Best Marriott Property (NOT Fairfield) Near Disney

[MississippiMom]

I realize that everyone has different opinions, but I could really use some help. DH has some Marriott points that we would like to use for a stay near Disney this Summer. Ideally, we would love to stay at one of their vacation club properties, but we don't have that many points to blow. We are leaning toward the Springhill Suites in Marriott Village, but are also tempted to splurge a bit and stay at the Gaylord Palms.

Our children are 11 & 13, and we will definitely be spending some time relaxing at a pool. What's our best bet for the tween/teen and (non-thrill rider) parents?

DH HATED the one time we stayed at a Fairfield Inn, so there is NO way that he would agree to that. (Even if the ones in Orlando are far superior than the one we experienced.)

Thanks!

 

[akaler2010]

I'm staying at the Marriott World Center in a few weeks and am very excited about it. My parents have stayed there before, just for a few nights but said they would've happily stayed there for an entire week.

 

[mikehn]

I am going to say this at my own expense, but the Marriott world center is the place to be for tweens and families who want to chill at the pool. The world center probably has one of the best pools in all of Orlando. This is the wyndham bonnet creek phenomenon, the more people rave about a resort, the higher the prices get.

 

[vikster1]

I also vote for World Center. I was there a few years. Before the cool slides. We had a great stay. The only thing that is a down fall is the parking garage. You have to take a shuttle. WC is across the street from the Nick hotel.

 

[MississippiMom]

Thanks for the World Center recommendations. I had not even considered them, since we actually stayed there about eight years ago (DH was at a convention) and it didn't feel very family friendly then. Of course, we no longer have little ones, and I did not realize they had all the new slides.

Any other thoughts out there?

 

[ATAfamily]

What about a Residence Inn. The rooms are larger and their breakfast area is larger and usually serves hot items on top of the continental type foods.

 

[Spoony Bard]

I have had platinum status with Marriott for the last five years and use them almost exclusively for business travel. The only time we stay at non-Marriott properties is when we travel to WDW.

I know you said you wanted to avoid Fairfields - but if you are willing to reconsider, the Fairfield Inn on Apopka Vineland is very nice. It's a two minute drive from the entrance to WDW property (Downtown Disney area) and is located within walking distance of several great restaurants (Girodano's Pizza, an Indian Restaurant, and others). It's also reasonably priced from a points standpoint.

The Marriott Village is OK - but it's very large since it actually contains three properties (Fairfield, Courtyard, Spring Hill). We have stayed there several times as well, but it's not very convenient to get to and there isn't anything within walking distance.

The Marriott World Center is nice, but it's also father away, and it's massive... the walk to your room can be upwards of 15 minutes. Unless you'll have access to the Concierge Lounge, I would avoid it.

The Gaylord Palms is now a Marriott property as well. It's definitely close to WDW property, but it's expensive, and you'll be nickle'd and dime'd to death with fees (resort fee, parking, etc...). I travel to that property about twice a year for work-related conventions, and have no desire to stay there with my family

 

[ATAfamily]

I know you said you wanted to avoid Fairfields - but if you are willing to reconsider, the Fairfield Inn on Apopka Vineland is very nice. It's a two minute drive from the entrance to WDW property (Downtown Disney area) and is located within walking distance of several great restaurants (Girodano's Pizza, an Indian Restaurant, and others). It's also reasonably priced from a points standpoint.

The Marriott Village is OK - but it's very large since it actually contains three properties (Fairfield, Courtyard, Spring Hill). We have stayed there several times as well, but it's not very convenient to get to and there isn't anything within walking distance.

I agree, the Fairfield Inn on S. Apopka Vineland is an upscale Fairfield Inn. I've stayed here before and enjoyed the stay there very much. The pool area is just basic but the hotel location is great.

The Marriott Village is very large and is sometimes difficult to get in and out of because of traffic. Although it is a nice hotel.

 

[ldo]

we have stayed at many and are very picky.
Marriott World center--very nice, good pools, resort hotel, parking fee, no free breakfast, no microwave in room.
Residence Inn SW-good rooms, full kitchen, free breakfast, free parking, decent pool. Cat 5. Probably my fav in this area for a cat 5.
Springhill suites SW--adj to FF SW (shares same pool area--very nice). Weird bathroom setup, sliding door right in bedroom area--will wake up those sleeping at night. Otherwise, very nice.
FF SW--one of the best FF I have stayed at. Good rooms, very good management, nice pool area. A bit crazy at breakfast. Cat 4 hotel--so our hotel of choice when using points-free certif. near WDW. Stayed 2X,including over Christmas--no complaints.
Harbour Lake (Marriott Vacation club)--love it--perfect for us--like it better than Grande Vista b/c smaller, rooms updated very nice. CAt 7. Awesome.
There is also a RI on Marbella--very close to WDW--I would also consider this--never stayed there.

 

[ilm2000]

You might want to also consider the JW Marriott. It has a lazy river.

 

[katydid74]

The Marriott World Center is across the highway from Disney (you can see the fireworks from certain rooms) and also has 2 Marriott vacation club resorts on the property. There is one vacation club resort that is almost in the "backyard" of the World Marriott (the Sabal Palms) and is within easy walking distance of the spa pool and fitness center/spa. If you stay at any of the vacation club resorts there you can use the amenities of the World Marriott. It is a large hotel but I didn't find it terribly difficult to navigate. We stayed at the World Marriott for a conference and then transferred to the Sabal Palms for the remainder of our stay. The villas were a bit dated but they were large - 2 bedrooms overlooking the golf course. Ours hadn't been used in a while so it was musty but the service was top notch and they took care of freshening it up. It was cheap on vacation club points but I'm not sure how many Marriott points it would cost to stay there. Good luck!

