WDW Good Neighbor Hotels Q?

[foolishmortal83]

Hello everyone!
I am getting ready to book my flight & Hotel package through hotwire.com And to save money i'm thinking of staying @ a Disney Good Neighbor Hotel. And I chose the Ramada Gateway Hotel which is right up the road from disney. Free transportation to the disney world resort...has anyone stayed at this resort before? I need to know if i'm making a good decision on my hotel choice. I've chosen this one because of the price and convenience of how close it is to the parks. I usually stay IN disney @ the moderate resorts, but with the economy the way it has been...I think saving a little money wouldn't hurt.

Thanks!!

[foolishmortal83]

I was wondering if someone could tell me what kind of shuttle service they use, ie; motor coach or just a van...very curious, i will be booking soon, and this is an issue i'll have if it's not a bus like disney resorts use.

[DizneyRox]

Last time I stayed at one (which was a long time ago), it was an actual bus. But they drop off in the middle of the parking lots. At MK this means TTC.

We ended up taking a bus back to DTD and walking most of the time, it was really inconvenient to use their shuttles.

[HoosierDisneyFan]

I have never stayed at the hotel you have mentioned, but I would review the transportation offered at the hotel. I have heard several complaints about "off World" transportation. Most families seem to give up and drive their own cars. This will add a daily parking fee to you overall cost.

I truly understand about needing to save $$ due to the economy but the time lost in waiting for transportation (& possibility the added cost of daily parking) may be reason to reconsider. Maybe Disney value resort? Also you could save by using the Magical Express service to get to your hotel from the airport (no rental car / taxi / shuttle service needed).

[foolishmortal83]

thanks for the info. and i just noticed that disney has posted their rates on their website now for 2011. I might just go ahead and stay @ a value resort or moderate depending on prices around june 2011. i know going through hotwire.com or websites like that will help a little with a discount, so we'll see how that goes. i think i'd feel more comfortable staying somewhere IN the WDW resort. Do you know when they might post rates for summer 2011 on hotwire or websites like that?

btw...love the "hoosier" name...i'm from indiana myself!

[LynneM]

You won't find transportation like Disney's at any offsite hotel, Good Neighbor or not. It varies from hotel to hotel, of course, but buses/vans from offsite hotels generally drop off at the TTC, and you then catch a Disney bus to the park you wish to visit. When you want to return, you take a bus back to the TTC and meet your hotel's transportation there.

Call the hotel to find out how their transportation works, and be sure to ask how frequently it runs. Some places will just do a dropoff in the morning at TTC, and then one pickup in the evening. If you want to go to the parks later, or return earlier, you'll need to catch a cab.

Personally, I would never stay off-site without a rental car.