HIFS or inside DISNEY

[rye]

Hi i just found this board and it is great. Now with all this information im confused on where to stay. My question is if you had up to 150.00 a night to spend from sept.1 thru 8. Would you stay at the Holiday Inn Suites Resort or inside Disney and what Disney resort would you stay at. Im will be going with my wife and daughter 5. It will be my wife and my daughters first time there and would like to make this trip as special as possible. Also can you still have breakfast in the disney castle with cinderella if you stay off property my wife has her heart set on this. THANKS

 

[Lisa P.]

If you want the comfort of a separate sleeping room for your DD and a small kitchen and if you will have a car, then choose the HIFS. It's definitely geared towards families and will be more relaxed and spacious. If you want to be able to use Disney transportation, sometimes splitting up your family, then stay onsite. For the age of your DD, any of the Value hotels would be fine. A Moderate is certainly nicer. See what deals may be available for your travel dates as it approaches.

In early September, the crowds are about the lowest they will be the entire year. So the benefit of staying onsite is greatly diminished. The parks are likely to close pretty early, making a midday break less desirable. It would take about the same amount of time to drive to HIFS as to wait for a bus then ride to a Disney hotel.

And yes, offsite guests are permitted to obtain priority seating at Disney restaurants, including the breakfast in the castle. Find out the first day you are permitted to request it and call during the first few minutes of that day. Those fill up immediately. HTH.

 

[rye]

Thanks Lisa that was very helpful. glad to hear i can still get the cinderella breakfast. Im really leaning towards the HIFS.

 

[jd_mouse]

Hi Rye!
You should check out the Disney Restaurants board and view the Cindy's Breakfast advice and encouragement thread...it is a MUST read if your wife's heart is set on getting priority seating for it.

My vote, since it is your wife's and daughter's first time, would be to stay on site...Disney Magic 24 hours per day, and easy/free transportation to and from the parks. The All Stars resorts are definitely within your budgeted per night amount, and I would check out some of the moderates with codes (check out Mousesavers.com and these message boards) to see if you can get a decent rate then...

Good luck!

 

[f7prez]

jd_mouse is right on. If this is going to be your families first time, staying onsite is a must. You might want to check the rate at the Dolphin for that time of year. The rate may be around what you are looking for and the location and hotel are great.
Regardless of where you decide to stay, I would suggest booking your hotel room through the DIS. One feature they offer is to obtain priority seatings for restaurants. This is particularly helpful in acquiring a PS for Cinderellas Character breakfast. The time of year you are going may not be too tough to get but I wouldn't take the chance. We tried and tried to get a PS for Cinderellas but were unsuccessful. The Dis however, came through with a PS for Christmas day.

 

[taylor1293]

It all depends on what you are looking for.

If you want more room, free breakfast. and a better price stay at HIFS. (You are about 2 minutes from Disney property)

If you want to be on property, need Disney Transportation and don't mind staying in one room, then stay on-site.

If there are still entertainment book rates available for September, I believe the rate is around $80 a night for HIFS for a kidsuite.

Yes, you can still eat at CRT, just make sure you call exactly 60 days out when reservations open to try and get a PS.

Have a good trip

Teresa

 

[heart4dis]

I'd have to say either way you'll probably be happy. I cannot wait to stay at HIFS (I've never stayed there before but feel confident after being on these boards since September). But if I could afford to stay on-site and only had one child, I'd stay on-site. The only reason we're staying off-site is due to the fact that with 4 children we would have to get two rooms on-site and can't afford it!!

 

[rye]

Thanks again everybody your post have been very helpful. One more question if any one is reading. Are the hotels in disney alot better then the HIFS or are they just in a better location and if the HIFS was in disney how would it rank would it be a value size resort, moderate, or deluxe. I will be renting a car while i am their so i don't think travel is to much of a problem. I would just hate to get there and see these incredible resorts and not have stayed there cause i didnt spend the extra money.

 

[sha_lyn]

remember that 2 min from WDW will mean at least 45 min from the time you leave HIFS until the time you park that rental car (and pay 7 to park), and the same travel time back. That is unless you go to the park in the middle of the day and leave in the middle of the day. Personally I'd stay onsite and let WDW do the driving for me. If HIFS offers a free shuttle, you'll be on their schedule not yours.

WDW resorts have better location, better theming and better transportation.
You should be able to get a mod at the $150 price you mentioned, or an All Star for around $99.
The theming at the All stars is very "disney"
Personally I'd go for All Star Movies.

However if either you or your wife are military, DOD, A teacher or a nurse you can get great discounts at the Swan of Dolphin(119?), or DOD and military can through SoG.

Check www.mousesavers.com for codes and you could get a really good deal on a WDW resort.

 

[heart4dis]

I haven't stayed at HIFS yet, but it sounds like it will be just fine for us. I believe the Disney resorts just give you the whole Disney experience. They continue the magic. Even their budget or moderate locations go over the top in service. I still think that if I could, I'd stay in a Disney resort (I've only stayed at CBR and have liked it). I am very excited about HIFS due to the separate bedrooms (remember I have 4 kids!) and the free breakfast. We're also renting a van, so transport isn't important to us.

 

[taylor1293]

Hi Sha_lyn,

I'm sorry but the "at least 45 minutes" you quoted to get from HIFS to the parks is not accurate.

