DH and I stayed there last year (and I got a coupon that I may or may not use when I go in October with mom). We only planned to stay there one night. We drove down from VA overnight, and we had really only booked the hotel for a clean bed to crash in until our CSR reservation the next day, and they had free wi-fi and I needed to check in for work one last time before the week at WDW. That was what drew me to book there: price, wi-fi and location (I didn't want to drive much further to get to Disney after driving so long). I don't know that I would want to spend my entire vacation there.
I can sleep like a rock. Elephants doing the ballet could dance through my bedroom, and I could probably sleep through it. This hotel was LOUD. Every movement that our neighbors made or people in the hall you could hear. A couple of ladies from housekeeping were outside the room at 8:30 AM talking, and I could hear every word they were saying. I don't know that they were loud; I think it was just poor insulation/noise barrier.
The room was not the cleanest. I wouldn't consider it dirty, but it definitely could have been cleaner. I have stayed in Holiday Inns that are nicer/cleaner. I wouldn't call it dirty, but it was in need of some TLC. I think it was more age than dirt. The bed passed my clean and lack of bed bugs check so we stayed.
The parking there was TERRIBLE. They had some party going on at the hotel, and they were like just parallel park here on this narrow place that is marked no parking since there are no parking spots to be had.
We didn't do the character breakfast. I was glad we hadn't planned on it; they were absolutely packed. There is a little grab and go station downstairs that is WAY overpriced, and the food was airline food at best.
I don't know about the pool; I didn't see it or look for it. We ended up in the tower; I didn't pay the extra for it, so I don't know if it was a fluke that we ended up there or if that was just one of the last rooms left since there was that party going on.
One of the perks is you are literally right across the street from DTD. The wi-fi was reliable (don't know if this is or is not important to you).
I guess the ultimate question is would I stay there again? If the hotel was somewhere else, and I was traveling for work, I would stay there again. Would I want to spend my entire vacation there? No, too loud. And I'm someone that spends most of my Disney vacation in the park, and really the hotel is somewhere for me to come back to sleep and hold my stuff, but it just didn't say vacation to me.
Mom and I will probably crash there when we go in October because I received a discount from staying there last year, but I don't think I would actively seek out that hotel.
Just my 2 cents.
Edit for clarity: If I stay in October it will be similar to my last trip. It will only be the night before my Disney reservation opens.
