HELP!!! Bonnett Creek meltdown...

[JerseyMamaBear]

Hi everyone,
I have never really stayed off-site before and while I am booked for the All star sport in December I am having second thoughts.
I have been reading about BC and how guests love it but have some major questions.

1) MCO to Hotel??? do we take a cab or shuttle and what does that cost? Renting a car is not really an option right now for me and my 3 kids (2 infants & 13 year old)

2) We will be taking advantage of local grocery stores and wanted to have an idea about the distance from BC to Walmart. Again, suggestions on the cost of a cab would be wonderful

3) Where has everyone had luck with booking though a timeshare rental or website? The last thing we want is to be taken advantage of.

Thanks so much for all of your help.

 

[Disneyfan18951]

Hi

I stayed at Bonnet Creek a few times. I used to own with Wyndham but sold it due to $$$$ reasons

My sister and I with her 2 kids took a shuttle from MCO to BC cost $60. I would guess that a taxi to Wal-mart to be about $10-15 plus waiting time as not sure how you would get back if you just sent him off.

BC has VERY limited shuttle service to WDW parks. We ended up renting a car from the Budget at one of the Hotels in DTD area (returned to MCO)because it was too much of a hassle. You have to book the night before for what time you want to go I think there were 3 times to choose from only going to MK had to use WDW transpo after that. Then there was shuttles back each afternoon and evening but you had to say which shuttle you would be using to return so you lock yourself into a time and place the night before. Not sure if they have changed but it is my understanding that pretty much all off-site hotels opporate this way with their shuttles You may find taking a taxi to/from BC - WDW easier to deal with.

After that experience the other 2 times we stayed we just rented a car from MCO. I had an annual pass at the time so that saved on paying to park at WDW.

Hope this helps!!!!

BC will offer you XX amount of money to come listen to their sales pitch about buying into the timeshare program (used to be $75). Whatever you do DO NOT BUY from them. Wyndham resorts are selling on ebay for NOTHING!!!! like one cent plus closing cost. Same thing as you will pay them $15,000-25,000 for. They are VERY high pressure sales no matter what they say!!!!!!

 

[matosfam]

We are considering Bonnet Creek for our next trip and I just got a copy of a WDW shuttle schedule from this Fall from a DISer on another thread.
The schedule shows free shuttles leaving BC to each Disney Park (MK & Epcot share and AK & HS share) leaving all morning long (8am-12pm) on each half hour! the times to return are fewer and don't begin until early afternoon, but the DISer I mentioned said you can get a taxi home to BC from any park for $10-$15 I believe... Hope this helps!

BTW: The schedule states that you don't need to call for reservations unless you are a rider with a disability/with a wheelchair. Also it states "no smoking, eating, drinking, strollers, or luggage permitted on the shuttle"
"FOR COMMENTS/QUESTIONS PLEASE CALL: MAINGATE TRANSPORTATION 407 390.0000 Press 2"

 

[Portugal1000]

Hi everyone,
I have never really stayed off-site before and while I am booked for the All star sport in December I am having second thoughts.
I have been reading about BC and how guests love it but have some major questions.

1) MCO to Hotel??? do we take a cab or shuttle and what does that cost? Renting a car is not really an option right now for me and my 3 kids (2 infants & 13 year old)

2) We will be taking advantage of local grocery stores and wanted to have an idea about the distance from BC to Walmart. Again, suggestions on the cost of a cab would be wonderful

3) Where has everyone had luck with booking though a timeshare rental or website? The last thing we want is to be taken advantage of.

Thanks so much for all of your help.

We stayed at Bonnet Creek in December. We booked with Ken Price at www.vacationupgrades.com - highly recommend, he was great to deal with. Think you will find lots of other recomendations for him on this board. Cost $120 a night which is less than staying somewhere like CB and you get about 5 times the space. We absolutely loved the resort and will definitely stay again. I already had August trip booked up at SSR but if I hadn't would stay here.

We stayed 1st night at All Star Sports ($49) to take advantage of Magical Express as I was not confident enough to drive from airport. Then hired a car the next day which worked well. I think a cab would be about $40.

There is a Walmart on the 535 which is not that far away. if I didn't have car I would just do one big shop. Can't see how cab would be more than $15. We also loved Target on the I$ but this is further away.

Feel free toa sk any other questions.

 

[Brian Noble]

I'd get a car, personally. Once you add up the round-trip towncar/cab and a cab to the grocery store, may as well spend the few extra dollars.

 

[mousey]

Bonnet Creek is great! A car would be a wise investment. Another vote for Ken Price--he is very nice to deal with.

 

[froggygrrrl]

Hi everyone,
I have never really stayed off-site before and while I am booked for the All star sport in December I am having second thoughts.
I have been reading about BC and how guests love it but have some major questions.

1) MCO to Hotel??? do we take a cab or shuttle and what does that cost? Renting a car is not really an option right now for me and my 3 kids (2 infants & 13 year old)

2) We will be taking advantage of local grocery stores and wanted to have an idea about the distance from BC to Walmart. Again, suggestions on the cost of a cab would be wonderful

3) Where has everyone had luck with booking though a timeshare rental or website? The last thing we want is to be taken advantage of.

Thanks so much for all of your help.

We are owners at BC and LOOOVE IT! Here is my opinion on your questions (others may disagree, natch)

For your first question: We use a town car service. There are a couple (at least) that have a "free" stop at a grocery store. the service that we use will stop for 30 minutes. We always have a very good idea of the items we are going to pick up, so the time has never been an issue.

I can't really answer your other 2 questions as we have never tried to take a cab once we were at BC (although we have taken cabs home from the parks, but only on occasion...as a reference point, the cost of a cab from the Boardwalk Resort to BC was about $10, including tip). I would also have no idea as to who is reputable to rent from, so good luck with that.

 

[spiceycat]

for transportation mears has everything

http://www.mearstransportation.com/

http://www.tiffanytowncars.com/


going in Sept -will have a car - but might take the bus especially to the MK. just don't know.

 

[katallo]

As far as groceries, have you thought about using Garden Grocer? They deliver your order to your unit.

 

[nifferearly]

Unless you were planning to leave the infants with the 13 year old, it seems like it'd be very difficult to use a cab multiple times with car seats. I am not crazy about driving in new places, but I have been to Orlando without my husband and had no issues at all. It is very easy to get from MCO on 417 to Bonnet Creek. I would definitely consider renting a car. We stayed in May and did see the shuttle bus often but I heard complaints about people having to wait awhile for it. Again, with infants, I would rather have a car than risk waiting a 1/2 hour for the shuttle.
If you search for "Bonnet Creek" on ebay, you'll find lots of units for rent. Just check the feedback, but we've had no issues renting here in the past. In May, we paid $700/week for a 1 bedroom. I think you'll love the extra space and kitchen/washer & dryer at Bonnet Creek versus staying in a Disney hotel.
As someone else posted, DO NOT do the timeshare presentation. They flat out lied and repeatedly told me it would be 45 minutes when I signed up and they kept us there for close to 2 hours. It was very high pressure and stressful - absolutely not worth the $75 Disney gift card.
Garden Grocer would be a good bet if you're not getting a car. Also, we've found that the Hess gas station on property near Bonnet Creek had great prices on pop, millk, chips, etc. A 12 pack of pop was less than at Wal-Mart!