Holiday Inn Orlando - Disney Springs® Area by IHG

The birthday balloons in the room were a really nice touch, and everyone I spoke with was pleasant. We were also very close to Disney Springs. Still, service felt inconsistent. At check-in nobody mentioned basic details like checkout time, complimentary drinks, pool hours or how the shuttle worked. I think a hotel should anticipate what guests need to know, since you may not know what questions to ask. The noise was my biggest issue. I chose a balcony room because the photos looked relaxing, and deliberately avoided a pool view in case it was loud. Instead, the room overlooked the highway, and traffic was very noisy even with the door closed. I’m a light sleeper, so I didn’t get a good night’s rest despite being on the 14th floor. If you’re a light sleeper, I’d call ahead and make sure you don’t get a highway-facing room.

The quiet and the walk to Disney Springs were the only things I really liked. For nearly $300 with parking, I could have stayed at a discounted moderate resort, or even a value resort, and I wouldn’t choose this hotel again for a Disney trip. We only stayed one night because I extended our trip and couldn’t add a night to our Disney stay. Never again. The room was worn and outdated. The mattresses sagged, there were mold spots in the bathroom, and the carpet was coming up. The old microwave had a timer, and the mini fridge wasn’t cold at first. There weren’t any suitcase carts. Bell services offered to help with our bags, but they were busy when we arrived and we needed to get into the room to rest. Everything else was a hard pass. Go to a Disney value or moderate resort for the same or less.

We only stayed one night, but the extra charges left a sour taste. We paid $178, then got a surprise $98 for parking and resort fees, plus $50 for two breakfasts. I thought breakfast was included, but it was almost $25 per person. We felt nickel and dimed, and nothing at the hotel was that great. We’ve stayed at Drury before and had a much better experience. The elevators felt like a ride on Tower of Terror, dropping and rising quickly instead of moving smoothly. Once, the elevator opened on the maintenance-room side, and we weren’t sure how to open the other side. The hallways smelled like old cigarette smoke. The pool and hot tub were nice. The sprinklers kept spraying from the pool, which I didn’t care for, but it wasn’t a deal breaker. The hotel is near Disney Springs, but there are so many other nearby hotels that I wouldn’t choose this one again.

The hotel is a very nice option at about half the price of a Disney hotel, and it’s around a 10 minute walk to Disney Springs. Rooms are large, with a mini fridge, microwave and coffee/tea maker. They supply two bottles of water each day, and we got two vouchers for drinks at the bar. The pool area was clean and very nice, and the reserved bus service to the parks was convenient. There are also vending machines with snacks and pharmacy items. We had a balcony room, but sitting in the chair meant facing a concrete wall. Some balconies have railings and a view, though most had concrete walls. A pool view has another tradeoff: you can hear kids yelling until the pool closes around 11 p.m. It didn’t bother us, but it could bother others. The restaurant only serves breakfast, and the sole option is a $24.99 buffet. A smaller choice like an egg sandwich would have been welcome. We had to leave the hotel to find a light bite, and Disney Springs doesn’t open until 9 a.m., so on early park mornings we didn’t eat until we got there.