Disney! Villa or moderate hotel?

[Mosschops30]

Can't decide! Travelling alone with dcs
The hotels look pretty shit mostly
Can't afford Disney hotel

Any recommendations?

Will you be driving when there? If you can afford even the cheapest of the Disney hotels, you get to use the free bus service to get about the parks/water parks so is a good option if not driving. Most non-Disney hotels have their own free shuttles but they are more restrictive in when you can get about. I don't know anything about villas though so can't comment.

We prefer villas - we prefer to self cater as the portions are massive and there's too much burger/steak/ribs and chips unless you go looking for something different and we can't be bothered/can't afford to do that.

We don't like sharing a room with our kids, they take much longer to go to sleep and that rules out hotels too until we can afford adjoining rooms.

Having said that, if I was going alone I would pick a hotel with good bus connections as I wouldn't want to drive on the left, other than that driving is easy, spaces are wide, cars are slower, routes fairly simple.

Sadly even the all star resorts are coming in at £4k with no tickets or dining included.

Are there other options? Cheap websites? Or hotels that are cheap but nice?
I'm not a nervous driver but no sure the fuel, insurance, parking costs will make it as cheap as i think a villa and car will be

When are you planning on going? If you can afford to wait before booking you will be able to get a deal on the Disney hotels, which will include dining and transport.

We always book when they have the free dining offers, and staying in a moderate hotel works out much cheaper than staying offsite as it is basically an all-inclusive holiday.

We are going at Easter I can't find anything reasonable in Disney

Oh Easter is very busy for Disney, and the offers for this Easter would have been out a long time ago.

Yes I know

We've stayed at a studio 6 last year - it was about £28/night and had two double beds and a kitchen area with fridge/freezer, microwave, hob and all pans/utensils and table and chairs. You can make florida as cheap or expensive as you want to. Try looking on ebookers for indirect flights and car hire. How old are the children?

Kids are 17, 9 and 4
Im so sick of looking at it all, its no fun and i normally love holiday planning

Villa, no contest. I would never go back to a hotel. Every villa we have stayed in has been amazing, and its so nice to be able to chill out by your own pool.

Even with the car and all that entails, still cheaper than most hotels, and just sooooooo much better as well.

I can get a Disney all star resort for £3100
Which is the same price as villa with pool heating.

So on top of villa I have to factor in car and fuel

Considering the budget Disney hotel. I wish it was cheaper I'd budgeted £4k but looks like I was way off the mark

Don't forget parking - about $15 per day for non-Disney guests.

we have stayed in a couple of villas both near to Disney and also good for universal which is so much better for kids 10/11+ (not sure how old yours are) we stayed at sunset lakes the first time and then a bit further out here the second one was definitely cheaper and not really that far to drive tbh probably around 25 mins max. but nearer universal. comes out at about £775 per week which I think is v reasonable and has UK owners. huge pool, lake view, Jacuzzi, 5 bedrooms at Hampton Lakes. a lot cheaper than £3100. PM me if you want more details.

The £3100 includes flights no just the villa.
Flights alone are just over £2k so it's not looking cheaper to book it like that

Can highly recommend the Lake Buena Vista Resort and Spa - stayed there twice now - check out the reviews on TripAdvisor

I have been looking at pricing a stay at a Disney hotel, we have 3 kids too and I'm coming to the conclusion that you can't beat a villa + car combo for price (obviously you can with a non disney hotel). Petrol wise, we just stayed two weeks, the car came with a full tank and we topped up once $30, about £20. We were in a villa on the 27 and did one long drive to Leogland, other than that we drove to a park each day.

Hilton Bonnet creek is very near Disney and has a free shuttle bus. Lovely room with 2 doubles was about $160 per night. Fab hotel and beats the crap outta Disney hotels for value. There are gazillions of rentals in the immediate area tho & entry to the parks is cheaper the longer you're staying. It's pretty much the same price for a week long pass as a one day pass. Disney is so much fun (I took some convincing) you'll have a blast!

I think you're right
With park tickets, villa, flights, car and pool heating I'm looking at about £5200

What about Lake Buena Vista? We're staying at Hilton Bonnet Creek but it's quite dear (our last holiday for a while!), there are cheaper hotels near Downtown Disney - walking distance, you can then use Disney transport to get to Disney transport hub.

When are you flying and where from? And how long? I love googling disney hols :)

We went in 2012, 2 adults 1 child, approx 3.2k for flights, hotel, tickets, transfers

Just found on thomson - 2 weeks flying from Birmingham, 27 march, staying at clarion LBV, incl disney tickets & universal tickets, transfers to and from airport for just over £4k - doesn't include food though! Hotel runs shuttles to disney and universal, has 3.5/5 on tripadvisor.

Villa. We went last summer and stayed in a villa - I much preferred self-catering and having our own space. Even the tiniest of villas have pools. Unless it's going to be cold, don't bother with paying for pool heating. We went in July this time but have previously been in April and didn't pay for pool heating either time.

roughty easter is 17th april this year so march no good.
Am considering august now

Sorry - was just going by scottish school hols - we break up end of March for Easter hols!

We got our lovely villas the last two times we went for £400 per week in August

This year £550 per week, works out much better for us