The we loooooove Bonnet Creek thread! (pics and reviews)

[grandmadebby]

This might be in the thread somewhere but it is just to big for me to read through. My ? is how is the bus service to the Disney parks. We stayed there in 2006 and the last bus left MK 2 hours before the fireworks started. We are also owners there but have been paying to stay on Disney because we don't have a car and there is 17 of us, we had 3 units when we went. Love the resort but hated missing Illuminations, MK fire works and even Fantasmic when it ran every night.

Thanks in advance for answering this as I am thinking about next summer trying Bonnet Creek again, we are already booked into Disney this summer.

 

[sahm1000]

After hearing about how much you all love Bonnet Creek I just booked my family for there next year. I took everyone's advice on here and used Ken Price and we have a 4 bedroom Presidential suite and a one bedroom suite for April 29-May 7 2011! We just got back last week from WDW and after seeing how close the resort was to the rest of the "world" we decided it would be fantastic fit for us. I have already heard that we are in Tower 2 overlooking the "inside" of the resort area (I took that to mean the pool area) and he mentioned that we will probably have a view of the fireworks too. Anyone stayed in one of these before and know anything about them?

 

[Ashleybs]

We're headed down early in the morning!!!!!!

 

[Joyful3Heart]

This might be in the thread somewhere but it is just to big for me to read through. My ? is how is the bus service to the Disney parks. We stayed there in 2006 and the last bus left MK 2 hours before the fireworks started. We are also owners there but have been paying to stay on Disney because we don't have a car and there is 17 of us, we had 3 units when we went. Love the resort but hated missing Illuminations, MK fire works and even Fantasmic when it ran every night.

Thanks in advance for answering this as I am thinking about next summer trying Bonnet Creek again, we are already booked into Disney this summer.

Sorry to say I don't think I kept my shuttle schedule, but I know for sure that the latest return from MK was 12:30am, they change day to day, so that might have been on a 10pm fireworks night, but I remember thinking that that was nice if you wanted to see the fireworks. I think the latest return from Epcot was 10:30. I don't remember for DHS though, if you wanted to see fantasmic, but it seemed like the schedule was adjusted according to the park hours that day.

 

[LisaCat]

Sorry to say I don't think I kept my shuttle schedule, but I know for sure that the latest return from MK was 12:30am, they change day to day, so that might have been on a 10pm fireworks night, but I remember thinking that that was nice if you wanted to see the fireworks. I think the latest return from Epcot was 10:30. I don't remember for DHS though, if you wanted to see fantasmic, but it seemed like the schedule was adjusted according to the park hours that day.

Good to know. If we go without a car, it looks like a LONG walk from the lobby (where the airport shuttle will drop us off) to most of the buildings. It almost looks like you need a car just to get around the property! I've read previous posts saying they couldn't find luggage carts to check in/out. Is that still an issue? Arriving at night and then having to haul 2 big suitcases, 2 carryons and a laptop bag across that place looks "challenging"..... Any advice?

 

[LisaCat]

Does anyone know what cab fare runs between the resort and the furthest park? Trying to budget and figure out if renting a car (quotes for that ran between $275 and $520 for a compact!) will make sense.

 

[grandmadebby]

Sorry to say I don't think I kept my shuttle schedule, but I know for sure that the latest return from MK was 12:30am, they change day to day, so that might have been on a 10pm fireworks night, but I remember thinking that that was nice if you wanted to see the fireworks. I think the latest return from Epcot was 10:30. I don't remember for DHS though, if you wanted to see fantasmic, but it seemed like the schedule was adjusted according to the park hours that day.

Thanks for the info. We are owners at Bonnet Creek and think we may schedule our 2011 trip there but didn't want to have to drive to the parks. It has improved alot from when they first opened, glad of it.

 

[Joyful3Heart]

Good to know. If we go without a car, it looks like a LONG walk from the lobby (where the airport shuttle will drop us off) to most of the buildings. It almost looks like you need a car just to get around the property! I've read previous posts saying they couldn't find luggage carts to check in/out. Is that still an issue? Arriving at night and then having to haul 2 big suitcases, 2 carryons and a laptop bag across that place looks "challenging"..... Any advice?

We heard that about the luggage carts, too, so we grabbed one the night before when we started to pack up. There were two in our building's lobby on our way out, though.
We were in building one, so the walk to the lobby wouldn't have been bad to catch the shuttle, the building on the other side of the main building (four??) would have been an easy walk also. I think the hardest part about the shuttle would be making it out of the parks to meet the shuttle on time. The return times were as far as two hours apart in the early evening, so you would have to start working your way out long before pick up time. To be exiting the park just as it pulled away...now THAT would stink...

 

[Brian Noble]

it looks like a LONG walk from the lobby (where the airport shuttle will drop us off) to most of the buildings. It almost looks like you need a car just to get around the property!

The resort is quite compact; nothing is super far from anything else. Much less spread out than many of the Disney resorts.

 

[Marci]

We just got back last night from a great trip. I wouldn't have known about BC except for this thread.

We had never stayed at a time share condo resort before, and I was a bit anxious about how it compared to the ease of a hotel room. I don't go on vaction to cook and clean up We were in a 2 br in building 4.

Anyway, things were just as I had hoped. All the typical hotel amenitites were in the condo (shampoo, hairdryer) but no iron/ironing board. There were also the basic things you would need for the condo (soap for appliances, paper towels, trash bags) but no trash can in the kitchen (strange). Upon check out, you need to pile your linens in the bathroom, take out the trash, and run the dishwasher. It was no big deal.

Our view of the fireworks was nice, but our everyday view of the parking area wasn't. But beyond the parking it was woods and nice. I would request this building again.

