challenge: where should we stay?

[rolshan]

Help us choose a hotel/resort/villa! Here are our priorities:

Very close to WDW (particularly MK) (we will also be doing Seaworld/Discovery Cove)
2 bedrooms (could be hotel suite or villa)
fridge
room service
good pool
restaurant on premises
nice amenities -- whirlpool bath in room would be nice
price not a big issue
"fun" features for kids

Thank you! No prizes but many for the person who makes the suggestion that we take!

 

[Maistre Gracey]

The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge....

Very close to WDW (particularly MK) (we will also be doing Seaworld/Discovery Cove)
You can't get much closer to the MK.
2 bedrooms (could be hotel suite or villa)
Yes
fridge
Yes
room service
Yes
good pool
Yes...2 of them.
restaurant on premises
Yes...2 of them plus a snack bar.
nice amenities -- whirlpool bath in room would be nice
Yes, there is a whirlpool in the master bedroom- plus other amenities including a great work out facility downstairs.
price not a big issue
That's good, because this won't come cheap!
"fun" features for kids
Have you ever seen the Lodge?

Sounds like a perfect fit... Good luck, and have fun!

 

[RobinLyn]

How much is in your budget for the 2 bedroom suite/villa and for how long??

If you aren't in need of a kitchen, you may want to consider 2 connecting rooms at one of the WDW Resorts or at a hotel in Downtown Disney.

RobinLyn

 

[lejaf]

We stayed at the Vistana Resort a couple of years ago and loved it. We had a two bedroom and it was HUGE. There are a lot of pools to chose from and a jacuzzi in the room. We were going to stay there the next year and they were booked for the week we wanted. You should check out their website! We are starting to plan a trip for March and I'm up in the air about where to stay. I think I want to try someplace new...Ah, decisions, decisions!

 

[rolshan]

Thank you for all suggestions so far! We have always stayed at Disney resorts before (BW villas) but hubby is arguing for out of the world for this 10 day trip as we intend to spend about 4 days doing offsite attractions. We may do Wilderness villas or adjoining rooms in a hotel. I looked into VIstana and was turned off by lack of room service/on site restaurant as with 2 young kids it's a pain to have to drive to a restaurant for every meal! Please keep the suggestions coming...

 

[RobinLyn]

http://www.downtowndisneyhotels.com/mappg.html

http://www.mousesavers.com/preferred.html

 

[disneymom1]

How about Holiday Inn Family Suites? If you get connecting suites, you can get everything you have asked for.

It is close to WDW - less than 5 minutes from EPCOT and less than 10 minutes from MK. It is also very convenient (about 10 minutes) to Seaworld and Universal since it is just off Interstate 4). The hotel is only a few years old so everything is bright and modern. It is still a Holiday Inn however, not the Ritz Carlton. We think it is at least as nice as the Disney Moderate Resorts.

Most suites have 2 bedrooms. If you wanted the whirlpool however, you would have to get connecting suites. The whirlpool suite (called a "sweetheart suite") has only 1 bedroom. You could probably get 2 connecting suites for about the price of 1 Wilderness Villa and there would be 3 bedrooms altogether.

Fridge - yes they have them, as well as a microwave, in each suite

Room Service was available from around 7am until about 10pm the last time I was there.

There are 2 pools, a large plain olympic style pool as well as a family pool. The family pool is zero entry and has a waterfall and water toys built into the pool for the kids to play with. You can also rent pool floats and toys for the kids. There are plenty of chairs as well as a pool bar and snack shack.

There is a sit down restaurant that has a buffet or you can order off a menu. Not the best food in the world but adequate. There is also a convenience store and a fast food restaurant with A&W (burgers, chicken) and Pizza Hut items. There is also a pretty good hot breakfast buffet that is free for everyone in the room. This might help since you don't like to get in the car for every meal, and helps if you want to get an early start in the morning.

As I mentioned above, there is one suite type with a whirlpool tub, but it only has one bedroom. They have a workout room, but I haven't used it so I can't really tell you how good it is.

For the kids, in addition to the pool, there is a game room. They also have nightly activities like bingo and face painting. There is Nintendo in the room and you can rent Nintendo games or videos for the TV. Each suite has a TV in each bedroom and in the livingroom. If you got the sweetheart suite and the connecting suite you would have 3 bedrooms and 5 TV's. I don't know how many kids you have but that might help to minimize the arguments over the TV.

My kids (9 and 6) love the place. Check out their website at www.hifamilysuites.com. Good luck with your search.

 

[lejaf]

The Vistana Resort has a restaurant on the property as well as a Pizza Hut and a grocery store so you can buy stuff to keep in the villa. I'm pretty sure you could order room service but maybe it is limited to the Pizza Hut menu. I'm not sure. I know we ordered something one night and ate it on our patio. You may have looked a the VIstana Villages web site...it is a newer property and may not have the restaurant but it is not the same as the Vistana Resort.

 

[lejaf]

http://www.starwood.com/sheraton/search/hotel_detail.html?propertyID=5608

Here is the web site for the Vistana Resort. It has 5 restaurants if you count the Pizza Hut

 

[coasterdann]

If hubby wants "out of this world," try Gaylord Palms. Very pricey, but gorgeous!

 

[dtauer]

I second the vote for the Holiday Inn Family Suites. Even though we love staying onsite, the extra bedroom, fridge, big bathroom etc. make this our off site favorite.

We've stayed in Deluxe hotels throughout the country but our kids still prefer HIFS to most any at any price range because of the pool, games, magic show, bingo and karoake.

I've mailed out many of the free pizza party coupons used at HIFS as well, and I'm happy to say that many of the people using the coupons took the time to write back to me to let me know how much they also enjoyed their stay there. HIFS has sent me more coupons, if there is anyone who still needs one, feel free to email me at dtauer@integraonline.com and I'll mail one out to you.

 

[sayremom]

I too vote for HI Family Suites. Our experience was a great one even though we were so ill for the first night of our stay. There was enough to keep my 6 yr old (who was already over the bug) busy while the rest of us crawled to the bathroom from our various beds.

Very important to note that there are 2 Sunspree Family Suites Hotels in Lake Buena Vista. You want the one accross from the Marriott World Center. I believe it is on World center Drive. Use the link in the post above to check it out. In addition to the HUGE family pool area there is another courtyard with a quiet pool fro the adults.

The hotel has a very strict Swim Diaper Policy for Children under 4. I appreciate this. We have had one bout of Crypto from an unsanitary pool and wouldn't care to repeat it.

 

[sayremom]

I too vote for HI Family Suites. Our experience was a great one even though we were so ill for the first night of our stay. There was enough to keep my 6 yr old (who was already over the bug) busy while the rest of us crawled to the bathroom from our various beds.

Very important to note that there are 2 HI Sunspree Family Suites Hotels in Lake Buena Vista. You want the one accross from the Marriott World Center. I believe it is on World Center Drive. Use the link in the post above to check it out. In addition to the HUGE family pool area there is another courtyard with a quiet pool for the adults.

The hotel has a very strict Swim Diaper Policy for Children under 4. I appreciate this. We have had one bout of Crypto from an unsanitary pool and wouldn't care to repeat it.