We went from HIFS to standing in line at The Animal Kingdom front gate in 20 minutes. That included parking and riding the tram up to the front.

We went from HIFS to Blizzard Beach in 10 minutes.

HIFS is actual closer to some parks than some of the onsite hotels.

Rye - in September you will have no problem with travel time to and from the parks. You will NOT be spending 1 1/2 hours a day in travel time as another poster suggested.

The Disney hotels are very nice. You do get to experience more of the Disney "magic". However, for our family, we would never stay in a value or moderate over HIFS. I just don't see the benefit? IMO, if you are looking for value, HIFS is it. You won't be disappointed, it is themed, has free childrens activities, free breakfast, and a really nice pool.

Good luck making your decision,

Teresa

 

[rye]

This board really is great!! I was just looking at all the disney resorts and they are really very nice. I'm looking closely at the caribbean beach resort, and the port orleans french quarter these are considered moderate and mousesaver.com says you can get these for 96 dollars a nite sounds pretty hard to beat. Do these codes work for all the moderate hotels? Plus any input on these other these hotels. Compared to the HIfS. Thanks I really love reading all these post

 

[tink2dw]

HIFS is rated a 4 star deluxe hotel. They have many different themes for the rooms,coka cola bears,trains,WDW and more. Kids have their own check in. And get to ride a train to the room.

HIFS is 1 mile from the gates of WDW on a very very unbusy road which is the same road as Swan/Dolphin, Ebcot,MGM,Blizzard Beach,and Typhoon Lagoon are on.

You will have 3 tv's at HIFS,a large bathroom. A large size collage refigerator and Microwave.

As stated Breakfast is FREE for you all and it is buffet style so everyone can find their favorites. Also Kids eat free/with an Adult at HIFS.

There is family Bingo for Pizza,Family Kareoke,face painting,Zero entry pool with childrens water works,miniture golf,lake with swans and liteshow.

I would return and stay at HIFS in a NY minute!!! We loved it there!! It was way better than All Sars in My Humble Opinion!! All Stars have NO in room themeing!! Not 1 character anywhere!!
Only outside in front of the pool side rooms. Most rooms face the parking lot.

We had better Service from everyone at HIFS!! They try harder!! HIFS is where we fould the "Magic"!!

Here are two links one is for the HIFS website! Where you can check out room themes and Kids eat free program!!
http://www.hifamilysuites.com/index.html?

And the join the Holiday Inn PRIORITY CLUB for thr rewards and perks.
http://www.basshotels.com/h/d/hi/home

Have a Great Trip!!

 

[nicolep91]

One more vote for HIFS here! While I haven't stayed there yet (we have a kidsuite booked for our trip in November), I'm very excited about it and I'm sure we're going to love it. I showed my kids pictures of the rooms and they voted for HIFS over the moderate Disney resorts.

Before our first trip, I read these boards for months and I was convinced by people's posts that if we didn't stay "onsite" our trip was basically going to a waste of time. Since we were going during peak spring break time, we could only afford the AllStars and even that was pushing $100 a night with a code! But we scrimped and saved since I had to stay "onsite". Well, while the room was OK since our kids were small, we felt very cramped and didn't think it was really anymore special than a typical Holiday Inn. We rented a car so the transportation wasn't really a benefit for us and we weren't about to get up early on vacation to use the EE. Aslo, I thought the food courts were higher priced than I expected for a "value resort".

In summary, I think you make your own "magic" and it doesn't have anything to do with where you stay! Hope you have a great vacation whatever you decide!

 

[lap1031]

I'm having the same problem making a decision. I was really looking forward to HIFS, but I just got a call from Disney (I was on a waiting list) that the Contemporary is available for the week we are going for $89 thru SOG. It seems crazy not to stay at a luxury for that price, but after all the good things I've heard about HIFS, I don't know what to do! Help!

 

[Debbie]

remember that 2 min from WDW will mean at least 45 min from the time you leave HIFS until the time you park that rental car (and pay 7 to park), and the same travel time back.

Hmmm. Not true. The only park that is a true advantage by being onsite is Magic Kingdom. And even with that, you take the tram, and the ferry, and you've done two rides before you hit the gate! lol

taylor1293 has given you the information to help you make your decision. I can only add that my children prefer HIFS, and they've been to Disney more times than me, thanks to aunts who can get vacation that isn't in the summer! Lucky them!

 

[WDWKim]

Hi, we stayed at HIFS this past September and loved it. To me September is the best time to go......we had absolutely no lines, you could come off an attraction and go back on. Really spoils you for any other time of year. The hotel was great, we actually wished we had more time to spend there........

Also, if anyone is interested I have coupons for a free Pizza Hut party at the HIFS. It includes a one topping pizza, an order of bread sticks and a liter of soda. If interested, just email me at KMillar43@aol.com

Thanks,

Kim

 

[rye]

Its been really nice being able to read everyone opinion on the hifs and inside disney. What we are thinkin of doing now is splitting are vacation in two. Were gone to stay 2 or 3 nites at the comtemporary so were close to disney. Then the finally days were gonna go to hifs and relax a little go to seaworld then the last day will pick are favorite park and go there. I would love to know how you got tickets for comtemporary for so cheap lap. You may also want to try this option. If anyone has anymore ideas or opinions on splitting your stay i would love to hear them. Thanks again everyone for your help.