Regal Palms/off-site strategies?

[breezy1077]

Ok, fellow DISers, this is my first thread and I need your help. My parents just won a free week-long stay at the villas at Regal Palms (and we get to go too ) What can you tell me about the place and do you have any strategies for staying off-site (this will be our first time not staying at a disney resort)?

Thank you for you're help.

WDW here we come! (Sept. 18 - 22 )

 

[dougsmom98]

Hi! I just posted on the other Regal Palms thread. If you have any questions about my post let me know. I think you will have a good time at Regal Palms. As for off site strategies, just be sure to leave early to get to the parks. From that area, you may want to take the Sherbeth Road short cut. I really stink at directions, but I think it is at mile marker 4 of 192. You will take a left onto Sherbeth Road at the light and follow that road until you get to the road that leads to Disney. I am sure someone else can give you better directions than me. The other piece of advice I have is to avoid the EMH park at Disney when you stay off site. That park will be crowded. Have a great trip.

 

[Lisa P.]

I'd second the idea to avoid the EMH park.

Bring along some favorite music, even Disney music for the car drives or while getting dressed in the mornings.

If you like good coffee, get some for your villa, and have a travel mug for the short drive to the parks. It's so much nicer for coffee drinkers than the nasty black water (pun intended, for you campers ) masquerading at Disney as coffee.

Have a soft cooler to stow in the car with cool beverages and/or snacks. Very nice when you're park-hopping or driving back to the villa for a pool swim or nap or at the end of a busy day - especially handy if you'll have kids with you!

Keep an extra pillow from the room in the car, if you'll have little ones with you. So much nicer at the end of the day than holding a wiped-out tyke on your lap on a Disney bus!!!

Add whatever Disney touches you'd like for the villa - stuffed animals, Mickey toiletries, maybe buy Mickey ice cream bars at the grocery to have by the pool.

Go into this as an adventure, something new and different. Look for the benefits of staying offsite (better food at better prices in offsite restaurants, space to spread out, multiple bathrooms & TVs, etc.) and don't compare everything to your favorite onsite things. Let it stand on its own merit. Enjoy!!!

 

[HeatherC]

You will love the space! It is a little further than some resorts to the parks, so expect a bit of a ride in the morning.

The food at the resort is actually pretty good if you don't feel like going out to a restaurant or cooking. You can let the kids swim and order food right at the pool.

There is a shopping center adjacent with a Publix, Applebees and Chinese Restaurant. Both of these restaurants do take out.

You can pick up tubes at the Publix and Regal Palms will blow them up for you for the lazy river.

You may want to also bring a few beach towels if you have room. They do have towels at the pool, but are always running out. There is a washer and dryer in every unit so that allows you to pack less if you want.

Have a great vacation!

 

[heatherbelle]

Regal Palms is fab. I love it. I have sent you a PM, with Pics etc.