Hilton Bonnet Creek - Two thumbs way up!

[keishashadow]

Originally Posted by snappy

I am back from 3 nights at the Hilton Bonnet Creek. I also booked through LMT and did the eupgrade to Disney view via Hilton.



I would stay at the Hilton bonnet creek again before staying onsite (except DVC). I always have a rental car so there is no reason not to.

we're considering booking instead of using points for current Oct res (only SSR was open).

more than satisfied w/LMT's service in the pasteven received a full/prompt refund from them after discovering the MB hotel i had booked switched our 'view'.

just wondering though re the upgrade to disney view? Assume i'd need to call resort directly after I receive confirmation from LMT. Do you recall the approx cost per day?

[snappy]

I think that a couple of days after I booked through LMT for my May 2011 trip, I called the Hilton to check on the reservation. Once I added my Hilton Honors account to the reservation, Hilton send me an email offering me several types of upgrades, including an upgrade to a Disney view, suites at the Hilton, or rooms or suites at the Waldorf. When I checked in they added maybe $5 per night to my bill.

Hell of a deal. My room was not very high up (I think 5th floor because the hotel was really booked for Memorial day) but I had a great view of the Hilton pool complex. Disney was in the distance.

It was not comparable to a boardwalk view AT BWV (too far away), which indeed is my favorite (we own BMV and have taken advantage of the 11 month booking window a number of times to book boardwalk view).

But I did like the Disney view room at the Hilton. I will say that my Disney view at the Wyndham 3 bedroom Disney view unit we had in 2010 was closer and better-higher up as well.

But the Hilton is more upscale. I book Wyndham bonnet creek through Ken Price when I have to have the kitchen and 2 bedroom configuration. I have booked with Ken and Denise a number of times and they give me an excellent deal.

I was happy with booking through LMT for the Hilton Bonnet Creek as well. I actually got an upgrade to a wonderful Waldorf super suite for my Mardi Gras trip this year-I think it was called a luxury suite. It was about a $220 a night, but the rack rate was more that $1,500. Now that was a room at a good price.

Hope you get what you want in October. I am going in October too for the central Florida race for the cure, staying at OKW for 2 nights starting Oct 13th, then probably to the Hilton bonnet creek for the remainder of my stay. I am looking forward to spending time at the food and wine festival as well, and meeting friends for the race. What are your dates?

[snappy]

To answer a previous poster. there was not resort fee charged at the Hilton Bonnet Creek. I did the valet parking for $20 per night.

It was wonderful to call ahead and have the car waiting.

I did not take the free bus from the resort.

We took the free bus several times in 2009 when staying at the Waldorf. The bus stops at both the Hilton and the Waldorf, and it also stops at 2 parks. Although the bus was a nice, plush and upscale bus, it took too long for us. We always rent a car. Bonnet Creek is very close to the Studios, downtown disney and Epcot, maybe 5 minutes to each of those.

It is much more efficient to drive a car.

And valet parking feels like a nice luxury. That is what we do.

[keishashadow]

snappy thanx for all the info! we'll only be there for 4 nights the 1st week of the month then moving over to Universal for the rest of our trip.

We own @ BW too but wound up switching a Dec trip to Oct @ 5 month mark and only SSR was available for a studio (should've seen that coming w/F&W but I was still disappointed). I don't hold out much hope for either of my waitlists at this point but was wanted to wait until end of July-mid August jik FDP was offered this year.

I never thought to ask to have hilton honors status applied, TU!

I was suprised that the HBC is only $25 more a night than DTD property for my dates, considering how highly ranked it is on TA & newish property & all.

guess i really need to read thru the entire HBC dedicated thread here before making a decision. I was really surprised to read on TA that guests could use the Waldorf's pool area.

[tarheelmjfan]

I wish I would have searched for this post, before booking our last minute getaway. We're paying $203 w/breakfast buffet for 2 for this weekend. Considering it's last minute & NYE weekend, it sounded good to me at the time. It's non-refundable, so I'm not even going to check LMT now. I'm definitely glad I found this thread for the future though.

I booked the regular view, & was thinking it wasn't worth paying extra for just 2 nights. We won't be there much to enjoy the view. Should I consider upgrading to the park view anyway? How is the non-park view? I don't really want to look at trash dumpsters or similar.

I see some of you used the provided transportation. We will be there for my DH's birthday & NYE. We want to celebrate & not worry about driving, even though we will have our van. We're probably going to MK & DHS during the day, & spending both nights in Epcot. Do you think we'll have a problem with the bus service? We always use WDW transportation, when staying on property. How do they compare? TIA for the help/advice.

[AR81]

Just for clarification and I hope this isn't a dumb question, but the Hilton and Waldorf are on disney property--correct? Do you actually go through the disney gates to get to it? We would love to stay on property but Disney completely priced us out and this seems like a wonderful choice.

[AR81]

Also for those that have used the last minute travel website, is it better to wait til closer to your dates for the best deal? If my vacation isn't til june when should I start looking to know I have the best rate? I put in my dates right now and they had a $119 rate for the hilton. I think I have seen a better rate through hotwire or priceline a few weeks ago for the same date range.

