Never again!

[LizzyS]

I'm staying at the Red Lion in a few weeks for the first time and am doing so at the recommendation of a coworker who has stayed there within the last year when he was visiting DL.

I have viewed satellite images of the hotel's location relative to DL and there's no way you could not call that walking distance. 10-15 minutes is not a big deal. If you had a stroller or mobility issues, though, I could see where that could get interesting.

 

[Casey's Mommie]

We learned this lesson when we stayed at the Hyatt. I got the hotel for WAY cheap and thought it was worth dealing with shuttles. It WASN'T. The first morning the line was so long we didn't make the first shuttle! We had to wait for the next one to come, and it didn't come for at least 30 minutes. When the shuttle finally came people were cutting in line, (Running to form a 'new line') and it was a rotten way to start the day!

We ended up driving in every day, but paying for parking and then having to take a tram from the parking lot was a pain too. We ONLY will stay within walking distance now!

 

[SeattleTink]

We too like to stay within the 5 - 10 minute walking distance. It is so convenient to be close and so much easier. We have stayed at the hotels down Harbor that have their own shuttles and for the most part it isn't that hard, but the time you waste adds up. Especially if you trip is only a couple days long those bus rides of 30 minutes each way really do add up quickly.

And yes, there are hotels that are 15 - 20 minutes away (walking time) but at the end of the day, after you have walked 10 - 12 miles, that 15 - 20 minute walks feels like 10 miles!

 

[planegirl99]

Huh? Why on earth would you need a shuttle at the Red Lion???

I pink puffy heart the Red Lion and it's NOT FAR! Geesh! It's a 10min walk with our double stroller. We have stayed there twice in 2 months and LOVE the value for the money - free parking, free hot breakfast, free wifi, safe, clean, nice, etc....

I am always amazed at what people complain about.

 

[StephNJer]

Really? We just got back yesterday from a stay at Red Lion, and walked it. I think it's maybe a 12 minute walk? Maaaaaybe 15 if you are going slow. We had a 5 year old and a one year old, so we went slow (1 year old was in a stroller but our 5 year old walked and did fine).

 

[vettegirl]

I will only stay at the Disney owned hotels after staying offsite, never again. Being that close to action is worth the extra $$$.

 

[OregonMickeyLover]

I have to put in my vote for avoiding the shuttles if at all possible. Our first trip we stayed at what was the Staybridge Suites and dealt with the shuttles. We constantly felt like we were wasting good park time!!! Each trip since we have stayed at BWPPI and loved it. This time we are doing the Desert Inn, and I have to say that at $65 a night, across the street, we can't do any better!

 

[AZBeth]

I have to say we had a good experience using ART. We stayed at HOJO's so we walked to the parks each morning but usually took the ART home. Our bus only made 3 stops, so it was not too bad and we never had a an issue getting on.

 

[Disco]

Yeah,
I leaned my lesson during an off property stay in WDW. Nothing horrible just pickup and drop off did not allow me to stay in the park for the full time and just was an added point of waiting around.
Add a stroller and I could see issues...

 

[furb & dez]

Too me it is not worth the hassle, I stay as close as I can get.

And the corollary is:

If I can't get a place that's close enough to walk, I find another time of year to go.

 

[Princess Row]

Heres a story for you:

Just went to Disney for five days. We stayed at double Tree down the street. With the other side of my family we have ALWAYS stayed onsite so this was a real heck of an experience for me.

It was my 16 year old sister with me and I and we had our three year old sister with us and decided to go back to the hotel while the rest of my family rode Splash Mountain.

The baby is fast asleep in her stoller so I get her in my arms we get the stroller on mostly folded up, and shes asleep on me when the driver informs me he needs to "do the dirty business" as he put it and would need us to get off at the first stop, stand on the side of the road until he was finished.
We got off the stop before ours.....holding my sleeping sister and stood on the side of the road at a terrible dirty hotel. There was tons of homeless people walking around and everything. We stood outside the bus for 15 mins and he comes walking back to tell us "I must of ate soemthing that was a terrible one. sorry it took so long but you gotta do the business sometime" Yeah one heck of an experience!!!!!

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

Heres a story for you:

Just went to Disney for five days. We stayed at double Tree down the street. With the other side of my family we have ALWAYS stayed onsite so this was a real heck of an experience for me.

