ANy DVC'ers been to Mariott World Center?

[colleen costello]

HI guys. I am looking for info on the Mariott World Center. I found some info on the Orlando Board but I really respect the opinions of those here. DH has a placement conference every summer and 2004 is in Orlando -- I am SOOOOOO excited... this buys me another trip south! I was SURE it would be at Swan/Dolphin, but it's at the Mariott. I have passed the place before and it's website makes it look very nice. I was wondering if any of you had been there. I guess we'd have a few freebie nights there then move over to a DVC room.

If I have my own vehicle, I assume I can drive over to a WDW resort for lunch/shopping? Do we get free parking even if we aren't using our points for the first few nights? I know I won't be able to wait to go over to WDW!

Thanks!

 

[Dasha]

It's a huge hotel with a conference center and surrounded by a golf course. The rooms are fine with good views, but you have to pay for daily parking.

Easy access to DW property though.

 

[TIdoublegaER]

I stayed there for a conference last April. VERY NICE. Of course after staying DVC, it IS just a hotel There are several pools with a HUGE feature pool and it does have a slide if I remember right. My only caveat about the feature pool is that is so large it is unheated. In the middle of summer that is probably fine, but not so good in April. There are several restaurants in the resort and not really any more expensive than any other hotel restaurants. I would stay there again. My conference wasn't at the MWC, so I can't really comment on the conference facilities there.

I did drive over to WDW to DTD to shop and OKW for lunch at Olivia's and VWL and Boardwalk to check things out. Took full adavantage of the free parking for DVC members (tipped ofcourse). Just show your DVC card to the valet.

 

[dan and scott]

Very nice Property, we stayed there 2 yrs. ago.
Need to ask for the north wing--good view of Downtown Disney's fireworks at Pleasure Island. We were on the 10th floor. We believe it has a better location than the hotels along hotel plaza blvd. --they have traffic congestion--the Marriot doesn't.
We WOULD NOT hesitate to stay there again. Very good Marriot property! The room was gorgeous and the furnishings were nicer than the typical hotel. Also the north wing I believe is the newer part of the resort--but all rooms have been refurbished.

Scott

 

[Caskbill]

We were there I'm guessing about 3-4 years ago.

It's a very nice up-scale hotel. Nothing special about the rooms though, especially when compared to a 1-B/R DVC resort. You'll still like it there. As mentioned the pools are nice.

While your DVC card is OK for the resorts, remember it won't get you free parking at any of the theme park lots. That free parking is only for resort guests when you're actually staying on-property at DVC. (However if you have an AP, that will give you free parking)

Be careful of the traffic going into and out of the Marriott complex. Traffic is moving fast. I did notice last trip that they were finally installing traffic lights there so they should be in by now and that will help. (No more left turns across 3-lanes of 55-60 mph traffic)

 

[colleen costello]

Marriot sounds great for a few nights. This place sounds like it has enough swimming to keep the kids happy. As far as dealing with WDW parking, I probably won't do a WDW park until DH is done with his conference, anyhow. I might take the kids to Sea World or something until Daddy is ready for Disney! Attendance at this conference means I get another trip to WDW, so I would probably go for it even if it was Motel 6! DH's employer will pay for travel costs so this will be a great opportunity and points are LOW in early June... Orlando here I come!

 

[MikeBW]

I also went there for a conference 3 years ago, but I stayed in the timeshare units that are off to the side of the main hotel. I stayed at OKW for a few nights before my conference, and the MVC rooms are nice, but they don't compare to DVC. Little things that I recall, tile not as nice in the bathrooms, no hot water one morning, etc. It was nice but it wasn't magical - but I might be a little biased!

 

[colleen costello]

Of course we are ALL biased! We are spoiled by the Disney Magic... If a stay at Mariott gets me (really poor dh) another trip to Disney, it sounds OK to me. Then I'll go over to OKW for some MAGIC!

 

[colleen costello]

DH just received info at work about June 2004 conference and is planning to "pre-register." Looks like I'll be in Orlando then! The conference is June 1-5, and then I can head over to WDW. I am not sure I will be able to stand "non-Disney" that long; we may sneak off to WDW before the conference is even over. Thanks for the info here.