Category — d. Where to Stay at Walt Disney World

ARMED FORCES SALUTE RENEWED FOR 2019

Late last week my buddy Steve Bell reported that the Disney Military Salute has been renewed for 2019, and eligible dates (not all the block-out dates are out yet) extend well into December 2019, to December 19, 2019, similar to the 2018 salute.

The long duration of eligible dates in 2019 was a bit of a surprise, as there was a school of thought that an early end (e.g. September 30) would create more room for full-paying Star Wars folk once it opens in late fall 2019.

So either DIsney is intentionally not giving away it’s Star Wars opening date through the timing of this dela; by late fall opening of Galaxy’s it really means late fall (one definition of fall has it ending December 21, 2019); or–and this is perhaps most likely–one part of DIsney is not talking to the other.

As always, the best source of info on the Armed Forces Salute deal–the best Disney World deal out there, serving the best set of people in the world–is available on Steve’s MilitaryDisneyTips.com.  Start with his info on the Armed Forces Salute renewal for 2019 here.

CARIBBEAN BEACH DINING TO OPEN OCTOBER 8

Multiple sites are reporting that our long dining nightmare at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort will be coming to an end next week. While I have not yet seen anything official from Disney, lunch and dinner reservations at the new waterside table service, Sebastian’s Bistro, are available beginning October 8.

Other changes that may or may not happen then are the reopening of a redone gift shop and counter service area, the shift of check-in from the Custom House to the same main central building in Centertown where the gift shop and counter service will be found, and the shift of the entrance road from Buena Vista Drive to Victory Way.

Also reported is that Trinidad South will be changing its name to Barbados, and Trinidad North to simply Trinidad. In the longer term this name change, if it happens, will be a great move, especially for the dyslexic like me, but in the short term it will replace one set of confusions with another.

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(For the first page of this review of the Doubletree Suites, see this.)

PHOTO TOUR OF A ONE BEDROOM SUITE AT THE DOUBLETREE SUITES BY HILTON ORLANDO

The Doubletree Suites by Hilton Orlando in the Disney Springs Resort Area–an entirely different hotel than the two other Hilton-flagged properties in Disney Springs, the Hilton Buena Vista Palace and the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista–offers several suite types in a long fortress-like mid-rise building.

One bedroom suites with a king bed, or with two queens–each also with a sleeper sofa–are available. Two bedroom suites, with a king bedroom and also a two queen bedroom, are also available. No suites have balconies, but a few first floor suites in the back by the pool and tennis courts have patios, and are bookable as a separate class, as are suites with pool views. (Views generally are of the parking lot or of 535, but there are enough trees in this area that they aren’t too objectionable.)

This photo tour is of a one bedroom suite at the Doubletree Suites by Hilton Orlando with two queens and a fold out couch.

The suite is about half a living/dining/kitchenette space and half a bedroom/closet/bath space–see the floorplan above.

The kitchenette has quite the long counter, and comes only with a microwave, mini-fridge, small sink and coffeemaker. The microwave is set into the cabinet–you can see it just above the center of the table.

Here’s the mini-fridge–the absence of a little freezer compartment makes the microwave less useful.

The coffee service.

The table is larger than it appears in my images. But it still seats just four–two fewer than the suite will sleep. There’s plenty of space on this side for a larger table…so this is a bit of a miss. Note the connecting door between the table and the couch. Since all rooms here are suites, there’s another one bedroom suite on the other side of that door.

Further back is seating for four or five on a couch, easy chair, and an ottoman/coffee table that can also serve as a seat.

Here’s a closer view of the couch and easy chair.

The couch folds out a queen-sized bed. Comfort is adequate for youngsters–although most will want to put the youngsters into the back queens, so that the living/dining space can be used after they are asleep, which complicates things a bit.

Across from the seating area is a surprisingly small TV above a storage cabinet.

The TV cabinet has a couple of drawers…

…but is mostly empty space.

The bedroom area–and the bath–is accessed through a sliding door next to the TV cabinet.

The two queen beds are a bit cramped on their sides.

The beds from the back of this space

A closer view of one of the beds–note how close the right side is to the wall.

Between the beds you’ll find this bedside table, with a small drawer and a storage cubby below.

Across from one of the beds in the back corner is a dresser and a larger TV, though hard to watch from the bed closer to the bath.

The dresser has four large drawers–plenty for the four people this space will sleep.

The other part of this room is a hallway that leads to the closet and the bath.

One side of this back hall has a long table. This suite would function much better with a door between this hall and the area with the queens, and also another door, to the living area, where the long table is. That would let the folks sleeping in the living area enter the bath area without going through the bedroom area.

Note the safe in the closet. My book is six inches by nine inches, so this will fit several laptops.

