Staying off property

[siegal]

Even the budget disney hotels were out of my price range so I plan to stay at an off property hotel nearby. Any suggestions? They have transportation right? How does that work?

 

[vicki_c]

Even the budget disney hotels were out of my price range so I plan to stay at an off property hotel nearby. Any suggestions? They have transportation right? How does that work?

If you're off site, it's really best to have a car. Even hotels that advertise transportation don't have frequent transportation like on a Disney schedule. They may have 2 buses in the morning going to a particular Disney location, and 2 in the evening but the last one usually picks up before park closing times. Some hotels make you reserve and/or pay for transportation, so definitely check into what you will get before booking anything. Check the Orlando Resorts boards here on the DIS for more advice.

 

[spiceycat]

there are a few with good transportation - but nothing like WDW.

downtown disney hotels, Wyndham Bonnet Creek - but these are not cheap.

to get inexpensive and offsite - you need a rental car - go to the transportation board to get discount off your rental car.

http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=16

if you really don't want a car and you think you won't mind multiple stops - then quality inn - but go with expedia

 

[kpm76]

If you're off site, it's really best to have a car. Even hotels that advertise transportation don't have frequent transportation like on a Disney schedule. They may have 2 buses in the morning going to a particular Disney location, and 2 in the evening but the last one usually picks up before park closing times. Some hotels make you reserve and/or pay for transportation, so definitely check into what you will get before booking anything. Check the Orlando Resorts boards here on the DIS for more advice.

I agree that you will need a car and then of course you will have to pay for parking. Adding in that cost, I would think it would be more cost effective to stay at a value if you only have 4 people or fewer.

 

[MindyMouse76]

Not sure if you are flying or driving to the World. If you are flying, it really pays to stay onsite - you get free transportation from the airport to the hotel. Then you can use the reliable bus transportation your entire stay.

Also, if you stay offsite, you have to pay the parking fees daily to get to the parks.

Not sure what hotel you can find cheaper than the value resort ones - but really do the math of the other fees (like parking and rental car) before you make a final decision.

Good Luck!

 

[siegal]

Thanks.

Usually I can find Florida resident rooms for 80$ or less but now I only saw then for $145+ for this weekends and we need 2 rooms. We have a car as we are driving. Maybe a cab ride in the morning and night and take the transportation around during the day?

 

[mskayjay]

We have stayed at the Hilton, Holiday Inn, and Royal Plaza all right by Downtown Disney. In fact I just stopped and stayed by myself at the HI on my way home from taking care of family last month. No, it is *not* like staying on site but the DTD hotels are very nice and affordable. Of the three, I liked the Holiday Inn the best. The valet service is exceptional with the kindest folks you can imagine. They know me from previous trips, can see the entire parking lot, and are always watching to make sure you get in and out okay. Parking is $10 for non-valet and I think $14 for valet. That particular hotel does NOT charge the resort fee that all the others charge so as you look at hotels and costs, keep that in mind. If you go on TripAdvisor.com you will see very few bad reviews of the hotel.

The Hilton was okay. I was quite disappointed in them during our last stay and it had a lot to do with finding blood all over our sheets on our first night there and the folks at the hotel saying it was okay because it was obvious that the sheets had gone through the wash, but the washing hadn't gotten all the blood out.....so gross! Their parking is more expensive, staff was not friendly, and the parking lot was huge and actually creepy at night.

Royal Plaza....meh.....nothing great, nothing not so great. I felt nickled and dimed there.

When you add in a rental car, unless you really want to have one, staying at the offsite/DTD resorts is a great way to go. Transportation is available all the time.

 

[vicki_c]

Thanks.

Usually I can find Florida resident rooms for 80$ or less but now I only saw then for $145+ for this weekends and we need 2 rooms. We have a car as we are driving. Maybe a cab ride in the morning and night and take the transportation around during the day?

I would just drive your car and pay to park. A cab will cost more than that, especially 2x a day. During the day, you can use Disney transportation to get around Disney locations, if that's what you meant.

 

[maxiesmom]

I would just drive your car and pay to park. A cab will cost more than that, especially 2x a day. During the day, you can use Disney transportation to get around Disney locations, if that's what you meant.

And depending on the resort, they may not have transportation during the whole of the day. Some have it a couple times in the morning and then a couple times at night. That is it. And some charge for it too.

If you have a car, drive it, and figure the parking cost into your budget.

What resorts are you checking out?

 

[ExpatDisneyLover]

I think DTD hotel transportation is fairly good - better than many off site hotels.

Second to DTD hotels I would choose a hotel on Palm Parkway (Hampton Inn Lake Buena Vista and many other choices) - most hotels have shuttles but they aren't always so convenient and if you stayed on Palm Parkway there is a Lynx bus #50 that goes every 30 minutes from Ticket and Transportation Center and Downtown Disney - fare is $2 per person - in case you want to bale on the shuttle you have a second option.

