Can you help me a pick a hotel?

[kapu]

I am planning another trip to DW in the summer so I can experience GE (I still have to figure out how the boarding groups work). Every year, I always have rented a car so we can just get to a park and leave when we want without waiting. This year, I'm not renting. Do you have hotel picks for being close to HS? I was thinking Boardwalk so I could walk to two parks, but it's really expensive. Is there a happy medium where the bus won't be too long of a wait? I'm just worried I won't get into the GE park if I'm not close enough. LOL. I heard taking a Minnie van to MK gets you right to the front instead of having to go through the TTC, so I'm not too worried about having a hotel close to MK. If you think I should just suck it up and stay at Boardwalk, haha, then that's cool with me! Thanks to the experts!

 

[neopolitech]

If you are looking for the Disney hotel closest to Hollywood Studios, I think your best bet is the Boardwalk. However, have you considered the Swan and Dolphin hotels? They aren’t Disney-owned hotels, but they are right near the Boardwalk and you get all the perks of staying on property. The prices should be cheaper too.

 

[Thecouch]

If you know what to look for it's pretty easy to find swan and dolphin on hot wire and Priceline mystery hotels

 

[Ross Kratter]

Pop Century and Art of Animation are pretty close to Hollywood Studios as well. Pop will be your most cost effective option of the hotels nearest that park.

 

[JoanneAZ]

The Boardwalk is the closest on property Disney hotel. If you stay at the Swan or Dolphin you get most of the on property privileges. You don’t get use of Magical Express, receive a free Magic Band, and you can’t use a Magic Band to open your door or charge things.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Caribbean Beach. Skyliner base.

 

[Sue M]

Both CBR and Pop have the Skyliner making it super easy getting to DHS and Epcot. My pic would be CBR. wdw hasn’t released summer discounts yet.
I don’t know the ages of you group but to get to MK you can also Uber to the Contemporary and walk to MK. Imo the Mini Vans are pretty expensive.

 

[Orionreplay]

Based on your desire to be close to HS and also based on your desire to leave when you want to, but without a rental car this time, I agree with everyone else: Caribbean Beach, Pop, or AoA. That Skyliner will have you back to your resort in mere minutes. Especially if you stay at CBR. HS is about 6 minutes by Skyliner.

We adored the Skyliner and will base on our next trip to be near it, either Pop or AoA (again).

 

[kapu]

Thanks so much everyone! I have put all 3 on my list. You are all so helpful! I would never have thought about AoA or PC. Are you still able to enter Contemporary without a reservation? The walking to MK sounds good, but I haven't been to Contemp unless I've had a reservation for Chef Mickey.

We go to Disney every year, but last year we went on the Dream instead. I wanted to give GE awhile to settle in before I went. I think all the bugs should be worked out by next summer. LOL!

 

[JoanneAZ]

You can visit any resort without a reservation of any kind.

 

[Dizzytime]

Boardwalk Inn is so fantastic! You might consider a Boardwalk Villas-DVC rental. Never done it, but from what I understand you can save a lot of money, and I believe the Villas side is the the closest to Hollywood Studios, too meaning a very short walk.
Have a magical vacation!

 

[lbus42]

Boardwalk Inn is so fantastic! You might consider a Boardwalk Villas-DVC rental. Never done it, but from what I understand you can save a lot of money, and I believe the Villas side is the the closest to Hollywood Studios, too meaning a very short walk.
Have a magical vacation!

Without knowing your travel dates, I plugged Jun 13 thru Jun 20, a 7 seven day stay into my DVC app. It said it would take 108 points to stay at a Boardwalk Studio Villa. Through the rental sites that would cost aroun $2000.

 

[gatour]

Without knowing your travel dates, I plugged Jun 13 thru Jun 20, a 7 seven day stay into my DVC app. It said it would take 108 points to stay at a Boardwalk Studio Villa. Through the rental sites that would cost aroun $2000.

In regards to renting, the OP was talking about normally renting a car, not renting DVC points.

Outside of the actual Boardwalk Inn DVC, there is the Yacht and Beach Club hotel. These can be pricey.

Dolphin and Swan can be somewhat reasonable depending if they are hosting a convention or not

All of these are walkable olr take a boat to DHS and the Epcot International Gateway.

Now that the Skyliner is in operation. Caribbean Beach Resort, Art of Animation, Pop Century (along with Riveria another DVC) come into play. CBR is a moderate, while AofA and Pop Century are "economy"

Depends on your desired price point and how much want to use free transportation and/or how much you are willing to walk.

 

[buzznina]

Without knowing your travel dates, I plugged Jun 13 thru Jun 20, a 7 seven day stay into my DVC app. It said it would take 108 points to stay at a Boardwalk Studio Villa. Through the rental sites that would cost aroun $2000.

Renting DVC is good , but BWV studios are VERY popular and with it already being inside the 7 month window the odds are pretty slim that there will be any available. But it doesn't hurt to try
OP, With Minnie Vans and Ubers, personally, I would not pay 2-3 times more per night just to be able to walk to a park. We always drive to WDW and after the first couple of years, we no longer drive to the parks and find Buses etc. to do a very good job.

 

[kapu]

Thanks again! I had no idea PC had the Skyliners, so I chose that hotel. Now I have plenty of time to figure out how to get a boarding pass for GE! I really want to wear my Princess Leia wig...rofl. Thank you for all the help!

 

[Orionreplay]

Thanks again! I had no idea PC had the Skyliners, so I chose that hotel. Now I have plenty of time to figure out how to get a boarding pass for GE! I really want to wear my Princess Leia wig...rofl. Thank you for all the help!

From experience: when you go outside in the morning to catch the the Skyliner, you'll be sharing it with Art of Animation folks too. This makes this line quite long around 830-9AM. We noticed it tended to favor the Pop side of the bridge, so as we were staying at AoA, we'd have to actually walk past the Skyliner station and enter Pop grounds to get into the line.

We heard many people moan at the sight of the line and we even saw people bail out to try to catch a bus. Yet on the longest line morning, my wife timed the line and we were in line and on a Skyliner in 4-5 minutes. It looks long, but it is extremely fast. Fastest line at Disney!

It was these mornings we typically shared a gondola with others. All other times our chances of being alone, were much greater. When we were at Epcot or HS, we'd take breaks back to AoA and because of the Skyliner, we'd be back at the hotel in a matter of minutes. We never experienced a line from the Caribbean Beach station to Pop/AoA. Once refreshed, we'd board the Skyliner again and now typically the line at AoA/Pop was non-existent. In our week, it was the morning line we contended with the most. The other pile-up on the Skyliner route was just after an Epcot fireworks show at night. Yet again, while the Epcot station line appears to be horrible, it still was less than 15 minutes.

It all still beat waiting for a bus!!

 

[kapu]

This sounds just awesome. I can't wait to stay at Pop!

 

[Orionreplay]

This sounds just awesome. I can't wait to stay at Pop!

My wife has asked me to investigate Pop Century for our next trip. So I'm doing my own research now!