Horizons by Marriott or DVC? What do you think?

[lochbox1]

Please don't be offended but I have been debating where to stay on a trip to WDW this spring. I can spend $10pp for a two bedroom at OKW and it will cost 263 points. On the other hand, I have a friend willing to let me have a week at the Horizons by Marriott in his two bedroom. It is about 10-15 min away and will cost me about $600.

I know all of you love to stay on site and would love to hear your opinion. How much extra will I wind up paying, literally for parking and time wise getting to the parks.

Thanks in advance for your help!!

 

[llp479]

I haven't had to pay for parking for about 7 yrs between staying onsite and having an AP, but I believe it is around $12/day.

We stayed at Marriott's Grande Vista last summer for a few days prior to checking into OKW. What was about a 10 minute drive in the morning, was a 30 minute nightmare at night after the parks closed with three tired dds.

I also missed being able to go back to the room midday to change shoes, relax, or get dried off after having been caught in a torrential downpour.

Plus, once we returned to GV we weren't inclined to return to WDW. Most the time we just found somewhere along International Dr. to have meals, and never headed back to catch the fireworks at Epcot like we do when onsite.

Hope this helps. Good luck with your decision.

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

We stayed at Vistanna a year ago, which is only about 5 minutes from WDW and we regretted every minute of it. We were able to stay for a week for free so it saved us a lot of points to use in the future but we kept wishing we had just used our own points and not stayed off site. Now I have to admit, that if you really don't care about on-site vs. off-site, $2000.00 is a lot of money to save. Is staying off-site worth saving two thousand dolllars to you? Go with whatever your answer is. Good luck.

HBC

 

[Dean]

I'd probably go with Horizons. It sure won't be $2000 for parking. The units there are pretty small but no more so than the ones at DVC sans OKW. Maybe just over 1100 sq ft. Do AP holders get free parking? I seem to recall but it's been a while since I had an AP.

 

[nezy]

We just got back last week. we split our stay between Marriott"s Cypress Harbour Resort and OKW. MCH is a beautiful resort-very nice and alot to do w/ the kids. We like days that are not park days. However, Horizons is across the street and I took a walk there one day to check it out. I DID NOT like it all. The views were of either I-4, an area under construction or of the parking lots. One building or two had a view of a lake area.

The Horizons big draw is their pool. They try to make it a fun waterpark atmosphere for the kids. It looked great for kids.

Having said that, $2000 is alot of money. If you haven't stayed on property that much and are not used to doing all that comes with it, do Horizons now and then do OKW at another time.
Either way you will have fun. Enjoy whatever you decide and don't think about "but if we had stayed...".

 

[Maistre Gracey]

How much is the Magic worth?

For me.... it's priceless.

Other opinions will vary.

MG

 

[LoveToDisney]

Originally posted by llp479
I haven't had to pay for parking for about 7 yrs between staying onsite and having an AP, but I believe it is around $12/day.

According to this website, parking at WDW runs about $7 per day for cars. Save your receipt and use it at other parks all day.
parking fee
Horizon's isn't very far away from the parks, so you won't have any trouble driving to them since it sounds like you will have a car. We have done it several times from Marriott locations (Cypress Harbour and Grand Vista) without too much hassle. And there are ways to get around the evening rush of traffic if staying near the International Drive area. Head as though you are traveling to the Downtown Disney area when returning from MK and then take Highway 536 over to International Drive and up to the Marriott resorts. We will no longer stay in any resorts in the Kissimmee area or on Highway 192 because of all the crazy traffic down there...it's a parking lot!!!

Having said all this, we have stayed offsite for years and last summer purchased at BCV because we wanted to be onsite. There's a lot to be said for taking the bus back to your villa for a nap and being able to walk to Epcot. It's just a different mindset. I think it would be wonderful to stay at OKW and would personally choose it over staying offsite now, but I would not be renting since we own at DVC or would trade in through Interval.

Best wishes for your decision and have a fun time!!