The other side of the closet.

The undivided bath has but a single sink–although there is another sink in the kitchenette.

Toiletries.

A tub-shower combo fills out the other side.

Frankly, a room that sleeps six ought to have a divided bath. This, the cramping of the queens, the small TVs, and the needlessly small table make it hard for me to be keen on these rooms.

But you will find them available for less than half–sometimes a lot less–than any Disney-owned accommodations that sleep six.  However, before booking them, consider booking two connecting rooms at the Holiday Inn just down the street. You’ll lose the spacious living area and its seating and dining table, but pick up another bath, another microwave, two (albeit tiny) freezer compartments in the mini-fridges, and more comfortable and/or less cramped beds.

AMENITIES AND DINING AT THE DOUBLETREE SUITES BY HILTON ORLANDO

This review continues here.

MORE ON THE DOUBLETREE SUITES BY HILTON ORLANDO

• Overview and summary
• Photo tour of a standard one bedroom suite 
• Dining and amenities
• The pool

OTHER KEY PAGES FOR WHERE TO STAY AT DISNEY WORLD

• Where to stay–the Basics
• Where first-timers should stay
• Reviews of all the Disney World resorts, based on my 160+ stays in them

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For the first page of this review of the Hilton Buena Vista Palace, see this.

THE POOL COMPLEX AT THE HILTON BUENA VISTA PALACE

The pool complex at the Hilton Buena Vista Palace has somewhere between two and three and a half pools. Despite my counting failure, I can affirm that it is the best pool complex among the seven Disney Springs Resort Area hotels, with only the pools at the Wyndham and the Hilton even close.

What is clearly here is a large pool next to the outdoor bar and grill to which adults gravitate, and a separate lazy river pool which sees more families and kids. The third pool is in another location, barely visible except from the lobby bar and rooms near it, which has not been open during any of my visits. And the half pool is an appendage to the lazy river pool which functions like a toddlers pool.

The pool complex is between the main tower and the Island buildings.  From the main tower, you get to the pools from the lowest level, which is also where most Hilton Buena Vista Palace dining and other amenities are located.

The first thing you’ll note is this event lawn, which–if not being used for some convention-y thing (the Hilton Buena Vista Palace is a major convention resort) could have a variety of games set up on it. At one my visits it was just cornhole games–another time, it also had a badminton/volleyball net.

Deeper in the complex you’ll find the bar and grill on one side…

…a large hot tub off in a corner…

…and next to the bar the first pool.

The propinquity to the bar (in the right background) and the simplicity of its offerings makes this the pool adults will prefer.

Another view of this pool–some of the Island rooms are in the background.

Off to the right you’ll find another pool, a lazy river pool.

Another view of the lazy river pool. See the top of the page for yet another view.

There’s a zero entry to the lazy river, accompanied by a set of handrails, making it easily accessible.

Just to the right of this is a much shallower appendage with water sprays that functions well as a toddler splash area.

Another view of this area, which is my “half pool.”

The final pool is in a different area (although on the way from the lower floor of the tower to this complex). On my visits it has been unsigned, inaccessible and unused (so far as I could tell).

It is visible from the outside seats of the lobby bar, and from the rooms on this side of the tower.  I don’t know what’s up with it–my guess is that it is an event space–but on my next stay in the Hilton Buena Vista Palace, I will force myself to go to the lobby bar and inquire!

Even without this mystery pool, the rest of the pool complex at the Hilton Buena Vista Palace has something for everyone, and more to offer than any other pool set-up in the other Disney Springs Resort Area hotels.

MORE ON THE HILTON BUENA VISTA PALACE

• Overview and summary
• Photo tour of a standard tower room 
• Photo tour of an Island room 
• Dining and amenities
• The pools 

OTHER KEY PAGES FOR WHERE TO STAY AT DISNEY WORLD

• Where to stay–the Basics
• Where first-timers should stay
• Reviews of all the Disney World resorts, based on my 160+ stays in them

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(For the first page of this review of the Holiday Inn Orlando, see this.)

THE POOL AT THE HOLIDAY INN ORLANDO

The pool at the Holiday Inn Orlando is middling among the pool complexes at the seven hotels in the Disney Springs Resort Area.

The least pools among these are those at the Doubletree and Best Western; the best are at the Hilton, the Hilton Buena Vista Palace, and the Wyndham.  The pool at the Holiday Inn (and that at the B Resort & Spa) are in between.

The pool at the Holiday Inn Orlando is  located in a courtyard formed by one side of the main tower, two sides of a shorter six story building, and a landscaped wall.

The tower side of the pool area is the same part of the tower as the bar and grill, creating easy access for drinks and snacks.

