Best offsite????

[jupers]

Hi All,

Have stayed onsite several times, considering offsite soon. Where do you recommend? Been looking at Caribe Royal? Bonnet Creek, Hilton or Wyndham? Haven't ruled out the Swan or Dolhin either...Thoughts????? Kids will be 8 and 3. Most important thing for them is a good pool with a nice slide.

Help!!!!!!

 

[spiceycat]

hyatt grand cypress it the pool is important


http://grandcypress.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp?icamp=hyattgrandcypressredirect

 

[Orlando Vic]

I don't mean to give you a hard time, but Orlando has the most hotels, and the second largest number of hotel rooms in the country (after Las Vegas, Nevada). There is no "best". What is best for you depends on your budget, preference for proximity to the parks (all of them), amenities desired, etc.

One measure of popularity is http://www.tripadvisor.com. There are bargains to be had. If you belong to AAA, check their web site as there are many good deals there. Also check http://www.travelzoo.com.

 

[Lewisc]

Out of the hotels on your list I'd go with the Dolphin. You can walk (or boat) to EPCOT and DHS. The grotto pool is one of the best pools on property.

 

[Upatnoon]

Out of the hotels on your list I'd go with the Dolphin. You can walk (or boat) to EPCOT and DHS. The grotto pool is one of the best pools on property.

Would you prefer lots of space such as a 2 bedroom or would you prefer location but a small hotel room?

 

[Brian Noble]

Upatnoon is asking the right question.

For me, it would not have been vacation if my wife and I had to share a single sleeping space with my kids at those ages. Others would give their left eyeteeth to stay within walking distance of both Epcot and Studios. You can have both by renting points from a DVC owner for a 1BR villa at BCV or BWV, but that might cost you *both* of your eyeteeth.

If you answer that question first, it will be easier to make suggestions. But, of your list, I've stayed at the Wyndham bonnet creek; their pools are very nice---a couple of lazy rivers, a couple of slides, the newer ones are moderately themed.

 

[jupers]

Thanks for the responses. I wish I could be more specific with what I want. I keep flip flopping. I love staying on property but the costs are just getting ridiculous. The thought of a suite is nice too, being able to put the kids to bed and hang out alone for a while would be nice. But I love being in the "disney bubble." I have done some research and when considering offsite, I liked the looks of caribe royale and wyndham bonnet creek, but I also like the idea of walking to the downtown disney area which has the hilton and the doubletree suites. And of course, I can't help consider the Swan or Dolphin because the teacher's rate is pretty good. Obviously, I'm a mess....

Sorry if I confused everyone.

 

[WDWisTheBest]

Thanks for the responses. I wish I could be more specific with what I want. I keep flip flopping. I love staying on property but the costs are just getting ridiculous. The thought of a suite is nice too, being able to put the kids to bed and hang out alone for a while would be nice. But I love being in the "disney bubble." I have done some research and when considering offsite, I liked the looks of caribe royale and wyndham bonnet creek, but I also like the idea of walking to the downtown disney area which has the Hilton and the Doubletree suites. And of course, I can't help consider the Swan or Dolphin because the teacher's rate is pretty good. Obviously, I'm a mess....

Sorry if I confused everyone.

No need to be sorry. Why not consider the Dolphin due to the teacher's rate?

 

[Brian Noble]

My advice: start by deciding what is most important to you. For example, if I am traveling with my kids, I absolutely require separate sleeping spaces for kids and adults, and strongly prefer having a kitchen and in-unit washer dryer. That eliminates a bunch of options from the get-go---including most of the Disney resorts.

On the other hand, if I'm on a "just us" (or "just me") trip, then I want to be somewhere with easy (i.e. I don't have to drive) access to some night life. And *that* eliminates quite a few of the non-Disney options.''

Once I've settled on the "big thing" for a trip, I then try to play off the other things against one another, and see what falls out.

All of the things on your list are nice things: reasonable cost, space to stretch out, in the Disney bubble. But, you really can't have all three of those things. So, figure out which is most important to you (or, alternatively, which is least important) and that will help winnow your options.

 

[bwo]

Hi,
I think the Professor nailed it--I was a mess and kept flip-flopping most of this fall and really was considering the Dolphin too with the teacher discount. But ultimately more space(separate sleeping) and at least two bathrooms won out over staying in the "bubble". When my wife and I kept considering staying in only 1 room/1 bathroom, like the Dolphin, for 9 days with three kids, 8, 5, and 3, the answer became obvious. After hours and hours of researching, I agree with the Professor that it's very difficult, if not impossible, to get reasonable cost, with tons of space, in the Disney bubble. We are planning on the Bonnet Creek. Cheers.

 

[Lewisc]

Would you prefer lots of space such as a 2 bedroom or would you prefer location but a small hotel room?

Looks like the OP has two kids. They can meet the occupancy requirements of a hotel room. Caribe is a suite hotel. The other properties he listed are probably hotels. I'm assuming he asked about the Hilton in Bonnet Creek and a Wyndham hotel (not timeshare).

Out of those properties I'd select Dolphin, due to it's location.

My answer might be different if the OP had more kids, was concerned with space or wanted to be able to cook meals.