WillCAD
Where there's a Will there's a way
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2004
- Messages
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It has been three weeks since I returned from WDW, and because of the hectic holiday season, I haven't even typed up my notes, much less began a trip report. So I figured I better write up a review of my off-site hotel while my memories are still reasonably fresh. I'll most likely include the text of this review in my trip report, so I guess this means I have officially started writing it!
The Comfort Inn Lake Buena Vista is located on Palm Parkway, which is spitting distance from Hotel Plaza Blvd. Just go to the end of HPB, turn left, and the next traffic signal is Palm Parkway. The Comfort Inn is about 1/4 mile back, on the right side. Travel times to anywhere on Disney property are about the same as from a Downtown Disney hotel. Regular shuttle service to the parks and Downtown Disney is available, although I didn't use it.
I found the hotel on Hotels.com for a very nice $48 rate.
The first thing I noticed when I pulled up is that CILBV has a guard shack, just like the Disney resorts. It does not have a closable gate, just a stop sign; but a new, larger guard shack was under construction during my stay, so this may or may not change in the future. The guard shack is manned 24 hours a day, and the guard checks ID and writes down the plate number of any vehicle entering. Registered guests get a parking pass that hangs on the rearview mirror, making much easier to see than a Disney resort parking pass.
The hotel consists of three buildings, all sandwiched between Palm Parkway on the west and I-4 on the east. The main building houses the lobby, gift shop, game room, a restaurant, a lounge, and a small grocery shop, while two larger guest room buildings flank it. Each guest room building has its own heated pool, hot tub, and parking lot. A small children's play area is located next to the south parking lot. There are no enclosed hallways; guest rooms are accessed from a balcony, the same as a Disney Value or Moderate. Each guest building is 5 stories tall, providing some pretty views of the Palm Parkway and SR535 area; there are no particular landmarks in evidence, but I did see some fantastic sunsets nightly during my stay. Ice, vending machines, and guest laundry are also located in the elevator core of each building.
Upon entering the lobby I discovered a clean, well-maintained place. The staff at the front desk were friendly and helpful, and I was soon checked into room 4216, in the south building, 4th floor, close to the elevators. I checked out the room when I arrived; it was about the same size as a room at a Disney moderate, with two double beds and an arm chair, and included a mini-fridge, microwave, coffee maker, and hair dryer, standard. The layout was somewhat similar to a Disney moderate, except that it included an actual closet with mirrored doors instead of the shelf/rod area. Next to the closet is a small but usable desk, however the phone was on the night table between the beds, as is customary in hotels. I was pleased to find, though, that the phone had a long enough cord to place it on the end of one of the beds, where my laptop's modem cord could easily reach it. The closest electrical outlet was buried behind the TV, a minor inconvenience.
I looked over the room to make sure everything worked and was clean before unpacking; the only complaint that I had was that the shower curtain was moldy on the inside.
On close examination, I could see that this hotel was no spring chicken; there were a few places with chipped paint, and the carpet was not new, though it was clean. If I had to guess, I would say that the hotel had been rehabbed about 6-7 years ago, kept up fairly well, but was in need of a new paint job in a few places. All of the fixtures in my room worked perfectly; I got hot water from the shower and the sink instantly, plenty of water pressure, and the fridge was plenty cold.
Also included in the room price was cable TV, free local calls (whereas most hotels in Orlando, including all the Disney resorts, charge 75 cents for a local call), a data port on the telephone, and a free wi-fi hotspot in the lobby. For an additional $10 per 24 hours, high-speed internet access was available via the room's TV set, which came equipped with a wireless keyboard. TV service was the standard basic cable available in just about every Orlando area hotel.
I was not terribly impressed with the high-speed internet; I tried it out once night, just to see how good it was. The Firefox-based interface was clunky and slow, and the pointing device on the wireless keyboard was like moving the cursor with a blunt pole. The keyboard also needed to be pointed directly at the TV to work. I say, save your money, and use the wi-fi hotspot in the lobby, or dial-up access from the room, as I did.
In addition to the standard rooms like the one I had, the hotel also offers a number of 2-room suites. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to look at one of them. Smoking rooms are also available.
The biggest drawback to this hotel is its proximity to I-4. On the upper floors, road noise from I-4 is clearly audible at all hours of the day and night. I found that turning on the fan in the room's A/C-heater unit at a low setting drowned out the road noise quite effectively, but if I stay here again I will definitely ask for a room on the opposite side of the hotel from the interstate.
