BWPPI or Fairfield Inn?

[NewbieMouse]

I have a week to make up my mind, so I was wondering if I could get opinions from those who have stayed in these hotels which one they would choose. We're booked into the BWPPI right now (as part of a Costco package), but re-reading some older threads, I'm willing to change it up to another hotel. Cost difference is about an extra $160 in total for the 4 days to stay at BWPPI. We're going at Christmas, so the pool isn't really a factor.

Any thoughts? TIA!

 

[Husker Mickey]

If you look at my signature, you will see that we have stayed at both. I prefer FFI. The rooms seem to be nicer and I like the feel of the place. The last time we stayed at the BWPPI, we were next to the elevators and it was quite noisy. The FFI seems to be more up-to-date, hence seems cleaner. We didn't have any issues about rooms not being clean at either place.

 

[NewbieMouse]

Thank you, Husker Mickey! Was the difference in walk time to the gate insignificant in your experience? And I think there's no breakfast at the FFI (but there is the McD in the parking lot).

Also, one of the reviews on trip advisor said you needed to take a shuttle to your car - is that right?

 

[skiingfast]

Thank you, Husker Mickey! Was the difference in walk time to the gate insignificant in your experience? And I think there's no breakfast at the FFI (but there is the McD in the parking lot).

Also, one of the reviews on trip advisor said you needed to take a shuttle to your car - is that right?

That's only right if you can't walk. It is a bit further but only by about 4-6 minutes. This will double the walk time to the gates, but stull that isn't much distance compared to the miles you walk in the park.

Yeah you will need breakfast at FFI and be walking right by the McDs.

 

[kylie71]

FFI, gets my vote.
Super close to Millies, and Mimi's!
It's more confortable I think!
Have a great trip!

 

[sasywtch]

I've stayed at both and would stay at either one again. BWPPI is like any Best Western and has always been clean. The continental breakfast did just fine as we don't eat anything other than cereal/toast/bagel type things for breakfast anyway. There is nothing like crossing the street and being right there and knowing you don't have to walk any further. At the end of a long night, I was always jealous of those people when I stayed further away.

I'd save the 160 for goodies inside the park or a Christmas present or two.

 

[becstr]

I stayed at the FFI in February and was quite pleased. It was clean and the room felt quite spacious. The MacDonalds was a convenient place for our party of 12 to meet up every morning and we enjoyed our visits to Mimi's. The walk really wasn't too bad. Less than 10 minutes.

 

[AndyLL]

Thank you, Husker Mickey! Was the difference in walk time to the gate insignificant in your experience? And I think there's no breakfast at the FFI (but there is the McD in the parking lot).

Also, one of the reviews on trip advisor said you needed to take a shuttle to your car - is that right?

We've stayed at the FFI our last 3 trips. The extra walk time is only a couple of minutes.

If you park your car at the offsite parking there is no charge. ( and you need a shuttle)

They do have onsite parking.

Andy

 

[KCmike]

Fairfield Inn for me here.

We just stayed at BWPPI and the walls were super thin. We could here housekeeping and just about everything else. Location was great and the rooms were clean but I really didn't like the noise.

 

[NewbieMouse]

A lot of votes for FFI! Not as many BWPPI supporters out there. I realized after that I had screwed up the price comparison - they're essentially the same price. If only Hojo had the ENT rate to render the point moot.

FFI:
+ "trust" more
+ slightly better rooms
- need to pay for breakfast
- need to shuttle/walk to car
- slightly longer walk to/from park

BWPPI:
+ shorter walk to/from park
+ no walk/shuttle to parking
+ free breakfast
- thin walls/possibly noisy
- rooms not as nice

Decisions, decisions! I'll mull it over until Sunday, I guess. Thank you all!

 

[taaren]

At the end of the day, do you want a nicer room or a shorter walk? Also have stayed at both, and what we found is that for longer trips (off-property) we liked PPI because then we could head back to the room and nap, generally take it easy and more leisurely. But for shorter trips we liked FF because we packed in a long day, then headed back to a quieter room with a comfier bed. Those extra couple of minutes of walking didn't matter much for the beginning and end of the day, but they did in the middle of the day when we wanted to nap with the toddler a few years ago.

 

[NewbieMouse]

At the end of the day, do you want a nicer room or a shorter walk? Also have stayed at both, and what we found is that for longer trips (off-property) we liked PPI because then we could head back to the room and nap, generally take it easy and more leisurely. But for shorter trips we liked FF because we packed in a long day, then headed back to a quieter room with a comfier bed. Those extra couple of minutes of walking didn't matter much for the beginning and end of the day, but they did in the middle of the day when we wanted to nap with the toddler a few years ago.

The walk is a big part of it, and the breakfast. DH is not exactly "Disney-friendly" and needs to take a midday break or he'll wig out. Are the rooms that much nicer at FFI?

 

[kylie71]

It's a Marriott, so I say yes!
The walk insn't that much further from the FFI... Easily done by my 60's something Mom, many years in a row!

 

[taaren]

Yes, Fairfield Inn is nicer. The rooms needed refurbishing when I was last at PPI but its been a few years. Marriott properties don't tend to allow the rooms to go too long w/o refurb since its a brand quality of consistency that they like to maintain.
That being said, if someone in your party has trouble walking i'd go with PPI for proximity. Its an adequate hotel in the closest spot you can get without paying Disney prices. But that's just me. As you can tell by my signature we got lazier as the years went by and started staying closer and closer to the park since we wanted to walk more inside the parks than to and from until we finally bought

 

[Pintail]

We liked the Fairfield Inn. The walk is not bad. Parking is packed and $8 a day now, but other that that a great place. There is a neat little arcade my daughter liked, next to the Pizza Hut on the 2nd floor.