at Runaway Bay! Also, do you need to bring paper towels, garbage bags or dish soap and was there a hair dryer in the bathrooms?

childsdream

05-14-2002, 12:37 PM

No one bothered us for a presentation. I did receive a phone call one morning letting me know that my presentation was scheduled for that day but I simply explained to them that I paid the additional so I would not have to attend and they apoligized and that was the end of that!

The apartment that we stayed in had one queen bed in each room. The beds were comfortable and I believe each bed had 4 pillows, so there is enough for the sofa bed. There was only one extra blanket in the closet and no sheets for the sofa bed but I am sure that when you check in you can request them at the welcome center and they would get them for you. Sorry, did not use the sofa bed ~ our 3 1/2 year old decided to sleep on the floor next to our bed.

The walk to the pool with a slide and to the hotels for breakfast is very short. They have just put some updated info on the Calypso Cay web site home page about the Runaway Bay Apartments. Select the link on the home page and you will see a picture of the unit that we stayed in and there is a road running in front of it, that is the road you cross and the pool is right there and the hotels would be to the left and right of the pool.

There are several resturants located near (really not within walking distance) - Burger King, Taco Bell, Bob Evans, etc. It is only a few blocks from 192 and there are lots of places to eat. There is a Publix grocery store right down the road, but we went a few miles down 192 to Walmart. We took two different ways to the parks (192 and 417) and I would say it took no more than 10 minutes and we were in the parking lot.

There is parking available right outside the apartments. The buildings are 3 story and there were no elevators that we saw, so if you have anyone unable to handle stairs it might be a problem unless you request a ground floor apartment. All the units looked brand new and in the evenings, there is a security gate that remains closed and they will provide you with a pass code.

The only things that were provided in our unit were the utensils (silverware, plates, bowels, cups), skillet, two pans, a handtowel in the kitchen, and towels/washclothes in the bathroom. We purchased paper towels, dish soap, and you might want to buy trash bags (we used the Walmart bags!).

There were hairdryers at the welcome center that you can borrow but they are on first come first serve basis so I just brought my own. Our unit also had a ironing board & iron.

Once again, I know that this is long but hopefully informative. I hope you enjoy your stay at the Runaway Bay Apartments - we sure did!!!