Any info on Days Suites Maingate Suite?

[coachYO & my 3 girls]

Staying there for 1st night for $51.00.
Is it a nice place?
Good neighborhood?
What's to do for the afternoon around there?
Any close grocery stores?
How far to AKL?
Anything else you may want to add.
Thanks,YO

 

[disneysteve]

I think you are referring to the Days Suites next to Old Town. If so, it is just fine. Nothing fancy at all and kind of worn, but a good value. You are right next to Old Town - walking distance - shops, rides and restaurants. Plenty to do there.

Here are photos from our stay:
http://members.aol.com/sgitler/dayssuites.html

Steve

 

[coachYO & my 3 girls]

disneysteve,
Thanks for the info, how long ago was that stay? I appreciate the pictures! How long will it take us to get to AKL in the morning from there? Any suggestions for a good quick off DW breakfast place on the way? Are any of the seafood buffets around that area?

Thanks, YO

 

[mtblujeans]

Those pics are EXACTLY what the room looks like....all of them! I agree that they are dark, worn rooms. BUT, we have stayed there a couple of times in the last few visits and they served their purpose. You can get this room for less than $50 a nite if you check around on the 'net and depending upon the time of year. The murphy bed is in the livingroom and can be folded back into the wall when not being used. The kitchen is a real value. It has a full refrig and we could keep tons of breakfast food around. The main reason it worked for us is because we spent all day at WDW and did not come back until evening. We would leave WDW and have dinner (usually a buffet some where) and go to our room and pass out until the next morning. That schedule worked for us!!

There are alot of restaurants in that area - and there was alot of construction on that road the last time we were there in 2000. Another great convenience is that it is located directly across the highway from WDW. We could just drive across the highway to get to WDW and that saved us alot of frustration and time on the road. It still takes about 20 minutes to get to a WDW parking lot, though! Gosh, Florida has lots of highway!!

If you are going to stay there, make sure you get a TripRewards card and get some kind of credit on that for your stay.

There is a Sizzler and a Golden Griddle, I think, that both have breakfast buffets. They both offer coupons on-line, maybe at the Orlando travel web sites. But, I can't remember where they are exactly located. We don't eat seafood so I can't help there, sorry.

 

[disneysteve]

mtblujeans gave an excellent answer to your question before I had a chance.

Let me make a couple of other comments. The construction on 192 is finished, so no trouble at all getting around there now.

We only eat breakfast in our room, so I'm not real familiar with the choices, but I believe there is a Ponderosa across the street with a $3.99 buffet. I can't help with the seafood buffet either because my wife is allergic.

As for travel time to AKL, I'd say about 10-15 minutes door to door.

And our stay at Days Suites was November 2002. We may be back there this coming November. 11/03 we rented a 3-bedroom condo at Windsor Palms. That was wonderful but there will only be 3 of us next time so we don't need that much space.

Steve

 

[Musky]

I also liked the Days Suites. Lots of room, very quiet, easy to get to. As for breakfast, if you have kids under 12, I would recommend you eat at the hotel cafeteria. I can't remember if it has a name, but there's a sit-down restaurant and a cafeteria, both of them offer free meals to children under 12. The cafeteria has a breakfast buffet which was $3.99 when we were there in 2001. It wasn't nearly as extensive as some, but there was plenty to eat, and with the kids eating free, breakfast for 4 of us with tax (we didn't leave a tip because it is entirely self serve) came to less than $13.00. It would cost more than that for one of us onsite!

Musky

 

[BonnieA]

One other thing about Day's Suites. The kitchen is not equipped with pots, pans, utensils, coffee pot or toaster. You have to rent them if you want them. What we did instead was bring disposable plates/bowls and utensils. We used the microwave instead of the stove or ate cereal for breakfast. And had instant coffee in the morning.

 

[disneysteve]

Originally posted by Musky
I would recommend you eat at the hotel cafeteria.

The hotel cafeteria was closed when we were there. I seem to recall that it was only open during busy seasons but I'm not positive if that was the reason.

Steve

 

[coachYO & my 3 girls]

Thanks for the info, I'll try to find the orlando travel web sites and look for coupons and info. We only have the 1 night before we check in so we won't need the pots-n-pans. We go in June so I may call the hotle direct and ask if the restaraunt will be open then. Or we'll hit the Pondersoa across the street. Kids eating free is always a good thing.
Thanks, YO

 

[mtblujeans]

Originally posted by BonnieA
One other thing about Day's Suites. The kitchen is not equipped with pots, pans, utensils, coffee pot or toaster. You have to rent them if you want them. What we did instead was bring disposable plates/bowls and utensils. We used the microwave instead of the stove or ate cereal for breakfast. And had instant coffee in the morning.

