Doubletree Disney Springs - vs. POFQ. What will I not get by staying at Disney Springs

[Sprockie]

I just booked the Doubletree Disney Springs for November. We've always stayed offsite and we planned on doing an on-site trip this fall but I just can't swallow the price.
I know they have disney shuttles, but no Magical Express or Magic Bands (we don't care).
Can I still link my disney tickets to my disney account and book reservations for dining at disney or fastpasses?

 

[mjhtvchick]

I am not as up on this topic as others may be but I think you can still link your tickets to your account. As for dining reservations and fastpasses, I believe you can still book them but the booking window is shorter - I think you can book at 30 days out if you are staying offsite but at 60 or 90 days if you are staying onsite.

 

[100AcreWood]

Absolutely! You can link your tickets, dining reservations and memory maker to your Disney account and make FP+ reservations. I really like the Doubletree!

 

[Sprockie]

Absolutely! You can link your tickets, dining reservations and memory maker to your Disney account and make FP+ reservations. I really like the Doubletree!

Oh good. This has saved us over 1k for a 9 day stay. That will likely cover our on and off site meals + or -.

 

[HopperFan]

YUP YUP, MDE is not dependent on room reservations.
You just have to book FP+ at 30 day, not 60 day like onsite.
You can book ADR at 180 days.
If you have MagicBands on your account, you can still use them, link your tickets to them.
The bus system there is good, I was just at B Resort and watched the buses go by practically non-stop.

LOVE Doubletree and maybe @writerguyfl will pop in too. The hotel suites were renovated a few years ago.
The living space is very large, I love having a table & chairs since we eat in some,
and because the rooms are laid out side by side you get lots of light and sunshine.

 

[writerguyfl]

Indeed, I do love the DoubleTree Suites. It's my first choice of the Disney Springs properties. I like the fact that you can easily walk to non-Disney restaurants (both fast food and sit-down) to save a little money on longer trips.

I do also like that the living room does have windows, unlike some other suite hotels. All but 6 of their 229 rooms are set up that way. (There are 6 king-bedded rooms right behind the elevator bank where the living room does not have windows.)

Assuming you have cancelable/refundable reservations, be sure to periodically check for price changes. I find the best prices are via the Disney Springs Hotels marketing association website. Links on that site send you to the official Hilton website, so you still earn Hilton Honors points.

DoubleTree Suites page: http://disneyspringshotels.com/hotels/doubletree-suites-by-hilton-orlando-disney-springs/

Click on the "Special Offers & Packages" link under the photo. Be sure to check the Vacation Packages offer. Although it says it's for Spring travel, I just checked some random November dates and the it worked. Standard rate was $159 but the promo rate was $143. Maybe you'll be lucky and this will save you some money right now.

 

[Sprockie]

Indeed, I go love the DoubleTree Suites. It's my first choice of the Disney Springs properties. I like the fact that you can easily walk to non-Disney restaurants (both fast food and sit-down) to save a little money on longer trips.

I do also like that the living room does have windows, unlike some other suite hotels. All but 6 of their 229 rooms are set up that way. (There are 6 king-bedded rooms right behind the elevator bank where the living room does not have windows.)

Assuming you have cancelable/refundable reservations, be sure to periodically check for price changes. I find the best prices are via the Disney Springs Hotels marketing association website. Links on that site send you to the official Hilton website, so you still earn Hilton Honors points.

DoubleTree Suites page: http://disneyspringshotels.com/hotels/doubletree-suites-by-hilton-orlando-disney-springs/

Click on the "Special Offers & Packages" link under the photo. Be sure to check the Vacation Packages offer. Although it says it's for Spring travel, I just checked some random November dates and the it worked. Standard rate was $159 but the promo rate was $143. Maybe you'll be lucky and this will save you some money right now.

I never knew these hotels existed under the "Disney" umbrella until yesterday reading on this board. I booked through the website you have above and the rate was $134/night including the Disneysprings promo of free parking and wifi. We wouldn't be comfortable in a value hotel on Disney with just double beds for 8 or 9 nights, so moderate it would be for us. We were leaning towards POFQ, but at $235/night and pay for all meals in Disney, we're saving lots of money. We're Canadian, so the exchange right now is not very favourable. Not to mention, as a crow flies, we're closer to Disney Springs than POFQ.

Tell me, is the breakfast as good as it looks in pictures? That was another selling feature for me was that we can start out with a great breakfast right at the hotel before heading to the parks. I love the fact that it looks like it has berries and fruit and oatmeal, yogurt etc, not just your usual scrambled eggs, sausage patty's and fruit loops.