Some more views of the pool (see the top of the page for the zero-entry area):

Each photo includes the water jets that kids find fun to play in.

In addition to these, you’ll also find a ping pong table…

…a cornhole game set-up,…

…and a small hot tub

At the pool at the Holiday Inn Orlando in the Disney Springs Resort Area, the bar and grill is convenient, the pool itself is fine, and the amenities aimed at kids and at play are middling among the Disney Springs Resort Area hotels. The pool and its features are fine, but are not strong enough to be a special reason to stay at the Holiday Inn Orlando.

MORE ON THE HOLIDAY INN ORLANDO

• Summary and overview
• Photo tour of a standard tower room
• Photo tour of a pool view room
• Dining and amenities 
• The pool 

OTHER KEY PAGES FOR WHERE TO STAY AT DISNEY WORLD

• Where to stay–the Basics
• Where first-timers should stay
• Reviews of all the Disney World resorts, based on my 160+ stays in them

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For the first page of this review of the Hilton Orlando, see this.

PHOTO TOUR OF A ROOM AT THE HILTON ORLANDO LAKE BUENA VISTA

The Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista in the Disney Springs Resort Area–an entirely different hotel than the nearby similarly named Hilton Buena Vista Palace–has several room types in a long mid-rise building.

Rooms with a king bed and rooms with two queens are available. There are also some bookable views–e.g. a Disney Springs view (about a third of rooms here face the freeway, half the Wyndham, and a sixth Disney Springs). The Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista is a major convention hotel, and as in all such hotels, multiple suite options are also available.

I’ve stayed here four times, most recently in the summer of 2018. This photo tour is from that last stay, and is of a two queen room.

The entry has the divided bath and closet on the same side, and gives a good view of the ugly carpet.

The  first part of the divided bath has this sink.

On the other side of the space is this good-sized closet, with mirrors in the folding doors, and safe at the lower left. Note also the ironing board, etc.

In a separate space you’ll find a full bath, with another sink on one side, a toilet in the middle…

…and a tub-shower combo on the other side.

A closer view of the bath toiletries.

Deeper in the room, you’ll find the queen beds and an easy chair on one side.

The bed side from the back of the room…

…and a closer view of one of the beds.

Between the beds you’ll find this bedside table with two drawers.

A closer view of the storage in this table.

At the end of this side, by the window, is this easy chair. I’d like to see a reading light near here.  And an ottoman, while I’m thinking about it.

The other side of the room has an empty mini-fridge casing with the coffee service above, a  dresser with a an actual mini-fridge inside and a TV above, and a desk.

This side of the room from the back.

The coffee service is atop an old mini-fridge casing…

…which is empty.

Next to it is the dresser, which is topped by a small 37 inch TV. The combination of the small TV and empty mini fridge casing leads me to think that a refurb will put a bigger TV on the wall, move the coffee service to the dresser, and eliminate the empty casing. We’ll see.

The three large drawers are plenty for the four people these rooms will sleep.

Next to these you’ll find the mini-fridge.

Further on this side you’ll find this desk.

The desk adds two shallow  drawers.

At around 375 square feet, the overall size of this Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista room is in the middle of the Disney deluxe resort range.  But because it devotes less of its square footage to the bath/entry/closet area, at around ~260 square feet, the size of its living area is larger than all the Disney deluxe resorts except those along the monorail.

The small TV and the absence of a balcony, while not unusual in the Disney Springs resorts (balconies are routinely available only in the Holiday Inn and Buena Vista Palace) are clear negatives.  But the divided bath and two sinks is a positive, and rarer among the Disney Springs resorts than they should be.  Overall this Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista room is bland but spacious, and is reasonably well-appointed for both families and couples.

AMENITIES AND DINING AT THE HILTON ORLANDO LAKE BUENA VISTA

This review continues here.

MORE ON THE HILTON ORLANDO LAKE BUENA VISTA

• Overview and summary
• Photo tour of a standard room
• Dining and amenities
• The pool 

OTHER KEY PAGES FOR WHERE TO STAY AT DISNEY WORLD

• Where to stay–the Basics
• Where first-timers should stay
• Reviews of all the Disney World resorts, based on my 160+ stays in them

Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Twitter or Pinterest!!

For the first page of this review of Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort, click here.

Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort completed a room refurb project in late 2019.

The key positive features of the refurb are the addition of queen beds and coffee makers, which, until a very similar refurb happened first at Pop Century, were unheard of in value resort standard rooms.

Less universally praised is the bright white color scheme–exacerbated by the loss of the colorful bed stripes, which has happened generally across Disney World resorts–and the fact that one of the queens is a fold down bed that disappears the table and chairs while it is down.