A few things we learned that I thought might be helpful to others...
The pool slide--
kids must be able to swim to the side, can't wear any floatation devices, can't ride with a grown up, and dad can't "catch" at the end of the slide. (I wish we wouldn have known this before getting my 4 yr old so excited)
That same pool is not zero entry. The baby pool there has one giant mushroom thing that drips (forcefully) water down.
The kids playground is between this pool and the one at building 1.

The kids pool behind building 1 is great for toddlers/ pre-school aged kids. It is large and shallow, and there are lots of squirting things around the peremeter that constantly drain so that there isn't standing water. The main pool here is zero entry. There is also a lazy river. There isn't a bar at this pool (I think you can get sodas and maybe beer).

The pool behind building 4 is a very wide and 3 ft max zero entry pool. The lazy river is attached. The bar is here, Escudos, and they sell sandwiches salads as well as mixed drinks. We ate there twice. It wasn't very good, but better than cooking.

We were in building 4, and it was an easy walk to the kids pool at building 1. We liked our "main" pool better.

There is a "proudly serve" Starbucks in the Lobby.

At check in, when you get your parking pass, that is when they try to sign up you for the time share presentation. I almost didn't catch that is what she was doing. She wasn't easiy deterred, but after I said no a couple of times that was it. She wasn't rude and we were never called or approached the rest of our trip.

We have twins, and they brought two pack and plays and two high chairs for us. It was great. Also, a pack and play fits in the second bathroom.

We too booked through Ken at vacationupgrades.com. He was very nice, professional and effecient. I would definitely use him again. While his prices are posted on his website, we were given a better deal. I just felt comfortable using him since so many of you all have.

thanks again
Marci

 

[Tina]

Does anyone know what cab fare runs between the resort and the furthest park? Trying to budget and figure out if renting a car (quotes for that ran between $275 and $520 for a compact!) will make sense.

I don't know this exact fare, but I once took a cab from the Gaylord resort just outside of the property to the Magic Kingdom. If I recall correctly, I think it was $18 plus tip.

 

[Tina]

All the typical hotel amenitites were in the condo (shampoo, hairdryer) but no iron/ironing board.

Does anyone know if an iron and board can be requested?

 

[Upatnoon]

Does anyone know if an iron and board can be requested?

I'm certain there was an iron and ironing board in our room. We also had a trash can under the sink. It sounds like housekeeping didn't see that those items were missing when preparing the room for the next guests.

 

[Tina]

I'm certain there was an iron and ironing board in our room. We also had a trash can under the sink. It sounds like housekeeping didn't see that those items were missing when preparing the room for the next guests.

Thank you. I thought that sounded odd. I can't recall ever staying in a hotel room that DIDN'T have these items. I'm glad to hear I won't have to walk around WDW looking wrinkly.

 

[MsCoz2000]

Does anyone know if an iron and board can be requested?

There was def. one in ours, we used it a few times. I looked for a better picture, but this was the best I could do. It was in the "hall" closet. (I tried to circle it in the picture.)

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

2nd Bedroom 2 Queen Beds:

TV & Dresser in 2nd Bedroom:

Closet in 2nd Bedroom:

And to think that this is all you get when you rent a hotel room. Not magical for a family of 4!

 

[ksumn1]

I have to stay that the thought of staying off site has never really entered my mind until reading this thread and crunching numbers for our May 2011 trip. We want to save as much $$ as we can, and still have a good. And with our "normal" food costs of around $1500 for 7 nights, 8 days...we needed to find an alternative!

We leave the parks around lunch anyway, so preparing dinner in the condo is certainly an economical choice. And the space offered at BC is so much bigger than at any standard WDW room. Great pools, and so close to the parks...what's not to love?

Does anyone know if the week on may 21-30, 2011 (or that same timeframe any year) is especiialy hard for booking, or does it fill up early? DH wants to wait and see if we can get $100 1bedroom, or $120 2 bedroom. TIA and love the thread!

 

[tndislvr]

We got that same week this year (May 22-29) through Ken at vacationupgrades.com no problem. We made our reservation 60 days out (Ken can get a better price at the 60 day mark). He had originally quoted $120/night for a 2 bedroom/2 bath but was then able to get it for us for $100/night! Awesome price! And the space is great. We have never stayed on site and would find it very hard to go to a moderate room on site paying more per night than at BC for a 2 bed/bath. Good luck with your trip planning!

 

[Fastpaks]

Does anyone have the pics of the Pirate themed pool? My parents have some older ones much it didn't show too much. We are staying her on some points from my parents in late Oct. in a 1 bedroom with the full intention of "buying in" ebay style in the future. I was planning to to drive to the parks cause I have worked in the hotel industry before and know that the shuttles can be good or bad but tend to be one or the other. That said, we may just use it for like a partial park day.

I know that when we get back from our trip, I will do my best to bring you pics of the 1 bedroom units as well.

 

[Upatnoon]

I have to stay that the thought of staying off site has never really entered my mind until reading this thread and crunching numbers for our May 2011 trip. We want to save as much $$ as we can, and still have a good. And with our "normal" food costs of around $1500 for 7 nights, 8 days...we needed to find an alternative!

We leave the parks around lunch anyway, so preparing dinner in the condo is certainly an economical choice. And the space offered at BC is so much bigger than at any standard WDW room. Great pools, and so close to the parks...what's not to love?

Does anyone know if the week on may 21-30, 2011 (or that same timeframe any year) is especiialy hard for booking, or does it fill up early? DH wants to wait and see if we can get $100 1bedroom, or $120 2 bedroom. TIA and love the thread!

You should be able to get a 2 bedroom for $100 a night or less. I would start shopping 2 months out. My goal would be to pay around $80 a night.

While looking for a room at the 2-months-out mark is plenty of time for me, I realize this may seem like last-second for some of you super-planners out there.