The resorts at Disney Springs recently received an unexpected upgrade. I’m not talking about onsite amenities or the like. Instead, I’m referencing a change in Walt Disney World policy. For the first time ever, these offsite resorts receive some of the same benefits as guests staying at official Disney resorts.
Guests at these seven Disney Springs hotels can link their reservations to My Disney Experience. Once they do, they receive special services such as a 60-day FastPass+ booking window and Extra Magic Hours access. Since these hotels are often significantly cheaper than official Disney resorts AND they have a great location, theme park tourists are more interested than ever before in staying at these properties. Today, let’s rank the Disney Springs resorts to decide which ones are the best and the greatest value.
7. Hilton Buena Vista Palace
Image: DisneyI’m going to use TripAdvisor rankings and multiple hotel price search sites for these rankings. What I’ll acknowledge upfront is that all of the Disney Springs resorts in question have a ranking of at least 3 ½ stars on TripAdvisor. Overall, they’re middling hotels with grades that reflect this mediocrity.
One of them is noticeably worse than the others, while two are clearly better. Out of those two, one lords above the rest as the clear choice for best property AND greatest value. You really can’t go wrong with any of these seven resorts, though. Nobody has a lousy hotel at Disney Springs. The opportunity cost on that is so savage it would be like throwing away money. Every property up for discussion provides a strong combination of location, price, and amenities.
Image: DisneyI say all of this to ease you into the conversation about the “worst” hotel that receives official Disney Springs resort benefits. The Hilton Buena Vista Palace has a grade of 3 ½ stars on TripAdvisor, and it’s only ranked 225th out of 343 hotel options in the greater Orlando area.
These numbers are clearly subpar, but the hotel costs a modest $157 per night at the time of publication. During peak season, its prices can and generally do go up dramatically, but the base rate of $157 isn’t much more than you’d pay for a good hotel in your own city. When you stay here, you’re likely to book a room with a balcony that provides a terrific view of the fireworks and some of the livelier parts of Disney Springs. There’s also a special Disney character breakfast on Sundays at this recently renovated resort. It’s solid value for your money.
6. Best Western Lake Buena Vista
Image: DisneyOne of the quirks of Walt Disney World involves third party hotels. Since corporations can make so much money through a steady flow of theme park tourist traffic, the properties close to the parks are of the highest quality.
I say all of this because I used to work in the hotel industry, and I know from experience that you’re likely making a face when you see the words “Best Western” as a hotel option. No, this isn’t the best brand in the industry. The hotel in question, on the other hand, is quite good. It’s an 18-story high-rise that towers above 12 acres of property. It has a lovely pool and gazebo sitting area, too.
Let’s be honest, though. The price is the primary selling point here. This Best Western costs only $101 a night to start, making it one of the lowest priced resorts in the area. It’s also a 3 ½ star property ranked 199th out of 343 hotels in Orlando. For $101 a night, you’re getting a LOT of value. The only knock is that it’s an aging resort that could use some renovations.
5. Wyndham Garden Lake Buena
Image: WyndhamThis hotel is an odd corollary to Best Western. Since space near key Walt Disney World locations is at a premium, some major hotel chains acquire properties that aren’t the best representation of the brand. It’s a transactional choice that’s also a cash grab.
When you stay here, you shouldn’t expect the usual Wyndham standards. If anything, it’s kind of motel-ish. Oddly, the lobby and other shared portions of the property are colorful and attractive. The rooms are nice as well. It’s simply the exteriors that are a bit…un-Wyndham.
Once you get past that, you’ll appreciate a lot about the property. It has a character breakfast three days a week, and the reviews are generally good. It’s rated four stars on TripAdvisor, although it’s still only 177th out of 343 Orlando hotels. In terms of value, however, it shines. This hotel currently lists at $89 a night on several major pricing services. That’s better than Disney’s All-Star Resorts for a location that’s at least as good. If budget is determinant, this is the place. Well, almost…
4. Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista
Image: DisneyHilton has three properties in this area, all of which are official Disney Springs resorts with benefits. The two with Hilton in the title are the height of mediocrity, while clearly the best one has a different brand name, even though Hilton owns it.
The Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista is a sprawling facility with 814 rooms and an amazing seven restaurants. That’s basically one restaurant for every 116 guests, which strikes me as overkill. I swear to you that one of them is a Benihana, too. Anyway, this resort is so generic that the official Disney Springs page for it doesn’t even list any distinctive selling points, only its logistics. They call it the closest resort to Disney Springs, which is something, I guess.
