The Best Off-Site Hotels Near Disney World (Resorts Gal Recommended)

Let’s face it. There are times when you may need to stay in an off-site hotel while visiting Walt Disney World. These instances may range anywhere from meeting your budget to the need for more space than a hotel room can provide.

Lately, with the demand for travel shifting from one extreme to the next, it might even be hard to find room availability at the Disney World Resort Hotels.

This review will look at the best off-site hotels near Disney World. These are strictly Resorts Gal’s recommendations from our many years of travel to the Walt Disney World Resort.

We’ve covered a good deal of ground at Disney and in the surrounding Orlando area in those years. I’ll be the first to admit that I used to be a bit of a snob to the idea of staying off-site.

Back then, staying off Disney property was something we did only out of necessity. And then something changed.

My friend had a week-long timeshare that she needed to move for a reasonable price. The timeshare was at a resort called The Fountains on International Drive. Since it was such a good offer, I decided to reserve it.

To make sure we had enough time “on Disney property,” I planned a long four-day weekend at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge on the front end of our stay.

And to wrap things up, we spent a week at Disney’s Yacht Club on the back end. I wasn’t willing to give up my vacation time at Disney.

Related: Disney’s Yacht Club Review

My idea was that we would do non-Disney things while we were off-site. Then we would do Disney things while we were on the property.

I don’t think I anticipated having such a lovely week in Orlando. But we did.

(Last Updated: April 27, 2022)

The thing is, the Orlando area has tons of beautiful resorts and hotels. Most of the larger resorts have so much to offer that you might never leave the hotel during the entirety of your stay.

At the end of the week, you’ll head home feeling rested and like you took a vacation. That’s one of the great things about a city like Orlando, which relies primarily on tourism. It creates competition, and that competition is to gain your business.

Many of these off-site hotels have acquired locations near Disney World due to the overflow of guests visiting the area. You may or may not be aware, but Orlando averaged over 70 million visitors per year a few short years ago.

I don’t know about you, but that number is a little hard for me to wrap my head around. Nevertheless, Orlando is the most visited city in the entire United States.

Taking these things into consideration, I decided to put my resources together. And this article has not been a simple task to complete.

I’ve been working on this piece for quite some time. Additionally, I return here frequently to update hotels based on recent experiences.

For starters, what off-site resorts should I share with you? Only the nicest, more expensive ones? Or perhaps the hotels within proximity to the theme parks? The list goes on and on.

Ultimately, I decided to put our recommendations for the best off-site Disney World Hotels into sections:

Budget-Friendly
Best All-Around
High End (The really expensive ones.)

The resorts below are ranked similar to the different categories of Disney Resorts. For instance, the high-end hotels are comparable to a deluxe resort at Disney. Some will be nicer.

Budget-friendly resorts are somewhat comparable to a Disney value. These resorts will offer the best price but are still clean and convenient to Disney in location.

And the best all-around won’t be the cheapest, nor the highest. These hotels are somewhere in the middle. I guess that’s comparable to a Disney moderate.

Now let’s take a look at each of the selections.

Best Off-Site Hotels Near Disney World

As we begin looking at these hotels, you’ll want to know that my number one factor is location. All of the resorts on this list will be within a reasonable distance of the Disney Parks.

This is a Walt Disney World vacation, after all. You don’t want to spend 30 minutes to an hour driving each morning and evening while on vacation.

Other factors include safety, cleanliness, and amenities for guests. While it’s challenging to be the judge of safety anywhere these days, there are places where I wouldn’t stay.

Since I’m in Orlando so often, I ride by and prescreen hotels before deciding whether or not to visit them. Unfortunately, many hotels look nice on paper but have less than desirable locations.

Here is the list of best off-property resorts in the order we will cover them:

Springhill Suites Orlando at Flamingo Crossings
Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista at Disney Springs
Bahama Bay Resort by Vacasa
Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace at Disney Springs
Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek
Wyndham Grand Orlando Bonnet Creek
Caribe Royale
The Fountains Resort
Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress
Waldorf Astoria Orlando
Four Season Resort Orlando

We’ll start with budget-friendly off-site hotels.

Springhill Suites Orlando at Flamingo Crossings

The first resort I want to share with you is our go-to budget-friendly hotel. This hotel is extremely close to Walt Disney World.

How close? You can see Mickey and Minnie Mouse greeting you in the distance when you pull out of the hotel’s gates onto Western Way.

Now, that’s close. Western Way dead-ends into Buena Vista at Coronado Springs Resort for reference. So you’ll be within about five minutes drive of the Animal Kingdom.

This Spring Hill Suite offers complimentary breakfast in the mornings. You’ll find a few hot items like bacon and oatmeal, cereal, fresh fruit, yogurt, coffee, and orange juice.

It’s not going to be a five-star breakfast, but you aren’t paying a five-star price either. I feel like this is the kind of thing that dads love, am I right?

Another perk is that there are no resort fees at this hotel. And parking is included!

It’s a shame we have reached a time when we can say that the lack of something is a perk. But if you’ve faced any of these high fees before, you likely understand.

This particular Springhill Marriott does have a theme park shuttle available at an extra cost. Unfortunately, while I’ve stayed here a few times, I haven’t taken advantage of the service.

My best recommendation is to take a car service to and from the hotel or drive to the parks yourself.

Probably my favorite thing about this off-site hotel is its rooms. It almost seems contradictory that when you pay less, you get more. But that is the case here.

The rooms are large and include a separate sitting area. Not only that, they come with amenities like a microwave and mini-fridge.

While you get a mini-fridge at a Disney World Resort, you do not get a microwave unless you stay in a deluxe villa resort.

The large rooms feel tremendous compared to a standard hotel room, and we enjoy the extra space. Here is a photo of a standard room.

Looking back over the years, we’ve probably stayed here 4-5 times and have always received excellent service. You might remember that I’ve mentioned this hotel before because we often do a split stay here before moving over to Disney,

Related: Split Stays at Disney World

In addition, Flamingo Crossings has several other options for hotels. If you can’t find room availability at our recommended choice, here are the alternatives:

However, we have not personally stayed at these hotels:

Home2 Suites by Hilton
Residence Inn by Marriott

Since I initially wrote this article, I’ve stayed at the newer Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott at Flamingo Crossings. This is an excellent option and we now have a full resort review available.

The Springhill Suites has a sister hotel next door that shares amenities. That hotel is the Towneplace Suites at Flamingo Crossings.

While we didn’t have a terrible time, I didn’t feel it was a nice enough option to add to the best off-site Disney World Hotels list.

The review is available below, and it might be a good option for a pet-friendly hotel.

Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista (Disney Springs)

Our next option for budget-friendly off-site hotels is Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista at Disney Springs. We’ve stayed at this resort several times and have found it a good value.

Since the resort is located across the street from Disney Springs, you can easily access the shopping, dining, and entertainment venue. Check out our dining guide for Disney Springs if you stay nearby.

It was a bit of a hassle to cross the street to get to Disney Springs a while back. However, in recent years an elevated footbridge was added. So now the short walk is a breeze.

This Hilton has several other amenities that made us include it in the best off-site hotels list. This hotel participates in early theme park benefits at Disney World, for starters.

Guests of select hotels can receive an extra 30 minutes in the parks each morning before regular guests. An additional 30 minutes ahead of the crowds puts you at a good advantage for touring.

Additionally, this hotel offers continuous free transportation via shuttle to the theme parks. Between being within walking distance to Disney Springs and offering several Disney perks the Hilton Lake Buena Vista is an excellent off-site hotel in the budget-friendly category.

In addition, Disney Springs has a few other budget-friendly options nearby. Since they are all official partners of the Walt Disney World Resort Hotels, I wanted to mention them.

The other Disney Springs hotels are as follows:

Wyndham Garden
Wyndham Lake Buena Vista
B Resort and Spa
Holiday Inn Orlando
Double Tree Suites by Hilton
Drury Plaza Hotel (Coming Soon)

Bahama Bay Resort by Vacasa

Bahama Bay Resort in Davenport is next on my list of best off-site hotels near Disney World for several reasons. We stay at this resort often when we are in the area for an extended period of time.

The location is exceptionally convenient to Disney property, shopping, and dining. In addition, the resort sits on beautiful Lake Davenport.

A tremendous soccer and recreation park is located up the street.

Many of the units here are owned by individuals. So you might end up in a completely updated unit or something dated. We’ve had both.

However, all the units we’ve stayed at here have been immaculate and suitable for a long-term stay.

The resort has two feature pool areas. Additionally, they have a suitable gym and a scenic walking trail.

Make sure to walk out to the lake right around sunset.

Oh, and the community is gated. A security guard at the front entrance allows guests in and out.

Most of the surrounding area around the property is undeveloped, making the resort feel like a private escape.

Bahama Bay is a beautiful, budget-friendly resort for anyone looking for more space and the conveniences of home.

This next set of hotels will fall in the middle of our budget-friendly and higher-end hotels near Disney World. These hotels will hopefully provide the best of both worlds without extreme expense.

Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace (Disney Springs)

Our first stop in this group is the Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace at Disney Springs. It is not to be confused with the option we covered above (Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista). The palace Hilton is a step up from the Lake Buena Vista hotel.

Like its sister resort across the street, the hotel is within walking distance of Disney Springs. Guests can take the elevated walking path over to access dining and shopping.

This Hilton does offer scheduled transportation to the Disney Parks. You can view the schedule here. However, I don’t recommend using a shuttle service when staying off-site.

Additionally, this resort participates in the early theme park benefit as well. Guests staying here can access the theme parks 30 minutes early during Walt Disney World’s 50th-anniversary celebration.

As for Buena Vista Palace, expect various rooms, from standard rooms to island suites and tower suites.

The Buena Vista Palace’s pool, the Float Lagoon, is a zero-entry pool that provides a lazy river for guests to float around. Floats are complimentary.

*Image Courtesy Hilton Buena Vista Palace*

In addition, the hotel has a nice fitness center for those who might want to get a workout or two in on vacation.

Plan a full resort day if you decide to stay here!

Additionally, you’ll want to know the resort fee is $35 per day here, and self-parking runs for $22 per day.

Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek

Our next stop for the best off-site hotels near Disney World is up the street from Disney Springs at the Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek. Be aware that this resort has recently added the Signia name.

Additionally, this Hilton is a partner of the Waldorf Astoria, which means they share amenities. Since the resorts have excellent pool complexes, this is a nice bonus.

However, they are both on the more expensive side.

I am under the impression that Signia and Waldorf are trying to compete with the newly opened JW Marriott Bonnet Creek. The JW Marriott and Waldorf Astoria are included in our higher-end off-site hotels further down.

We love the Signia by Hilton because of the spacious guest rooms and views of Disney property. The Bonnet Creek hotels are relatively new and only a few blocks away from the Epcot Resorts Area.

The Signia has several positives and offers an expensive hotel feeling without the price. My only complaint is that the resort and parking fees are outrageous.

If you find a good deal for this hotel, factor those costs into the rate. Usually, you’ll pay the room fee online, and they’ll add the extra charges upon check-in.

Self-parking runs $30 per day (valet is $40), and you’ll need to park in their parking garage out front. Make sure to drop your bags off at the front before checking in here.

Additionally, the resort fee is a whopping $45, one of the highest around.

Don’t get me wrong; this Hilton is a fantastic resort with good dining options, shops, and the pool area is something to write home about.

Think lazy river, water slides, and hot tubs. Just don’t forget to account for all the extra costs in advance.

In addition, this resort offers complimentary continuous private Mears transportation to the Disney theme parks. This service is similar to Disney’s Swan and Dolphin bus transportation.

Additionally, Signia provides transportation at an extra cost via Mears to and from the Orlando International Airport. There is a pricing guide here on their website.

Since this resort is an official partner of the Walt Disney World Resort, you’ll have the advantage of Disney’s early theme park entry. (This is the program that replaced extra magic hours.)

Wyndham Grand Orlando Bonnet Creek

One of our newest additions to this article is the Wyndham Grand Orlando. Of course, a stay at this resort is a no-brainer. I am ashamed to admit that I was unfamiliar with this property until recently.

The Wyndham sits directly across the street from the Signia by Hilton and offers various room types. You can stay in the main hotel, the Grand Orlando, or look into renting a timeshare at one of the surrounding towers.

They all make up the Wyndham Vacation Club.

In addition, guests of the hotel or timeshare units have access to all the different pools, lazy rivers, and other recreation offered at the resort.

The downside? There is a daily resort fee and parking charges. I have an extensive review of the Wyndham listed below if you are interested in learning more.

Additionally, we have a separate article covering the different pool areas at Wyndham’s Bonnet Creek Resort.

If you enjoy pool-hopping, this is the resort for you!

Caribe Royale

Next up, we have another hotel our family has frequented, Caribe Royale. You may or may not have heard of Caribe Royale. This popular off-site hotel near Disney World has been in the media lately because of its remodel.

Unfortunately, Resorts Gal hasn’t had the opportunity to visit since the updates. But given we loved the hotel just the way it was, I can’t imagine it falling off our best list.

I’ll be the first to admit that we stayed here several years back because of the reasonable pricing for the amenities. Caribe Royale is a beautiful resort with spacious rooms that provide separate sitting areas.

Again, the spacious rooms at most of these best hotels are a big plus compared to Disney Resort Hotels. We also liked that there was a separate door between the bedroom and living area.

The layout offers plenty of space for multiple people to get ready in private. That’s not common in the average hotel room.

Caribe Royale is located on World Center Drive, the same road that leads straight to Disney’s Magic Kingdom. So it takes less than 10 minutes to travel by car to the most magical place on earth.

In addition, this resort is relatively close to local dining and shopping. You’re only a few minutes away from the Vineland Premium Outlets. Tip: Go early through the week. NEVER go on a Saturday!

Also, International Drive sits less than a block past the resort. So, if you are touristy, you can take a trip down International Drive through the heart of Orlando.

You’ll go by Sea World, downtown, the convention center, past the Orlando Eye, and then end up around the Universal Orlando Resort.

Unfortunately, Caribe Royale does have resort and parking fees like most resorts. The resort fee ($25.00) and the parking charge ($18.00). We found it challenging to find a parking space near the room in the past.

If you’re a single parent or are traveling alone with small children, there is another factor you might consider. Often, children will fall asleep on the car ride back to the hotel. Then, depending on where you have to park, it could be a long walk to get back to your room.

While parking was never a deal-breaker for us, we did encounter this issue on more than one occasion when my son was younger.

Additionally, this off-site hotel does have a shuttle service to Disney. And the pool bar dining option has consistently been above average in our experiences.

Speaking of the pool, Caribe Royale is another hotel worth planning a full resort day. The pool area has a grotto with a waterfall feature and a fun water slide.

The Fountains Resort

Another resort in our best off-site Disney World hotels (all-around) category is The Fountains Resort, a Blue Green Vacation property. The Fountains is located on International Drive.

The resort is about 5 minutes past Caribe Royale, depending on traffic. Since we’re talking “near Disney,” this is as far out as I would go location-wise.

We have stayed at The Fountains multiple times since our initial visit. However, on our first visit, we stayed in a penthouse suite that offered views of Sea World.

We could see fireworks in the distance at night. That condo was terrific and would make an excellent option if you’re looking for something to accommodate a large group.

On our last visit, we stayed in a smaller two-bedroom condo, which was more than enough space for us. In addition, we enjoyed having a full kitchen available to prepare meals on extended stays.

The grounds of this resort are beautiful, and it sits on Lake Eve. There’s even an excellent jogging trail along the lake, and the recreational areas are tremendous.

As far as pools go, The Fountains Resort has multiple outdoor feature pools. Pictured below is the partially indoor pool located off the back of the resort’s main lobby.

If you know someone that owns a timeshare, check with them on pricing. Most timeshare owners can sell vacations independent of their points.

The resort fee here is typically minimal and covers parking for one vehicle. It’s usually around $15.00 per day.

While we’ve looked at some charming resorts in this review, we’ve yet to cover the actual luxury resorts near Disney World. The following selections are the hotels that offer high-end amenities with an expensive price tag.

Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress

Our first high-end resort is at the top of my list, the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress. If you were to look on a map, this resort is located northeast of Disney Springs.

The Hyatt sits on over 1500 acres offering a Jack Nicklaus signature-designed golf course, tennis courts, spa, and recreation area. In addition, the massive pool area features a winding waterway that travels through a cave.

This Hyatt has a waterslide, rock-climbing wall, bicycle rentals, trails, and more! This resort is charming and captured my heart most unexpectedly.

I can only imagine a stay here will be just as pleasant for you.

*Image Courtesy Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress*

The resort provides a shuttle service to and from Disney Springs in the evening. In addition, there is a limited shuttle service available to the parks.

While I’m not a fan of high resort fees ($42.75), the Hyatt provides a good bit of on-site activities. You can read them all here. In addition, self-parking runs $25.00 per day.

Grand Cypress has many things going for it, and it’s truly a resort that keeps you wanting to spend time there.

If you’re looking for a relaxing vacation with a little Disney here and there, you’ll want to consider this hotel.

You’ll enjoy full resort days, a little shopping and dining, and a couple of days at the theme parks. Now that sounds like a fun vacation!

Since my stay here last Fall, I have thought about this hotel fondly. I look forward to staying here again in the future.

Waldorf Astoria Orlando

We head back to Bonnet Creek as we approach the end of our best off-site Disney world hotel list. Of course, anyone who books a stay at the Waldorf Astoria will likely be pleased.

As discussed earlier, the Bonnet Creek hotels are surrounded by Disney property on three sides, making all the hotels close to Disney Parks.

Additionally, the Waldorf Astoria is on the list of hotels eligible for early theme park benefits.

As for the Waldorf Astoria, you can expect plenty of amenities. The resort has an 18-hole golf course with a par 72 score.

While the Waldorf does have a glamorous pool area, guests of the resort are permitted access to the lazy river immediately next door at the Hilton Signia.

*Image Courtesy Waldorf Astoria Orlando*

One of the other popular things at this resort is the spa. They offer a Himalayan Salt Therapy room and massages, among other things. Guests can purchase different packages and enjoy breathing in the fresh, healing salt air while relaxing.

The Waldorf Astoria Orlando has a daily resort fee of $45.00. The resort fee includes private Mears Coach transportation to the theme parks, complimentary golf club rentals after 2:00 p.m., and access to practice facilities.

Ensure that you check if any special discounts are included with the resort fee. For example, sometimes they offer 20% off spa treatments.

Additionally, you can reserve Mears transportation to and from the Orlando International Airport for an extra cost.

JW Marriott Bonnet Creek

As for Bonnet Creek, there is one more resort option, the JW Marriott. This resort is definitely high-end and we enjoyed a recent visit.

This hotel provided the best experience I’ve had to date in the Walt Disney World area. Make sure to check out our full review.

Additionally, this JW Marriott is included in our Best Marriott Hotels near Disney World article.

Four Seasons Resort Orlando

Our last resort for the best off-site Disney World hotels is also the most exclusive option. It’s none other than the Four Seasons Orlando Resort. While I haven’t had a chance to stay at this particular Four Seasons, I am familiar with the brand and can offer a few details about this luxury hotel.

The Four Seasons Orlando is located in Disney’s Golden Oak community, which is considered Disney property. Different room views are available at the resort, including park views (fireworks), Golden Oak views, and lake views.

*Image Courtesy Four Seasons Resort Orlando*

The Four Season has numerous dining options, including signature dining at Ravello. In addition, Ravello hosts a special character breakfast with Goofy and Pals on Saturday mornings.

This character meal has a photographer present to capture memories for guests. Again, this is not standard for regular Disney World character restaurants.

In addition, the resort provides complimentary luxury motor coach transportation to the theme parks. The Four Seasons participates in early theme park benefits as well.

Four Seasons Orlando is well-known for its par 71 championship golf course designed by Tom Fazio. And the resort has its own Explorer’s Island featuring a lazy river, water play area, and other fun aquatic features.

One of the pools at the resort has an infinity edge overlooking the lake. I feel it’s hard to go wrong with this best off-site Disney World hotel.

Additionally, there is no resort fee at the Four Seasons Orlando.

Final Thoughts on the Best Off-Site Hotels Near Disney World

Wrapping things up, I hope you found this review helpful in locating some of the best off-site hotels near Disney World. Orlando is a wonderful place to vacation, and it doesn’t hurt that multiple theme parks have made their home in the area.

As time goes on, I anticipate adding more hotels to this review. If you are researching a specific hotel that isn’t on our list, feel free to ask about it in the comments.

Or join us in The Resorts Gal Lounge here on Facebook. We are working to build a community where you can find out the latest information on Disney World Resorts, specific details about hotels, and provide helpful information about the Orlando area.

If you are interested in staying at a Disney World Resort, you can view our complete list of reviews here.

You might also like to browse our review of Orange Lake in the Kissimmee area. That resort is tremendous and is an excellent option if your family plans to spend a good deal of time at the pool.

Leave a comment below and share your thoughts on our list of best off-site hotels near Disney World. Have you stayed at any of these? Are any of them at the top of your list?