Help! Hotel closed and we've been moved.

[Penderbelle]

Just had a letter through this morning to say that our hotel - Masters Inn Maingate has been sold and is closed for refurbishment. They are moving us to the Champions World Resort in Kissimmee.
Does anyone have any knowledge of this hotel?
Also, do we need to change our esta?
Any help/advice would be gratefull. Only a week to go!!!
( we are so lucky... last year we were told 2 weeks before we went that TCD- who we were going with, went bust!!)

 

[UKDEB]

I don't know anything about the hotel itself, but looking at its website, it's on the 192 just west of the new 429 Western Beltway. It'll be a nice easy drive onto WDW property at its bottom left-hand corner near Animal Kingdom/Animal Kingdom Lodge via Black Lake Road.

 

[madmumof2]

The photos on their website look lovely

 

[wayneg]

Same as Deb, don't know the hotel.
Have you rung to see if you have any other options? It looks a bit further out than we like to stay, Best Western Lakeside is my limit on 192, not interested in staying beyond there.
Tripadvisor is a bit mixed http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Re...Champions_World_Resort-Kissimmee_Florida.html
Done a scan on nightly prices, around £16/night inclusive, although there are good budget hotels around £16 is very low.

 

[UKDEB]

It looks a bit further out than we like to stay

Woah, Wayne - you're hard to please! It's closer to Animal Kingdom than some of the Disney resorts.

 

[wayneg]

Woah, Wayne - you're hard to please! It's closer to Animal Kingdom than some of the Disney resorts.

After staying at LBV so many times anywhere on 192 seems a trek. Even Windsor hills last year was not a location we enjoyed although resort is nice. LBV is so easy to get upto Universal and Seaworld. Maybe its because we spend a lot of time up at other parks not just Disney.
BW Lakeside is our limit on there but I am sure its fine for many. My Brother stayed out on Hwy 27 recently OK for him, not somewhere I would stay.

 

[GibboFLA]

Come on admit it's a ploy to be nearer to me!!!!

 

[bombhead444]

We have stayed at the Champions World resort 4 times including this year. The hotel is not as close as some others but what you lose in one way you gain in another. It is quieter than most of the hotels in Kissimmee as it's a little further down the 192 so less traffic, it takes around ten minutes (depending on the lights) to get to the hotel after you've seen the See Ya Real Soon sign leaving Disney. Across from the hotel is Dominoes Pizza, Subway, a nice chinese, an english provissions shop but can be a little dearer than here. There is a 7/11 a couple of hundred yards down the road with a McDonalds and just another hundred or so yards you have a walgreens. The hotel has nice rooms and a good size pool, a laundry room and gym. To be honest you could do a lot worse so I wouldnt worry.

 

[Penderbelle]

Hotel seems to be OK but does anyone have any comments on whether i would need to change esta?
Gibbo - you've sussed me out!!!!

 

[bombhead444]

I would, you only need to log into your pre existing esta and change hotel details. Better safe than sorry.

 

[wayneg]

You can if you want but its not a requirement.
I didn't change anything for our last trip just left it as I applied for it for our 1st trip.

Here is the official wording

Can prospective travelers apply for an ESTA™ without specific travel plans if they want to be able to travel to the United States later on short notice?
A: Yes. VWP travelers are not required to have specific plans to travel to the United States before they apply for an ESTA™. VWP travelers are not required to complete the travel itinerary and destination details before submitting an ESTA™ application. If a traveler’s destination address in the United States is unknown when he or she completes the ESTA™ application, the traveler may enter the name of the hotel or approximate location he or she intends to visit. Travelers may update this information when their plans are finalized, but they will not be required to update their destination addresses or itineraries should they change after their ESTA™ has been approved. DHS recommends that ESTA™ applications be submitted as early as possible, as soon as, or even before travel is planned. ESTA™ will accept applications from last minute and emergency travelers

http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/travel/id_visa/esta/about_esta/esta_faq.ctt/esta_faq.pdf

 

[GibboFLA]

The hotel looks really nice, in the process/has recently been updated, hey it's a trip to Florida I'd stay in a tent if I had to!