Where to stay if you’re visiting Disneyland
Disney offer a whopping 21 hotels near to the famous Disney World Florida. But not all of us want to eat, sleep and breathe Disney – aside from the fact that Disney hotels tend to be more expensive than most. Below are four excellent alternatives that you might consider if you’re visiting the park.
Radisson Hotel, Orlando
Budget: around $100/night
Great for: Couples
Although Radisson hotels tend to be on the pricey side, this one is relatively inexpensive for an Orlando hotel. It also has the big advantage of being only minutes from Disney Resort.
This hotel includes a shuttle bus that will ferry you to Disney World, several leaving in the morning and coming back from 5pm onwards. That means if you don’t have a car you can still easily get to the resort. It takes about five minutes from the hotel to Disney World.
Other top features of this hotel include a state-of-the-art gym, and a large pool – as well as a good quality restaurant.
The Radisson gets very good reviews on a number of websites, so it’s definitely worth checking out.
Buena Vista Suites
Budget: $90-100/night
Great for: Young Families
Another low-cost alternative to the main Disney hotels is the Buena Vista Suites. Because the hotel features only 1-bedroom suites, you’ll get a far more space than an average hotel room would provide.
You’ll also get a buffet-style breakfast free with the room, so load up before you hit the theme parks. The rooms have all been recently re-decorated. There is also a large pool with sun loungers if you just want a day reading and catching up on your tan.
Best of all, this hotel is extremely near the entrance to Disney World. A great place to stay if you want somewhere comfortable to rest your head after a hard day’s schlep around Disney!
Celebration Hotel, Orlando
Budget: $140/night
Best For: Couples wanting something a bit different
There aren’t many boutique hotels in Orlando yet, perhaps because the people who frequent them aren’t usually the same crowd that visit a Disney resort. But, if you want the benefits of a boutique hotel (good design, less of a ‘chain’ feel) then you’ll be hard pressed to beat the Celebration.
Reflecting a classical, colonial style this place is beautifully decked out with potted palms, wicker chairs and old-style fans.
The hotel is located a few miles south of Disney World, and you can either drive there or use the Celebration scheduled shuttle service which departs and returns twice a day.
Caribe-Royale Suites & Villas
Budget: $120/night for suite, $200/night for a villa.
Best for: Groups
Travelling in a group? You’ll save money by staying in a suite or a villa, and the Caribe Royale could be a good option if you also want to visit Disneyworld.
Having been re-decorated entirely in 2009, the rooms all have new carpets and linen, and each features a 42″ flat-screen TV! Because it’s quite a large resort, the outdoor pool is enormous (it includes a 75 foot water slide). Throw in several restaurants, cafes, high speed Internet, tennis courts and a fitness centre and you’ve got a serious rival to any of the bigger Disney hotels.
A suite will happily take between 4-6 people. If there’s more of you, a two bedroom villa will accommodate 8. The cost of your room also includes a free shuttle to Disney World which takes just a few minutes, and there’s also a free shuttle to the nearby Buena Vista Factory Outlet shopping precinct.
Other things to remember
One key thing to bear in mind before you visit Disney is that prices for hotels around the resort vary depending on the time of year. During high season, hotels can often be 50% more expensive than in the low season. If you want better value, try to avoid travelling in this peak period.
Hotels in Floria are subject to a $12/night tax which isn’t always included in hotel booking fees. Be sure to add that to your budget.
