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Thread: convention area hotels? Good, bad, ugly

  1. #1

    convention area hotels? Good, bad, ugly

    After reading a Padders horror story about a recent conference hotel stay, I was wondering if anyone had any experience to share with Orlando convention area hotels? Good or bad. But I'm trying to convince DH to stay onsite instead of at the convention center....or gear our stay with convention hotels that may be more convenient to me tagging along and go to the parks.

    Shannon
    Mommy to 3 Princesses and 1 Prince
    Miss M(16), J(13) and R(10), and Mr. N(9)

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  3. #2
    Tortoise Thief bennette's Avatar
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    It's not right at the convention center but I was just at the newish Bonnet Creek Hilton (although I upgraded to the Waldorf Astoria next door). They are sister properties and it seemed really nice, which is why I tried it in the first place. (I will be there for a conference later this year and wanted to get a sense of the place). I saw you were looking at value resorts so maybe the price is too high but I was pleased with my stay.

    It is about a mile from Epcot and you can see both Epcot and Hollywood Studios. There are Epcot views available and the noise from the fireworks surprised me out of bed one night. They are close!

    They have nice bus service to all the resorts and DTD. Not quite Disney service but I noticed some reviewers posting that they thought travel time took about the same as at some of the values.

    It has a great lazy river. Not quite Stormalong Bay (no lifeguards) but it's really long.

    It's a bit more, pricewise, than the Downtown Disney Hilton, but nicer.

    Parking was a bit much but will be similar at other conference hotels. Driving to resorts took about ten minutes at most.

    I stumbled across an All Ears rate that should have been expired but wasn't. A free single park ticket for every two night's stay (just for one person, not two) was included. It came also with a 20% off coupon for any of their or the Waldorf's restaurants that I totally forgot to use.

    You would be limited by food choices at the hotels although all the rooms have a fridge if you are stopping by a store. Breakfast at Oscar's at the Waldorf is worth the cost at least once.

    I had a bit of a issue getting my upgrade billed correctly. I enjoyed my very lovely suite at the Waldorf but honestly next time I think I'll just stick with the Hilton. I talked to a mom who normally stays at an Epcot resort and she was very pleased with her family's stay.

    I love the Beach Club but the cost sticks in my throat sometimes. I'm glad I tried life on the other side.

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  4. #3

    Our last trip was at the BC villas so I know it won't be the same experience. DHs union pays for the hotel during the convention but they normally pick a $200+/nt room and I'd want to move if we stayed a few extra days. I'm secretly hoping they'll agree to pay for us to stay onsite in a value or mod instead. And we will just add extra nights at our own expense.


  5. #4

    Are you going to have car? I ask becuase the convention center is pretty far from WDW. The shuttle times from these hotels, if offered to WDW at all, are limited at best. The convention center area as you may have guessed is mostly high end business hotels without the resort feel. I've stayed at The Peabody (right next door) it's a very upscale nice hotel but I'm guessing over $200 a night. Also add in parking fees.

    On Universal (street, road, parkway, highway whatever it is I forget) is several mid scale hotels/motels. This backs up to the convention center and is walkable but is not right next door. Do keep in mind that the orlando convention center is huge, as in several city blocks big, with lots of buildings. We have stayed at The LaQuinta and Hyatt Place on this street both are nice, clean, affordable options but again not resorts. Parking was included at LaQuinta. I don't recall about The Hyatt Place. Both have a free self serve breakfast. The Hyatt was the closer and nicer of the two but I would stay at eiter again.

    When my husband has a convention I often just stay on site or at The Caribe Royale if allowed and drive him over to the convention center in the morning and pick up in the evenings. The Caribe is a few miles away from the Convention Center but to me has the most resort feel of the convention hotels . Waterfall pool, pool slide, and pool side bar and grill. Depending on the convention they might offer shuttle service to the convention center. Rooms are almost always under $200 a night here. Heck, if I'm spending my cash I look for deals and the most I have ever paid out of my pocket is $129 a night here when we our paying for the room. We often stay here rather then a value resort when we go to WDW for fun.

    Lastly, there are convention centers at Caribe Royale, Gaylord Palms and Disney's CS and a few other hotels in the area. Are you certian it's at The Orlando Convention Center and not at a convention center in a resort?

    Mily


  6. #5

    The big convention and expo are at the big convention center. But DHs unit for his union sometimes meets at a nearby hotel. I think the last time they stayed and met at the Wyndham Orlando. We would have a car for at least part of trip to either drive to the meetings (3 days) or to get me to the parks.


  7. #6
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    We stayed at the Rosen Plaza a couple years ago and will be staying there on our next trip as well. It's walking distance to the convention center and not that far a drive to the parks. It was a nice enough hotel - couldn't tell you about the amenities cause we didn't really use much, like the pool and such. I really liked the grab-and-go area, which had decent breakfast and lunch foods to take with you, which was really helpful since we were at the convention center all day.

    The rates are pretty reasonable too, imo.

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  8. #7

    I stayed offsite - for the first time in about 20 years - for a few days at the beginning of March on my way to the Gulf beaches. I stayed here: http://www.radisson.com/orlando-hotel-fl-32836/fllabuvi and I highly recommend it. I got a very good "value" rate and I got "deluxe" accommodations for that rate (to put it in Disney-speak terms).

    This hotel was recently renovated to a high standard - marble everywhere. I note that it is now #11 on TripAdvisor ratings (and it deserves to be there).

    The rooms are very clean and very large, with a FULL closet (important with the luggage that you will have with your little darlings) and the hide-a-bed makes into (I believe) a double. So room for 6 in a room (again, double-check this info). There is a largish mini-fridge, microwave and single cup coffeemaker. It is very near the Crossroads shopping center and DownTown Disney. I noticed that they have a Convention "All-In-One" package (which might be of benefit to you - because they provided some sort of transportation for one to and from the convention center daily - although you would want to check that out more thoroughly and to decide if it suits your situation). And although a regular room, at a regular rate would be just fine, they also have family suites, which might be nice if the budget will stretch to that.

    I did check out all their facilities like the pool and the laundry room. The pool is small, but adequate. Their 'new' laundry room has the new front-loaders which take very little detergent and - bonus - they tell you how long left in the cycle.

    Last edited by Barberella; 03-21-2012 at 08:52 AM.
    “When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier.” - Roy Disney

  9. #8

    We aren't bringing the kids. So it's just us two!

    Shannon
    Mommy to 3 Princesses and 1 Prince
    Miss M(16), J(13) and R(10), and Mr. N(9)

  10. #9

    Even better!

    “When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier.” - Roy Disney

  11. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Barberella View Post
    Even better!
    Yep. I'm really hoping we can stay onsite instead of at the convention. He will only have meetings for 3 days and we could stay a few extra. I think it'd be cheaper for us and the union. The cheaper hotel would totally offset the rental for three days.
    Shannon
    Mommy to 3 Princesses and 1 Prince
    Miss M(16), J(13) and R(10), and Mr. N(9)

  12. #11

    I agree. Good luck and hope you are successful - it would be so nice to have some time for just the two of you.

    “When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier.” - Roy Disney

  13. #12

    Absolutely! We haven't had more than an overnight away from the kids since 2006! Then we only had 2.


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