We booked a pool view two queen 1 bedroom suite. I requested a lower floor, overlooking the pool as close as possible. Would you agree with this location request?

One more question - are they Keurig coffee makers I see in the room? Just asking because I'd bring more pods/cups.

Thanks for the info!

 

[Sprockie]

YUP YUP, MDE is not dependent on room reservations.
You just have to book FP+ at 30 day, not 60 day like onsite.
You can book ADR at 180 days.
If you have MagicBands on your account, you can still use them, link your tickets to them.
The bus system there is good, I was just at B Resort and watched the buses go by practically non-stop.

LOVE Doubletree and maybe @writerguyfl will pop in too. The hotel suites were renovated a few years ago.
The living space is very large, I love having a table & chairs since we eat in some,
and because the rooms are laid out side by side you get lots of light and sunshine.

Oh good, thanks for the info and the reassurance I booked the right place!
We don't have magic bands. Last time we were at disney, either we didn't use fast passes or they were paper - maybe 3 years ago? Anyway, we're not familiar with magic bands. What would we use the magic bands for? Fastpasses, reservations? Can I get by without them?

 

[HopperFan]

Oh good, thanks for the info and the reassurance I booked the right place!
We don't have magic bands. Last time we were at disney, either we didn't use fast passes or they were paper - maybe 3 years ago? Anyway, we're not familiar with magic bands. What would we use the magic bands for? Fastpasses, reservations? Can I get by without them?

You don't need them. The only thing you won't get are a couple videos and 7DMT photos they pick up via the RFID signals to Photopass. Use your hard tickets for Ticket entry, FP+ and Photopass.

 

[Sprockie]

You don't need them. The only thing you won't get are a couple videos and 7DMT photos they pick up via the RFID signals to Photopass. Use your hard tickets for Ticket entry, FP+ and Photopass.

So any dining reservations I might make are linked to my disney app, or are they linked to the card as well.
Thanks again!

 

[HopperFan]

So any dining reservations I might make are linked to my disney app, or are they linked to the card as well.
Thanks again!

Just your MDE which you can see on the app.

Your card will be a ticket, so it works for FP+ and Ticket entry and I think they can scan photos to it but if not, they will give you a photopass card. It has nothing to do with dining but that is on your MDE (which you can see on app). The only reason folks use their MagicBand for dining is if they have the Disney Dining Plan or are charging it back to their room.

 

[writerguyfl]

Tell me, is the breakfast as good as it looks in pictures? That was another selling feature for me was that we can start out with a great breakfast right at the hotel before heading to the parks. I love the fact that it looks like it has berries and fruit and oatmeal, yogurt etc, not just your usual scrambled eggs, sausage patty's and fruit loops.

Sorry, I can't help here. I'm not a breakfast person. I usually work overnight hours, which means even on vacation I'm almost never awake during breakfast hours.

Unlike the sprawling Disney Resorts, the Disney Springs Hotels are compact and near each other. Both the Best Western Lake Buena Vista and the B Resort are about a 5-minute walk away. It would be very easy to try out those hotels for breakfast, if desired. That provides more than one option for a long stay. You can pick up the theme park shuttle outside any of the hotels.

We booked a pool view two queen 1 bedroom suite. I requested a lower floor, overlooking the pool as close as possible. Would you agree with this location request?

I think I've stayed in rooms that face each of the four basic directions:

Source: https://binged.it/2nNhWym

The only "bad" room was one on the second floor directly above the bus stop. That room had noise from bus engines and people talking. (I got moved the next day and the Front Desk added a note to my profile so I wouldn't get assigned a room in that location on a future stay.) But, with a Pool View room, you won't have that problem. You'll be on the inside of the "V".

Although I usually request a high floor, on my last stay I arrived early and the only room available right away was on the ground floor. It was lower wing in the photo facing the parking lot. I was reluctant, as I was concerned about noise. But, it turned out to be the most peaceful room I'd ever experienced. There was a ton of greenery between the building and the parking lot. So quiet. You can sort of see it on the right side of this photo:

Source: http://doubletree3.hilton.com/en/index.html

So, feel free to keep your Pool View room. It should be just fine. If there are standard rooms for slightly less, there are lots of options for decent rooms, too. The hotel is well-designed so that stuff like garbage dumpsters aren't visible from any guest rooms.

One more question - are they Keurig coffee makers I see in the room? Just asking because I'd bring more pods/cups.

