Walt Disney World With Kids (Fodor's, 2012) - Fodor's [17]
Off-Site Hotels
20 Comfort Suites Maingate East | 27 Embassy Suites Lake Buena Vista | 25 Holiday Inn SunSpree Buena Vista | 26 Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress | 23 La Quinta International Drive North | 21 Magical Memories Villas | 22 Nickelodeon Holiday Inn Family Suites | 28 Residence Inn SeaWorld Int'l. Center | 24 Sheraton Vistana
The ratings for the hotels discussed in this chapter are based on three factors: the responses of families surveyed; the percentage of repeat business a resort experiences, which is a reliable indicator of guest satisfaction; and the quality of the resort in relation to the price. Obviously, you’d expect more amenities and a higher employee-to-guest ratio at a $300-a-night resort than at a $100-a-night resort, so it’s unfair to hold them both to the same standard.
With that in mind, I’ve rated the hotels on the basis of value for cost; that is, are you getting what you paid for? Do the advantages of this resort make it worth the price? And would you recommend this resort to families with the same amount of money to spend?
General Information About the On-Site Disney Hotels
A deposit equal to the price of one night’s lodging is required within 14 days after making your reservation. You may pay with cash, traveler’s checks, or credit card. If you cancel at least five days in advance, your deposit will be fully refunded.
Disney hotels operate under the family plan, meaning that kids under 18 stay free with parents.
Check-in time is 3 PM at most Disney hotels. If you arrive before your room is ready, you can check in, store your bags, pick up your tickets and resort IDs, and go ahead to the parks.
Checkout time is 11 AM, but, once again, you need not let this interfere with your touring. Check out early in the morning, store your bags, then go on to enjoy your last day in the parks.
When you check in, you’ll be issued a room key/resort ID that allows you to charge meals, drinks, tickets, and souvenirs to your room and also gives you access to all Disney World transportation. Theme-park admission can also be added. If you’ve chosen the dining plan, your resort ID also serves as your meal pass. In short, one card does it all.
If you pay with a credit card, you can arrange for automatic checkout—a definite time-saver. An itemized statement is hung on your doorknob early on the morning of your departure. If it’s correct, you can keep it as your receipt and leave immediately.
Is It Worth the Expense to Stay On-Site?
Staying at one of the Disney-owned hotels is very convenient, and with rates as low as $82 a night at the All-Star resorts and Pop Century Resort, it’s more affordable than you might think.
Off-site hotels fight back with special promotions and perks of their own, arguing that the Disney hotels still cost more and bring you only slightly closer to the action. On-site or off-site? Ask yourself the following questions to help you decide:
What time of year are you going?
If you’re visiting Disney World in summer or during a major holiday, you’ll need every extra minute, so it’s worth the cost to stay on-site.
How old are your kids?
In the Florida heat and humidity it’s nearly a medical necessity to keep young kids out of the sun in the middle of the afternoon, and an on-site hotel room makes it easier to return for a nap. If your kids are preteens or teens who can handle a whole day in the parks, commute time is less of a factor.
Are you flying or driving?
If you’re flying and doing only Disney World, it may make more economic sense to stay on-site and use Disney World’s transportation system in lieu of a rental car. But if you’re driving to Orlando, it’s just as easy to stay