Hotel advise

[jrn90]

Hi Ladies-
I am totally confused on what to to for a hotel- DH would like to stay at Double tree or the Hilton (on Disney property but not Disney owned) so we can use mile/points and basically stay free- but I have it in my head that I need to stay at one of the Disney owned hotels in order to get the whole Disney experince- am I crazy? How much if anything would I be missing out on by not staying at a Disney owened hotel? We are planing on going late spring 2009, probably after Easter. We have 4-year old and would probably go to Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom. Thanks

[JTsMom]

Maybe a little crazy. ;) If I could stay for free, I'd probably go that route. I've been to WDW many many times, but it's been a while. We never once stayed on Disney property, and we always had a blast.

Having said that- we're going in December, and we're staying on property. A couple of the perks are the Disney transportation system (you can park your car and never need it again, if you choose to do so), free parking at the parks if you do use your car, extra magic hours (get in early, stay late), and depending on the hotel- proximity to the parks. We got a great rate via AAA, and we also wanted to do the Disney Dining Plan, so staying on property made more sense for us.

I think depending on the resort, you may get more or less of that Disney feel. We're staying at Coronado Springs, and everyone says it is not particularly Disney-ish.

If you haven't checked out some of the Disney boards yet, I give that a whirl, especially allears.net and disboards.com. They have a lot of pics and FAQ threads. If you can see what is actually in the resorts, maybe it will help you make up your mind.

[Momof3Labs]

So split your stay - do 3-4 nights for free at one of those hotels, then move to a Disney hotel for 3-4 days. Keep in mind that you absolutely need a rental car if you stay offsite. Some of them offer shuttles, but not nearly as frequently as Disney transportation. The offsite shuttles also drop off at the Ticket & Transportation Center, where you then have to catch another bus or a monorail to the park of your choosing.

And for a 4yo, don't rule out Epcot. It is my boys' favorite park!! Far beyond Animal Kingdom.

[WatchingThemGrow]

I still vividly recall a 2 night stay at the Grand Floridian about 18 years ago. I understand what you mean by "the experience." All my stays in offsite hotels run together. Would your DS transition easily into a different hotel if you broke up the stay?

[cchavez]

We are staying the The Swan for free with points....I dont' think it bothers me that much....the idea of splitting is a good idea. I know if you stay at The Swan you get the extra magic hours....I thought it applied to the hilton too.

[Momof3Labs]

We are staying the The Swan for free with points....I dont' think it bothers me that much....the idea of splitting is a good idea. I know if you stay at The Swan you get the extra magic hours....I thought it applied to the hilton too.

The Swan is a different animal than other off-site hotels, though. It is adjacent to the Beach Club, Yacht Club and Boardwalk and walking distance to Epcot and Disney Hollywood Studios. Plus, you get Disney transportation (boat and bus). You don't get Magical Express or room charging privileges but that's about it.

Yes, I also think that the Hilton participates in EMH but is still off-site from a location and transportation perspective.

[lorinick]

ghhhhhhhhh

[mnosky1]

cchavez - what kind of points/hotel chain is the Swan associated with? TIA. Michelle

[Momof3Labs]

cchavez - what kind of points/hotel chain is the Swan associated with? TIA. Michelle


Swan is part of Starwood.