2nd trip, thinking off site this time...have ???s

[hlane]

Ok...we are planning our 2nd trip to WDW for Sept 17-25th. We are looking at staying at the Royal Plaza Hotel. Unable to rent a car due to no cc and don't want to mess with a debit card for that type of purchase. We will fly from Ohio and use a town car to & from the airport (used Prestige last time and it was wonderful). We have a 2 & 3 y.o. and use a double stroller. We are also buying APs. Now with all that said here are my questions



1.) How far is this hotel from DTD and will the walk be doable with the kids and stroller?

2.) Does having AP allow me to use the Disney transportation even w/o staying on site?

3.) If we can use Disney transportation then, I read the DTD buses do not take you to the parks, could we take a bus from DTD to a resort and then catch a bus to the parks?

4.) Has anyone stayed at this hotel and if so how was their bus service?

Sorry for all the questions but I want to have all my bases covered before we book a room.

Thanks!!!

 

[CarolA]

The Hotel Royal Plaza has good transport to the parks and I think that is what I would use. Your method, go to DTD, to resort, to park would take forever. Plus DTD busses don't start running till it opens around 10. The DTD hotel transport starts before the park opens and goes all day. There are different buses to each park and it is pretty efficient.

I think your hotel is walkable, but exact distances are not my stong point.

You can take Disney transport with the AP.

The hotel was nice, but I was in a Tower room. I have heard those are nicer then the wings. I booked via Mousesavers and she had some great rates.

 

[hlane]

Thanks so much CarolA for such a quick reply. I'm just nervous staying off site. Last Sept we did the FTP and stayed at ASMO for 8 days, everything went perfect the entire trip. The only reason we are considering off site (which is coming out to cost about the same as Value resorts) is because the buses became a hassel with the double stroller and 2 small kids, ASMo was last to get picked up & dropped off is memory serves me correctly and the buses were jam packed. Also hopefully the off site hotel will be close to some cheap resturaunts. While at WDW we went to a couple other resorts (moderates I believe) to eat and all of their buses were practically empty. We can't really afford to spend more then the value resorts cost so DH wanted to try off site.

 

[CarolA]

If your offsite hotel is the Hotel Royal Plaza in Downtown Disney, it will not be that close to any cheaper resturants. There are some at a little shopping center in Lake Buena Vista, but it would be a LONG walk with little ones.

The bus issue is going to be the same anyplace. They are going to be crowded. DTD buses serve all the hotels in the area so they can get very packed. A lot depends on timing. SO if you were leaving the parks at the end of the day or going early in the morning the buses from just about any resort are packed. Mid-day is usually less crowded. Seasons can make a difference also.

That said if you are not renting a car, I would either stay on Disney or in the DTD area. Other off site hotels offer transport, but it normally is just at selected times which would mean you might have to wait quite a while to return. (For example, some hotels only offer morning and evening transport. That means you could not bring the kids back for a nap.)

 

[hlane]

Well thanks for that advice. IMO we might as well stay onsite, it will just take convincing DH. Being able to take the kids back to the room to nap was a lifesaver last time and it was very easy to do. I heard the PC had their own bus seperate from the AS, is this correct?

 

[BrerMama]

As I was reading your post, my thought was "Why not just stay at Pop Century?" PC does have it's own bus system, so you wouldn't have to worry about crowded busses. If the reason you're staying off-site is because the bus system as a problem last trip, I would think it would only be that much worse staying off site. I'd go for either Pop or the AS that is the first bus pick-up.

 

[cyndibelle]

stay at the pop century...we did just a couple of weeks ago...yes they have their own buses and it kicked butt!!!!.....we are going back in december....we had a blast...the food their is good...you can eat their just as cheap as you would going out somewhere......you can even split the food...their is enough to share....the resort is great for little ones and big ones alike..i am telling you you would have a blast there.......tell hubby to come and talk to me.....

 

[hlane]

GOOD NEWS!! I showed DH all your posting and he now says we'll stay onsite at PC!!! Thanks for all your info, it worked!!!

 

[cyndibelle]

yeaaaa good news.....