Hilton Resorts vs. Onsite

[DISfirstTimer]

Currently planning our first Disney vacation for our family of 4 for January/February 2018. My DD is 4 and DS is 6. I am overwhelmed with the number of choices onsite and off. We are Hilton Honors members and I'm researching staying at Lake Buena Vista, Buena Vista Palace, and Bonnet Creek.

We plan to travel to Disney for 7-10 days and likely 5-6 days at Parks. I'd like to try to keep our budget to $5000.

We desire a magical first experience, nice pools, and biggest bang for our buck.

Would you recommend staying on site, one of these nearby Hiltons, or maybe a split stay? Which Hilton is your favorite and why? Thanks in advance!

 

[Klayfish]

Yeah, there sure are a lot of choices, aren't there! That's a good thing. You will find very strong opinions here on both sides of this debate. I'm very strongly on the side of staying off site. We never stay on site and I can't see a situation where we would. However, that's just our personal taste. The things we like about being off site:
We have our car (you can do it on site too I guess, but still)
Having that car lets you go to whatever park you want, whenever you want...no need to wait for WDW buses.
We have 3 or 4 bedrooms, a family room, a full kitchen, 2 or 3 bathrooms, gives plenty of room to spread out when it's time to just chill
All the places we've stayed have had very nice pool, etc...
We can cook/pack our food (we're very into health and nutrition...we pack literally 95% of our food, only eat out once in a while)
We can easily do laundry
We can explore the local area (there are so many gift shops, restaurants, etc...right outside WDW)
It's a lot cheaper...we pay $75/night or less

However, there are definite upsides to onsite, if they would appeal to you.
You're in the Disney "bubble" (our "bubble" is the entire WDW/Kissimmee area, but I understand what onsite people mean by WDW "bubble")
You get EMH
You can get your reservations earlier
Your closer to the parks
You don't need a car (if you see that as an upside...and for many it is)
You have daily housecleaning

Would you mind if I asked why you're only planning 5-6 days at the parks if you're going to be there for 10 days?

I can't speak to Hilton specifically. We've stayed at so many places off site, I don't recall if one was a Hilton, but I've read that Bonnet Creek is really nice.

I am a HUGE fan of staying off site. In my opinion, it doesn't take away any of the magic of WDW, and in fact adds to it. But again, that's my own thought. I wouldn't say someone who thinks on-site is the only way to go is wrong. It's a personal decision.

Either way, you can absolutely make your first visit . It's more about knowing what you're doing and having the right mindset.

 

[DISfirstTimer]

Yeah, there sure are a lot of choices, aren't there! That's a good thing. You will find very strong opinions here on both sides of this debate. I'm very strongly on the side of staying off site. We never stay on site and I can't see a situation where we would. However, that's just our personal taste. The things we like about being off site:
We have our car (you can do it on site too I guess, but still)
Having that car lets you go to whatever park you want, whenever you want...no need to wait for WDW buses.
We have 3 or 4 bedrooms, a family room, a full kitchen, 2 or 3 bathrooms, gives plenty of room to spread out when it's time to just chill
All the places we've stayed have had very nice pool, etc...
We can cook/pack our food (we're very into health and nutrition...we pack literally 95% of our food, only eat out once in a while)
We can easily do laundry
We can explore the local area (there are so many gift shops, restaurants, etc...right outside WDW)
It's a lot cheaper...we pay $75/night or less

However, there are definite upsides to onsite, if they would appeal to you.
You're in the Disney "bubble" (our "bubble" is the entire WDW/Kissimmee area, but I understand what onsite people mean by WDW "bubble")
You get EMH
You can get your reservations earlier
Your closer to the parks
You don't need a car (if you see that as an upside...and for many it is)
You have daily housecleaning

Would you mind if I asked why you're only planning 5-6 days at the parks if you're going to be there for 10 days?

I can't speak to Hilton specifically. We've stayed at so many places off site, I don't recall if one was a Hilton, but I've read that Bonnet Creek is really nice.

I am a HUGE fan of staying off site. In my opinion, it doesn't take away any of the magic of WDW, and in fact adds to it. But again, that's my own thought. I wouldn't say someone who thinks on-site is the only way to go is wrong. It's a personal decision.

