Which Disney Springs hotel offers the most magic??

[DisneyEater]

I have found that more often than not the Disney Value resorts are cheaper than the Disney Springs resorts. Also, your friends would have to pay for transportation to the Disney Springs resorts, where Disney's Magical Express is free. Don't be so quick to think staying at Disney Springs would save money.

Oh, and none of them will feel Disney. They simply are not Disney resorts.

By the time I added the DS resort fees and parking fees for the resort and in the parks into my calculations, Values were better for my budget.

This has been my experience. I am not so "must be in the bubble" as some others, but if you want to save money, you will have to go more offsite than DS hotels. Before I was DVC, I always did the math and always came out even or better with value resorts and not renting a car.

 

[Nayan]

I stayed at the Holiday Inn in DS and while it wasn't Disney-like at all, it was okay. I must mention that the resort-fee was waived (I fled there to escape Hurricane Matthew) but I was charged $14/night for parking (which was standard rate).

 

[arminnie]

Probably about a decade ago I used Hotwire to test out Disney Spring hotels (although they weren't called that then). I picked 3 star hotels. I got some really cheap rates. All were good places to stay - but I had a car and an AP.

I've stayed off site many times as when I first started going almost 40 years ago I couldn't afford to stay at the very few on site hotels. I used to kind of juggle between getting a "deal" onsite vs offsite based on what I could afford. So I am not averse to staying off site on principle. I also used to never use the buses as I always had a car.

But now that I use my personal ECV and own DVC I probably won't be staying off site. My DH and I have stayed off site for a night or two when we couldn't get all of the DVC nights needed - but I didn't go to the parks on those days.

 

[MumziMom]

Our first time at Disney in 2003 I kept checking the numbers and finally got a great Hotwire "hidden" package deal for 4 of us for flights, a car rental, and a room. I was lucky to be correct in that I figured out was at the Dolphin (Hotwire used to have smaller zones and it was easier to make an educated guess which hotel was which.) In 2003 For 6 nights at the Dolphin, flights RT from Boston, and a rental car, we paid $1,300, plus the cost of tickets and food. We didn't know any better if it felt Disney or not - we were thrilled to be so close to The Boardwalk, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios.

 

[notrub98]

I have done the math many times and staying offsite never makes sense to us mathematically (although I have done it a couple of times). We really like renting a car - I am not a huge fan of Disney transportation and like having a car, which is a personal choice and by no means is that expense necessary. But, when I add in a car rental and paying to park at the parks every day, plus parking and resort fees? It just doesn't make much sense and it is "worth it" to us to stay on property for the magic and being able to book FP+ at 60 days instead of 30. However, if you are willing to go outside of DS, you could stay at a property that doesn't charge the resort fee / parking fee AND often get free breakfast tossed into the mix, and I could see how that would be appealing if you are willing to drive a bit every day.

 

[NDW5332]

I stayed at the Disney Springs Doubletree last February for a business trip, but I found the experience enlightening. The buses to the parks were too inconsistent and I waited over an hour and a half one night for the bus to DHS, while in the same time there were 4 buses to AK, 1 to Epcot, and 2 to MK.

Another problem I found was that the staff at the Doubletree was not knowledgeable about park hours or other events going on, such as Flower & Garden.

The only way I might stay at another Disney Springs hotel is if I have enough points to burn.

 

[DaisyJ]

Another problem I found was that the staff at the Doubletree was not knowledgeable about park hours or other events going on, such as Flower & Garden.

I wouldn't expect them to be. They aren't Disney employees. Most Disney employees aren't even knowledgeable about park hours or special events.

 

[Shmily1]

We stayed at the Whyndam LBV just before Christmas 2015. While it was a fun trip, it wasn't Disney. It wasn't cheaper than a value by far but we ended up there because the Disney resorts were so packed. The resort was nice, the food was outrageous prices, but it worked for the time we had. The resort and parking fees for these hotels is crazy though. I also didn't like not charging to the room and not getting the dining plan. DD stayed at the BW at DS previously and said the same thing. I would do it again but only if other resorts are all booked up.