We usually fly into Orlando, use DME, use Disney transportation to get around WDW, then use the Mears shuttle to go over to Universal for a day or two. This time, we have to make a day trip over to Clearwater and will be spending two nights over at RPR at Univeral, and may want to go to a few other places offsite, so with the ridiculous price of airfare are considering driving this time (for our Oct 27th-Nov 4th trip). We got to thinking that if we are not going to be dependent on others for transortation, maybe we should stay offsite. It would just be my husband and me so we wouldn't need a suite or anything. We normally stay in a moderate and I currently have a room only ressie at POFQ that I booked last Dec under the bounceback deal. Where would be a good place to stay that's close to WDW? Nice, but not necessarily deluxe. What are the names of all the hotels in the DTD area and the Bonnet Creek area? Any other hotels close? What do you think: keep POFQ under the bounceback deal I currently have or step out of our comfort zone to the darkside of offsite? We have AP's so don't need to worry about parking fees at WDW and can get a discount at WDW TS restaurants using our TiW card.
Here are the DTD Hotels website: http://www.downtowndisneyhotels.com/ Condos at Wyndham Bonnet Creek http://www.wyndhambonnetcreek.com/ Hotel at Hilton Bonnet Creek http://www.hiltonbonnetcreek.com/ Hotel at Waldorf Astoria Bonnet Creek http://www.waldorfastoriaorlando.com/ Gaylord Palms is also close: http://www.gaylordhotels.com/palms-home.html Marriott World Center: http://www.marriottworldcenter.com/ and many more. On this map DTD Hotels are #170a - 175 Bonnet Creek area : Wyndham is #118 and others are just below and to the right Gaylord Palms #182 Marriott is just above #109
I'd almost say try the darkside of offsite. You'll already have a car so it's as good an opportunity as ever to try it out to see if offsite really works for you. In addition to the list below, there is also the Wyndham Grand at Bonnet Creek which is a traditional hotel located at the same location as the timeshare condo's. (It does have a daily parking fee and resort fee above the nightly rate). a one-bedroom condo at the Timeshare side though might be a good location. It may be bigger than what you need, but it's close to Disney so you can still have some of that "in the middle of everything" feeling to help with some of the offsite adjustments. there are various owners who you can rent thru much cheaper than the direct link which was provided. Since it's just the two of you, some of the hotels listed above are also viable options, but I'd recommend checking on any below-the-line fees which can be popular such as parking and resort daily fees. if nothing more, the money you save vs. onsite you can always put into your HHN and F&W budgets.
Hilton Bonnet Creek and Waldorf Astoria are both great and great location! Swan and Dolphin are nice as well. Gaylord Palms and Omni Championsgate are both beautiful hotels, but a bit farther from the parks (still close). A bid between $65-90/night on Priceline for Resorts in the Disney Maingate zone will yield one or the other.