[thewigs007]

Originally Posted by snappy

I think that a couple of days after I booked through LMT for my May 2011 trip, I called the Hilton to check on the reservation. Once I added my Hilton Honors account to the reservation, Hilton send me an email offering me several types of upgrades, including an upgrade to a Disney view, suites at the Hilton, or rooms or suites at the Waldorf. When I checked in they added maybe $5 per night to my bill.

Hell of a deal. My room was not very high up (I think 5th floor because the hotel was really booked for Memorial day) but I had a great view of the Hilton pool complex. Disney was in the distance.

It was not comparable to a boardwalk view AT BWV (too far away), which indeed is my favorite (we own BMV and have taken advantage of the 11 month booking window a number of times to book boardwalk view).

But I did like the Disney view room at the Hilton. I will say that my Disney view at the Wyndham 3 bedroom Disney view unit we had in 2010 was closer and better-higher up as well.

But the Hilton is more upscale. I book Wyndham bonnet creek through Ken Price when I have to have the kitchen and 2 bedroom configuration. I have booked with Ken and Denise a number of times and they give me an excellent deal.

I was happy with booking through LMT for the Hilton Bonnet Creek as well. I actually got an upgrade to a wonderful Waldorf super suite for my Mardi Gras trip this year-I think it was called a luxury suite. It was about a $220 a night, but the rack rate was more that $1,500. Now that was a room at a good price.

Hope you get what you want in October. I am going in October too for the central Florida race for the cure, staying at OKW for 2 nights starting Oct 13th, then probably to the Hilton bonnet creek for the remainder of my stay. I am looking forward to spending time at the food and wine festival as well, and meeting friends for the race. What are your dates?

I was told you can't attach your HH # if you make your rsvp thru a 3rd party.
I wonder if their policy has changed since you made your booking.

[thewigs007]

Originally Posted by AR81

Just for clarification and I hope this isn't a dumb question, but the Hilton and Waldorf are on disney property--correct? Do you actually go through the disney gates to get to it? We would love to stay on property but Disney completely priced us out and this seems like a wonderful choice.

You don't go thru Disney gates. When you ask 'Are they on Disney property?' I would have to say no. They do have transportation to the parks via a motorcoach bus.

[tarheelmjfan]

Originally Posted by AR81

Also for those that have used the last minute travel website, is it better to wait til closer to your dates for the best deal? If my vacation isn't til june when should I start looking to know I have the best rate? I put in my dates right now and they had a $119 rate for the hilton. I think I have seen a better rate through hotwire or priceline a few weeks ago for the same date range.

I haven't seen those great rates on LMT either. I was looking for Feb. & May. I hope they haven't raised the rates this year. It would be just my luck to miss out on a great deal by a couple months. I think we've decided to give Hilton Lake Buena Vista a try in Feb instead. It looks like their transportation is better, & they're about the same price. If we could have gotten some of the rates posted here, we would have gone with HBC & paid for taxis to & from the parks. We loved the hotel, but the provided transportation got old.

[GraceLuvsWDW]

Originally Posted by thewigs007

You don't go thru Disney gates. When you ask 'Are they on Disney property?' I would have to say no. They do have transportation to the parks via a motorcoach bus.

I believe you do go through Disney gates. If you exit Epcot Center Drive you will pass through the gates and then exit E Buena Vista towards Epcot and it will be the first road on the left.

You are basically on Disney Property-right next to CBR-you can see the roofs of CBR from the higher rooms at HBC but TECHNICALLY, it is not Disney property-as Disney owns all the hotels on property except for Swan, Dolphin & SOG. It is closer to parks than DTD hotels.

[GraceLuvsWDW]

Originally Posted by tarheelmjfan

I haven't seen those great rates on LMT either. I was looking for Feb. & May. I hope they haven't raised the rates this year. It would be just my luck to miss out on a great deal by a couple months. I think we've decided to give Hilton Lake Buena Vista a try in Feb instead. It looks like their transportation is better, & they're about the same price. If we could have gotten some of the rates posted here, we would have gone with HBC & paid for taxis to & from the parks. We loved the hotel, but the provided transportation got old.

We got $79 a night last June on LMT. We booked it in May.

[gretchenohar@hotmail]

Are the pool/lazy river you're referring to at Hilton Bonnet Creek the same as the one at Wyndham Bonnet Creek? I read the answer to this question a while ago, but I sure don't remember the answer!
Just wondering if the "dive-in movie" is exclusive to the Hilton BC, or is it accessible to Wyndham BC guests as well?
TIA!

[tarheelmjfan]

Originally Posted by GraceLuvsWDW

We got $79 a night last June on LMT. We booked it in May.

Thanks for the info. I hope there will still be deals this year. So far, I haven't seen anything approaching that price though.

Originally Posted by gretchenohar@hotmail

Are the pool/lazy river you're referring to at Hilton Bonnet Creek the same as the one at Wyndham Bonnet Creek? I read the answer to this question a while ago, but I sure don't remember the answer!
Just wondering if the "dive-in movie" is exclusive to the Hilton BC, or is it accessible to Wyndham BC guests as well?
TIA!

I've never been to Wyndham BC, but there is a lazy river at HBC. The pool area is very nice. We were there over NYE, so we didn't use it. Many people did though. They obviously weren't wimpy Floridians like us.

[gretchenohar@hotmail]

Thanks, tarheelmjfan.