Question regarding off site accomodations...

[janets]

In all my trips to WDW, I have only stayed off grounds 1 time. Now, however, we have an almost 5.5 yo and a soon to be 1yo, plus probably my mom and maybe MIL. Between air and hotel and tickets, it's just too much to stay on grounds (and I'm just not a fan of AS properties).

Can anyone give me some recommendations for offsite properties that are kid friendly yet affordable? I know that HIFS is a good one, but they are a bit higher than the others. I'd really like at minimum a 2 room suite, if possible a 2 bedroom suite for us and the kids, and mom and MIL could get just a single room to share but if the suites are available, that would be good too.

I'm looking for a property that offers at least a breakfast included and if they have a fridge in the room, we'd like that too.

Any information anyone can pass on would be great. I checked the costs with the new package deal on grounds and it's just way more than we want to spend at this point.

Thanks.

Janet

 

[*123JOANNA123*]

It's been a while since I stayed there, but we had two trips to the doubletree suite hotel in downtown disney. I seem to remember it was pretty good value, the suites are very spacious and the location was pretty good. Might be worth checking, but as I say it's been a while, so it might have gone downhill since.

My uncle has just returned from the downtown disney Hilton- his SIL works for Hilton and got him a good rate, but he did mention that it was a good hotel and that the transport to and from Disney was good.

 

[Rhonda]

Check out the Buena Vista Suites! The location is great - and they're offering some really good prices right now! Here's a link to the Announcement at the top of the page - scroll down to Buena Vista Suites:
Resort specials

 

[Pigsty333]

6 Days / 5 Nights
VACATION AND SPA TREATMENT
PACKAGES

Includes: Rent-A-Car for 1 Week with Unlimited free Miles which can be picked up from any city in the USA · Super
Deluxe Hotel Suite · All You Can Eat Breakfast · Unlimited Complimentary
Wine, Beer and Soft Drinks during your stay · Theme Park Tickets · Spa Treatment · Golf · Tennis · Hotel Taxes, Service charges and much more...
Your Vacation Package Includes The Following:

Super Deluxe Hotel Suite, fully furnished (6 Days and 5 Nights)


Rent-A-Car for 1 Week with Unlimited free Miles,
which can be picked up from any city in the USA.


Your Choice of up to 18 Free Tickets for the family to Disney Magic Kingdom, Epcot Center, MGM Studios, Animal Kingdom, Typhoon Lagoon, Blizzard Beach, Universal Studios, Sea World, Kennedy Space Center, Busch Gardens, Water Mania, Wet and Wild.


All You Can Eat Breakfast Buffet…Everyday


Unlimited Complimentary Wine,
Beer and Soft Drinks during your stay.


Hotel Tax and Service Charges.


Health and Fitness Program, including Gym, Aerobics, and Jogging.


Outdoor Activities, including Golf, Tennis, Volley Ball and Swimming.


Spa Treatment including Sauna, Steam Room and Hot Tub.


Entertainment and Fun including Live Music, Disco and Dance.


Health and Nutrition Seminars including how to eat healthy, how to cook healthy, how to lose weight and how to keep it off permanently.


Free Hotel Parking.

 

[Dodie]

Try posting your question on the Orlando Hotels and Attractions Board here. I'll bet you'll get even more responses and information! That's where the "off site experts" tend to hang out!

 

[taylor1293]

Have you tried www.hotelkingdom.com

They offer great rates for offsite hotels.

Have you called HIFS and inquired about the Entertainment Card rate? Depending on the time of year you go, you can get a kidsuite for as low as $75 a night! This includes free breakfast.

Good luck

Teresa

 

[loriwvu]

We looked into staying at Residence Inn by Marriott at Lake Buena Vista. It has a Caribbean theme and states it is only 3 miles from MK. They were running some great deals on their own web page a couple of months ago. They have 2 bedroom suites with kitchenettes. We chose to stay onsite which cost us three times as much. We wish we would have chosen this instead. Good luck.

Lori

 

[disneysteve]

Residence Inn is a good choice. I've stayed at Homewood Suites also. But I think you're best choice would be to rent a house. There are houses from 2 to 5 bedrooms (even some 6 BR I think). Everyone could stay in one house and the cost per person would be minimal compared to getting a couple of hotel suites.

Steve

 

[karin037]

Check out Dorsan Suites

Wow, Dorsan Suites is really expensive. Five nights at Dorsan Suites costs $1500 per person. Children under 17 are free though!!! I can't imagine spending $3000 for 5 nights.
http://www.dorsansuites.com/vacation.htm
I'll be staying at the Summerfield Suites in August. There are seven of us and we have a 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom suite. Nine nights cost me $744 (taxes included).

 

[ellie&mattys mom]

I have been checking as we can't decide either...

HIFS has great rates with Entertainment rate or AAA but it also depends upon the time of year!!

Let us know what you decide upon!

 

[kimmar067]

...Wow! Dorsan suites sounds TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE!! How much is a pkg for this place????

(can you supply a link ?)

edit:
Ooops, never mind !!

 

[sln88]

if you can live without the free breakfast, you can get a 2 bedroom condo on skyauction for around $250 for a week.

 

[maps]

i would look into a vacatiion home.
i never considered it at first, but we had a 4 bedroom home with a private pool this past march and it was fabulous. there were 2 master bedrooms and 2 rooms with 2 twin beds. for 10 days, tax and pool heat tha total came to about $1200.00.
let me know if this is something you're interested in researching and i'll help with some info.

 

[Gillian]

I'd check into Wyndham palms (can book through Hotelkingdom or the wyndham website). It sounds like a very nice resort! You wouldn't get breakfast, but you would have a full kitchen.

Now, don't confuse it with Windsor Palms, which has rental homes, townhouses & condos. It's also very nice, but the units are individually owned, so they're all different.

A pool home with 3-4 bedrooms, full kitchen, living room, & swimming pool would be very nice. There are a lot of nice housing subdivisions near WDW. Windsor Palms, Rolling hills, & formosa gardens are all in the same area & convenient to Disney. Lots of people on the DIS like that area because you can avoid traffic.

 

[janets]

since we might be going with my mom and MIL, I don't think they really want to worry about making breakfast any day. I know for me, I like the idea of eating out on vacation. My oldest ds, 5, is not a cereal eater and his idea of the perfect breakfast is a cheese omelet with a side of bacon and french fries (or hashbrowns if not available). So if we were to rent a house or condo or townhouse, he'd be expecting this every morning or he'd go without eating, which I'd rather not happen when we are planning a busy day at the parks.

I also really don't mind using a hotel pool, since it's not as accessible with the baby. He'll be 13 months when we go and I'd be a bit worried if he had easy access to a private pool.

However, I will run this suggestion by my mom and see what her thoughts are. You have all given me some great resources to search through.

 

[Gillian]

the pools are all alarmed, and a 13 mo old wouldn't be able to open the sliding door alone. I do understand your concern! Some places have a mesh gate between the pool and the eating area.

Some of the places that have breakfasts are only continental. Others are hot buffet style. It might be hard to find eggs cooked to order, but I'm far from an expert on this!

Another thing to consider is that there are many inexpensive breakfast places all around WDW that could give you a break on a few days.