Dr.Mickey
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 19, 1999
- Messages
- 1,234
Orange Blossom "pod," Room 3408
We just returned from 7 nights at Hyatt Orlando on 192, priceline 3 star for $35 per night (not accepted at $33). Once our bid was accepted, we had read mostly negative reviews of the Hyatt. But this needed to be our budget trip. We always use Priceline on the trip where we purchase our AP's, and then later in the year we will try to save up and stay at the Beach Club (with AP discount) when we don't have to purchase park tickets. For reference on our comments, we have stayed previously on-site at All Stars, PO Riverside, Poly, and Beach Club. Off site has included Days Inn Florida Mall (oops!), Comfort Inn Lake Buenavista, Rosen Center on International, Wyndham Palace, and Marriott Orlando World Center. We will try to make comparisons and be specific.
Overall I would rate our stay as very pleasant and we would not hesitate to try for a 3 star in this area again. Security was excellent. The main drive in is very nice, but not fancy, and the lobby building is very pretty. ALL encounters with employees were very positive. Front desk was very pleasant and helpful. Very professional. With check in, there were no additional resort fees (like the $8 additional fee at the Wyndham Palace). Lobby included restaurants, quick service food, gift shops, etc. This is a recently renovated building and is very nice.
The hotel is laid out a little like the Poly in the sense that the guest rooms are in pod-like buildings. The rooms have internal entrances, and each building probably only has 20-25 rooms. Parking was very convenient, but the parking lot probably adds to some of the negative reviews. It has not been re-surfaced in a long time, and even though the rooms and buildings are well kept, this does take away a little from the appearance.
Our room was nicer than expected (from previous reviews). We had requested a recently renovated room. The room was VERY clean but not really fancy, thick comfortable towels and wash cloths, new bed-spreads. Much bigger rooms than All-stars. All rooms have patio or balcony. Ours overlooked one of the pools. Landscaping was very nice. House-keeping was excellent. We had a room safe, ironing board, iron, and hairdryer in the room. No bath tub, large walk-in shower (don't think it was an ADA room either).
There is a pool and hot tub for every pod. The hotel also had a fitness facility. Small, but nice -- and free. No additional fees. Not even with Priceline!
Location was the best it can be for off-site. Across the street from the entrance to Celebration, this is the first hotel you get to on 192 west over I-4. This means no traffic lights between you and Disney property. From parking lot to parking lot was under 15 minutes for any park, under 10 for Animal Kingdom. Lots of restaurant choices close by including the infamous Charley's Steakhouse within walking distance. We enjoyed Cracker Barrel and Ruby Tuesday's to save additional money over park food.
I think some of the negative reviews were based on a higher expectation of the Hyatt name. The quality of service was there, but don't expect the lush appointments of a highrise Hyatt Regency (I think they reserve the name Regency for their top of the line hotels). Remember, this is a 3 star, NOT a 4 star hotel. So of course, the rooms at Marriott World Center or Wyndam Palace were a little nicer. But this was a much nicer room than the All-Stars, and at least equal to Port Orleans. This was infinitely better than Days Inn Fl Mall or Comfort Inn. The only other 3 star Priceline hotel in Orlando we have stayed at was Rosen Center. Again, the Hyatt was much nicer and safer. I have to admit that I would rather stay at the Beach Club. But it's hard to beat all of this for $270 for 7 nights (including tax) courtesy of Priceline.
We just returned from 7 nights at Hyatt Orlando on 192, priceline 3 star for $35 per night (not accepted at $33). Once our bid was accepted, we had read mostly negative reviews of the Hyatt. But this needed to be our budget trip. We always use Priceline on the trip where we purchase our AP's, and then later in the year we will try to save up and stay at the Beach Club (with AP discount) when we don't have to purchase park tickets. For reference on our comments, we have stayed previously on-site at All Stars, PO Riverside, Poly, and Beach Club. Off site has included Days Inn Florida Mall (oops!), Comfort Inn Lake Buenavista, Rosen Center on International, Wyndham Palace, and Marriott Orlando World Center. We will try to make comparisons and be specific.
Overall I would rate our stay as very pleasant and we would not hesitate to try for a 3 star in this area again. Security was excellent. The main drive in is very nice, but not fancy, and the lobby building is very pretty. ALL encounters with employees were very positive. Front desk was very pleasant and helpful. Very professional. With check in, there were no additional resort fees (like the $8 additional fee at the Wyndham Palace). Lobby included restaurants, quick service food, gift shops, etc. This is a recently renovated building and is very nice.
The hotel is laid out a little like the Poly in the sense that the guest rooms are in pod-like buildings. The rooms have internal entrances, and each building probably only has 20-25 rooms. Parking was very convenient, but the parking lot probably adds to some of the negative reviews. It has not been re-surfaced in a long time, and even though the rooms and buildings are well kept, this does take away a little from the appearance.
Our room was nicer than expected (from previous reviews). We had requested a recently renovated room. The room was VERY clean but not really fancy, thick comfortable towels and wash cloths, new bed-spreads. Much bigger rooms than All-stars. All rooms have patio or balcony. Ours overlooked one of the pools. Landscaping was very nice. House-keeping was excellent. We had a room safe, ironing board, iron, and hairdryer in the room. No bath tub, large walk-in shower (don't think it was an ADA room either).
There is a pool and hot tub for every pod. The hotel also had a fitness facility. Small, but nice -- and free. No additional fees. Not even with Priceline!
Location was the best it can be for off-site. Across the street from the entrance to Celebration, this is the first hotel you get to on 192 west over I-4. This means no traffic lights between you and Disney property. From parking lot to parking lot was under 15 minutes for any park, under 10 for Animal Kingdom. Lots of restaurant choices close by including the infamous Charley's Steakhouse within walking distance. We enjoyed Cracker Barrel and Ruby Tuesday's to save additional money over park food.
I think some of the negative reviews were based on a higher expectation of the Hyatt name. The quality of service was there, but don't expect the lush appointments of a highrise Hyatt Regency (I think they reserve the name Regency for their top of the line hotels). Remember, this is a 3 star, NOT a 4 star hotel. So of course, the rooms at Marriott World Center or Wyndam Palace were a little nicer. But this was a much nicer room than the All-Stars, and at least equal to Port Orleans. This was infinitely better than Days Inn Fl Mall or Comfort Inn. The only other 3 star Priceline hotel in Orlando we have stayed at was Rosen Center. Again, the Hyatt was much nicer and safer. I have to admit that I would rather stay at the Beach Club. But it's hard to beat all of this for $270 for 7 nights (including tax) courtesy of Priceline.