This is true and a very good point to bring up. There is nothing worse than having a full kitchen and a hungry family and no tools in the kitchen!! We did not realize this until the first night of the first stay! We had a rental car and we went out and bought paper plates, cheap plastic bowls, cups, and spoons, and containers for the microwave. We felt the rental fee for the kitchen tools was too much, but I don't remember what it was. I think my husband got his coffee from the restaurant - he won't drink instant. But, I think instant is an excellent idea!

I just don't think you can get away from taking some of your favorite foods items in your luggage when you travel !!

 

[disneyfan2267]

I stayed at the days suites 3 years ago, may 2000 @$49.00 a night, it's in a nice area right next to old town, I found the suite to be large enough for 3 adults/1 child but I thought the suite was in need of a renovation, living room was old and smelled dirty, red ants all over the place, very noisy. I will never stay there again.

 

[isles_nyi]

My family and I stayed here last October. Yes the location is terrific. But you get what you pay for, and this hotal is an absolute dump. We had more ants then we could handle and the murphy bed, to our surprise, came complete with some food left over from a previous guest. A nice gesture, but we had food of our own. The front desk was slow to respond to any of our concerns.

Look, I went there with low expactations and I was STILL floored by the condition of this place. Read some reviews on Tripadvisor.com before you make your decision. It's big alright...but clean and comfortable it ain't.

 

[coachYO & my 3 girls]

You guys are bumming me out. I thought I could get away with 1 night before we checked in but it sounds as though I should look elsewhere. Any suggestions for 1 night? We really like the idea of a suite type place or a place with a seperate sleeping area for DD. Thanks for the info. YO

 

[disneysteve]

If you are looking for a place that gets nothing but good reviews, good luck. It doesn't exist. Plenty of us have stayed at Days Suites without a problem.

Other relatively inexpensive suites to consider - Homewood Suites. Nice breakfast buffet. Only negative was that it is adjacent to I-4 and you hear highway noise all nite depending on location of your room. Sierra Suites - haven't been, but seems to get good reviews. Springhill Suites - not a true suite but a good size room, includes breakfast. Residence Inn - true suite, relatively new, good breakfast buffet. Quality Suites - next to Days Suites and includes breakfast.

Steve

 

[disneyfan2267]

I'VE READ MOSTLY GOOD REVIEWS FOR QUALITY SUITES AND BOTH COMFORT SUITES ON HWY 192, BUT FOR 1 NIGHT I WOULD NOT GO LOOKING FOR ANOTHER HOTEL. I STAYED AT THE DAYS SUITES FOR 5 NIGHTS AND THAT'S WHY I WILL NEVER STAY THERE AGAIN.

 

[Doesney]

If you are willing to pay $51.00 for that dump, why not just bid on priceline and get something you won't have to skeeve? I don't understand why people settle for these dingy, dark, musty smelling places, when there are other options available for a few bucks more. Give up a soda, a water or two and you can sleep in a clean room. And cooking there are you guys for real? I'd much rather camp and use a campfire than that dirty old kitchen. Geesh, sometimes I wonder. Why not save a little longer and stay roach free? I don't live like that, why would I choose to vacation in a bug ridden dump?

I certainly understand that most people either cannot or will not afford the Grand Floridian, (me included) but with some research,
Orlando is filled with wonderful ,afforable ,and not to mention clean options. Good luck on your quest.

Holly

 

[disneysteve]

Originally posted by Doesney
If you are willing to pay $51.00 for that dump, why not just bid on priceline and get something you won't have to skeeve? I don't understand why people settle for these dingy, dark, musty smelling places, when there are other options available for a few bucks more.
Holly

Holly, I'm sorry to hear you had such a bad experience at Days Suites. All I know is when we stayed there in 11/02 it was clean, staff was excellent and we didn't see a bug the entire week. Our suite was not dingy, dark or musty. Since then, I've recommended it to 2 different friends who were also happy with it.

As for Priceline, the problem with that option is that they don't do suites, just regular rooms (unless they have changed that recently). I also don't like not being able to pick my location.

I totally agree with you, though, that there are lots of wonderful options in the Disney area. Personally, I'd much prefer a rental condo/home over Days Suites, but that isn't an option for one nite as they have minimum stay requirements.

Steve