It was my 16 year old sister with me and I and we had our three year old sister with us and decided to go back to the hotel while the rest of my family rode Splash Mountain.

The baby is fast asleep in her stoller so I get her in my arms we get the stroller on mostly folded up, and shes asleep on me when the driver informs me he needs to "do the dirty business" as he put it and would need us to get off at the first stop, stand on the side of the road until he was finished.
We got off the stop before ours.....holding my sleeping sister and stood on the side of the road at a terrible dirty hotel. There was tons of homeless people walking around and everything. We stood outside the bus for 15 mins and he comes walking back to tell us "I must of ate soemthing that was a terrible one. sorry it took so long but you gotta do the business sometime" Yeah one heck of an experience!!!!!

Soooo I guess everyone can 'understand' but does he have to be so flippin' forthcoming with info? LOL

I did shuttle when I was on honeymoon. It was fine for a young couple. I would never do it with chillins

 

[Brancaneve]

I swore off of shuttles long before we even had children! Everyone crowding on the one shuttle and not making it and having to wait for the next. I always said there was no way I'd try to do that with kids. Now we either drive to parks or better yet stay at CCI and walk. They have a great shuttle, but if it doesn't work out time-wise, we aren't stuck waiting.

I have to say buses are the part that worries me most about going to WDW. I've been trying to figure out where to stay with the least amount of bus traveling.

Having been to WDW a few times, I can say that the buses are much better than the little shuttle buses in DLR. They are roomy and large with a wide hallway for those with strollers. I actually like riding the WDW buses and found that I had great conversations with other tourists and met some interesting people. However, although I love the Animal Kingdom Resort, it is very far from the major parks. The furthest point, Downtown Disney, takes a good 20 minutes!

 

[carnival kid]

We have been twice... once childless and once with a 10month old. Stayed very close by both times and would only stay within walking distance again.

 

[cari12]

Heres a story for you:

Just went to Disney for five days. We stayed at double Tree down the street. With the other side of my family we have ALWAYS stayed onsite so this was a real heck of an experience for me.

It was my 16 year old sister with me and I and we had our three year old sister with us and decided to go back to the hotel while the rest of my family rode Splash Mountain.

The baby is fast asleep in her stoller so I get her in my arms we get the stroller on mostly folded up, and shes asleep on me when the driver informs me he needs to "do the dirty business" as he put it and would need us to get off at the first stop, stand on the side of the road until he was finished.
We got off the stop before ours.....holding my sleeping sister and stood on the side of the road at a terrible dirty hotel. There was tons of homeless people walking around and everything. We stood outside the bus for 15 mins and he comes walking back to tell us "I must of ate soemthing that was a terrible one. sorry it took so long but you gotta do the business sometime" Yeah one heck of an experience!!!!!

This is why we go less often but pay the extra to stay onsite.

 

[Disco]

Having been to WDW a few times, I can say that the buses are much better than the little shuttle buses in DLR. They are roomy and large with a wide hallway for those with strollers. I actually like riding the WDW buses and found that I had great conversations with other tourists and met some interesting people. However, although I love the Animal Kingdom Resort, it is very far from the major parks. The furthest point, Downtown Disney, takes a good 20 minutes!

I don't mind the on property buses either. Just how WDW works. There are alternative modes of transportation as well.
It is nice to live across the street from DL as even the busses at WDW can add a lot of stress. Waiting in any line for 15 minutes feels like an eternity when you know you could be in the park riding something. Not to mention the agony of missing a bus because it is too full... End of the freakin world!

 

[tlovesdis]

I'm with ya! We stayed at the Hyatt and had to take the shuttle and it was not pleasant. It was crowded and people were cutting the line etc... Leaving from the park is the worst! We had to wait once for like 3 busses to come there were so many people waiting.

We've also stayed far and driven and parked in Mickey & Friends. That is kind of a pain as well.

Now we only stay within walking distance!

 

[nana50]

I've stayed at the Sheraton for $88.00 and used their dedicated shuttle. It ran every 20 minutes. I just planned my get up time to coincide with the shuttle. However, I live in San Diego and come quite often, so I don't feel the need to spend every minute in the park. At 60 years of age, saving my feet is more important.