Best offsite budget hotel with shuttle?

[erbeaman]

I have been pricing our August trip out 900 different ways , and I still can't find that magic "deal" that is making me want to jump. What is the best offsite hotel you have stayed at that has a reliable park shuttle. Preferably under $75/night. Does that even exist?
We are hoping to go from Aug. 17-27. Flying in to Sanford so ME is out, and we really don't want to rent a car. Crossing my fingers for free dining. Then it's Pop for sure (I think ).

 

[DisneyDiana]

For us, it is always the Clarion Lake Buena Vista. It is very nice. Rooms even have a frig and microwave. Bookit.com always has it for around $49 a night, $59 with breakfast buffet included. There is a restaurant, bar, gift shop/deli, and a water play area onsite. The shuttle goes to all the parks including Sea World and Universal. I have stayed there three times and never rented a car.

 

[disneykittin]

The Maingate Lakeside in Kissimmee is about $50/night, has a fridge (I can't remember if they have a microwave though), and free shuttles to the parks. We stayed there last year and it was great! The only thing about the hotels with shuttles is, you will usually lose a bit of time at the parks. Not much, but you usually won't be there by rope drop, or be able to stay til midnight (I think the last shuttle left from the park to the hotel at 10:45 when we were there) So this year we're going to use cabs more often. They're not too much since the hotel is so close to Disney.

 

[disneykittin]

Oh, I should also add that I book it on hotels.com, they have better rates than when you call up the resort.

 

[BubMunkeyBles]

I'd probably try to stay a week at a condo like Windsor Hills and just rent a car. I've never been a fan of the offsite shuttles because they seem to drop off late and pick up early. A lot of the Downtown Disney hotels are around $80/night for those dates. May be an option since you could get around pretty easily at least from there.

 

[disneykittin]

I'd probably try to stay a week at a condo like Windsor Hills and just rent a car. I've never been a fan of the offsite shuttles because they seem to drop off late and pick up early. A lot of the Downtown Disney hotels are around $80/night for those dates. May be an option since you could get around pretty easily at least from there.

Which Downtown Disney hotel is generally the cheapest? I've looked into them but the ones I've seen are all above my budget! Thanks!

 

[DisneyDiana]

Which Downtown Disney hotel is generally the cheapest? I've looked into them but the ones I've seen are all above my budget! Thanks!

Usually the Best Western is the cheapest somewhere around 75.00 a night unless you go during peak season, the Wyndam is usually around $80.00.

The Clarion LBV that I mentioned previously is only 3/4 of a mile from Downtown Disney.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Oh, I should also add that I book it on hotels.com, they have better rates than when you call up the resort.

I would check it both ways. I was researching stuff on bookit this morning & found some that were just as cheap (including one that was cheapER) if you booked straight through the hotel, and then you don't have a cancellation fee if you find a better spot or can't go. OTOH, there were other spots that were WAY cheaper through bookit.

 

[disneykittin]

I would check it both ways. I was researching stuff on bookit this morning & found some that were just as cheap (including one that was cheapER) if you booked straight through the hotel, and then you don't have a cancellation fee if you find a better spot or can't go. OTOH, there were other spots that were WAY cheaper through bookit.

Yeah, I agree, checking both ways would still be a good idea. Hotels.com doesn't have a cancellation fee though.

 

[disneykittin]

Usually the Best Western is the cheapest somewhere around 75.00 a night unless you go during peak season, the Wyndam is usually around $80.00.

The Clarion LBV that I mentioned previously is only 3/4 of a mile from Downtown Disney.

Thanks, Diana!

 

[SaraJayne]

I have been pricing our August trip out 900 different ways , and I still can't find that magic "deal" that is making me want to jump. What is the best offsite hotel you have stayed at that has a reliable park shuttle. Preferably under $75/night. Does that even exist?
We are hoping to go from Aug. 17-27. Flying in to Sanford so ME is out, and we really don't want to rent a car. Crossing my fingers for free dining. Then it's Pop for sure (I think ).

How are you going to get back and forth to the airport? Sanford is a good 45 min- 1 hour away from WDW.

The cost of transportation round trip to the airport would probably be about the same as renting a car for the week, then you don't need to worry about shuttles, etc.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I agree that from Sanford Airport and staying offsite the only reasonable thing to do is rent a car. Taxicabs between SFD and the Disney area run about $100 each way, so do limos.

Also, most of the locations with "free" shuttles only provide trips during very restrictive hours and to only one location at WDW. They might have two times going in the morning and once around noon,m with one return about noon and two at some time in the evening. And you will end up at either the TTC or Epcot or DHS, with no choice; then you would have to use Disney transportation. And if you miss the last bus taxi to anywhere off Disney will generally be more than $20.

And most places with shuttles have "shared" service, so multiple hotels will share a bus.