WHy should I stay in Downtown Disney Area VS Maingate Area off 192??

[fairytinkerbell]

where is the best location??
help

 

[CoolDisneyCat]

One huge advantage the hotels at DTD have is that you can use the Disney bus system to go to the parks. I know some of the places off property have transportation, but it is not the same.

If their bus arrives once an hour, do you want to run down Main Street to catch it, miss it and have to wait another hour? This does not happen with the Disney busses. They run all the time.

Another thing is the traffic. We stayed off property for one night last year to save points and I will never do it again. It took forever to get anywhere! To get back on the Disney roads was a sign of relief.

 

[swilphil]

Originally posted by fairytinkerbell
where is the best location??
help

DTD is better so you won't be stuck in traffic. Onsite is best so you don't have to rent a car. I have stayed offsite off of I92 and I hated it.

 

[susy]

192 is great-if you want to spend your whole vacation stuck in traffic! DTD is the furthest offsite I would go, but you can usually get the moderates for the same price and have that water slide!

 

[mareed]

I've stayed at the Downtown Disney Hilton on a trip without kids when we were spending our evenings at Pleasure Island, and for that type of trip, it was great. A standard hotel room is fine when it's just DH & me. (We did drive our own vehicle, so I can't comment on the shuttle busses.) We paid about $70 a night including tax through Priceline.

I've also stayed off of 192 (Windsor Palms condos) last Thanksgiving on a trip with our 2 DS's. The drive to the parks was quick & easy and we never experienced heavy traffic. Maybe traffic is heavier at another part of 192 than we were at. For the trip with the kids the space at the condo and the kitchen & laundry facilities made the trip much more pleasant. No Pleasure Island on that trip so proximity to Downtown Disney was not a factor. We paid $80/night including tax.

So, I'd say it depends. If you won't have kids with you and will spend time at Pleasure Island, Downtown Disney is a big plus.

 

[spiceycat]

DTD does not have WDW transportation - they have their own - it is better than most off-site - but it is certainly not WDW transportation.

because so many of their guests walked over to DD and try to use WDW transportation. the DD buses now do not go to the theme parks - they only go to the WDW resorts.

So unless you are really trying to save money just stay at WDW resort - the Pop Century is generally about the same money as most of the DTD. If you are going shortly you can get OKW studio for $80 in Sept, Oct and most of Nov - Sun-thurs stay.

however if you are trying to save money - I have stayed on US192 - love it - it is getting better every year.....

alot of the timeshares on Skyauction are located along US 192.

US 192 is closer to AK - DTD is closer to the MK (of course with the new much longer route - I am not sure anymore), Epcot.

MGM studios I think they are both about even.

 

[Lewisc]

You've started many threads asking similar questions. To try to help you better:

1) Will you have a car?
2) Will you just be going to Disney or will you also be going to SW and/or Universal?
3) How many people in your party?
4) What is your budget?
5) What about a condo? You'll have a full kitchen but probably won't have daily maid service, free breakfast or free park shuttles.

You previously said you were going to stay at Hawthron Suites. Looked like a good deal to me.

 

[fairytinkerbell]

Originally posted by Lewisc
You've started many threads asking similar questions. To try to help you better:

1) Will you have a car? - YES
2) Will you just be going to Disney or will you also be going to SW and/or Universal? JUST UNIVERSAL AND ONE FREE DAY @ TITANIC EXHIBIT/I-DRIVE
3) How many people in your party? 2 ADULTS
4) What is your budget? FOR HOTEL, UP TO 800 (TOPS PLEASE)
5) What about a condo? You'll have a full kitchen but probably won't have daily maid service, free breakfast or free park shuttles. NO CONDOS, WE DON'T NEED A KITCHEN AT ALL, BUT JUST A KING BED, NON-SMOKING, WOULD LOVE A FREE BREAKFAST ( A MUST!)

You previously said you were going to stay at Hawthron Suites. Looked like a good deal to me.

THANKS FOR WRITING ME. I wrote in CAPS so u could see where my answers were. I wasn't sure if i posted my questions in the write forums; so figured i would get more coverage asking different forums. I would love to be 100% happy w/ Hawthorn but they said they only have 8 king standard rooms and who knows how many of the 8 are non-smoking....they said if someone doesn't check out when i arrive, we would be put in a smoking room... i guess do u think the worse case scenario is we stay 1 nite in smoking room and then move to non-smokng room next day?? not sure- plus we'll be out at the parks from 8am-eve..

The only other hotel i saw in that area (LBV- beginning to like the idea of staying in LBV by DTD because of the nite life, where i think by 192 (parkway blvd) we'd be desolate; highways and such. What do you think????

Oh yeah, the other hotel is Country Inn in LBV, but i read on epinions.com
that it was in a bad location, sandwiched behind a hotel and strip mall, parking issues (towing,etc.) and poorly lit parking lot (not good!) - they had breakfast, but not like hawthorn.

The other hotel was one of the marriott village - not sure if i would like though, not sure if they have breakfst. i am very tired and sick of tryng to figure out which hotel. The reason i am doing this research is bec. the last time we visited disney, we got to ramada on i-drive, and refused to stay - very dirty, etc. and had NO HOTEL on the FIRST DAY - and no guide book, either! Had to drive all over and everyone was booked solid. Thankfully, the holiday inn on i-drive just opened up 1 room, and we took it and had to pay the first nite's stay at ramada AND
$300 more for the week-unbudgeted!!

THIS IS WHY i am going nuts over this..

ALL HELP APPRECIATED!!!

 

[Lewisc]

Most hotels won't guarantee a King bed. Most hotels in Orlando don't have that many rooms with King beds, most of the guests are famlies that prefer 2 beds. 10% seems about right. MANY OF THE KING rooms will be handicap accessible, is that OK. It sounds like Haw. Suites may meet most of your needs.


If you want to GUARANTEE a king bed your choices are very limited and won't meet your other wishes. I think Disney will guarantee a king bed in the moderates and I think Hotel Royal will (DTD) but neither offers a free breakfast. You might also try ES, over your budget unless you find a great deal. Breakfast is great.

Reserve a king bed room check in early and tell them you don't care if you have to wait. Consider flying in the night before and staying by the airport (under $50 with PL).