No car-where would you stay?

[married2mm]

3adults do Disney -relying solely on resort transfers /taxi/uber..

Would you rather onsite in a value or similar price and offsite?
And if so; where & why?

 

[robinb]

Would a value resort work for you (2 people in 1 double bed, 1 person in the other)? What time of year will you be traveling? Whoops one more. Will you be OK "joined at the hip" and traveling together to/from the parks?

 

[married2mm]

If we do indeed manage this trip-it will be end sept/beg October.
We would be fine joined at the hip(as long as there's an end in sight!!)
Would prefer space, bathrooms & extra beds however budget is a major downer in the whole equation

 

[robinb]

OK, bear with me. I am going to suggest something that will work for you but you'll have to Uber or Lyft to/from the parks since you won't have a car.

I recently stayed at the Wyndham Cypress Palms (review here: http://www.disboards.com/threads/re...ss-palms-with-pictures.3524116/#post-56068256). I bid for it over at www.skyauction.com and won a 1BR villa for $222. SkyAuction has 2 BR villas (with a full kitchen and 2 bathrooms!) for $345 checking in on September 30th for 1 full week (http://www.skyauction.com/action/offer/2690375). I put the address of the timeshare in the Uber booking engine and it's about $10-$15 each way to Disney parks. So, for a week you would spend $345 plus $30 from a nearby airport hotel to the Wyndham, plus $30 back to MCO, plus $30 per day for an approximate total of $615. You may have to pay more to get FROM the airport ... I would look into a limo instead that will allow you to stop for groceries on the way to the timeshare. You will also need to look at the availability of Uber or Lyft from the Disney resorts.

So, you're looking at less than $100 per night to stay in a 2 BR villa .

 

[robinb]

To compare, All Star Sports for the same 7 nights is $824 through Orbitz using the current discount code "byebye" for 15% off. For $200 more you are in the Disney Magic Bubble, you don't have to worry about how you're going to get from point A to point B. You will be squished into a small room with 2 double beds and one bathroom.

 

[mrzrich]

Without a car, I would stay onsite

 

[disneysteve]

Without a car, I would stay onsite

Quite honestly, without a car I would stay home. I'm serious. I would rather not go than go without a car.

If you're dead set on going, then absolutely stay onsite. Depending solely on Disney transportation is bad enough. I can't even imagine having to depend on offsite transportation to get around.

 

[writerguyfl]

Every trip I make is without a car. Although I'd love to stay at a Disney resort, the prices are far too high to justify it. For me, the best solution is to stay at the Disney Springs Hotels. These seven hotels are located on Disney property but are not owned/operated by Disney.

Disney Springs Hotels marketing website: http://disneyspringshotels.com/

Scheduled transportation is provided every 30 minutes to Disney theme parks. Transportation is extremely reliable, although they double up on parks. Usually, one bus goes to the Transportation and Ticket Center (Magic Kingdom) and then Disney's Animal Kingdom. A second bus goes to Epcot and then Disney's Hollywood Studios. If you're heading to the second park, it's usually 20-25 minutes.

These hotels are within walking distance of the Marketplace area of Disney Springs. They are also walking distance to offsite (and therefore cheaper) dining options.

Rates at these hotels tend to vary far more than Disney resorts. If you catch a discount, the savings can be massive. For example, on my next scheduled trip I'm staying at the DoubleTree Suites. I'll have a 540-square foot suite that is twice the size of a Disney Value resort room that were selling for $109-119. I'll be paying $78 thanks for a discount I got using the website I posted above. (Note: That rate is for single/double occupancy. An additional adult would cost slightly more.)

The DoubleTree Suites is my preferred hotel, as all rooms are suites. Although, they only have one bathroom. That $78 rate is unusual. Rates there are usually in the $100-150 range.

 

[disney world dreamer]

no car and only doing disney?
ONSITE IN A VALUE!!!

where?
POP
my favorite value resort.
i like the theme, i like the food options, i like the bus service

why?
-DME
-free, convenient, and generally reliable transportation to and from the parks
-EMH
-DDP
-180+10 ADR
-possible discounted rate or package
-MB's included in price
-60 FP+
-disney bubble

 

[HopperFan]

No car would always mean onsite for us.

I may consider a Disney Springs hotel if the savings were large enough to balance the airport to/from costs and the room were much better than what I would book onsite. Disney Springs has a good shuttle service and access to DS.

 

[jsmla]

OK, bear with me. I am going to suggest something that will work for you but you'll have to Uber or Lyft to/from the parks since you won't have a car.

I recently stayed at the Wyndham Cypress Palms (review here: http://www.disboards.com/threads/re...ss-palms-with-pictures.3524116/#post-56068256). I bid for it over at www.skyauction.com and won a 1BR villa for $222. SkyAuction has 2 BR villas (with a full kitchen and 2 bathrooms!) for $345 checking in on September 30th for 1 full week (http://www.skyauction.com/action/offer/2690375). I put the address of the timeshare in the Uber booking engine and it's about $10-$15 each way to Disney parks. So, for a week you would spend $345 plus $30 from a nearby airport hotel to the Wyndham, plus $30 back to MCO, plus $30 per day for an approximate total of $615. You may have to pay more to get FROM the airport ... I would look into a limo instead that will allow you to stop for groceries on the way to the timeshare. You will also need to look at the availability of Uber or Lyft from the Disney resorts.

