Buena Vista Palace

[goofyguy1958]

Anyone stay at the Buena Vista Palace? We booked two nights (August 11 and 12) at the begining of our upcomming trip before we check into SSR. Any information would be appreciated. Will DD 9 and DS 6 enjoy?

 

[Steamboat Bill]

I have stayed there many times....you might want to request a tower room, rather than a wing room as the walk is much shorter.

The pools are nice, the rooms are not bad, and the food is expensive. It is walking distance to Downtown Disney and the shuttles are fine. This is mainly a convention hotel, not a true Disney-owned hotel.

They have a nice character breakfast and the cast members at the Disney store on the first floor has the BEST selection of cast pins for trading I have ever seen.

 

[goofyguy1958]

Thanks Steamboat - the charactor breakfast sounds like a positive for DD and DS.

Anyone else have any insight?

 

[CPM]

I have stayed there many times....you might want to request a tower room, rather than a wing room as the walk is much shorter.
.

We also just stayed there. What is closer to the tower rooms? I found everything to be closer to the island rooms. The pool, bus and parking were much closer than the towers. however, the tower rooms were nicer. They are being renovated, so you may want to make sure you are not near construction.
The island rooms had fridges and were larger but not renovated yet.

Everything else was really nice. Spectacualr views from some rooms and the lounge on flooor 27. You can see everyone's fireworks and all of Disney.

The place is huge. Food an drink very expensive. We went out and bought donuts and juice because it was $9.00 for a pastry & drink each at the cafe.

 

[stacy6552]

We stayed there a few years back when it was owned by Wyndham. We had a horrrrrible time, but most of the issues were service related. So I can't speak to whether its still relevent or not, though we do still refer to it as "The Dungeon."

Completely seperately, though, did you consider staying with Disney the first 2 nights? They make switching resorts so painless, its the only way to go in our book. Pack your bags and call the front desk, head to the parks, and your bags are waiting for you over at SSR when you arrive!

 

[CPM]

Can't see any reference to it being a dungeon, why did you call it that?
Our room was bright & cheery with a great view. Lobby was beautiful.

 

[SammieG]

Is arthurs 27 still at the Buena Vista Palace? That has to be the best meal Ive ever had!
But I cant find it on thier website..

 

[CPM]

Is arthurs 27 still at the Buena Vista Palace? That has to be the best meal Ive ever had!
But I cant find it on thier website..

The restaurant is closed for renovations, but the lounge is open.
Their other restaurant The Outback is open and very good. (Not the chain, The Outback).

 

[SammieG]

thanks for the info...

 

[Scot-n-Michelle]

we are staying here in March 2007, and Can't wait to see what it's like.

 

[alan]

I'm just back from there. My first time at Disney, so wasn't sure what to expect.

We started off in one of the non-refurbished rooms, on the 6th floor. It was okay. We were a family of four (two adults, a 6y/o and a 4y/o) staying for two weeks. There wasn't really enough storage space for all our clothes.

Midway through the holiday, one of our party awoke to find a dead, large insect under his pillow. We went to complain, and were immediately offered the chance to change room while the exterminators were called in. That put us in the tower (the 18th floor) and one of the newly refurbished rooms.

These rooms are the same size, and look great. They are a bit less practical, however, with less storage space. On the other hand, they did have fridges, a flat-screen TV (not that we had time to watch much), and two chairs and a table on the balcony. Why the balcony couldn't have a light is beyond me; I always wanted to sit outside and read once the kids were in bed but it was too dark...

The character breakfast on the Sunday was very good. The little Disney store in the hotel was good, and the same prices as in Downtown Disney marketplace, which was about a five minute walk away.

The Watercress shop in the hotel was outrageously expensive. US$1.78 for a half pint of milk! US$3.99 for a coffee! We ended up not eating any evening meals in the hotel, though we had a few lunches from the pool bar, which were quite reasonable and very tasty.

What else? The pool was very good, though it was being emptied for cleaning the last two days we were there.

If you do want to buy in some supplies for yourself, there is a shopping centre called Crossroads about five minutes away by car (leave the hotel, turn left, turn left at the traffic lights then keep going straight until you're in the centre). There was a Goodings supermarket there, where we bought milk, breakfast cereal, etc.

Hope this helps,

regards,
/alan

 

[CPM]

was your original room in the island? Or just a non renovated tower room?
Glad to hear they added fridges to the tower rooms, mine did not have one.

 

[alan]

It was in the main part of the hotel (is that what's meant by a "tower room"?). We would go past reception, turn left and then left again to get to the elevators to take us to the room.

regards,
/alan

 

[CarolA]

I have stayed there serveral times and for the right price would stay there again. My only real complaint is that it's an older hotel it has "older bathrooms" so they aren't as nice and big as you find at newer hotels. However, almost ALL of the DTD hotels are from this era so......

My rule of thumb is that if I can get one of the DTD hotels for less then the price of a Disney moderate I stay there. I like this hotel much more then the Value resorts (which I do like, but....)

There is also an Alamo rental car on site if you need to rent a car for just part of your stay.

I like the pool area!

 

[goofyguy1958]

Alan, Carol A, and all who replied, Thank you so much for your feedback. I have booked the two extra nights of our stay here but just found that I can get the same two nights at the Doubletree Club Lake Buena Vista for about $60 less. Now I am confused and since the Doubletree appears to be a new hotel am wondering if I should change. Any clue on the Doubletree?

 

[CPM]

Alan, Carol A, and all who replied, Thank you so much for your feedback. I have booked the two extra nights of our stay here but just found that I can get the same two nights at the Doubletree Club Lake Buena Vista for about $60 less. Now I am confused and since the Doubletree appears to be a new hotel am wondering if I should change. Any clue on the Doubletree?

The Club Doubletree is not a new hotel. It's been there ever since I could remember, but not as long as BVP. It's nice, very colorful and bright. Has more reasonable food and drink. Not as elaborable as the BVP. For $60.00 less, that is quite a difference, I would go with the club. Where did you find that rate?
I used to stay there a lot, but it's been a couple of years since our last stay. They have cute kid's suites too. No view. Okay pool. Au Ban Pain inside, plus a small lounge.