Either way, you can absolutely make your first visit . It's more about knowing what you're doing and having the right mindset.

Still planning but the less days at the parks is trying to incorporate everyone's vacations styles. We will probably try to balance the busy parks days with resort days (sleeping in, hanging at the pool) and also hitting up Disney Springs. We don't want to come home totally exhausted! We will go 7 days for sure but I'm hoping to convince my husband to do 10!

 

[AdamEfimoff]

Can you afford the waldorf? its 339 a night or too dear .
rough pricing

 

[HopperFan]

Stayed at Buena Vista during the rehab.
- We were in main tower.
- Our room was nice, very small balcony.
- The pool area is complete and very nice.
- Location is good, walking distance to Disney Springs.
- Part of a good bus system to parks.
- The lobby, convention etc area still needed a lot of work,
maybe someone can share that has been since the work is done.

Stayed at Hilton Orlando which is just like Hilton BC.
Haved stayed at WBC so know spot.
- Loved the entire pool area, activities etc.
- Room was very nice.
- If you can access Lounge it was great.
- Have heard HBC bus service is good for offsite.
- Gets great reviews for pool area.

 

[Klayfish]

Still planning but the less days at the parks is trying to incorporate everyone's vacations styles. We will probably try to balance the busy parks days with resort days (sleeping in, hanging at the pool) and also hitting up Disney Springs. We don't want to come home totally exhausted! We will go 7 days for sure but I'm hoping to convince my husband to do 10!

My personal feeling is that if you're going to spend the money, take the time to travel, etc...you probably don't want to just hang out at a hotel pool...you can do that anywhere. That doesn't mean you need to tour "commando style" and hit the parks from open to close. Nothing wrong with doing both. For example, hit the parks from 9am to 3pm and then go back to your resort and relax. Eat a nice relaxing dinner and then spend an hour or two in the evening at Disney Springs. Then maybe the next day, sleep in a little, have a quiet breakfast and hit the parks from noon until 8pm (or whenever you're done).

There's nothing wrong with taking breaks, as I said, we never hit the parks like maniacs. But if it's your first trip there, make the most of it. You can go to a pool anytime, WDW is something entirely magical.

 

[DISfirstTimer]

My personal feeling is that if you're going to spend the money, take the time to travel, etc...you probably don't want to just hang out at a hotel pool...you can do that anywhere. That doesn't mean you need to tour "commando style" and hit the parks from open to close. Nothing wrong with doing both. For example, hit the parks from 9am to 3pm and then go back to your resort and relax. Eat a nice relaxing dinner and then spend an hour or two in the evening at Disney Springs. Then maybe the next day, sleep in a little, have a quiet breakfast and hit the parks from noon until 8pm (or whenever you're done).

There's nothing wrong with taking breaks, as I said, we never hit the parks like maniacs. But if it's your first trip there, make the most of it. You can go to a pool anytime, WDW is something entirely magical.

Yes, you make a good point. Especially seeing adding days becomes so affordable.

 

[DISfirstTimer]

Do you rent a home? How do you score all of that for $75 a night?!?!

 

[katie111]

If you could do it on points, I would pick the Hilton Bonnet Creek. It is a gorgeous property and it is right on Disney property. If you could do 10 days, I would consider doing a split stay. Maybe 2-3 nights in a Disney hotel. Not sure where your budget is, so it's hard to make suggestions on this. My kids loved the value resorts at that age because they are the most Disney themed. All star Movies was definitely a favorite. Or you could do an Epcot or monorail resort if it's in the budget. I would do the Hilton first so that they are not disappointed that there is no theming at the hotel.

 

[BigredNole]

It really depends. I always recommend a car if staying offsite. If you are not driving, that adds cost to saving money. Some resorts offsite charge insane fees to have a car and you have to pay to park at WDW.

For first time visitors, I always recommend staying onsite. That is part of the experience. For people like my family that have been many times, we are all about saving money. Depending on how much space you require would determine the resort. Since I am cheap, Value is fine for us when we stay onsite. However, I always seek out deals and DVC renters. You can get a Deluxe DVC studio sometimes for the same price as a Value room. If the kids don't mind being on a sleeper sofa and you don't need Mousekeeping, this can be a good route to take. AKL, WL are great options along with many others.

