Hilton Downtown Disney Review

Icecoldpenguin

May the Force Be With You
Joined
Mar 5, 2010
I would like to preface this post with the following: This was my first off property stay ever and I did not necessarily have high expectations but I definitely did have expectations of a property so close to Disney

With that said here is what I have to say about the Hilton at Downtown Disney

When I arrived via the Mears Shuttle it was right around 12:30-1pm there was quite a line for the front desk. It took about 30 min for me to get the counter and I was 2nd in line. Once I go to the front desk I had another guest from the hotel come up and interrupt me and move me over so that they could have their complaint addressed. The did nothing to stop this and helped that guest over myself who had been waiting patiently.

Once I was finally helped my credit card for some reason was not working to hold the reservation and they told me at first that they would have to shorten my reservation even though my husband and I are gold hilton honors members. Then they agreed that they would guarantee my reservation if I could come back with my husband when he arrived with our other credit card. This whole process literally took another 30 min. When I asked about what time the busses for Disney came she said every 30 min. and I had just missed one. Well my guess is I would not have missed it had she helped me when she was supposed to. She told me she could give me my key but my husband would have to come get his when he arrived. I told her that was ridiculous and that I would need his key now. She then never gave me a map of the property, a disney times guide, a bus schedule or anything else to assist me. She told me my room number and gave me my keys I had to actually ASK HER where the elevators were to get to my room!

Once I got to my room it had not been inspected by the hotel manager but it was clean. I headed out to Disney and did not even bother to ask for walking directions to Downtown Disney I just figured it out for myself.

This experience checking in was it for me. I called my husband and told him I would NEVER again be ok with staying off property and definitely not at the Hilton. I was disappointed in their service and the lack of decent guest treatment.

I met him back at the room when he arrived and we made reservations at the Swan for the next night. That next morning we left and never looked back!

I am sure there are some that have had great experiences but this was mine and I can assure you that if I need to stay off property my only option will be the swan or dolphin.
 
I wonder if this is one of those situations where the hotel is always fully booked because of location, and they just don't have to care about customer service. Your experience was not good. Being a gold card member, I was looking at booking the Hilton for March, not so much now.

Thanks for the report.
 
Good information. We are also Gold Hilton Honors members and are seriously considering staying in one of the 4 Hilton properties nearby because it will be significantly cheaper for the type of room we want due to reward points and the like. The HBC is getting such rave reviews in the other thread.
 
Ok, I will be the lone wolf here.

I am sorry you had a very unpleasant experience. I would have been quite upset as well.

On the other hand, our family has stayed at this hotel at least 6 times. Sometimes with only 2 of us, sometimes as many as 6. We have never been disappointed. Customer service has always been on point. The transportation shuttle to and from parks was good, knowing that it runs on the half hour was great. The pool area, snack bar and restaurants were wonderful and parking was EASY! We drove and did not utilize the shuttle system to and from the airport so I cannot address their services. We also love the magic hours you get that is normally reserved for WDW resort quests only at this hotel and we can walk to Downtown Disney with ease!
 


So sorry you had some very bad customer service.
I have stayed at this hotel many times. Would rather stay at a Disney resort though if I can.

The guest tend to be heavy convention then Disney tourist at this hotel The rooms do need to be rehabbed. The fees are ridiculous. On top of the hotel room rate you are charged per night a $22 resort fee and a $14 self parking fee (Valet $21) plus tax on all. So add that into your nightly cost.

The resort fee is for the shuttle to the parks, 2 starbucks coffees/2 bottled waters, internet access, "free" movie rentals, and local/toll free/cc phone calls without an access fee. As a Hhonors I get the free internet and the the shuttle is all I need. Many times we just walked across the street and caught a Disney bus. But I do not need the rest of that Stuff!! It is a RIDICULOUS additional fee and they will not remove it.

At Disney the shuttle is part of your resort benefits and they dont charge you for parking. We often stood at bus stops in the middle of the parking lot waiting for the hotel bus as we watched more Disney resort buses go by. Often ones close to DTD. just too hot in the summer to wait.

