Off site Hotel, thoughts?

[davidann]

Hello everyone,
This board is awesome, everyone is so helpful. I am finally going to Disney for my 50th!bday! It is just for me, husband and son are Universal people (!!!) I don’t like thrill rides
I haven’t been since I was 12, so it is a lifelong dream. The only reason they are coming is to make me happy.
So this is my dilemma:I need a good budget off-site hotel.
I’ve looked at Buena Vista Suites Hotel. It’s only 80 dollars a night,-
-has a shuttle to Disney
- free breakfast
-from reviews seems clean and pretty close.
What do you think?? Anyone have first hand experience? Can you recommend any other hotel?
Thanks in advance

 

[kymom99]

If you look at the mousesavers website, that is one of the preferred hotels they recommend on there. I’ve never stayed there but I would trust it since those folks give it a thumbs up. Check that website since they usually include a mousesavers discount code.

 

[davidann]

That's where I got the name from! I just wanted to know if anyone had first hand knowledge

 

[firefly_ris]

I haven't stayed here, but I would post this question in the Orlando Hotels & Attractions board because I think you may get more answers there.

 

[Orionreplay]

I can add that my family stayed at the Blue Tree Resort in the past (twice!) and we really enjoyed ourselves there.

http://bluetreeorlando.com/

 

[davidann]

I haven't stayed here, but I would post this question in the Orlando Hotels & Attractions board because I think you may get more answers there.

Ok thank you, will do!

 

[Darcy03231]

Keep in mind that shuttle service from off-site hotels can be limited. We tried doing it once and then ended up renting a car (pre-Uber/Lyft days). In looking at their website the shuttle is run by an outside company. The shuttle service for the hotel we used also picked up/dropped off at three other hotels too. Their current schedule shows morning departing times, but the first shuttle back is at 6:30 pm. Depending on your touring style this might work for you, but just wanted to point it out.

 

[tvguy]

OT but I have to comment. As a lifetime Disneylander, where many offsite hotels are within walking distance of the park....some closer than the Disney Hotels, I was completely blown away by how much time I spent in transit to the parks at Disneyworld, and I was staying at the Grand Floridian. I just can't imagine how much additional time it would take in transit if I had stayed off site at WDW. That, and the fact that the parks open later and close sooner that DL made it feel like I had lost a lot of hours of park time.

 

[siren0119]

OT but I have to comment. As a lifetime Disneylander, where many offsite hotels are within walking distance of the park....some closer than the Disney Hotels, I was completely blown away by how much time I spent in transit to the parks at Disneyworld, and I was staying at the Grand Floridian. I just can't imagine how much additional time it would take in transit if I had stayed off site at WDW. That, and the fact that the parks open later and close sooner that DL made it feel like I had lost a lot of hours of park time.

We have stayed offsite the last two trips, and we opted to use Uber/Lyft to get to and from the parks. The roundtrips cost about the same per day as parking at the parks (4 of us so we usually just went with the least expensive option), and I feel like we got to the parks faster than when we stayed onsite and took the internal transportation. YMMV, but offsite does NOT have to mean longer transit times. To your point though, it's VASTLY different than Disneyland, regardless of where you are staying.

 

[Mrs. Bradbury]

We have stayed there, years ago, and it was fine with these caveats: At least when we were there, the same company owns the hotel right next to it (the Caribe Royale) and shared some amenities. I wonder if it shared the free breakfast area, because it was a MADHOUSE in the mornings. Food was typical for a free breakfast; nothing gourmet but plenty of variety and they re-stocked the buffet fairly often. Also, what most people have in mind as far as a free shuttle goes and what happens in reality are two different things. The free shuttles don't in many cases have an obvious bus/shuttle stop at the WDW parks. I've seen groups standing in the middle of a parking lot, no shelter, no protection, no nothing. And some either come so infrequently or worse you have to make a reservation to use the shuttle on their schedule.

ETA: when we stayed at BVS, we were in the area for another reason and only went into the resort to get a Dole Whip at the Poly and watch the fireworks. So, I don't have firsthand experience with BVS shuttles.

If I needed to go as economically as possible and could not stay onsite at one of the values, my next choice would be one of the good neighbor hotels at Disney Springs, and lastly an off-site resort, but I suggest running the numbers using Uber/Lyft at least part of the time to supplement an off-site shuttle.

 

[wezguycsu]

About 5 years ago my wife stayed at a friend's timeshare. It ended up costing like 300 for the week for a 2 bedroom condo somewhere in Kissimmee. Condo was decent but I'm sure you could probably rent one for a decent price. Just have to weigh the distance, traveling, rental car fees etc. vs staying on property.

 

[footballmouse]

We went last year and rented a house through Airbnb. Looking now for trip in late summer and Airbnb is coming up way cheaper. Only problem is, you would have to rent a car if you're flying.

 

[Darcy03231]

We stay off-site in rental home frequently. I've found it's really easy to drive around the Kissimmee/Orlando/Lake Buena Vista area. Everything is very well marked and with GPS it makes it super easy. If staying off-site I'd definitely go the condo/vacation home route over a hotel/motel. You can save a lot of money eating in with a full kitchen. I'd buy a crock pot if the house didn't have one and do a lot of meals that way.

 

[maxiesmom]

I have stayed off site a few times, but I would never do so without having a car, or planning on using Uber/Lyft to get around. The off site resort shuttles are not great. They run on very limited schedules and drop you much farther from the parks than the Disney buses.

If you don't want to have a car or use a service I would check and see if you can get a Disney value resort to work in your budget.

 

[Buzzsgramma]

Okay $80 a nite plus parking, plus resort tax, plus tax, plus ? Try Pop or AllStars and do CS meals...I would hate shuttles......

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

To pile on regarding shuttles: Also keep in mind that they usually run to a single park and then you're on your own from there. We haven't stayed at the subject hotel but Courtyard Marriott dropped you off at Epcot and you had to use Disney transit to get to Magic Kingdom (or any other park).

I would just factor in an Uber/Lyft budget if staying at any offsite except the Disney Springs Area Resort hotels.