I believe the Keurig coffee makers are just in the "Little Extras Upgrade" rooms. (You pay extra to get 24/7 access to a refreshment center.) All other suites have basic drip coffee makers that use circular pods. I want to say they use Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf products. It's not the best if you like true coffee, but I never had a problem requesting a few extra servings via a not to Housekeeping.

 

[Sprockie]

Sorry, I can't help here. I'm not a breakfast person. I usually work overnight hours, which means even on vacation I'm almost never awake during breakfast hours.

Unlike the sprawling Disney Resorts, the Disney Springs Hotels are compact and near each other. Both the Best Western Lake Buena Vista and the B Resort are about a 5-minute walk away. It would be very easy to try out those hotels for breakfast, if desired. That provides more than one option for a long stay. You can pick up the theme park shuttle outside any of the hotels.



I think I've stayed in rooms that face each of the four basic directions:

Source: https://binged.it/2nNhWym

The only "bad" room was one on the second floor directly above the bus stop. That room had noise from bus engines and people talking. (I got moved the next day and the Front Desk added a note to my profile so I wouldn't get assigned a room in that location on a future stay.) But, with a Pool View room, you won't have that problem. You'll be on the inside of the "V".

Although I usually request a high floor, on my last stay I arrived early and the only room available right away was on the ground floor. It was lower wing in the photo facing the parking lot. I was reluctant, as I was concerned about noise. But, it turned out to be the most peaceful room I'd ever experienced. There was a ton of greenery between the building and the parking lot. So quiet. You can sort of see it on the right side of this photo:

Source: http://doubletree3.hilton.com/en/index.html

So, feel free to keep your Pool View room. It should be just fine. If there are standard rooms for slightly less, there are lots of options for decent rooms, too. The hotel is well-designed so that stuff like garbage dumpsters aren't visible from any guest rooms.



I believe the Keurig coffee makers are just in the "Little Extras Upgrade" rooms. (You pay extra to get 24/7 access to a refreshment center.) All other suites have basic drip coffee makers that use circular pods. I want to say they use Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf products. It's not the best if you like true coffee, but I never had a problem requesting a few extra servings via a not to Housekeeping.

Excellent information, thanks so much for your thorough reply, much appreciated.

 

[HopperFan]

Last trip was upper floor, pool side. I was concerned about noise mostly from highway but heard none. Pool is by corner of building you can see lower right.

Breakfast - does your rate include it? Mousesavers? Hilton Honors? because I don't think it's a "free breakfast". If not, then I would not pay for it, I would go elsewhere. The first few times it was great, the last time it had less offering but great to have some fresh fruit, and enough to fill you.

My biggest complaint is that it's a restaurant style, so you check in with hostess, they seat you, a server gets drinks and you get food. The space is WAY too small for a hotel that size. Last trip, last day it was about an hour wait, we left. From now on I'll take breakfast items and eat in room - you have a fridge, micro, counters, table and chairs. (and when our whole family of 5 went, they brought us an additional chair).

 

[Sprockie]

Last trip was upper floor, pool side. I was concerned about noise mostly from highway but heard none. Pool is by corner of building you can see lower right.

Breakfast - does your rate include it? Mousesavers? Hilton Honors? because I don't think it's a "free breakfast". If not, then I would not pay for it, I would go elsewhere. The first few times it was great, the last time it had less offering but great to have some fresh fruit, and enough to fill you.

My biggest complaint is that it's a restaurant style, so you check in with hostess, they seat you, a server gets drinks and you get food. The space is WAY too small for a hotel that size. Last trip, last day it was about an hour wait, we left. From now on I'll take breakfast items and eat in room - you have a fridge, micro, counters, table and chairs. (and when our whole family of 5 went, they brought us an additional chair).

Okay, good to know. Thanks. We will have a car so I see we have Denny's, IHOP, Perkins etc. within a stone's throw. You're right, we can bring/buy breakfast items.
Our rate doesn't include breakfast. I took the Disney springs promo which included parking (which I know we'll need). I do have Hilton Honors, but it just gives free wifi (which is also included in the Disneysprings promo). I hope they have free coffee in the morning.

 

[HopperFan]

Parking is a better deal!! We are Hilton Diamond so I think we get the breakfasts because of that.

There is a coffee maker in your room, along with microwave and fridge. I usually bring bagels/creme cheese, bananas, muffins, yogurt and oj ... was easier to eat in room. But yes there are plenty of places around there if you like big breakfasts.