You need to start at your budget and work backwards from the fixed costs. $5,000 - $1,500 for tickets leaves $3,500 for resort and meals. Assume $1500 for meals and you are at ~$2,000 remaining (you can adjust that figure as necessary). You can get DVC studio for about $1,200 leaving about $800 to play with.

 

[InTheWick]

I think I can help... for the past few years, we've taken our boys (now 7 and 5) onsite four times (with the Poly twice) and this last trip, we stayed at Hilton Bonnet Creek. We'll never stay onsite again. Hilton Bonnet Creek is awesome! They have rooms where you can see the fireworks at Hollywood Studios. The lazy river is large and there are always plenty of tubes for everyone. There's a great water slide for kids. They do movie nights on Saturday nights in the pool. Dinner on site is free for kids 12 and under at Harvest (part of your $30 resort fee). They have free transportation to the parks on a set schedule so you know exactly when to leave and not wait 20 minutes for a bus to get you. The place is much more "deluxe" than a deluxe at Disney at a much better price. The staff always smiled and said hello, everywhere you went. They have a dedicated Disney store staffed with Disney Parks employees. You can actually see the Pop, Caribbean Beach and Tower of Terror from the parkview rooms. Plus, if you are a teacher, they offer a "teacher appreciation" rate, knocking down the price even more. We stayed this December and have already booked a return trip for this August before our Disney cruise. You lose Magic Express and the ability to buy things with your magic bands, but for us... it was well worth the change. We actually felt more relaxed and enjoyed going back to the hotel to relax by the pool bar, watch fireworks, and sit by a fire table.

The ONLY thing that would sway me to tell you to stay onsite is that it's your first time going to Disney. There is a magical feeling being at a Disney hotel. But if you want the most bang for your buck, especially being a Hilton Rewards member, eligible for free upgrades, I can't say enough good things about Hilton Bonnet Creek.

 

[DISfirstTimer]

I think I can help... for the past few years, we've taken our boys (now 7 and 5) onsite four times (with the Poly twice) and this last trip, we stayed at Hilton Bonnet Creek. We'll never stay onsite again. Hilton Bonnet Creek is awesome! They have rooms where you can see the fireworks at Hollywood Studios. The lazy river is large and there are always plenty of tubes for everyone. There's a great water slide for kids. They do movie nights on Saturday nights in the pool. Dinner on site is free for kids 12 and under at Harvest (part of your $30 resort fee). They have free transportation to the parks on a set schedule so you know exactly when to leave and not wait 20 minutes for a bus to get you. The place is much more "deluxe" than a deluxe at Disney at a much better price. The staff always smiled and said hello, everywhere you went. They have a dedicated Disney store staffed with Disney Parks employees. You can actually see the Pop, Caribbean Beach and Tower of Terror from the parkview rooms. Plus, if you are a teacher, they offer a "teacher appreciation" rate, knocking down the price even more. We stayed this December and have already booked a return trip for this August before our Disney cruise. You lose Magic Express and the ability to buy things with your magic bands, but for us... it was well worth the change. We actually felt more relaxed and enjoyed going back to the hotel to relax by the pool bar, watch fireworks, and sit by a fire table.

The ONLY thing that would sway me to tell you to stay onsite is that it's your first time going to Disney. There is a magical feeling being at a Disney hotel. But if you want the most bang for your buck, especially being a Hilton Rewards member, eligible for free upgrades, I can't say enough good things about Hilton Bonnet Creek.

Thanks! I'm also considering doing a split stay with our first few nights at POLY to get the onsite experience and convienence of the monorail for Magic Kingdom and then spending the rest of the time off site.

 

[InTheWick]

The Poly is a really nice hotel. They have a splash pad for your little ones, you can see the MK fireworks from the pool. I recommend staying in Fiji, the marina side faces the volcano pool with the Contemporary in the distance. The other side faces the Grand Floridian. It's a quick walk to Captain Cook's for the quick service and the mug refill station. If you have any questions about either resort or planning strategy, don't hesitate to reach out. My kids are right in the same age group and we've learned a lot over our trips.