You can always book Mears from the airport (around $30 per person) or Lynx #111 but that will only go as far as Seaworld area and you'd have to switch to the #50 but it is inexpensive at $2 per person.

 

[christineann]

We stayed at the DTD Best Western in December 2011, and there was no daily parking fee. We parked the car and enjoyed the first night at DTD and 3 days in the parks without ever using the car (I hate driving on vacations). The buses came on a regular schedule, and we used them to get to the parks at opening and back to the hotel after closing every day. We loved the convenience and the price and plan to do so again.

 

[DanInMN]

Since you have a car, off site is a good option.

We like Bahama Bay, a few miles SW of WDW. They are 2-3 bedroom condos, so you won't need 2 rooms. Less than $100/night, but be aware of taxes, resort fee, and a cleaning fee.

Some other off property hotels have been nasty. We stayed at a Best Western (may be another brand now) in Kissimmee once, so disgusting we left the next day. Another bad one was the Quality Inn near I-4 and 27.

 

[Sue M]

Thanks.

Usually I can find Florida resident rooms for 80$ or less but now I only saw then for $145+ for this weekends and we need 2 rooms. We have a car as we are driving. Maybe a cab ride in the morning and night and take the transportation around during the day?

I would take a look on Mousesavers.com web site They have preferred hotels that they freq get discounts on. I believe right now you can find a discount from them for the hotels in Marriott Village. They have Fairfield inn, Springhill Suites and Courtyard. All come with breakfast. Use the Mousesavers link or code to book directly with Marriott. They are very close to DTD.

Mousesavers recommended hotels are pretty safe. You won't find a flee bag run down hotel with their recommendations. One August we got a suite at the DTD doubletree with free breakfast for around $80ish a night with their discount

 

[Lynne M]

I'm going to move this over to the Orlando Hotels board, which is the place to go for information on offsite resorts.

 

[froggygal1301]

We stayed at the Extended Stay America on Palm Pkwy a couple of weeks ago and really liked it. We drove each day and loved the convenience of coming and going when we wanted, not by a bus schedule. The rooms have little kitchenettes w/ full size fridges, there's a continental breakfast in the mornings, pool, hot tub, laundry area, etc. Definitely recommend it. It is around $65 per night.

 

[shalom]

Usually I can find Florida resident rooms for 80$ or less but now I only saw then for $145+ for this weekends and we need 2 rooms.

If you need two rooms, odds are good you can find a 2 BR condo for less than it would cost for two hotel rooms onsite. Wyndham Bonnet Creek is the only one I know of with a pretty good shuttle service, but there's a local bus route on Irlo Bronson that runs twice an hour. Personally, I would drive, but the buses give my teenagers a bit more freedom.

I'd check the prices on Bonnet Creek (one of the threads in this forum should give you some tips on where to find the best prices), and if it's too pricey for you I'd look into Vacation Village at Parkway (the condos, not the hotel rooms), or Sheraton Vistana Resort (not Vistana Village, which is further away). VVaP is on the bus route, Sheraton Vistana is not. VVaP has always been cheaper than Bonnet Creek when I've been price checking; Sheraton sometimes is and sometimes isn't.

 

[siegal]

Thanks everyone. drive to parks it is.

 

[jeff968]

I'd check the prices on Bonnet Creek (one of the threads in this forum should give you some tips on where to find the best prices), and if it's too pricey for you I'd look into Vacation Village at Parkway (the condos, not the hotel rooms), or Sheraton Vistana Resort (not Vistana Village, which is further away).

I would stay at the Villages any day over the Resort (having stayed at both). Even though the Resort is about a mile closer the Villages are much newer and nicer and I would even add that you could most likely get to Disney faster from there.

For the Villages, take a right out of the resort, left on to Westwood Blvd, and pick up the entrance to route 4 south on your left and you are on your way. I've stayed at many of the resorts in this area including the Villages and it is always very smooth.

For the resort you have to deal with 535 west which continues to be a bigger and bigger nightmare. Taking a left out of the resort puts you right into that mess trying to take a left to pickup Rt 4 south.

When giving advice about driving in Orlando one should consider the traffic as much as location.

 

[shalom]

When giving advice about driving in Orlando one should consider the traffic as much as location.

True, but in my experience the traffic varies considerable. We've stayed in the same resort different trips, and for the fastest way out in May you turned right at the entrance; quickly learned that next year that if we wanted out of there in January in anything like reasonable time, better turn left.

For that matter, when we stayed across from the Villages at the Fountains, we went down to World Center Drive and never hit serious traffic, plus thought it a nice drive. Taking Westwood out to I-4 would have been much more hassle. Maybe the people I know who say to stay in the SV resort rather than Villages are going in different seasons.

OTOH, maybe they just prefer the activities and pools at the Resort, and since they're generally happier there than at the Villages, the trip to WDW seems shorter! I do know they keep an eye on refurbishments and used to make a big deal about getting refurbished units there, but that seems not to be the issue it once was.