Overall, it’s a four-star property ranked 174th out of 343 Orlando hotels. This is what the middle ground looks like. The problem is that it costs $187 per night to start, the highest on this list. That makes it arguably the worst value of the Disney Springs options, even if it is ranked fourth out of seven on TripAdvisor.
3. B Resort & Spa
Image: DisneyI commend B Resort & Spa for its dedication in offering deals. I’m on about every Disney mailing list imaginable, and it seems like B Resort & Spa sponsors most of them. I suspect that they market this hard for a good reason. They have a competitive advantage in visuals. This resort is stylish, with a contemporary aesthetic that’s in stark contrast to the generic look of most other Disney Springs properties. It’s new and gorgeous, and the pictures will cause you to want to stay there.
The campus here is quite lovely, too. There’s a zero-entry pool that is breathtaking, and the rooms are spacious. Reviews suggest that it’s a noisy place with a lot of room issues. Perhaps that’s why it’s not ranked higher. This four-star property is 153rd out of 343. That’s obviously top three on this list, although I view it as a bit underwhelming given the competitive advantage of newness.
Despite the fact that it’s the freshest facility, B Resort & Spa won’t break your budget. Rooms currently start at $109. That’s good for any four-star hotel, much less one so close to Disney Springs. The catch is that it has one of those infernal nightly resort fees, and it’s a stiff one at more than $30 per night. When you shop for a Disney Springs hotel room, remember to research and account for nightly resort fees. They significantly impact overall room values.
The other factor to remember is that some hotels still charge for WiFi. This one doesn’t, which does counteract the nightly resort fee at least somewhat. Do your homework on what’s included at each place so that you know the all-in cost ahead of time. Alternately, change your phone plan so that you have WiFi with Mobile Hotspot enabled so that you don’t need the resort’s service.
2. DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando
Image: DisneyOkay, now we’re in the top tier. The next two hotels that we discuss are the class of Disney Springs according to TripAdvisor grading. DoubleTree Suites is the aforementioned third Hilton property on the list. This one is substantially better than the rest, with a four-star grade that’s on the cusp of 4 ½ stars. It’s also graded 128th out of 343 Orlando hotels.
Why do guests love DoubleTree so much? Well, every room is a suite, guaranteeing that you’ll have plenty of room. Families in particular rave over this property, presumably for this reason. At a cost of $147 a night, it’s a place where large families can stay comfortably in a great location without breaking the bank. That number seems even more impressive once we factor in that there’s no resort fee or WiFi access charge. That rate is what you’ll pay for rooms that comfortably sleep several.
I prefer the floorplans here over all the other Disney Springs properties. I also love the honest pricing, and it feels like the most Disney-like of resorts. You’ll find strong value at DoubleTree Suites, almost the best…
1. Holiday Inn Orlando
Image: Holiday InnOkay, let’s skip straight to it. This place is ranked 25th on TripAdvisor. As a point of comparison, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is ranked…23rd. What’s the difference in price between the two? You know that Grand Floridian isn’t cheap. Holiday Inn Orlando, on the other hand, costs a measly $119 per night.
You should be aware that it has a poorly advertised resort fee that has irritated many a guest. If not for that complaint, Holiday Orlando would rank even higher on TripAdvisor. Even with that aggravation, the hotel is the only Disney Springs resort that has also earned Certificate of Excellence status.
Image: Holiday InnWhat makes this resort so special? Reviews go out of their way to mention the kindness of the staff. It’s also a cool building design with an inward shape that accentuates the unique pool. The rooms are larger than normal, and many of them overlook the famed Disney Springs balloon called the Aerophile. It’s a marvelous place to relish the views of the proverbial springs at Disney Springs.
Out of all the resorts listed here, it’s the only one with a 4 ½ star grade on TripAdvisor, which is excellent. Given the cost, the location, and the glowing reviews, it seems like the clear choice for guests who want to stay near Disney Springs but don’t want to pay full Disney prices. Personally, I’d still recommend Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa if you can afford it. DVC points rental is a viable way to mitigate its expense to the range of these non-Disney properties. When you don’t want to pay that much, however, Holiday Inn Orlando is the best in terms of quality AND value.
