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Looking for a great place to stay during your Disney vacation that doesn’t come with an enormous price tag? Are you on the hunt for the best off-site hotel near Disney? In this post, I dish about all of the details on Holiday Inn Lake Buena Vista, our favorite off-site hotel that costs less than $100 per night!

Off-site Advantages

Though Disney offers a variety of resort options for guests to stay on property (along with some great perks, such as free transportation and Extra Magic Hours), there are also advantages to staying at an off-site hotel near Disney.

Lower costs, better availability, the ability to use reward points, and frequently larger rooms are four of the biggest factors.

Other people choose to stay off-site because they are interested in doing other things in Orlando outside of Disney World.

Whatever your reason, the following is a complete review of our stay at Holiday Inn Resort Orlando, Lake Buena Vista. We would highly recommend this off-site hotel near Disney for your next Orlando vacation!

*All of the opinions expressed in this review are my own. Neither I nor my travel party was endorsed by any organization in an offer to pay for our stay.

Our Off-Site Hotel Choice: Holiday Inn Resort Lake Buena Vista

Our family of 5, along with my parents, recently stayed at Holiday Inn Resort Lake Buena Vista for 6 nights.

Though not affiliated with Disney World, this off-site hotel near Disney is only a short 10-minute drive away (7 miles to be exact).

Our decision to stay off-site was an easy one as we could not justify the high price of staying at a Disney property. We had action-packed park plans for each day and knew that we would not be spending a lot of time in our room.

Likewise, we needed a room that can sleep 5, and Disney has very few affordable options for larger families.

Being that we were trying to be budget conscious on this vacation, staying at an off-site property is one way in which we made that possible.

By doing so, we literally saved hundreds, if not over one-thousand dollars on our Disney vacation.

Oversized chair at Holiday Inn

Cost of off-site hotels near Disney

When staying at a Disney World Resort property, guests choose between Value, Moderate, and Deluxe priced accommodations.

Value and Moderate Disney hotels range in price from $145-$400/night. This price does not include breakfast, parking, or other resort fees.

On the other hand, there are several off-site hotels that can be found for less than, or around, $100/night. Many of these affordable options are located within 15 minutes of Magic Kingdom.

When staying for several nights, you can see how the savings of staying at an off-site hotel near Disney will quickly add up.

Read here for a complete list of the 15 ways we saved big on our Disney vacation!

Booking Holiday Inn Resort Lake Buena Vista

Rooms at Holiday Inn Resort Lake Buena Vista are consistently found for less than or around $100/night.

We booked Holiday Inn Resort through Booking.com at a jaw-dropping $96/night.

You can lock into these amazing prices right here and save hundreds just like we did!

Booking.com

As you will see in our following review, the low cost is by no means reflected in the quality or amenities of this fantastic family-friendly resort.

Spacious Rooms

I do not use the word ‘spacious’ lightly.

When staying anywhere other than home for 6 nights, I need my space. Our ‘stuff’ needs its space.

When I first entered our standard guest room at Holiday Inn Resort, I was in awe by the gigantic size of our room. The standard guest room felt like a suite or other upgrade, and I happily questioned, “$96.00 a night?”

Our room included a small kitchen area completed with a mid-size refrigerator, Keurig coffee maker, microwave, countertop, and a table with 2 chairs.

Off site hotel near Disney guest room at Holiday Inn Resort

The bathroom was spacious as well with an extremely large vanity and open shelving for storing personal items.

To explore other guest room options that include suites with kid-size bunk beds, visit the Holiday Inn website.

Comfortable Beds

Having a comfortable bed will make-or-break getting a good night’s sleep.

Hands down, the triple-sheeted beds at Holiday Inn Resort were the most comfortable hotel beds that I have ever slept in.

If you look over other guest review platforms, you will find that many people comment on just how comfortable they are.

Let’s just say I didn’t mind settling in each night and waking up fully rested.

Cleanliness

Cleanliness is another huge factor in enjoying and feeling comfortable in your overnight accommodations.

We were extremely pleased with the cleanliness of both the guest room and the bathroom, as well as the grounds of the entire property.

Daily room cleaning service is provided and was adhered to with perfection.

There is just simply nothing to complain about when it came to the cleanliness of Holiday Inn Resort Lake Buena Vista.

Huge Pool Area

Off Site Disney hotel pool

Perhaps the best amenity of Holiday Inn Resort was the humongous outdoor pool area.

Complete with a heated pool, children’s splash park, and two whirlpools, this well-executed space includes plenty of things to do.

A ping pong table, pool table, corn hole game, and life-size Chess and Connect Four game provided additional poolside entertainment.

The ‘resort’ feel of this hotel was strengthened by the pool host who led games and activities throughout the day. Game tokens for the indoor arcade served as the prizes.

There was an ample amount of reclining lounge chairs, and several tables with chairs located poolside.

Finally, each evening at dusk a Disney movie is shown on a large projection screen that overlooks the pool.

Such a great way to end the day!

Friendly Staff

The friendly staff at Holiday Inn Resort all wear brightly colored Hawaiian shirts which make them easy to identify.

Check-in was a breeze and our request to upgrade to a poolside room was honored without question.

The front desk was helpful in answering questions related to directions and getting around the general area of the resort.

‘Service with a smile’ was clearly a motto here.

On-Site Restaurant With Tiki Bar

Enjoy classic American cuisine without leaving the hotel at the on-site Applebee’s.

This is a wonderful option on the day of arrival, or after a long day of touring the Disney parks.

Kids 12 and under eat free with a paying adult for breakfast and dinner, and room service is also available.

The full menu is available at Applebee’s Tiki Poolside Bar along with beer and cocktails.

Free Shuttle

There is no local area shuttle, but the hotel does have a scheduled shuttle to and from the theme parks.

The shuttle is actually a large bus, so there was never a problem getting a seat.

The shuttle service is covered by the daily resort fee of $21.95. It involves a non-stop transfer to the Magic Kingdom TTC in the morning, and a shared transfer that stops at other resorts on the return trip.

There is no direct access to Epcot, Animal Kingdom, or Hollywood Studios via the shuttle. Instead, you must transfer there from the Magic Kingdom TTC.

This does add several extra minutes to your transportation plan, so be sure to determine if this shuttle service is right for you.

Convenient Freeway Access

When staying at any off-site hotel near Disney, consider its proximity to Disney World, as well as the convenience of commuting there each day.

For guests who have a personal vehicle, the location of Holiday Inn Resort Lake Buena Vista is only 2 exits away from the Disney World entrances off of Interstate 4.

The convenient freeway access is a huge bonus and the commute to each of the theme parks takes less than 15 minutes.

Conclusion of our stay

Our stay at Holiday Inn Resort Lake Buena Vista far exceeded our expectations!

We were completely delighted by the welcoming atmosphere, convenient shuttle, close proximity to Disney, and all of the poolside entertainment and amenities.

Despite only getting to book 30-Day FastPasses+ due to staying off-site, the cost savings was an undeniable asset to making this vacation a success.

We loved our stay at Holiday Inn Resort Lake Buena Vista and would recommend it to others! Want to keep looking? Here is an amazing and comprehensive list (with reviews) of the best family resorts in Orlando.

Now, on to planning our next family adventure!

Do you have any questions about Holiday Inn Resort Lake Buena Vista? I’d be happy to answer them!

Jen

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1-Day Epcot Itinerary: A Perfect Family Touring Plan

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