I need unbiased thoughts/opinions on Disney Springs Hotels. I’m aware that you don’t qualify for dining plan, but still get fast pass priorities. How are shuttles? We just got back w a family of 5 and fell in love with Disney World. Want to plan a trip, but we don’t qualify for value hotels unless we get a suite. Spent little time in room, so just want somewhere to sleep/bathe for most part. Thanks for any input
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Just went as a group of 13 staying on Disney Springs hotels (minimum cost for the perks we wanted). 8 people shared 2 rooms on Holiday Inn and 5 shared a room on Best Western.
It ended up being really cheap (less than $100 per person for 3 nights), way cheaper then staying at a Value, considering all added costs (we bought magic bands out of pocket and payed Ubers from the airport and to the parks).
There is a free shuttle that runs every 30 minutes, beginning 1 hour before the park opens (or 1 hour before EMH), it spends around 10 minutes in total stops at all the hotels and proceeds to EPCOT/AK or TTC/DHS, same thing on the way back. I never took the shuttles to the parks - Uber was always less than $10, and $2,50 per person for 30 minutes less on transportation was totally worth it. Uber was always fast and convenient. I took the hotel shuttle back once from AK, at it worked fine (probably took 15 minutes longer than taking an Uber, but it was already there). Shuttles from DS hotels and Uber/Lyft stop at the TTC, not MK.
EMH and 60 days FPs were automatic after I managed to link my reservation on MDE. I did have to call the hotel to get the number I needed to link on MDE.
There is no ADR benefit staying on DS hotels.
The room itself was alright. Beds were double, not queens. Nothing to write home about, but also didn’t have any issues.
Don’t overlook the Dolphin. Rack rate is high but deals sometimes come up on Priceline Express. Location can’t be beat and the pool is great.
Thanks, was leaning towards Best Western. So you weren’t able to make a reservation for meals at all, or just not 180 days out. Were you able to do Mobile Ordering for quick service restaurants?
Anybody can make ADRs 180 days in advance. On site hotels let you book your ADRs for your whole stay 180 days prior to your first day.
Ditto for mobile ordering. That’s for anyone.
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Exactly what @heidelj said. Onsite you have a small benefit with ADRs (180 days from check in instead of 180 from meal), DS hotels don’t have that benefit. Mobile ordering worked, but you need to have your credit card linked on your MDE. I recommend doing that before travelling, so you don’t waste park time.
My friends at Best Western did have some issues linking their reservation with MDE, but they only made the reservation less than 30 days out, so they didn’t try that hard.
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You can open up credit cards with Marriott and/or Hilton for sign on bonus points to use towards your stay. You can sleep 6 at the DoubleTree at Disney Springs. They are suites, giving you extra space. We original booked there and had no issues linking to MDE. Then, we canceled and it dropped off of MDE automatically. We rebooked with Hilton at Bonnet Springs and had no issues connecting to MDE either. Our 15 night stay is entirely on points. As Hilton Gold members with the Hilton Surpass AMEX, we get the 5th night free if we book the entire stay on points. No resort fee either, if staying entirely on points. Current sign on bonus for the card is 125,000 points and spending $2,000 in 3 months, and $95 annual fee. But you also get a free night every year after spending $15,000. We booked ADR exactly at 180. You don’t get to do your entire stay at once, like others have said. We just did FPP. And we reserved all 7 park days 60 days from CHECK IN.
It is nice to have housing entirely paid for!
Ok, so fast passes you can book from 60 days of check in for entire trip staying at DS hotels? That would be the icing on cake.
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Yes you can
FPs and EMH benefits will continue valid until the end of 2020: https://disneyspringshotels.com/disney-advantage/60-day-fastpass/
We stayed at the Dolphin in July for the holiday and it was lovely. You can get decent rates on Priceline if you want to stay somewhere nicer with the most valuable perks.
I’m booked at Best Western in April - got a great deal with an even deeper discount using chase sapphire points. Can’t be beat - plus only $8 parking per day. We are planning to Uber to make rope drop and to take the shuttle at night. Might also consider taking a WDW bus to DS for a night cap. Like that it is, apparently, an easy walk from some night life.
I haven’t linked my res to MDE yet - so we’ll see how that goes. I do anticipate a little bit of run around since it is a points booking through my credit card.