I had the chance to stay in one of these newly-refurbed All-Star Movies rooms in mid-September, so here’s a photo tour and my observations.

One side of the room has a thingy with the coffee maker above and the mini-fridge below, the dresser and TV, and a connecting door, if present.

This side of the room from the back.

The coffee thingy has multiple cubbies, a general feature of the value resort refurb program.

The drawer in the thingy contains the coffee and tea supplies, and also drinking and coffee cups.

The mini-fridge, as is common in new Disney World rooms, has a glass front so you can see what’s inside without opening it. I popped a shelf out of its supports with my book, but I fixed it later!

The dresser has drawers on one side and shelving and a safe on the other, is flanked with two sets of power points each of which can charge four devices, and is topped with a 54-inch TV.

The three drawers are 31 inches by 13 inches but only 4.5 inches tall.

There is still much more storage in these new rooms than in the pre-refurb rooms at the All-Stars–their dresser/ mini-fridge combo is shown above.

Back to the refurbed room, next to the drawers are shelves and a safe.

I measured the safe as 19 inches by 15 inches by 6.5 inches tall.

By the connecting door you’ll find this coat rack.

In the back of the room are the sinks, closet, and, in a separate space, the toilet and shower.

Following the details of the Pop Century here as in most other matters, the overall bath and dressing area are now closed off from the rest of the room with a sliding solid door, rather than the fabric curtain you’ll find in un-refurbed value resort rooms (and the Port Orleans moderates).

Here’s the sliding door closed.

Note all the crannies and cubbies around the sink.

The cubbies to the left of the sink have the hair dryer and iron.

On the right side of the sink you’ll find this new make-up mirror.

On the side of this space is a solid hanging closet. There’s 19 inches of hanging space inside.

The toilet and tub are enclosed by this two-part sliding door.

The tub is enclosed with sliding doors–a more straightforward arrangement for most than a billowing shower curtain, but an awkwardness for bathing children.

The shower has a rain fall head, but not the hand-held shower head that also comes with the Pop refurb. Other minor differences from the Pop refurb: no luggage rack (at least not in room 9751) and no extension to the clothes rod on the ironing board side of the closet.

The toiletries are in the bottles that we’ve been seeing in recent refurbs across the resort.

Some of the refurbed Pop rooms only have showers, no tubs. I don’t yet know if that’s the case with Movies as well.

Back into the main area, the other side of the room has a table and chairs and a fixed queen bed.

The bed side from the back. Note the seven visible pillows–there’s one more in the closet.

A closer view of the fixed queen…

…and of the art above it.  Just with this, these refurbed All-Stars Movies rooms have more Disney theming than any other value resort rooms except refurbed Pop rooms and the Little Mermaid rooms in Art of Animation…and there’s more to come.

Another feature of this refurbed All-Star Movies room is space under the bed for storing your suitcases.  There’s 14.5 inches of clearance, which will fit most rolly bags. I stuck mine in sideways to show how much clearance there is.

There’s a table with a cubby below and power points above between the bed and bath wall…

…and another between the bed and table.

The distinctive feature of this room is the fold down bed, found behind this table and chairs.

Stack the chairs in the corner…

…pull the two handles, and the table disappears and this bed replaces it.

Nephews also appear.

I measured the fold-down bed as 59 inches by 79 inches–just an inch short on both dimensions of being a queen, but it’s so much larger than a full (which would be 54″ by 74″) that none can quibble at calling it a queen.

The mattress is a full 12 inches deep–as deep as that of the fixed queen. This bed is entirely appropriate for adults, and in fact adults might prefer it, as they can put the kids in the fixed queen and use the table until they themselves are ready for sleep.

There is yet another table and cubby and power point between the fold-down bed and outer wall.

The addition of the queen-sized beds and coffeemaker is a clear win, as is the safe,  the shower head, the sliding solid door to the bath area, and the make-up mirror. The loss of the table when both beds are down is a bit of a pain, but as noted there are a couple of work-arounds–e.g. putting the table users in that bed.

And I know I repeat myself, but queen beds and a coffee maker wildly improve the livability of these rooms.

THEMED AREAS AT DISNEY’S ALL-STAR MOVIES RESORT

This review continues here.

TOPICS IN THIS REVIEW OF DISNEY’S ALL-STAR MOVIES RESORT

• Overview of All-Star Movies
• Photo Tour of a Refurbed Room at All-Star Movies
• The Themed Areas at All-Star Movies
• Amenities at All-Star Movies
• The Pools at All-Star Movies

OTHER KEY PAGES FOR WHERE TO STAY AT DISNEY WORLD

• Where to stay–the Basics
• Where first-timers should stay
• Reviews of all the Disney World resorts, based on my 150+ stays in them

Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Twitter or Pinterest!!