So, you're looking at less than $100 per night to stay in a 2 BR villa .

I stay onsite in a SkyAuction at least a couple of times a year. I drive to Orlando and so have a car but prefer to not drive to the parks-I like a drink or two.

Cypress Palms (Kissimmee) is on the Lynx 56 bus route and has the easiest commute to WDW via public transportation IMHO. Getting to the other tourist areas would be a longe haul than I'm willing to make on a bus. There's fairly easy bus access to the Publix in Celebration from here.

I also stay at Legacy Vacation Club Lake Buena Vista. The commute to the TTC (via Lynx 50) is a bit longer but it is definitely a more convenient location if you plan to visit SeaWorld or Universal as well. There are also many more restaurants in this area than in Kissimmee. This complex isn't as nice as CPR which has better pools and more recently renovated units.

I will be staying at LVC in September and plan on trying Uber or Lyft a few times, mostly in the late evenings after park close.

I highly recommend a two bedroom at either. The one bedroom at LVC is a studio and the one bedroom/partial kitchen units at CPR are pretty small.




I've also stayed at the Clarion Lake Buena Vista just across the street from LVC. They have a 7:30 AM shuttle to the TTC that I find very convenient for getting to all of the parks. If the rest of the schedule isn't convenient I will take the Lynx 50 back. I can usually get this budget motel for $50 or less in the off season. The Clarion is definitely a budget option. The rooms and pools are pretty basic.

Here's the should schedule for the Clarion:

http://www.platinumtransportation.c...ion_37/images/shuttle_pdf/New/CLBV OCT 14.pdf

 

[robinb]

OP, you'll have to weigh the cost and coziness of staying onsite with with convenience of free and reliable transportation to/from the parks and airport.

For *me* it would be worth the extra $30 per day (using the prices I found earlier in the thread) to be cozy but know that I wouldn't have to worry about how I was going to get from my hotel/resort every day. I know you're from the UK so car rental is probably more for you with insurance but you may also want to price a car to cover all your bases. Parking is an extra $20 per day. ALSO, you will need to take into account "resort fees" at many offsite hotels in your price comparison.

 

[Gr8t Fan]

No car would always mean onsite for us.

I may consider a Disney Springs hotel it the savings were large enough to balance the airport to/from costs and the room were much better than what I would book onsite. Disney Springs has a good shuttle service and access to DS.

+1

 

[robinb]

Cypress Palms (Kissimmee) is on the Lynx 56 bus route and has the easiest commute to WDW via public transportation IMHO. Getting to the other tourist areas would be a longe haul than I'm willing to make on a bus. There's fairly easy bus access to the Publix in Celebration from here.

I thought about suggesting the bus but it would cost $6 each way (there are 3 of them) while it would only be $6 more to Uber. The convenience of not going to the TTC would be worth the extra $12-$15 per day to me if wasn't going to the MK or Epcot. I think there is an Uber thread somewhere on the transportation board.

 

[jsmla]

I thought about suggesting the bus but it would cost $6 each way (there are 3 of them) while it would only be $6 more to Uber. The convenience of not going to the TTC would be worth the extra $12-$15 per day to me if wasn't going to the MK or Epcot. I think there is an Uber thread somewhere on the transportation board.

A weekly bus pass is $16 (that's what I get) so $48 total for the week. I'm often a solo (grown kids and a WDW-adverse DH) and am still trying to how I feel about Uber as a lone female. I don't really like the bus commute at night and am considering returning vis Uber a few times in September.

 

[GreatLakes]

I wouldn't stay offsite without a car so I would be looking for value. It very well might be cheaper to stay off site and rent a car than it would be to stay onsite without a car. Rental cars are very cheap in Florida.

 

[suebeelin]

Stay at a Disney spring hotel. The Hilton is across the street from the busses.

Take the bay lake bus to magic kingdom.

Take the boardwalk or beach club bus to epcot.

Hollywood and animal kingdom will be the "resort" bus....

 

[GoBears 1980]

Quite honestly, without a car I would stay home. I'm serious. I would rather not go than go without a car.

If you're dead set on going, then absolutely stay onsite. Depending solely on Disney transportation is bad enough. I can't even imagine having to depend on offsite transportation to get around.

That seems rather bizarre advice. I've done offsite with and without a car and onsite with and without a car; there are advantages and disadvantages to each.

If I am staying onsite (usually at the Yacht Club) I'd rather not drive at all, unless I am looking to go way offsite to eat (like Winter Park), otherwise I use Disney transportation for onsite or Uber for close restaurants like the Four Seasons, Dr Philips, etc.

Personally I am not found of the Value resorts because I hate the food courts. I've had to stay at Value resorts when I've taken various sports teams to events at WDW.

Have you looked at the Swan & Dolphin? Nicer resorts, lots of dining choices, good bars, etc and access to the Disney transportation center.

Offsite you have hotels like the Homewood Suites and Residence Inn where you can get an included breakfast, more room and use Uber to get to the parks and bars.

 

[disneysteve]

That seems rather bizarre advice.

I realize it may not be a common opinion but I was totally serious. Going to Disney without my own car would not be a vacation to me, even if I was staying onsite.

 

[mrzrich]

Stay at a Disney spring hotel. The Hilton is across the street from the busses.

The Hilton is no longer across the street from the Disney Springs Buses. The Disney Springs bus stop has moved.