Nick Hotel save your money

[Chilehead Too]

I was in Fla last week and my husband came down to take my 4 y/o to his dream destination for the night. Gotta love those commercials. Well I am here to tell you, it was overpriced, undercleaned and overcrowded. We even got upgraded to the spongebob suite and for 250+ they could have stayed in a nice hotel and went to a waterpark. The thing that got me was the over powering smell of carpet cleaner...everywhere the smell just permeated. I could have never slept in the room. The room itself was an alright size, but looked terribly worn. But my son was in heaven and sometimes thats all that matters

One day is more than enough there if your kids just have to go.

 

[hezell123]

I agree, we were just there Saturday night. We'll never go again unless there is a $80 or less rate. That's what this hotel was worth to me. Our room was actually quite clean and fresh. It was just after you stepped out of the room everything was complete chaos. Crowded pools, average food, and rude people. My kids loved it...this will definately be a ONCE in a lifetime experience. Oh yeah, it took about an hour to get threw the check-in line. The character breakfast is hard to do if you're not pushy and willing to leave your table to go track down a character. We waited 45 minutes and no character came to our table. I finally said something to the waiter and eventually we got a pic with Dora. Our rented house in Formosa Gardens was waaaaayyy better than this and cheaper too!!!

 

[LIFERBABE]

They are hitting the TV commercials pretty hard on Nick. My 6 year old asked if we could stay there after being barraged with commercials on Nick.

I think they will pretty operate at capacity this summer with all the ads.

They know who their target audience is, the kids will drag their parents along with wallets wide open.

 

[MommyTo5]

I'm always shocked to read back reviews of the Nick Hotel since we had such a wonderful time there in late February/early March! Our kids were in heaven --- and that's all that mattered to us. We're planning on going back next February!

 

[Robinrs]

My son loves it, too, but we'll never go back. It's just not worth that price no matter what. The advertising is what they need because they know that they have to get first time people to spend that ridiculous money for what they offer.

 

[MommyTo5]

My son loves it, too, but we'll never go back. It's just not worth that price no matter what. The advertising is what they need because they know that they have to get first time people to spend that ridiculous money for what they offer.

For us (as a large family), we didn't feel like we paid 'ridiculous money' at all! In fact, we're quite frugal and considered what we paid quite a bargain over staying on Disney property since we'd have to get 2 connecting rooms. We were lucky to get in on a great rate at Nick for Sun - Thursday nights ($125 a night)... then paid an extra $100 over that great rate to add on Friday night too. We had 5 of our kids with us on this trip (5 months, 5, 8, 8, & 9) - 4 of which are completely Nick obsessed so for them getting to participate in the pool-side shows, being the family selected for the Family show one night, free painted tattoos on their arms, the incredible pools & water slides, getting to see their Nick idols, etc... - added sooooooo much value to our stay! We took advantage of the Kids Eat Free at least twice a day and were thrilled with all the $$ we saved there too! For example - at Dinner, either DH or I would get a burger (entree), the other would get an appetizer, then the 4 kids ate free from the buffet (complete with drink & dessert)! Even with tip, the total was a bit over $20! This is approx. the same cost as it would have been for our family to eat at McD's and much better food!!!

 

[Tiffer]

I am staying there in December with my DD and DM but we are getting a Holiday Inn employee rate so I think it will be worth it.

 

[MommyTo5]

I am staying there in December with my DD and DM but we are getting a Holiday Inn employee rate so I think it will be worth it.

Wow - employee rate!!! That's great, Tiffer! Have a terrific time!!!

 

[thatmom]

Hi,
There was 22 of us who went in DEC. the first of the month. We all loved it. The kids want us to go back really bad. I think it depends on when you go. It wasn't crowded at all and the weather was perfect. we paid$138.00 a night and thought it was more than fair.
we are gong back but not until 2008 and we will be going in April threw our spring break. So the price will be more and the place will be crowded..but we still can't wait. It's been the nicest vaction we have all been on together.. Everyone loved it. We all have been on the Disney cruise together and the kids still think the Nick was the best....After paying for a Disney cruise this time we are going on the Carnival Glory after we stay at the Nick first for a few days...
Carla

 

[DTsDisneyMama]

We are going this coming week, and it will be our first time at the hotel. I'm real excited. We live in Florida, and go to Disney often, but have yet to stay here.

 

[Cruz91]

It's funny how everyone has a strong opinion of Nick Hotel - one way or another. We had a great time despite the fact that we had some pretty big 'issues' with the facilities. The staff took care of us to the tune of three free nights on our next stay (which is tentatively set for Thanksgiving week).

For us - the key to Nick Hotel was actually the Kidsuite. We wanted our own room so our kids (who went to bed at 8 or 9) wouldn't bother us and vice versa.....

 

[Chilehead Too]

I guess to each his own. Certainly if I had the 125.00 rate my feelings may have been different, but I honestly cannot say the room was anywhere near worth $250. + . It is just a glorified Holiday Inn. For that money a night at the Yacht Club would have money better spent. JMHO.

 

[Blaze12]

It's funny how everyone has a strong opinion of Nick Hotel - one way or another. We had a great time despite the fact that we had some pretty big 'issues' with the facilities. The staff took care of us to the tune of three free nights on our next stay (which is tentatively set for Thanksgiving week).

For us - the key to Nick Hotel was actually the Kidsuite. We wanted our own room so our kids (who went to bed at 8 or 9) wouldn't bother us and vice versa.....

OK, I know I am being nosy, but what issues??? Now I am paranoid because we are going for an overnight there in 2 weeks!!!!

