Downtown Disney Resorts??

[Eeyore3101]

Just wondering how many people have stayed in the DT Disney area hotels. I'm thinking my husband might like staying in this area. Please tell me the good, bad and, ugly about staying in this area. Is the transportaiton to the parks usually on time??? TIA!!

 

[Grumpy92]

The resorts in DTD are your general Hilton and Holiday Inn types. They wont have the theming of the Disney resorts but they are nice. The transportation is provided by Mears and is complimentary. So a bus for the parks comes about every 20-30 minutes. They do not go to the resorts just the five parks and DTD. If you want to go to another resort you would have to go to a park and then switch to the appropriate bus, boat or monorail.

A few of these resorts have recently been rehabed.
The hotels in this are just fine and we have stayed in several but we have found we prefer the Disney resorts.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I have stayed at the Wyndham, Grosvenor, HI (was Marriott when I stayed), and the BW Lake Buena Vista. It has been at least 5 years since I have stayed in them though. The rooms in all of them were bigger than any of the Disney Values. I liked the BW Lake Buena Vista & Wyndham the best. As Grumpy92 has said, they do all have a shuttle that goes to the theme parks. I want to say it starts at the Wyndham, then loops around to the Hilton, HI, Royal Plaza, Doubletree, BW Lake Buena Vista & then Grosvenor.. by the time it gets to the Grosvernor, usually there are no seats left. As far as transportation to a Disney Resort. You do not have to go all the way to the park to catch a bus. You can get any Disney Resort bus at down town Disney. Which ever hotel you stay at in Down town Disney, your walk to there from your hotel will not be more than 10 minutes.. unless you are with small children, then you may want to take the hotel shuttle to DTD & get on a resort bus. I know at one time all of the hotels there offered the early entry, but now things have changed. Disney has early entry (EE) and extended magic hours at night. I know all of the DTD hotels do not participate, I am not sure which do....

 

[Deb & Bill]

Only Hilton guests can participate in EMH. You won't get free parking at the theme parks. Your bus will have limited pick ups and drop offs. You will not be able to have your purchases at the parks sent to your resort. You will not have charging privileges with your room key. You will not be able to participate in the dining plan.

 

[LannyBirch]

The Hilton is across the street from the Marketplace, so it's uber convenient for Downtown Disney. You can always grab a bus to take you anywhere you want to go from there.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Only Hilton guests can participate in EMH. You won't get free parking at the theme parks. Your bus will have limited pick ups and drop offs. You will not be able to have your purchases at the parks sent to your resort. You will not have charging privileges with your room key. You will not be able to participate in the dining plan.

You forgot to mention that they will not be paying what Disney charges too. I know were meaning well by your post but it just seems very negative to me. I know the OP asked for the good, the bad & the ugly. Seems you only gave the bad & ugly. Have you ever stayed at any of these resorts? I have, as you can see in my post & I have also stayed at nearly all of the Disney ones too.. Some cannot afford to stay onsite, or for some reason do not want to... I am not jumping on you, but as I said, your posts just seems very negative.

 

[LISAMWDW]

The DTD hotels are a better value if that's what your looking for better room for the money. However, they don't have the perks that the Disney resorts do. Check out www.mousesavers.com for some detailed information/reviews/recommendations. The website also has some discount information. It is a great resource. I've stayed DTD one time but prefer Disney moderate/deluxe resorts. However, if $ became an issue I would stay DTD vs. value resorts. Just my personal preference.

 

[megpol]

I have stayed 5 times at The Buena Vista Palace (prev Wyndham) - If you look at other reports there is good and bad, but, i can only say as I find and I have never had a problem there other than 1 room which was changed within minutes!!. The hotel is literally opposite DTD and has regular transport to WDW. Unless it has changed you are forst on bus and first off. You can also easily walk up to Crossroads on proper pathways that are well lit at night!

Mind, to be fair I have to admit the the BP is beginning to fade, though, they are in the procedd of a total refurbishment and I know some guests have been receiving letters from holiday companies to advise that all rooms are being refurbished between May & end of August so there may be disruption. Although it would probably be OK I think i may leave the hotel alone until after that!.

Please feel free to ask any questions about the hotel - I would be happy to answer, though, as I am sure you appreciate I can only answer as I find.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I have stayed 5 times at The Buena Vista Palace (prev Wyndham) - If you look at other reports there is good and bad, but, i can only say as I find and I have never had a problem there other than 1 room which was changed within minutes!!. The hotel is literally opposite DTD and has regular transport to WDW. Unless it has changed you are forst on bus and first off. You can also easily walk up to Crossroads on proper pathways that are well lit at night!

Mind, to be fair I have to admit the the BP is beginning to fade, though, they are in the procedd of a total refurbishment and I know some guests have been receiving letters from holiday companies to advise that all rooms are being refurbished between May & end of August so there may be disruption. Although it would probably be OK I think i may leave the hotel alone until after that!.