 

[MississippiMom]

The Marriott World Center is across the highway from Disney (you can see the fireworks from certain rooms) and also has 2 Marriott vacation club resorts on the property. There is one vacation club resort that is almost in the "backyard" of the World Marriott (the Sabal Palms) and is within easy walking distance of the spa pool and fitness center/spa. If you stay at any of the vacation club resorts there you can use the amenities of the World Marriott. It is a large hotel but I didn't find it terribly difficult to navigate. We stayed at the World Marriott for a conference and then transferred to the Sabal Palms for the remainder of our stay. The villas were a bit dated but they were large - 2 bedrooms overlooking the golf course. Ours hadn't been used in a while so it was musty but the service was top notch and they took care of freshening it up. It was cheap on vacation club points but I'm not sure how many Marriott points it would cost to stay there. Good luck!

Complete fluke that I checked availability again and Sabal Palms showed up. It is more points than we have to spend, but my DH still has some more out of town business trips, so we reserved it and are keeping our fingers crossed.

 

[Jarry24]

Let me just say it all depends on what type of experience on your vacation you are looking for. If you spend little time in your hotel and most of the time in the parks or out and about and you want easy access to your room(shower,change, get ready for dinner, then out the door etc) then be on your way this is not the place to stay. I am a Platinum for Life member with Marriott and was unimpressed by there "resort" or convention center. Yes if you want to chill out by the pool and play a few rounds of golf (on a great golf course!!!) and not leave the "Resort" this is perfect for that type of vacation. Its like staying at the Marquis in Time Square or Copley Marriott in Boston where its a mission getting to your room. Its nice to say you have stayed there once but really I want to be out and about enjoying myself and not taking 30 minutes to run back to your room because you forgot your sunglasses or whatever. good Location, easy access to my room, clean and not gigantic with 2,000 rooms and 3 elevators....

Iv stayed at almost every Marriott Property around Disney and my favorite is the Courtyard in Marriott village. Free Parking "for elite members" or $5 a night but quick access to your room and a 3 min drive to the TTC, MK, or Epcot at a whopping $109 or less a night or 20,000pts(stick with the $109 rate and save your points for better cost/point ratio.) I'm not one to write reviews often but I felt compelled to save you 35,000 points my friend,you wont be disappointing....but if you have an abundance of points and want to give it a shot to say you did, depending on how long your trip is, I would use a cash rate at the Courtyard(earn more points baby and mega-bonus starts 6/1) and spend the other half at 35,000 a night at the World Center to see which you prefer.

Iv been in your shoes so I felt compelled to give you my two cents....hope it helped.

 

[aclov]

I needed a room for a Sat night only prior to check in at Saratoga Springs and finally decided on The Residence Inn Convention Center. Rooms seem bigger and free breakfast. I believe there's a social hour during the week that includes wine and beer. Do you have the Marriott cc? Might be worth it to get the points you need!

 

[dis-happy]

Oops. Didnt see your pool requirements. Forget what I wrote.

 

[bigyellow]

I am trying to weigh out my options for a first time vacation with my family (husband, father in law and kids= ages 7,6 and 3). We have Marriott points to use and I wonder if I should use those instead of staying on Property.
On the one hand, save some cash but is the parking a hastle?
Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[chalee94]

On the one hand, save some cash but is the parking a hastle?

it all depends on what you like.

many people stay onsite because they love the disney immersion.

some of them prefer to ride disney buses, boats and monorails exclusively as part of the immersion. some prefer to drive their own car to avoid situations where they are sitting and waiting for a bus to come.

when you go to the magic kingdom from an onsite resort, you are dropped off right at the front door to the MK. when you go to the MK from an offsite resort, you park at the ticket center - which means you still need to take a ferry or monorail to get to the MK.

for the other 3 disney parks, it's typically faster to drive.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I am trying to weigh out my options for a first time vacation with my family (husband, father in law and kids= ages 7,6 and 3). We have Marriott points to use and I wonder if I should use those instead of staying on Property.
On the one hand, save some cash but is the parking a hastle?
Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Even when we stay onsite, we always rent a car because we don't enjoy the Disney buses and we find that driving to the parks is no big deal, quite easy really.

And it also depends which Disney resort you are talking about. The ones that are walking distance or a boat/monorail ride away are convenient, but that only takes care of one or two parks. The other parks will still be remote. Then if you are staying in one of the more remote Disney resorts, you'll be just as far from the parks as you would be at many offsite resorts anyway.

Long story short, if you have a car anyway, I'd say pick the resort that is right for you, whether onsite or offsite because the parking is not a big deal. If you have Marriott points, that is definitely a bonus for staying offsite as there are a lot of great Marriott properties nearby.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I seem to be in the minority but I won't ever stay at World Center again. Horrid service, parking is a pain. Overall it was a poor quality hotel.
(And I stay 100+ nights a year in Marriott hotels)
I would suggest OP look at the Residence Inn Lake Buena Vista. Good location , more space, free breakfast

 

[MattM]

Thanks for the World Center recommendations. I had not even considered them, since we actually stayed there about eight years ago (DH was at a convention) and it didn't feel very family friendly then. Of course, we no longer have little ones, and I did not realize they had all the new slides.

Any other thoughts out there?

World Center for convenience, JW Marriott for best room/resort combo. You can't beat the location of the World Center, but the JW Marriott is a far nicer resort.