For the most part, the CILBV is a quiet, family-oriented hotel. I consider it a bargain for $48 a night, and would stay there again without hesitation.
The Comfort Inn Lake Buena Vista is located on Palm Parkway, which is spitting distance from Hotel Plaza Blvd. Just go to the end of HPB, turn left, and the next traffic signal is Palm Parkway. The Comfort Inn is about 1/4 mile back, on the right side. Travel times to anywhere on Disney property are about the same as from a Downtown Disney hotel. Regular shuttle service to the parks and Downtown Disney is available, although I didn't use it.
I found the hotel on Hotels.com for a very nice $48 rate.
The first thing I noticed when I pulled up is that CILBV has a guard shack, just like the Disney resorts. It does not have a closable gate, just a stop sign; but a new, larger guard shack was under construction during my stay, so this may or may not change in the future. The guard shack is manned 24 hours a day, and the guard checks ID and writes down the plate number of any vehicle entering. Registered guests get a parking pass that hangs on the rearview mirror, making much easier to see than a Disney resort parking pass.
The hotel consists of three buildings, all sandwiched between Palm Parkway on the west and I-4 on the east. The main building houses the lobby, gift shop, game room, a restaurant, a lounge, and a small grocery shop, while two larger guest room buildings flank it. Each guest room building has its own heated pool, hot tub, and parking lot. A small children's play area is located next to the south parking lot. There are no enclosed hallways; guest rooms are accessed from a balcony, the same as a Disney Value or Moderate. Each guest building is 5 stories tall, providing some pretty views of the Palm Parkway and SR535 area; there are no particular landmarks in evidence, but I did see some fantastic sunsets nightly during my stay. Ice, vending machines, and guest laundry are also located in the elevator core of each building.
Upon entering the lobby I discovered a clean, well-maintained place. The staff at the front desk were friendly and helpful, and I was soon checked into room 4216, in the south building, 4th floor, close to the elevators. I checked out the room when I arrived; it was about the same size as a room at a Disney moderate, with two double beds and an arm chair, and included a mini-fridge, microwave, coffee maker, and hair dryer, standard. The layout was somewhat similar to a Disney moderate, except that it included an actual closet with mirrored doors instead of the shelf/rod area. Next to the closet is a small but usable desk, however the phone was on the night table between the beds, as is customary in hotels. I was pleased to find, though, that the phone had a long enough cord to place it on the end of one of the beds, where my laptop's modem cord could easily reach it. The closest electrical outlet was buried behind the TV, a minor inconvenience.
I looked over the room to make sure everything worked and was clean before unpacking; the only complaint that I had was that the shower curtain was moldy on the inside.
On close examination, I could see that this hotel was no spring chicken; there were a few places with chipped paint, and the carpet was not new, though it was clean. If I had to guess, I would say that the hotel had been rehabbed about 6-7 years ago, kept up fairly well, but was in need of a new paint job in a few places. All of the fixtures in my room worked perfectly; I got hot water from the shower and the sink instantly, plenty of water pressure, and the fridge was plenty cold.
Also included in the room price was cable TV, free local calls (whereas most hotels in Orlando, including all the Disney resorts, charge 75 cents for a local call), a data port on the telephone, and a free wi-fi hotspot in the lobby. For an additional $10 per 24 hours, high-speed internet access was available via the room's TV set, which came equipped with a wireless keyboard. TV service was the standard basic cable available in just about every Orlando area hotel.
I was not terribly impressed with the high-speed internet; I tried it out once night, just to see how good it was. The Firefox-based interface was clunky and slow, and the pointing device on the wireless keyboard was like moving the cursor with a blunt pole. The keyboard also needed to be pointed directly at the TV to work. I say, save your money, and use the wi-fi hotspot in the lobby, or dial-up access from the room, as I did.
In addition to the standard rooms like the one I had, the hotel also offers a number of 2-room suites. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to look at one of them. Smoking rooms are also available.
The biggest drawback to this hotel is its proximity to I-4. On the upper floors, road noise from I-4 is clearly audible at all hours of the day and night. I found that turning on the fan in the room's A/C-heater unit at a low setting drowned out the road noise quite effectively, but if I stay here again I will definitely ask for a room on the opposite side of the hotel from the interstate.
For the most part, the CILBV is a quiet, family-oriented hotel. I consider it a bargain for $48 a night, and would stay there again without hesitation.
thanks for the review.....you always give great advice!
