need a 2bd roomed suite I-drive or LBV?

[matty624]

Having stayed at Comfort Inn (LBV), OminRosen (South I-drive) and a variety of 3 bed villas in what is supposed to be the Disney area, we've decided to try for a 2 bed apartment on or in the I-drive area or Lake Buena Vista next year. Last year, our 'Disney area Villa' was indeed only 20+ minutes to Disney, but took upwards of an hour to get to Universal! With two small children (dd-4, ds-3) we don't want to do that again. We've narrowed down our search for a nice, but good value suite in a really good location to: Residence Inn by Sea World; Enclave suites on I-Drive (this seems to be cheapest so far) and Westgate Universal Plaza 2-Bedroom Suite Hotel which seems to be very near to the Enclave suites.
Has any-one stayed at any of these complexes? If so, which would you reccommend? Where did you book? Cost?
I need help, I'm sick to death of looking and dw is hassling me as we've not booked yet!
Ian

 

[Fantasia Sam]

OK I haven't stayed at any of these but I have visited people who stayed at Enclave and they're really nice and do the job but from the brochures and location I liked the look of the Embassy Suites on I-Drive Look here

HTH

 

[BevS97]

how about a townhouse or apartment? There is the Vistana resort which is near the bottom end of I-Drive.

Or Laguna Bay or Sweetwater - I believe those are both very close to Disney as well.
I know we passed one that was v. near Vistana but I can't remember the name - I want to try and find out as I am interested in being in that area next year.

Bev

 

[matty624]

I've just realised that a washer/dryer is also an absolute necessity, two toddlers and all that! So Enclave is no good, I have it on good authority that it has the usual kitchen etc, but no washing facilities... Sheraton Vistana resort at LBV does have a washer/dryer, Virgin list it at £720/week during August (we are restricted to school holidays as we're teachers. I'm sure there must be a better rate than that out there? I've never heard of Sweetwater (thanks Bev, another lead I can follow) and Laguna Bay rings a bell but I don't know much about it at all, can any one help?
Ian

 

[BevS97]

your question prompted me to start looking as we will be needing a condo next december,
A name which comes up loads is Windsor Palms which is apparantly very close to disney on the 192.

there is a good map here Condo and villa locator
If you look at that map, Windsor palms is near the 5 on the 192 and Sweetwater is nearer the 10.
It's a confusing site but it has a lot of good info on it.

Bev

 

[matty624]

We actually booked a 3bed villa at Winsor Palms last year, but then it got changed 3 weeks before we went to another estate down hy27, which turned out to be far too far to Universal. Oddly when we got there, we ended up for the first night in a 3 bed condo at Winsor Palms because of a break down in communication between the travel company and its villa management company. It was very nice, but as we had booked a 3 bed villa, not a condo, we moved the next day to the middle of nowhere (hy27!) and a very pleasant 4 bed villa with pool. If I remember rightly Winsor Palms is very near, just behind actually, Splendid China. It's not a bad location for Disney, but still not great for the other non Disney parks. I think LBV or I-Drive is still more central for all park access. Just found a great map with all the villas on http://www.orlandovillas.com/map.asp I'm going to keep looking...
Ian

 

[kazzie]

Matt,

We've stayed in Cypress point which is in Lake Buena Visa area,close to the Crossroads shopping/restaurant complex.

The condo was very nice,fully self catering with a washer drier too.there is a pool in each section,the newer sections are supposed to be nicer,with a small shop onsite and mini golf.Every condo had a small balcony with a table & chairs to sit outside on.

If you do a search on this site there should be quite a lot of info on Cypress Point

 

[matty624]

Has any one stayed at the Sweetwater Club. I've just had the offer of a three bed condo when I want it (i.e.peak time) for $1650 for 3 weeks. This seems to be a pretty good deal, but only if it's an okay condo! Does any one know (or seen a map with it on) where it is exactly. If not I'll e-mail them back for more details. I'd really like to hear from someone who's seen it for themselves.
Thanks all.
Ian

 

[BevS97]

sweetwater is on this map Click Here

I don't know anything about it, but I have seen it in holiday brochures like Thomsons or Airtours.

Bev

 

[kazzie]

I've a feeling this resort is actually owned by one of the tour operators,Airtours I think.That is why it won't be found in other tour operators brochures I guess.

 

[Shardeblil]

Can I ask, the £720/week?????????

Is that per person including flights?

Sorry to be so dim, I own a villa at Oak Island Cove, which is directly behind Splendid china, so I have no idea how much hotels suites are.

Can I also ask, to the others that have had bad experience's with villa's, did you book direct with the villa owner or through a travel agent or management company?

I know sometimes that guests are told within 10 - 20 minutes of attractions, it happened to us before we bought, we were about 45 minutes drive away, long way after a long day at the theme parks, it was that that made us buy, at least we know exactly where we are going now.

 

[vernon]

We stayed 3 nights in the Summerfield suites on I-Drive, granted this was booked in their 72 hour sale in November but a two bedroom ( ours had one double in one bedroom and a double and a single in the other) 2 bathroom , a pull out sofa bed and a small kitchenette for a cost of $305 (including all taxes) for the 3 night stay. At just over $100 a night I thought t was pretty good. There was a communal pool, continental breakfast was included but the laundry facilities were shared (ie a room with about 6 wash machines and 6 dryers) and they were token opperated. I don't know if they had a laudry room on each floor, we had a ground floor room and the laundry room was about 25 yards away.

Summerfield Suites is owned and managed by Wyndham and you can get prices from their website.
http://www.summerfield-orlando.com/index-reserve.html

It can be as much of a problem getting to Disney from I-Drive as it is getting to Universal from the Kissimmee villa locations. Have you thought about splitting you time and staying 7-10 days near Disney and 4-7 days on I-Drive? that might help to minimise the amount of driving you have to do, but it does mean you have to pack up and decamp half way through the trip. It does depend on how acceptable you dearly beloved is to the idea. With kids of 3 and 4 it depends on how much "stuff" you accumulate.

 

[Big Disney Fan]

Originally posted by Shardeblil
I own a villa at Oak Island Cove

Can I come live with you? You lucky, lucky thing!

 

[Shardeblil]

Big Disney fan!

I wish I could live there all the time, but unfortunately we have to come home eventually, but each time we go over our trips do seem to be getting longer and longer..........maybe one day

If I keep wishing upon a star