 

[hezell123]

An overnight would be fine (the $250 is what's so hard to justify) A whole week would be intolerable for us...especially at $250/night. Too busy, too many kids without supervision. I know many Disney hotels are the same way but not at $250 a night. I'm sure it may be different at slower times of the year as well. As stated above, the room layout was great...it was just stepping out that door that it went downhill. Your kids will have a great time and if you prepare yourself for long check-ins and chaos you'll be fine. Take some Tylenol before during and after arrival.

 

[Robinrs]

For us (as a large family), we didn't feel like we paid 'ridiculous money' at all! In fact, we're quite frugal and considered what we paid quite a bargain over staying on Disney property since we'd have to get 2 connecting rooms. We were lucky to get in on a great rate at Nick for Sun - Thursday nights ($125 a night)

It's ridiculous for me because it's just me and my 13yo son. If I had a bigger family with very young children it would be worth it but not for us. I can only stay during the high season so I've never gotten a quote less than $250 for what I wanted. I could rent a 4 bedroom house for half that.

I guess the fact that I stayed there when it was the HIFS for $60 a night makes me amazed at their rates. It WAS worth that price!

 

[Cruz91]

OK, I know I am being nosy, but what issues??? Now I am paranoid because we are going for an overnight there in 2 weeks!!!!

It's a long story, but I'll try to make it short (which I'm not good at). We had a long stay scheduled (9 nights). Our 2nd day they asked us to move due to some scheduled maintenance (not sure why they put us there if it was scheduled, but whatever) - and since we had NINE days of food and had rented a crib from ABBF, it was a PAIN to do so. Our 2nd night in the new room, my DD caled me to her room to get her pacifier which had dropped behind the bed. I pulled the bed out to get it, and found that the electrical outlet behind her bed did not have a cover and it was not even attached to the wall - just bare wires connected to the plug jutting out from the wall. I explained in as calm a manner as possible that this wasn't acceptable, and I'm sure after all of the complaining I did - they went back and checked every room. Just in case, though, I'd take a peek at the outlets around your room before letting the kids run free....

 

[Nascia]

We just got back from a 12 night stay at the Nick ($150/ night). Our kids absolutely loved it. I can say there is a noticable difference in atmosphere during the weekends. The weekend crowd tended to have more unsupervised kids, generally ruder and wilder, than those that were there during the week. My husband and I, snuck off for a breakfast on Mother's Day (my mom was watching the boys) and got a great view of an older gentleman that was quite hariy and overwieght eat breakfast in his swimming trunks. There were quite a few people doing this also. Needless to say, we made it quick.

One thing that I could absolutely not stand was all the smoking and drinking. I don't think it would have bothered as much if we were not staying at a hotel specifically for kids. It was very difficult to find a chair by pool, or go anywhere outside, without smelling smoke. Likewise, it seemed that everyone I saw, especially on the weekend, had a beer in their hand. At the pool, on the elevator, in the mall, everyone was drinking at all times of the day, including early morning. Every negative experience we had there occured on the weekends.

We did find the rooms very clean and nicely furnished. I loved the comfort and convience of having the bedrooms seperate from the main room. We thought the buffet was good and reasonably priced. We only did the character breakfast once. It was definately not Disney and not worth the price to do it again. The service and food at A&W and Pizza Hut was not stellar, fortunately they finished Subway during our trip and we got to eat there a few times. My boys and mother really enjoyed the shows, so much so, we did them twice. I'm working on our trip report, and will have that posted in a few days.

 

[tazdeb]

Dont mean to flame you,but were the people with the beers drunk? You complained of seeing everyone with beers but if they were drinking responsibly whats the problem? Also, you complain about people smoking outside. I am a nonsmoker, but where are people suppose to smoke? They cant do it inside,cant do it in thier rooms,resturants etc.....It isn't illegal and although it may be a health hazard (second hand smoke has never been conclusivley proven harmful) if it isn't right in your face or if its wafting across the air it's just something you have to deal with. Smoking, Drinking, hairy people, fat people in small suits.etc...thats life........quityer*****en.....TAZ

 

[hezell123]

I'm not much of a drinker and don't smoke at all BUT I sure did need a drink the night we went to the NH

 

[Nascia]

The people that were drinking were not doing it responsibly. On more than one occassion we actually witnessed adults poolside drinking that were clearly not watching their children, so much so they actually "lost" their children. Security had to be called and a "Code Adam" issued. There was also a lot of slurred speech and obnixious drunken behavior including sexual innuendos with underage staff, that did not stop once she asked him to stop and told her age. I also think that smoking poolside, literally, feet in water, is nasty and unsanitary, and is not in very good taste for a kids area in a kids hotel. The hotel is marketed as a kids hotel. Smoking and excessive drinking drinking do not create an exactly kid friendly environment. Likewise when I book a NON Smoking room, I don't expect people to be smoking right outside the door, so that the smell filters into our room. Sorry, I think most people recognize if you are eating out in a public venue you should at least be clothed (while style and manner may be up for debate, as long as there's an attempt I could care less) and have shoes on. I mean, even 7 -11 has a no shoes, no shirts, no service policy. I was disappointed that the food court had lower standards than a gas station.

ETA: I'm not too worried about people drinking if done responsibly. It's not fun explaining to little ones "why that man is having problems walking." Like I said we did fun most of the time, unfortunately those images are burned in mind (hopefully not for too long). BTW, my husband is a fairly scruffy guy, but he doesn't feel the need to expose himself during meals.