Hotel in Disneyworld for budget-traveling family (for May 2022)...

[Anonymous]

Is marriott cypress harbor worth it if we spend our whole day at Disney?

The Marriott hotels are booked the week we are looking and it’s $700-809 a night for swan or dolphin.

[Anonymous]

I would look at Disney specific forums for details about Orlando hotels.

This forum discusses Marriott hotels in the Orlando area.

https://www.disboards.com/forums/orlando-hotels-and-attractions.15/

This forum discusses Disney hotels.

https://www.disboards.com/forums/disney-resorts.12/

[Anonymous]

I love about the mayor vacation club properties is that there’s a kitchen and doors on the bedrooms in the suites. With teenagers, there’s room to spread out.

I checked in for a week in May, there are 2 bedroom suites available for 250 a night. We just rented a car for a week be hot wire, and drove and parked at the parks every day.

Also, your teens may want to go to Universal rather than Disney for some things.

Close enough that you could go back-and-forth if you wanted to.

Ymmv but we liked it for our family of 4.

[Anonymous]

Art of Animation, Caribbean Beach, Pop Music, Pop Century, All Star Sports. The Pops and Sports are the most affordable. I prefer on property to off because you get benefits. But you should learn about the benefits and if they don’t matter to you, then look off property because you can get big time shares for peanuts. Blue Heron comes to mind.

[Anonymous]

If OP stays at a Marriott (besides Swan or Dolphin) she will lose early entry privileges.

[Anonymous]

If you were going to Orlando for 7 nights, would you (1) try to spend 2 of those 7 nights in either Cocoa Beach or possibly Clearwater; or (2) spend the whole time at Disneyworld, taking it all in. Will be staying at either Swan or Dolphin for the entire time (unless we take 2 nights for beach excursion) except last night at airport hotel.

We have two tweens. Went to Epcot once last year for one day and the kids LOVED it. They also love the Beach too (really any beach, including East Coast beaches in Jersey etc). If we do No. 1, need to rent a car and stay in the beach area for 2 nights, which would leave 4-5 nights for DW (one day for each of the 4 parks).

On the one hand, spending time at the beach could be relaxing. It will at the start of our trip, for logistical reasons.
On the other hand, the idea of spending 6-7 days in DW, building in some relaxing days/afternoon for the pool, mini-golf, other non-park Disney stuff, is very appealing!!! Will be travelling in May, week before Memorial Day weekend.

[Anonymous]

We went pre-covid and stayed at the Disney Caribbean resort and really liked it. The gondola access was really handy. The room had a fold down bed in addition to the two others, so each of my kids had their own space, which was helpful as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you were going to Orlando for 7 nights, would you (1) try to spend 2 of those 7 nights in either Cocoa Beach or possibly Clearwater; or (2) spend the whole time at Disneyworld, taking it all in. Will be staying at either Swan or Dolphin for the entire time (unless we take 2 nights for beach excursion) except last night at airport hotel.

We have two tweens. Went to Epcot once last year for one day and the kids LOVED it. They also love the Beach too (really any beach, including East Coast beaches in Jersey etc). If we do No. 1, need to rent a car and stay in the beach area for 2 nights, which would leave 4-5 nights for DW (one day for each of the 4 parks).

On the one hand, spending time at the beach could be relaxing. It will at the start of our trip, for logistical reasons.
On the other hand, the idea of spending 6-7 days in DW, building in some relaxing days/afternoon for the pool, mini-golf, other non-park Disney stuff, is very appealing!!! Will be travelling in May, week before Memorial Day weekend.

I would just stay at disney. A week isn’t that long and the car rental would be a huge pain. Just go and unpack once and do the parks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is marriott cypress harbor worth it if we spend our whole day at Disney?

The Marriott hotels are booked the week we are looking and it’s $700-809 a night for swan or dolphin.

If this is OP who has Marriott points, have whoever is a member sign in on the Bonvoy webpage and look at buying points. They're running a promo now where most members can buy points at 45-50% off. Then look at the total cash price for the nights you want to go vs. the price to buy whatever points you need on top of what you already have for those nights. Make sure you include the resort fee. You might find that buying points for this stay would make sense and put it within your price range.

The reason I'm really encouraging Swolphin is because of 1) transportation to disney parks and 2) half hour early access to the parks. Swolphin is very, very close by boat to Epcot and HS and a convenient bus ride to AK. For MK you have to go through the TTC just as if you were driving your own car. If you wouldn't use the early access and plan to drive your personal vehicle everywhere, then I'd probably look to the JW Marriott. I've not stayed there but have heard really good things about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is marriott cypress harbor worth it if we spend our whole day at Disney?

The Marriott hotels are booked the week we are looking and it’s $700-809 a night for swan or dolphin.

If this is OP who has Marriott points, have whoever is a member sign in on the Bonvoy webpage and look at buying points. They're running a promo now where most members can buy points at 45-50% off. Then look at the total cash price for the nights you want to go vs. the price to buy whatever points you need on top of what you already have for those nights. Make sure you include the resort fee. You might find that buying points for this stay would make sense and put it within your price range.

The reason I'm really encouraging Swolphin is because of 1) transportation to disney parks and 2) half hour early access to the parks. Swolphin is very, very close by boat to Epcot and HS and a convenient bus ride to AK. For MK you have to go through the TTC just as if you were driving your own car. If you wouldn't use the early access and plan to drive your personal vehicle everywhere, then I'd probably look to the JW Marriott. I've not stayed there but have heard really good things about it.

Of course the downside of adding points is you're not going to be able to get cash back if you cancel for some reason. That money will be sunk into Marriott points, which you would get back.

[Anonymous]

Swolphin is walkable to both Epcot and HS. It's under a mile to each (HS is a hair under a mile) and there's a paved trail.

I would also look at JW if you don't foresee people wanting to make mid-day trips back to the resort.

[Anonymous]

Also keep in mind that Disney usually drops resort promos in January for the spring season, so if you book anything now, make sure you can cancel in case you can get a better deal (usually 10-35% off) later.

[Anonymous]

Swan/Dolphin are accessible to Epcot/HS by walking or boat which is very convenient. We’re staying at Beach Club next year because of the convenience factor and pools. I’ve heard great things about the Poly and Riviera. AoA and Pop look very cheesy to me.

[Anonymous]

We stayed at the Disney All Star Sports resort in fall 2019 and LOVED it! Fun themed areas, great kid activities, nice pools, decent food court, game room and quick transport to parks!!! Only downside was small rooms.

Even though we booked less than 2 months prior, our stay (last week Sept/first week Oct) was so inexpensive, most nights averaged apx $150/night for standard 2 double bed room (yes, really)! Parks were only moderately crowded.

[Anonymous]

As between the Swan/Dolphin or the JW Marriott, which location has better casual dining options that are reasonable in cost (or have casual dining places nearby)?

Or, when you go to WDW, do you usually lunch AND dinner at the park?