 

[Momto2minniemice]

I am a pro on site family. I love being in the bubble! We fly so once I check my bags they magically appear in the room. DME gets us in the mood with a welcome movie. And once you step off the bus the magic begins, they welcome you by name. The magic bands are amazing as you don't have to dig out this card or that one. If daddy takes one of the girls I do not have to think about who has what tickets. And when going to the pool I do not have to keep track of a card one less thing to worry about. The busses have always worked out well and did not have to wait that long and they are always running. The girls love being in the bubble until they get mail on the door that says we are leaving the next day. Enjoy the magic!
We stayed off site the first time we went. I did not like having to go to the TTC to catch the hotel bus at magic kingdom and then finding the busses at other locations. We could not send stuff back to the room so we had to carry it. The tickets and room keys were a pain. Also you can not use the dining plan if you stay off site or pool hop. The room was bigger but we were not there that often. We have done split stays and we said never again as you loose time doing things as you have to move. And you can find yourself with tired kids and no where to go. And then the packing and unpacking with kids is just really a pain!
The second trip was on site at the WL and we fell in love with the whole concept!

 

[HopperFan]

I am a pro on site family........

We stayed off site the first time we went. I did not like having to go to the TTC to catch the hotel bus at magic kingdom and then finding the busses at other locations. We could not send stuff back to the room so we had to carry it. The tickets and room keys were a pain. Also you can not use the dining plan if you stay off site or pool hop. The room was bigger but we were not there that often. We have done split stays and we said never again as you loose time doing things as you have to move. And you can find yourself with tired kids and no where to go. And then the packing and unpacking with kids is just really a pain!
The second trip was on site at the WL and we fell in love with the whole concept!

To clarify:

Offsite guests can send all purchases to front gate and just pick them up as they leave for the night.
Onsite guests can not send things back to their room, they go to the hotel gift shop and you have to go pick it up.

Onsite guests are NOT permitted to pool hop other than sister resorts like Allstars and Port Orleans.

-----------------

No way is perfect for everyone. What works for some may not work for others.
Have had over 120 onsite stays and many offsite stays.
They all work for what we want for each trip.
That said I would never stay offsite without a car.

 

[BigredNole]

Onsite guests also get the benefit of 2-10x the prices for 10-20% of the space. Something to seriously consider as well. For comparison sake, a 1BR villa at a DVC resort for one night cost the same as a 2BR condo for an entire week offsite.

 

[DisneyWorldbuff]

I would not start at the Poly and then go off site. I think doing the reverse would be better. Personally, I would prefer to end my vacation with all the Disney Magic at my fingertips. Just my thoughts. Either way, I hope you have a great trip!

 

[LJMC]

We are staying at the Hilton Bonnet Creek for a week, but only doing 2 days at the parks...thoughts on whether we should take the shuttle or drive with a 4 year old and 9 month old? Thanks!

 

[writerguyfl]

We are staying at the Hilton Bonnet Creek for a week, but only doing 2 days at the parks...thoughts on whether we should take the shuttle or drive with a 4 year old and 9 month old? Thanks!

The shuttle there serves both the Hilton Bonnet Creek and the Waldorf Astoria Orlando. It runs on a schedule...although they only publish it about a week in advance. You can view the schedule here:

http://www.bonnetshuttle.com/

Depending on which park you are at, the times can be as close as every 30 minutes or as long as once every 2 hours. Also, the stop for Magic Kingdom is actually at the Transportation and Ticket Center. You will need to transfer to monorail or boat to reach the park.

 

[LJMC]

The shuttle there serves both the Hilton Bonnet Creek and the Waldorf Astoria Orlando. It runs on a schedule...although they only publish it about a week in advance. You can view the schedule here:

http://www.bonnetshuttle.com/

Depending on which park you are at, the times can be as close as every 30 minutes or as long as once every 2 hours. Also, the stop for Magic Kingdom is actually at the Transportation and Ticket Center. You will need to transfer to monorail or boat to reach the park.

Thank you SO much!