Please feel free to ask any questions about the hotel - I would be happy to answer, though, as I am sure you appreciate I can only answer as I find.

It isn't called the Wyndham any more? When did they change? I too have to agree with what you have said about there. I have always had a nice room (stayed 3 times for at least 5 nights each time), yet my aunt, who stayed only one night one time, has had a terrible experience.

 

[Deb & Bill]

... Have you ever stayed at any of these resorts? I have, as you can see in my post & I have also stayed at nearly all of the Disney ones too.. Some cannot afford to stay onsite, or for some reason do not want to...

Actually, we have stayed in the DTD resorts. Once just for one night at the Wyndham and once for several nights at the Doubletree Guest Suites. I thought neither of them even compared to Disney hotels. But it if was stay home or stay in the DTD hotels, I'd stay in a DTD hotel. But certainly not my first choice.

Just tried to give the OP a list of the some the perks they would not get if they stayed in the DTD hotels. Some people think because these are technically on Disney property, they would still get the same benefits.

 

[Phrank40]

DTD hotels the good- many times there are good rates on some of these hotels, like the $59 at the Grosvsenor now, the +-$69 rate at Best Western certain times of the year, the recent (perhaps still in place) $99 at Hotel Royal Plaza, and the recent $99 special at Palace. Sometimes for a short Disney trip I'd just prefer paying less than $100 night to be in the Disney area, but I will say if I lived in, say, the northern part of Canada and this was my first trip to WDW and I might not get back any time soon I'd pay the extra bucks to stay at Disney lodging if my budget allowed.

Phrank

 

[megpol]

It isn't called the Wyndham any more? When did they change? I too have to agree with what you have said about there. I have always had a nice room (stayed 3 times for at least 5 nights each time), yet my aunt, who stayed only one night one time, has had a terrible experience.

Hi Sharon
The BP became Wyndham a few years ago and last year changed back to BP and is privately owned. I think that you get better service when they are privately owned so this chould be good for the hotel. Like you I have never had a problem other than once when the room was dreadful - lets just say they moved me pretty quickly I am living in hope that by the time I make my nexy visit in November all the rooms will have been refurbished!

 

[Phrank40]

Stayed at BP a couple of months ago, we were told at check-in that refurb work was going on and if there was a problem we could move to another room. So we get to our room, has a great view toward DTD, but up above us we could hear a "tap, tap, tap" which went on nonstop. So we moved to another room no problem.

One comment about the room layout at BP, or at least the part of BP where we stayed- in the corner of the hallways there is a very small entry hallway which leads to the doors of 3 or 4 hotel rooms. This gives you a little privacy from activity in the main hallway, but the problem I found was when someone opened or closed the doors of the other rooms off this small entry hall the sound was magnified, or if someone stood in this hallway talking with somebody else the conversation was magnified. Loved the room and balcony but the noise from this little hallway was a little bothersome to me.

Phrank

 

[TTT103]

I would be careful not to categorize the DT Disney hotels as more economical choices over Disney Resorts. I have stayed at many of the Disney Resorts, as well as all but two of the DT Disney Hotels (Grosvenor and Doubletree). I would definitely consider some of the DT Disney hotels a notch above the Disney Economy hotels. However, if it's a decorated Motel 6 that you want, then go for Disney's All Star Resorts.

My top pick for the DT Disney Hotels is the Hilton, but their rates can sometimes exceed Disney's moderates and approach the Deluxe hotels. For example, two years ago, we opted to do a last minute long weekend. The Animal Kingdom Lodge was something like $270 a night and the Hilton was around $250. Obviously, we went with the AKL. Conversely, we're doing a week in Naples in a few weeks and opted to give the Grosvenor a shot for a mere $59 en route to Naples.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Actually, we have stayed in the DTD resorts. Once just for one night at the Wyndham and once for several nights at the Doubletree Guest Suites. I thought neither of them even compared to Disney hotels. But it if was stay home or stay in the DTD hotels, I'd stay in a DTD hotel. But certainly not my first choice.

Just tried to give the OP a list of the some the perks they would not get if they stayed in the DTD hotels. Some people think because these are technically on Disney property, they would still get the same benefits.

Gotya.. sorry about that, It just sounded negative to me & some feel that it must be Disney or nothing.. I do agree with you, I would rather Disney but if that isn't possible then offsite for me.. better than nothing at all. I guess I take it for granted sometimes that people know all the perks are not offered.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Hi Sharon
The BP became Wyndham a few years ago and last year changed back to BP and is privately owned. I think that you get better service when they are privately owned so this chould be good for the hotel. Like you I have never had a problem other than once when the room was dreadful - lets just say they moved me pretty quickly I am living in hope that by the time I make my nexy visit in November all the rooms will have been refurbished!

I knew that it use to be the Palace, I just didn't know it turned back.. I guess I just never paid attention to the name.. I know when I stayed it was the Wyndham Resort & Spa.