Embassy Suites Lake Buena Vista, Florida at Walt Disney World Review

My husband and I are both planning freaks and penny pinchers by nature; so it easily understood why we began planning our family vacation to Walt Disney World over a year in advance.

One of the very first things we had to decide was where to stay. Knowing that we were going to be there for 5 days and seven nights, we wanted to choose a place that was both affordable and nice.

While staying in one of the Disney World resorts is a nice idea, when you’re visiting during peak season the room rates can be quite expensive.

That’s when we discovered Embassy Suites Lake Buena Vista, a Hilton Family resort located just outside the confines of Walt Disney World. Even Walt Disney resorts can’t match the service and accommodations found here!

And being less than one mile from the entrance to Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom was only a small benefit to this luxurious hotel.

If I were to be asked what my most favorite thing about this resort was, I would have to answer that it was the buffet breakfast served each morning. Each morning, we able to eat a full breakfast for FREE in the dining area next to the pool. The breakfasts served included made-to-order omelets, gravy, biscuits, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage links, hash browns, french toast, pancakes, dry cereal, and a complete fruit bar; along with numerous drink choices such as milk, chocolate milk, orange juice, apple juice, coffee, and soft drinks.

When we weren’t making the most of Disney World’s theme parks, the children loved swimming in the very large, half indoor/half outdoor pool, while mom (and not dad who is extremely hot natured) enjoyed the well-kept hot tub situated in a somewhat shaded corner poolside.

Our four-year-old son had a blast on the mini-playground, also offered poolside, when he got tired of swimming. I found the equipment to be in very good condition and well-maintained; overall a safe area for small children to play.

Mom and Dad can also enjoy the pool side bar which offers a large selection of mixed drinks and beers.

Embassy Suites is a perfect choice for those needing accommodations for larger families such as ours where we needed space for a preschooler, a tween, a teen and two adults. A standard (lanai) suite, such as we opted for, had two queen size beds and a sleeper sofa in the living area. In addition, the suite included a large bathroom, a vanity sink/mirror combo in the bedroom, and a small kitchenette complete with a mini fridge and microwave.

One downside I found to this hotel was that you had to pay $9.95 per day for wi-fi; this in a day where many hotels are touting free wi-fi. However, the high speed internet access being offered is a secured connection which does give credibility to the service fee.

A secondary con to this location related to the free shuttle service to Disney parks advertised on the website. Upon further inquiry, we learned that the shuttle leaves early in the mornings and returns late evenings; meaning that you are on their schedule versus your own. However, we found that paying $11.00 per day for parking at the Disney parks was easily budgetable considering how much we had saved by staying at a hotel out-of-park.

In closing, I should mention that we were able to receive two of our nights free at this location using Hilton Honor points. I frequently gain free HH points through programs such as E-Rewards. In addition, my account also gained points for the remaining paid nights; which I will combine with points earned through the previously mentioned programs and put them toward our vacation this year. (HH points can be earned and redeemed at any Hilton Family hotel worldwide.)

If you’re visiting Disney World on a budget or just want to save money during your trip, choose accommodations that offers you the chance to buy American, has the friendliest staff, saves you a bundle on your meal budget, and is still close to the Disney parks: Embassy Suites Lake Buena Vista.