 

[BJK]

it's really all about convenience....

we stayed on one of those free room if you come to our timeshare presentation things at the marriott grand vista in ocotber, and afterward i was really happy that we bought at BWV....

we have a 2 year old that has to have a nap midday at some point, which meant a drive to the parks in the morning, back to room, a drive back to the parks, and then drive home again....and then drive somewhere for dinner.....we were in the car over an hour a day in about 10-20 minute increments....and when we stay at BWV, we don't see a car for the whole week....

to me nothing beats that...

now, if you're going to be able to use the points at some point anyway, then i would take the free vacation..and if nothing else, it may reinforce for you the entire time how much more convenient DVC resorts are....

 

[Caskbill]

We recently returned from an extended stay (mid-Dec to mid-Feb) and did one week of it at Marriott Horizons. It's a very nice resort. Nezy is mistaken about the views, the buildings face the other way. It'd be like saying all the OKW buildings face the parking lots.

We had a 2-B/R unit. The master B/R was about OKW size but the 2nd B/R was smaller than OKW units. The kitchen area was smaller than OKW but larger than the other DVC's (BWV, VWL, BCV). Likewise the living room, smaller than OKW but larger than the other DVC'S.

The main pool is very nice, and there's a 2nd 'water park' area with many fountains and things for the kids. It also has one of those big tanks that accumulates water over a couple of minutes then drops the whole thing at once creating a very huge downpour.

If you're going to Sea World at all, Horizons is very close. It's also closer to Universal Studios/IoA.

When going to WDW I'd suggest you go the back way and not use I-4 or International Drive (I-Drive actually takes you out of the way and is not the quickest route). I don't remember the names of all the streets, but you would exit Horizons, turning left (North). Go about 1/4 mile to the traffic light at Florida Parkway and turn left. (A right turn takes you right to Sea World). Get to the right lane and do not take the left exit that gets onto I-4, but instead go under I-4 to the traffic light at the 'T' intersection. Turn left. This eventually becomes palm parkway. Follow it all the way to the traffic light. Turn left and go one block and turn right to go into WDW. This will put you on the hotel drive and right toward DD. There's also a way to get into Disney using the back door, that is back by where the warehouses are. If you want to do that, then when you get to the traffic light after driving palm parkway, instead of turning left, go straight instead. The road will curve around a little, then make the 1st left turn you can just after you go under an overpass. (This will be about a block before you get to a traffic light). This left turn puts you on Buena Vista Drive. You can follow it straight to DD.

For saving $2000 go to Horizons.

.....and then put the $2000 you saved as a down payment for your own DVC purchase.

 

[pgjam]

I'd try Marriott, unless
Best case scenario - you'll love it and smile about saving $2,000.
Worst case scenario - you'll only like it, gain from your experience and smile about saving $2,000.
Now the "unless"...if you will not be going back to WDW for some time (hardly imaginable), I have to go with OKW.
Have you thought about spending Friday and Saturday nights in a nice suite outside WDW and Sunday through Thursday nights at OKW?
Two more suggestions...Once you make your decision, don't second guess it and have a Great Time.

 

[LoveToDisney]

Originally posted by Caskbill
For saving $2000 go to Horizons.
.....and then put the $2000 you saved as a down payment for your own DVC purchase.

I like this idea!!!!

 

[jmatias]

Our last trip to WDW was spent at OKW in a 2 bed. for 1 week and then at Horizons for 1 week.

We had a great time at both places. If you have young kids they will enjoy the pool area at Horizons. Our kids just wanted to go to the pool instead of the parks. Horizons is about 10 minutes to WDW and very close to Universal/Sea World.

Staying on property at OKW was great. Very easy to get around, free parking for the week, and the 2 bedroom was huge.

Its a tough choice but you could save $2000 at Horizons. That's a lot!

Good luck with your decision.

 

[Granny]

Originally posted by Dean
Do AP holders get free parking? I seem to recall but it's been a while since I had an AP.

Yes, AP holders get free parking at WDW.

Personally, as much as I love staying on-site, that deal at the Marriott would be a hard one to pass up.

 

[sgtpet]

Horizons is the way to go. Save your money. OKW is far enough away that it doesn't have the advantages of BCV, BWV and VWL.