Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista

[keith&suedrews]

Has anyone stayed here? Wondering about convenience to the parks. We will not have a car. I am a Hilton Honors member and have an opportunity for a pretty good rate. But no amount of savings will matter to me if the Disney part is a pain. We have always stayed on property for our Disney trips.

 

[HopperFan]

It is the closest hotel to walk to Disney Springs. It is part of it's own bus system that is probably the second best shuttles to parks (behind Disney's own). Make sure you add the resort fee to that rate.

Hilton also has Buena Vista Palace across from Disney Springs and Doubletree Suites in the same block. All use the same shuttle bus system.

Personally of the three this would be my last pick since the interior has been in need of renovation for quite some time. The Buena Vistas is coming off a renovation and has the best pool area of the three (all brand new) but our favorite is Doubletree for the space and it was renovated a few years ago.

All hotels are listed in on the Disney Springs hotel website. http://disneyspringshotels.com/

 

[keith&suedrews]

It is the closest hotel to walk to Disney Springs. It is part of it's own bus system that is probably the second best shuttles to parks (behind Disney's own). Make sure you add the resort fee to that rate.

Hilton also has Buena Vista Palace across from Disney Springs and Doubletree Suites in the same block. All use the same shuttle bus system.

Personally of the three this would be my last pick since the interior has been in need of renovation for quite some time. The Buena Vistas is coming off a renovation and has the best pool area of the three (all brand new) but our favorite is Doubletree for the space and it was renovated a few years ago.

All hotels are listed in on the Disney Springs hotel website. http://disneyspringshotels.com/

 

[keith&suedrews]

Thanks for the quick response! I assume you mean the hotel I mentioned would be your last choice? How often do the shuttles run to the parks?

 

[sbd78]

There is also a Hilton in the Bonnet Creek area which is also technically inside Disney's gates. Not sure if transportation to the parks would be as good as staying in a Disney Springs hotel, though?
http://www.hiltonbonnetcreek.com/

 

[HopperFan]

Thanks for the quick response! I assume you mean the hotel I mentioned would be your last choice? How often do the shuttles run to the parks?

You'll find that info here.

Yes, the "Hilton" would be my last because it is in true need of renovation, never had great service there while the Buena Palace is a new Hilton, just completed renovation with great pool area and Doubletree has renovation few years ago, bigger space and no resort fee there. (Hilton Diamond so we have stayed at lots, especially in Orlando)

I've spent 20-40 nights each year at various Disney Springs Hotels over that past several years. You do need to include parking fees (all 7 hotels) and resort fees (all but the DoubleTree Suites) when making comparisons. In many cases, you can stay at a nicer hotel for less than a comparable Disney resort. But, you need to compare the pros and cons.

For me, there are two big pros. First, consider the size of the Disney Springs Hotels. For many, the distance between the bus stop and your room is measured in feet, not tenths of a mile. Being one of 250 rooms instead of one of 1,900 rooms can mean you'll get more personalized service. If you have a problem, you can pick up the phone and talk to someone right downstairs.

The second big pro is the fact that 6 of the 7 hotels participate in frequent guest programs. (The B Resort has announced a program, but it has not yet started.) With frequent guest programs, you earn points that can be redeemed to free nights at that hotel or one of another in the chain. It takes time, but I'm sitting on enough points to get at least 5 free nights at virtually any Hilton hotel in the world. If choose a "lesser" brand like Hampton Inn, I can get more than 5 free nights.

As for cons, you do not get any Disney perks like free parking at theme parks, Magic Bands, Disney's Magical Express, or Extra Magic Hours. You also can't get Fast Passes early.

Transportation from the Disney Springs Hotels is a pro and con. Personally, I like that it is scheduled. Shuttles leave every 30 minutes all day long. The shuttles are run by Mears Transportation, which has been a Disney partner for decades. (They run Disney's Magical Express service.) The con is that each shuttle runs to two different parks. It's usually one to Epcot, then Disney's Hollywood Studios and the other to the Transportation and Ticket Center (transfer to monorail/ferry for Magic Kingdom), then Disney's Animal Kingdom.

This is the information provided at check-in:

As for traffic around Disney Springs, I've never seen it to be a problem with the theme park shuttles. They avoid going past Disney Springs. Instead, they use the same roads that Disney Transportation uses for Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort.

Certainly, having to go to the Transportation and Ticket Center is a big con. But, the bus stop locations at the other three parks are not really out of the way. If anything, it's just an extra 30-40 yards than some of the Disney stops. However, they are uncovered, which can be annoying in inclement weather.

Be sure to check the link above that mjhtvchick posted. It will give you the walking distance from the Marketplace section of Disney Springs to the furthest hotel.

Check the Disney Springs Hotels Marketing Association website for potential discounts: http://disneyspringshotels.com

Please feel free to ask if you have other questions. There are several people here that routinely stay at the Disney Springs Hotels.

There is also a Hilton in the Bonnet Creek area which is also technically inside Disney's gates. Not sure if transportation to the parks would be as good as staying in a Disney Springs hotel, though?
http://www.hiltonbonnetcreek.com/

Great hotel, GREAT pool, non-sharing bus service ... but walkable to no where. If you plan to use Disney Springs I would stick with down there, but if not this is a great option (or use uber/taxi).

 

[writerguyfl]

Thanks for finding and copy/pasting that stuff, HopperFan. One of the things on my long-term "To-Do" list is to create an info thread on the Disney Springs Hotels Transportation. Some basic info, the flyers, and FAQs. That way we can point people to that thread without having to copy/paste.

 

[HopperFan]

Thanks for finding and copy/pasting that stuff, HopperFan. One of the things on my long-term "To-Do" list is to create an info thread on the Disney Springs Hotels Transportation. Some basic info, the flyers, and FAQs. That way we can point people to that thread without having to copy/paste.

That would be awesome. Such GREAT options at Disney Springs with variety and yet so many questions and unknowns.

 

[TeaInNeverland]

I agree that Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista is in need of renovation. I wouldn't be completely opposed to staying there, but I'd also rather stay at the other Hiltons (Buena Vista Palace, Double Tree, Bonnet Creek). We had a car, so I don't know how convenient/inconvenient their shuttle system is.

 

[SAMMMMMMMMMM]

I have two conferences coming up in 2018 that are in Orlando. One is at the Buena Vista Palace