Staying “Deluxe” On and Off Disney Property

I recently read a post on a great site I follow, The Disney Blog, entitled Top Five Disney Hotels for Adults. Unfortunately, this post assumes that adults traveling to Walt Disney World® without children have the funds to stay at Disney deluxe resorts. Four of the five choices cited in this post are Walt Disney World Resort Deluxe accommodations – pricey to say the least. I will admit to being a bit of a resort/hotel snob and I fully agree with the choices for resorts in this post. But and this is a big BUT – my pocketbook does not allow me to stay at these resorts regularly. Unfortunately, because I travel to WDW so often this is not something I can do. If I visited once a year – without a doubt, I would only be unpacking my bags at the Grand Floridian, the Polynesian or any of the resorts along Disney’s Boardwalk. Since I end up in Orlando at least every 6 or 8 weeks, I have had to get used to Disney’s moderate resorts (one of which made the list in the above article). Staying at Disney’s deluxe resorts comes with a steep price. Yes, they are all conveniently located, have great restaurants and service but unless you intend to spend a large amount of time at your resort, is it really worth $500+ per night?

I have learned over time that I can easily stay at a deluxe resort only minutes from the parks for a fraction of Disney’s deluxe rates. My favorites in the area (and literally 5 minutes from the parks) are the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress and Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek. Both offer transportation to and from the parks, and both have outstanding restaurants, lounges, service and pools, and both offer DELUXE accommodations for the adult traveler at the same cost of a moderate resort on Disney property. There are others in the area – Waldorf Astoria (connected to Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek by convention center) for example, however, the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress and the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek are my favorites. Even if these resorts are “sold out” they never feel crowded or over-run with little ones. At the end of the day, both offer an “away from it all” resort feeling for adults to enjoy. As an example, the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress is currently running a summer special through September with a $179 per night price (Disney’s Port Orleans moderate resorts are the same cost or sometimes higher).  

If you are planning an adults only trip – or even planning a trip with the kids – I would recommend staying at one of these resorts. The Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress and the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek both regularly offer discounted specials that make these deluxe accommodations so affordable, you may never go back to a value or moderate resort on Disney property again!