FFI vs BWPPI

[pharmama]

Planning an upcoming mommy and daughter trip (with just my 5YO and her BDay is the day after we leave) over Memorial Day weekend and looking for people's thoughts on FFI vs BWPPI. I currently have reservations at both but haven't stayed at either before. My FFI booking is a Costco package an includes Photopass and a $50 Disney GC. BWPPI is about $100 more (not even accounting for the extras in the Costco package).

I know BWPPI is the super prime location but I'm reading the rooms are meh and saw lots of comments saying the beds were uncomfortable. For reference, I've stayed at the following Harbor hotels in the past: PVI, CCI, Hojo and Grand Legacy (but when it was still the Ramada). I remember reading FFI was undergoing renovations. Anyone know if that's complete and what the renovated rooms are like?

 

[amyg1975]

BWPPI has gone under a complete renovation of their rooms (at least they will have by the end of this month). They look very nice, and had no problems with the beds. We love the location and the free breakfast.

 

[smartlabelprint]

I would keep Your FFI reservation. The $150 will cover nice breakfasts!

 

[figment_jii]

I haven't been to the FFI since the refurbishment, but my family prefers BWPPI. As you mentioned, the location is the biggest benefit going for it. My family found the beds to be fine; although the pillows are super flat. The rooms are meh (nothing special), but in line with what'd I'd expect for a motel. I didn't think the FFI rooms were all that much nicer and the towels were pretty thin/scratchy. The Costco offerings make the FFI tempting, but in the end, we'd opt for the BWPPI because of it's location.

 

[Nevada Jen]

We stayed in a refurbed room at FFI. The room was gorgeous. Dark wood floors, really cool mural on the wall. THat, however, is the only good thing I had to say about the motel. It was insanely loud (like I thought someone was IN my room loud). And its not like there was anyone near us who was loud. Just paper thin walls, ceilings and doors. But I am not a motel person and the room was very expensive (my total bill for one night was $313) so that may have clouded my judgment. The only other place on your list that I have stayed is HOJO. I said I would never stay there again also. It is a toss up which one was worse. There is a nice lobby in FFI and you have to go through the lobby to get to the elevators to the rooms which adds a bit of security at FFI. Again, I am just clearly not a motel gal, so take what I say with a grain of salt.

 

[smartlabelprint]

We stayed in a refurbed room at FFI. The room was gorgeous. Dark wood floors, really cool mural on the wall. THat, however, is the only good thing I had to say about the motel. It was insanely loud (like I thought someone was IN my room loud). And its not like there was anyone near us who was loud. Just paper thin walls, ceilings and doors. But I am not a motel person and the room was very expensive (my total bill for one night was $313) so that may have clouded my judgment. The only other place on your list that I have stayed is HOJO. I said I would never stay there again also. It is a toss up which one was worse. There is a nice lobby in FFI and you have to go through the lobby to get to the elevators to the rooms which adds a bit of security at FFI. Again, I am just clearly not a motel gal, so take what I say with a grain of salt.

Bwppi has the same paper thin walls.

 

[mom2rtk]

We stayed in a refurbed room at FFI. The room was gorgeous. Dark wood floors, really cool mural on the wall. THat, however, is the only good thing I had to say about the motel. It was insanely loud (like I thought someone was IN my room loud). And its not like there was anyone near us who was loud. Just paper thin walls, ceilings and doors. But I am not a motel person and the room was very expensive (my total bill for one night was $313) so that may have clouded my judgment. The only other place on your list that I have stayed is HOJO. I said I would never stay there again also. It is a toss up which one was worse. There is a nice lobby in FFI and you have to go through the lobby to get to the elevators to the rooms which adds a bit of security at FFI. Again, I am just clearly not a motel gal, so take what I say with a grain of salt.

Wood floors? I can't even imagine what that does to the noise level!

 

[HydroGuy]

I haven't been to the FFI since the refurbishment, but my family prefers BWPPI. As you mentioned, the location is the biggest benefit going for it. My family found the beds to be fine; although the pillows are super flat. The rooms are meh (nothing special), but in line with what'd I'd expect for a motel. I didn't think the FFI rooms were all that much nicer and the towels were pretty thin/scratchy. The Costco offerings make the FFI tempting, but in the end, we'd opt for the BWPPI because of it's location.

Ditto!

 

[HydroGuy]

Bwppi has the same paper thin walls.

Stayed there many times and I have never noticed this. I have noticed the noise coming from folks walking below and along the walkways outside the rooms.

The noise is mitigated almost entirely by running the air conditioner and being on the 2nd or 3rd floor.

 

[smartlabelprint]

Stayed there many times and I have never noticed this. I have noticed the noise coming from folks walking below and along the walkways outside the rooms.

The noise is mitigated almost entirely by running the air conditioner and being on the 2nd or 3rd floor.

I agree higher floor helps. But it's a motel. Pre-kid this was our go to. Now we need suites.

 

[Keels]

I was just at FFI in a park-view room and it was perfect. I was in room 845, so high floor and basically all I saw was the parks when I walked out of my room. Great view of the fireworks. And it was quiet ... there is expected noise at 7-8 in the morning, so it didn't bother me.

Being able to grab a coffee and egg-white wrap at Panera on my way to the parks certainly didn't hurt.

Both hotels have to cross Harbor at the same crosswalk, so it's really a difference of five minutes.

 

[mamapenguin]

We like BWPPI, we've stayed there three times and will be there again in June. We have not stayed at FFI, but have stayed at PVI, Stovall's, PP and GCH. I cannot sleep if there is noise, but I have not had any problems at BWPPI. The last room we had was floor 2 and it had a view of the pool, my daughter really liked being able to see who was at the pool before she went swimming. She is hoping for that room again, I told her it's just luck of the draw.

 

[pharmama]

Thanks everyone! I think I'm going to go with BWPPI. I know FFI isn't that much farther but at the end of the night its going to seem like 4 miles to my DD...especially the psychological part of walking back through that parking lot. It seems like both have some trade offs of various types. I also realized that I had misremembered the price of the Costco FFI package I have booked and it turns out to be $20 more than BWPPI+LMT club tickets (again, not accounting for the Photopass and $50GC so I will 'lose' those). Wish I could get BWPPI through Costco but they're sold out! I lucked into seeing the BWPPI room available on CheapTickets a couple nights ago and grabbed it before thinking I should try and book it through Costco.