I also have had bad customer service in the restaurant there. Saying all that I am returning for the next few years as I have a convention there. I do like the location across the street from DTD. It makes it easy to walk there and have a quick meal or shop. The continental breakfast on concierge is ok.
 
I am staying there, for one night in April. We decided to stay there the night before our on property vacation. If everything is up to snuff, I may consider staying there in late June, where there is a good rate (at the moment).
 
The guest tend to be heavy convention then Disney tourist at this hotel The rooms do need to be rehabbed. The fees are ridiculous. On top of the hotel room rate you are charged per night a $22 resort fee and a $14 self parking fee (Valet $21) plus tax on all. So add that into your nightly cost.

Diamond Hilton Members, stayed there many years ago (and even then the front desk was lacking) and this is exactly why I won't be going back. The rooms have needed rehab for many years, too many years - the fees are not acceptable for the hotel as it is now. Hilton needs to get this hotel up to par with it's rates.

We stayed in the fall at Doubletree Suites down the street, beautifully renovated suites and no fee, we love the Embassy Suites Lake Buena Vista South, new, beautifully decorated, excellent breakfast, no fees and room to MK parking lot is 10 minutes. Stayed in December for long weekend at Hilton Orlando by the Convention Center (easy drive to WDW) and now that is a hotel that deserves it's resort fee, wow. It was built same time as HBC with like amenities but much prettier in decor.
 


Was the Honors check in line not available? There is usually no one waiting there when we arrive. Also, they have an app now and you can check in online. You just stop by the desk and pick up your key. No waiting.

While the check in person should have said something, you could have said something as well. I know it's frustrating when the line is long, but sometimes there isn't much that can be done. Around noon you still have people checking out while others are trying to check in early. It's a tough time.

I realize this was an original post from some time ago, but thought my comments might be helpful for a more recent guest.
 
Well to also update - Resort fee is now $24, Valet is $21 and Self parking is $15. After December 31 the Hilton will no longer be offering EMH to the parks and that is a huge blow. There is a reason they are constantly offering $89 and $99 room rates. Diamond members here and this hotel is sadly lacking in many ways. In December we stayed at the Orlando Hilton (same design as Hilton Bonnet Creek) and that was a top notch hotel, with over the top customer service that we expect. We never got good service at the DTD Hilton, we stayed purely for the location and EMH.

If you want to be at a Hilton and DTD, look at the Doubletree Suites. The new suites were beautifully done.
 
We've never had terrible service but definitely pick Bonnet Creek over this location. Much better quality.
 
We've never had terrible service but definitely pick Bonnet Creek over this location. Much better quality.

Let me clarify, never said we had "terrible" service, more like indifferent or minimal service. I noted on visits that we rarely get eye contact, we have to assert ourselves to get them to look up or answer questions, they offer absolutely nothing and this was at the front desk, at the pool, in the HH lounge .... it is a very different atmosphere than what it should be or what we normally experience at Hiltons. We are Diamond and stay at all levels, all over. We've had MUCH better customer service at Embassy, Hampton etc. than this particular Hilton location.
 
I am sure there are some that have had great experiences but this was mine and I can assure you that if I need to stay off property my only option will be the swan or dolphin.
It's interesting (to me :) )... The Hilton is owned by the same company that owns the Swan/Dolphin, actually. Two very different properties though. The Hilton definitely fits the off-site category to me; Swan/Dolphin is a quasi-Disney resort in my opinion.
 
So we have the week of Thanksgiving booked at the DTD Hilton. A few questions:

  1. We're Diamond members and paid for the entire week with points. They wave the resort fee if you pay with points, correct? I believe the Diamond Desk told me this.
  2. Recent reviews in this thread don't sound great. Should we switch to the DoubleTree? Bonnet Creek is not available for the amount of points.
  3. Has anyone had success getting the parking fee waived at either the Hilton or the DoubleTree?
  4. Also, what has everyone's experience been with the shuttles? We're used to having a rental car, staying offsite and coming/going from the parks with ease (we have APs so don't pay for parking at the parks). We were staying here to avoid the rental (and parking fee at the resort) but are having second thoughts about the shuttles.
 
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