Hotel Plaza Boulevard Hotels - Near DTD

[EPCOT84]

Something that gets little coverage are a set of hotels that are on WDW property but are independent. They are on Hotel Plaza Boulevard, next to DTD. They cooperate to have their own bus system to the parks and DTD. One of them, the Hilton, even offers Extra Magic Hours. It and two others are just across the street from DTD and the others are a comfortable walking distance to DTD and the Disney Transport buses.

I've been a hotel plaza row regular and sometimes they can be very reasonable compared to the Disney hotels. You're 'onsite' and if you don't need the Disney extras, just a nice hotel, this is a good option. They do have official disney shops where you can buy tickets and merchandise. They offer character breakfasts. Since the hotel plaza buses are charter, they park in the charter lot at each park, farther than the Disney transport buses and, at AK, no shelter.

I wanted to know if anyone has a favorite hotel plaza hotel and what did you think?

[emerzmom]

We stayed at the Hilton once for a couple of nights during a visit to WDW. In many ways it was just fine. It was a lot like staying at one of the hotels around Disneyland. There is still a "Disney" feel to the hotel and the atmosphere, however, it just isn't quite the same thing as staying in a Disney Resort property. If you are doing the parks "comando" style then these hotels are just fine. If you are looking to relax, take on the parks a little slower, and hang out more then the WDW resorts are a better choice (for me).

[DisneyTeen]

I have stayed in the Doubletree Suites, which I thought was fine, big room, fridge, walk to downtown disney or to crossroads for dinner. I am going back in 28 days and I am trying the Regal Sun Resort. I think that these hotels are good for the price. I don't think their service is near an on site resort, but for the price you really can't beat it as your somewhat on site.

[EPCOT84]

I am going back in 28 days and I am trying the Regal Sun Resort.

Looking forward to any post trip comments.

[EPCOT84]

By the way, there is a fairly decent official website for the Downtown Disney Hotels which describes each property with some pictures and links to the hotel's own website for reservations. The website has a 'lite' version of descriptive pages for the parks, though the rest of the Disney.com website does a better job, of course.

:mickey:It has pretty good information on the Downtown Disney Hotel bus schedules and routes, the extra magic hours participation by the Hilton, priority dining reservations and golf reservations.

:mickey:There appears to have been also a promotion to win a free trip (albeit only two nights)

:mickey:They even have some colorful Downtown Disney Resort Area Hotel desktop pictures (they mistakenly call them screensavers) and postcards for sending.

Just Google it. Too late for my trip in September, I didn't realize it existed until I was already at WDW, glancing at an ad in one of the in-room magazines.


:figment:Post 100 !

[sloslo]

We've stayed in the Royal Plaza, Doubletree and the Wyndham, now called the Buena Vista Palace. I liked them all. The Wyndham was a 5 minute walk to DTD and the hotel was great. The only thing I didn't like was we were in the suite building and the parking was real inconvenient. You had to park in the main lot and take two elevators and walk to the suite building. The Doubletree was nice also and it is right near Crossroads at Lake Buena Vista so you can easily shop for groceries, etc. The Royal Plaza is my favorite. Just like the rooms and the hotel itself.

[DisneyTeen]

I have stayed in the Doubletree Suites, which I thought was fine, big room, fridge, walk to downtown disney or to crossroads for dinner. I am going back in 28 days and I am trying the Regal Sun Resort. I think that these hotels are good for the price. I don't think their service is near an on site resort, but for the price you really can't beat it as your somewhat on site.

Pretty much just got back. We stayed at the Regal Sun Resort. Its the closet to Downtown Disney out of the hotels on this strip, which is good for all the :beer::marg: we had. We also had a rental car, which we drove to the parks and what not, so we didn't have to deal with the hotels bus. It was a nice hotel, our first room was way away from everything, so I asked to be moved to a tower room and they did it on the spot. This room was alot nicer, had a great view and was clean each day. I didn't have a problem with staff as they were very helpful. I thought the doubletree was alittle nicer room wise, but those are all suites. I would stay here again, for the amount of time we were in the room it was fine...but no ESPN (don't know if it was just our room), which killed me for a full week.

[pook@wdw]

Part of our usual plans when we visit WDW is to spend our 1st night @ in the DTD area. That inludes staying on the "Hotel Blvd". We don't have a specific one that we prefer, we just check prices before we book, and go w/the most reasonable. Then, once there, we'll spend that day and evening @ DTD and do everything we want to do, and then the next day we move to our resort for the week!:thumbsup: