What is it like at the newest hotel in Disney Springs: Drury Plaza Orlando

You probably don’t need me to tell you that the average stay at a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel can be quite expensive.

Even if you avoid the higher-end “luxury” resorts, which typically cost around $500 to $700 a night, mid-tier accommodations often exceed $300 a night. And if you dust off the pixie and ignore the theme and intimacy, let’s be honest: These are premium rates for fairly standard hotel rooms.

Of course, there are real advantages to being in the so-called Disney bubble. However, sometimes that cost is not on the (credit) card.

What if I told you I spent the latest night Disney Springs hotels in a busy spring break week for a total of $163? What if I also told you the inclusion rate Free hot breakfast, free afternoon popcorn and soda, evening hot food and six adult drinks? Every night.

Do I have your attention? Good. Let’s talk about the new Drury Plaza Orlando Hotel – Disney Springs.

Some Disney perks — no Disney prices

Disney Springs is Walt Disney World’s 120-acre dining and shopping destination, located on official Disney property but requires no admission and enjoyment.

In the Disney Springs area, you’ll find seven hotels from major hotel chains like Hilton Hotel, Vacation inn, Wyndham and now, Drury. When you stay at an official Disney Springs property, you typically pay much less than at a Disney-owned and operated resort, but you still get some of the Disney perks and proximity to major attractions. park.

For example, you can link your vacation to your Disney account and get into Disney theme parks 30 minutes earlier each morning when you stay at the Disney Springs hotel, just like you would at a resort owned by Disney. There’s also free shuttle service to Disney theme parks from Disney Springs hotels and access to on-site concierge and Disney tickets.

However, it is important to note that while you can access virtual queues and Option to ride Genie+ at 7 a.m. while staying at the Disney Springs hotel, you don’t have access at 7 a.m. to purchase separately priced Lightning Lanes for the newest and most popular attractions (such as Tron And Guardians of the Galaxy) unless you’re staying at an actual Disney-owned resort or on-site property Swan, dolphin and swan sanctuary.

Instead, when you stay at a Disney Springs property, you have to wait until the park’s official opening hours to try and purchase those individual attractions. And sometimes, for the latest rides, it’s too late.

Related: Walt Disney World Tour Guide

Lots of free, almost all-inclusive food

The Drury brand is perhaps extremely underrated when it comes to budget-friendly travel. The brand offers a free hot breakfast starting at 6 a.m. daily and a free “restart” evening from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. each night, including what they describe as “dinner snacks, cold drinks, beer, wine, mixed drinks and more.”

Drury Plaza Hotel Orlando also offers free soft drinks and popcorn for 4 hours in the afternoon. As someone who has used Disney prices for sodas and meals, I am absolutely shocked by how much is free at this hotel. In fact, a family can save more than $100 a day on food costs by staying here.

The rich breakfast includes scrambled eggs, pancakes, sausages, cookies, juice and more which they prepare and replenish right in front of you. Breakfast is served starting at 6 a.m., which is great for guests who want to “drop the ropes” in the Disney theme parks and take a few rides early in the morning before waiting times get too high.

On the evening I was there, the free nighttime options including baked potatoes, mixed vegetables, fettuccine and chicken… were pretty “generous” snacks. It’s not Michelin-worthy fare, but it’s also perfectly acceptable if you’re looking for a convenient way to fill your belly and save cash.

Related: These are the best restaurants at Disney World

Perhaps more surprising than all of that was the six free drink coupons I was given — every night. To be fair, this is probably a number for two, however, the half-dozen free drinks nightly are unmatched at any other hotel in the area unless you’re willing to pay to stay in one Disney Club Level Room or similar.

I can’t imagine swapping out all six of these drinks every night during a busy amusement park ride. However, you could theoretically do it, and free options include Bud Light, local craft beer (e.g. Oyster City), wine, Jack Daniels, Johnny Walker Red Label, Bombay Sapphire , Juarez tequila, mixer, etc

In the age of tolls – including at some of the nearby Disney Springs hotels – this lack of resort fees deserves a special call.

The Drury Plaza Orlando Hotel – Disney Springs offers a lot of extras during your stay, including a shuttle to the theme park and a beautiful pool area (complete with a large splash area). ), the video game and food and beverage area mentioned above. However, there is no resort fee charged to your stay. The prices you see when you search for rooms are real, and this is quite rare in touristy areas like Orlando.

That said, if you bring a vehicle, there is a parking fee of $25 plus tax per night. Somehow my final bill came to $32, so calculate carefully if you don’t really need a car and are just looking for the cheapest way to get from the airport to your hotel. An option like Uber, Lyft or Mears Connect bus from the airport can be cheaper than renting a car to park here, depending on the length of your stay and the number of people in your group.

The reason it might not be for you

• The Drury Plaza Hotel is within walking distance of Disney Springs, but it’s only the furthest from that area of ​​the Disney Springs hotels and about three-quarters of a mile from the actual Disney Springs shopping district. There are hotels closer if you want a very short walk to Disney Springs. Also, if you want to be able to walk to a Disney theme park, then this is not the best hotel for you.
• Families want to stay in the Disney bubble with hot themes and Mickey’s constant activity will make that bubble pop a little while at Drury Plaza Orlando. There are some Disney pictures on the lifts and other light touches if you look them up. For the most part, though, it’s a possible new hotel in Anywhere USA, not a hotel that wows Disney, which can be professional or deceptive, depending on your point of view.
• If you want luxury and are horrified at the idea of ​​visitors queuing for free food, keep searching for the best Disney World hotel for your trip, as this is not the option for you. Friend.
• Since you cannot purchase individual Lightning Lanes early, starting at 7am while staying here, this can make it difficult for you to access the newest and hottest games. If that per-trip access is a priority, you might want to pick a real Disney hotel.

If you want to be right next to Disney Springs, consider Orlando Hotel Orlando Lake Buena Vista, that’s as close as you can get. If you want to use points to stay at a hotel within walking distance of two Disney theme parks (Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios), check out Walt Disney World Swan, Dolphin and Swan Sanctuaryall bookable with Marriott Bonvoy points.

Finally, if you want the least expensive option that still lets you buy Lightning lanes at 7am, consider Disney All-Star Hotel, can often be found starting at around $200 per night. You can also look at Rent Disney Vacation Club Pointscan start under $200 a night for the lowest priced studios during off-peak hours.

bottom line

I was thoroughly impressed during my one night stay at Drury Plaza Hotel Orlando – Disney Springs.

This is the newest and probably the most pocket-friendly property available to families visiting Disney World on a budget. This is especially true if you can make use of the accompanying food and drink.

If you’re making the trip, consider booking through a site like chasing travel like I did to earn 10 awesome Chase Ultimate Rewards points for every dollar during my last stay Chase Sapphire Reservereceived a reward of $32.60 by TPG . valuationmakes the overall deal even sweeter.

If you had told me there was a new Disney Springs hotel with a low price, free food several times a day, and six included drinks a night, I would have thought you would fall and hit your head.

Now that I’ve been at Drury Plaza, I know better, and I’ll just wonder if you can use all your complimentary evening cocktails.

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