Townplace Suites Flamingo Crossing or Holiday Inn Disney Springs?

[jrsharp21]

If you had a choice, which would you choose? We have an offsite/on-site split stay on our next trip to WDW. For offsite piece (New Years Eve and the following days) we were planning on staying at TownPlace Suites in Flamingo Crossing. We recently had another family add on to our trip. Their first time to WDW. I started thinking that maybe staying “on property” at one of the DS hotels may be cooler for their first time. We are then all switching to CBR on January 3rd. What would you choose to do?

 

[HopperFan]

If you had a choice, which would you choose? We have an offsite/on-site split stay on our next trip to WDW. For offsite piece (New Years Eve and the following days) we were planning on staying at TownPlace Suites in Flamingo Crossing. We recently had another family add on to our trip. Their first time to WDW. I started thinking that maybe staying “on property” at one of the DS hotels may be cooler for their first time. We are then all switching to CBR on January 3rd. What would you choose to do?

What are you planning to do those days?

Will a shuttle to parks NYE be important?
Will you be going to parks other days?
Will you be hanging at Disney Springs?
Are you planning hotel time?
Will you utilize kitchen?
Will the free breakfast buffet be a plus?

 

[jrsharp21]

What are you planning to do those days?

Will a shuttle to parks NYE be important?
Will you be going to parks other days?
Will you be hanging at Disney Springs?
Are you planning hotel time?
Will you utilize kitchen?
Will the free breakfast buffet be a plus?

We will have a car, so no shuttle is needed. We are going to the parks on NYE. New Years Day is a relax and probably shopping day at DS. We are headed to the parks on 1/2 and the rest of the week when we switch over to CBR on 1/3. There will be hotel time for just relaxing and a nap. Food at the hotel is never in consideration because we really never eat at the hotel.

Really leaking at cleanliness and space along with the experience for a first timer. I stayed at Holiday Inn DS two years ago for MW. While the room wasn't the worst, it also wasn't the best. I actually had the tall metal cover for the HVAC fall off the wall and the little knobs that keep it attached were stripped. I had to have maintenance come in to look at it and basically they jammed it into the wall so it wouldn't move. What was behind that metal cover wasn't pretty. That was two years ago and one room. So I always give a place the benefit of the doubt.

 

[HopperFan]

We will have a car, so no shuttle is needed. We are going to the parks on NYE. New Years Day is a relax and probably shopping day at DS. We are headed to the parks on 1/2 and the rest of the week when we switch over to CBR on 1/3. There will be hotel time for just relaxing and a nap. Food at the hotel is never in consideration because we really never eat at the hotel.

Really leaking at cleanliness and space along with the experience for a first timer. I stayed at Holiday Inn DS two years ago for MW. While the room wasn't the worst, it also wasn't the best. I actually had the tall metal cover for the HVAC fall off the wall and the little knobs that keep it attached were stripped. I had to have maintenance come in to look at it and basically they jammed it into the wall so it wouldn't move. What was behind that metal cover wasn't pretty. That was two years ago and one room. So I always give a place the benefit of the doubt.

Well most the pluses for each don't seem to matter. The negatives you experienced would be enough for me to not stay HI again.

While I've stayed at most the Disney Springs hotels I never stayed HI because the price was never reasonable enough for what I got. Have you looked in to the Disney Springs Drury Inn, all brand new and updated, new pools and would be a great way to have resort time. Other than the Drury I don't think the Disney Springs hotels have had much change since before COVID.

A big plus for you at Disney Springs has the 1/2 hour Early Entry, as those will be busy days at the parks = great value.

If you plan to end NYE at EPCOT and driving, I highly suggest you park at DHS. After the fireworks head out International Gateway to SkyLiner or walk - walking likely faster. You will easily get out of the DHS parking lot while folks will spend a substantial amount of time trying to get out of EPCOT parking lot.

 

[jrsharp21]

Well most the pluses for each don't seem to matter. The negatives you experienced would be enough for me to not stay HI again.

While I've stayed at most the Disney Springs hotels I never stayed HI because the price was never reasonable enough for what I got. Have you looked in to the Disney Springs Drury Inn, all brand new and updated, new pools and would be a great way to have resort time. Other than the Drury I don't think the Disney Springs hotels have had much change since before COVID.

A big plus for you at Disney Springs has the 1/2 hour Early Entry, as those will be busy days at the parks = great value.

If you plan to end NYE at EPCOT and driving, I highly suggest you park at DHS. After the fireworks head out International Gateway to SkyLiner or walk - walking likely faster. You will easily get out of the DHS parking lot while folks will spend a substantial amount of time trying to get out of EPCOT parking lot.

I believe we are spending NYE at MK. So yea, it will be a mess getting out of there. I have already told my family to prepare to stay late that night as we are going to wait until crowds die down before hitting the boat back to the TTC.

 

[jrsharp21]

Well most the pluses for each don't seem to matter. The negatives you experienced would be enough for me to not stay HI again.

While I've stayed at most the Disney Springs hotels I never stayed HI because the price was never reasonable enough for what I got. Have you looked in to the Disney Springs Drury Inn, all brand new and updated, new pools and would be a great way to have resort time. Other than the Drury I don't think the Disney Springs hotels have had much change since before COVID.

A big plus for you at Disney Springs has the 1/2 hour Early Entry, as those will be busy days at the parks = great value.

If you plan to end NYE at EPCOT and driving, I highly suggest you park at DHS. After the fireworks head out International Gateway to SkyLiner or walk - walking likely faster. You will easily get out of the DHS parking lot while folks will spend a substantial amount of time trying to get out of EPCOT parking lot.

I will take a look at the Drury Inn and see if it is comparable in price.

 

[jrsharp21]

Looks like the Drury Inn is actually a couple of hundred dollars more than staying at one of the All Star resorts. Even TownPlace Suites (with the current rate) is more expense. I actually got in on a really cheap rate when Marathon Weekend registration opened. But to get the other family another room there is almost $500 more than my reservation total.

 

[HopperFan]

Looks like the Drury Inn is actually a couple of hundred dollars more than staying at one of the All Star resorts. Even TownPlace Suites (with the current rate) is more expense. I actually got in on a really cheap rate when Marathon Weekend registration opened. But to get the other family another room there is almost $500 more than my reservation total.

Yeah that is peak week and unless you got a deal early on it's going to be expensive no matter where.

Have you looked via Orbitz. I think you get some kind of points booking through them plus if you do Rakuten I think there is a 10% rebate right now. They get some inventory from hotels that are held back from what you see booking direct.

I see Drury is there along with Hilton Buena Plaza, Swan, Dolphin, Bonnet Creek Hilton and Wyndham Grand, Hilton DS, Wyndham DS Tower or Garden and more. Rates seemed reasonable for time frame but I don't know what you have already gotten.

 

[jrsharp21]

It looks like all of the hotels we are looking at are in the ballpark cost of the All Star resorts. So with that, decided we are going to stay at AS Movies 12/30 through 1/3. Then move over to CBR on 1/3. I figured if costs were similar, why not stay at Disney resort the whole trip. I think that will make for a better experience for a family of first timers.

 

[HopperFan]

It looks like all of the hotels we are looking at are in the ballpark cost of the All Star resorts. So with that, decided we are going to stay at AS Movies 12/30 through 1/3. Then move over to CBR on 1/3. I figured if costs were similar, why not stay at Disney resort the whole trip. I think that will make for a better experience for a family of first timers.

Good decision! If nothing else that bus service on those heavy days will be a huge plus!!! and you don't have to pay for parking at the parks.