Best resort close to Disney?

[happymommy]

I'm a Marriott gal here (we own at one in Hawaii and always try to stay at them when we can, mostly to keep my DH's platinum status). While not new, they do remodel often. Since you said you need 3 bedrooms, if you were looking at a Marriott Vacation Club resort, Grande Vista has 3 bedroom units (and it's a huge complex, actually too big for my liking, we stayed there a couple of times, but it offers a lot of amenities) as well as Imperial Palms is all 3 bedroom condos (connected to the Orlando World Center - which has one of the biggest swimming pools in Florida - the Palms were the first Marriott timeshares built, so they are much bigger than most, yes they're renovated). I just wanted to toss that out there - but if you look don't book directly through Marriott - they're usually over $300 a night or more. I have booked all of them on Interval International getaways for about $350 a week (so far don't see any for my spring break, so booked under our owner discount for now). You can look at redweek.com for rentals - sometimes, especially closer to your dates, you can find a good deal. If you have any good friends or family that have Interval International or RCI membership, they both offer getaway type weeks - they're prepaid so make sure of your dates, but they're sometimes excellent deals - and there are so many resorts in Orlando close to Disney.

I totally understand renting a house not feeling like a true vacation - I like the resort feel with maybe a snack bar, a fun pool, games and arts & crafts (Marriotts always have some sort of art activity that my DD loves to do), but love the condo for the kitchen and especially our own bedrooms and a washer/dryer! Plus if my DH has to go home early for work, I feel safer in a condo resort with a gate and security driving around more.

 

[act1980]

Just bumping this thread

 

[jeff968]

Our current favorite is the Hilton Parc Soleil, one of orlando's newest. Check it out. I have a detailed review posted here somewhere.

 

[BABY_EINSTEIN'S_MOM]

We are about to stay at Windsor Hills for our 5th time! It's just a hop and a skip to WDW!

 

[Detailor]

So the original request criteria was 1) minimum of 3 bedroom/2 bathroom, 2) close to Disney, 3) newer resort and 4) not Wyndham Bonnet Creek.

Depending on how you define "close" would help dictate which resorts stay on the list and which don't but the harder criteria of 3 BR/2 BA and 'newer' make it a little easier for me. For the purpose of this, I've stayed with places that I think of as resorts rather than hotels or vacation home communities. By my reconning, that reduces the pool of potential choices to timeshare resorts like Bonnet Creek.

All of these are nice resorts (either newer resorts or resorts that have been renovated/refurbished within the past few years), relatively close to Disney property and meet the 3 BR need.
Parc Soleil by Hilton Grand Vacation Club - it's on Palm Parkway in the Lake Buena Vista area just north of Downtown Disney, maybe two or three miles. The newest HGVC resort in Orlando. In high rises, the 3 BR villas have three bathrooms. Convenient to SeaWorld and Universal.
Marriott's Lakeshore Reserve - I think that this is the newest timeshare resort in the area, certainly the newest of the upper end resorts. It's adjacent to the Ritz-Carlton and the JW Marriott hotels, about 9 or 10 miles from Downtown Disney. There are 3 BR/2 BA and 3 BR/3 BA villas. Close to SeaWorld.
Marriott's Imperial Palms Villas - Closest of these to Disney, it's about 3 miles to Downtown Disney and 4 to either Epcot or Hollywood Studios. This is an all-three bedroom resort within a complex of resorts area that's just off World Center Drive, tucked in next to the Marriott World Center hotel. Three bedrooms, two bathrooms. Close to I-4 exchange, so pretty convenient to other area attractions.
Sheraton's Vistana Villages is just off International Drive in the area near the Premium Outlets (Vineland Ave). It's about four miles or so from Downtown Disney. There are three bedroom/three bathroom villas in the Amelia, St. Augustine (newest) and Key West sections of the resort. Fairly well situated for either Disney or SeaWorld visits.
Hilton Grand Vacation Club at SeaWorld - the oldest of the three Orlando HGVCs, the front of the resort is across the street from SeaWorld and about four or five miles from Downtown Disney. Features spacious three bedroom/three bathroom villas. Also convenient to Universal.
Cypress Pointe Resort - in the Lake Buena Vista area, this moderately sized resort was recently redone inside and out. The three bedroom units have two bathrooms. Nice resort, great location just about 2 miles from Downtown Disney. Convenient to Universal and SeaWorld, too.

Dick Taylor

 

[act1980]

Thanks for the suggestions so far!

 

[dancin Disney style]

We've stayed at WBC before but last summer I found a great deal on the Marriott Grande Vista. I LOVED it. It's about 10-12 minutes drive from WDW. We stayed for 2 weeks and didn't want to leave.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

We are big fans of the Sheraton Vistana Resort. Loved it so much we bought two annual weeks there after our first stay. The resort is gorgeous, the villas are spacious and beautifully renovated within the last few years, and the location is prime for visiting all the parks in Orlando.

 

[act1980]

Just bumping this thread to see if there are any other opinions or new developments