The Buena Vista Palace at Disney Springs is an excellent option for families visiting the Orlando area.
Not only is it within easy walking distance of Disney Springs’ restaurants, entertainment, and shopping, but the resort itself is relaxing, upscale and well-manicured.
For a similar price to what you’d pay at the on-property Disney moderate hotels, you can enjoy the amenities at Buena Vista Palace, which feels more like a deluxe hotel thanks to its on-site dining, spa, and pools.
Below, I’m sharing my experience at this hotel, photos of the interior and exterior, a room review, and everything else you might need to determine if this hotel is great for your family’s visit to Walt Disney World and beyond.
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Why Should You Stay at the Buena Vista Palace?
We chose the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista for a couple of reasons.
First, I wanted to compare our previous experiences on property with a similar hotel nearby that was off-property.
Secondly, my sister was at a conference in Disney Springs, and she wanted something central to all of her workshops and breakout groups.
The Buena Vista Palace was one of the recommended hotels for her conference as part of the sessions would take place there.
So, we booked it based on those criteria alone.
This situation occurred on the same trip that my sister and I completed our 4 Parks/ 1 Day Challenge, and we had to switch hotels halfway through our vacation to get her to the conference.
We checked out of Pop Century and headed to our second home away from home on this trip: the Buena Vista Palace over at Disney Springs.
Is Buena Vista Palace a Disney hotel?
Buena Vista Palace is on Disney property, but it's not one of the actual Disney hotels.
Therefore, you don't get to use the Disney bus services or take advantage of the parks' onsite hotel perks.
However, you can buy tickets onsite, and there is a Disney souvenir shop inside the hotel.
The hotel is also RIGHT across the street from Disney Springs, so it's very convenient for shopping and dining.
If you’re interested in how a Disney Springs hotel compares to an official one, check out my guide to staying on- and off-property at Walt Disney World.
Who owns the Buena Vista Palace?
While I love staying at locally owned accommodations whenever possible, sometimes, it’s worth staying at a chain to get those sweet rewards points.
If you’re a Hilton Honors member, you’ll be able to use your points—or earn new ones—during your stay at the Buena Vista Palace, as the hotel was purchased by the chain several years ago.
Overall, the Buena Vista Palace doesn’t feel like a Hilton hotel.
I’d argue that, while the decor isn’t as exciting as the on-property Disney hotels, the designers at the Buena Vista Palace did try to go above and beyond your typical Hilton.
Throughout the resort, you can see the attention to detail that comes with the Hilton hotel brand, and everything from the housekeeping staff to the landscaping was excellent and puts this hotel squarely in the 4-star hotel category.
Other Disney World hotel reviews:
Buena Vista Palace: A Complete Review
Resort Layout
The resort is separated into two sections: the main hotel and the Island Resort. The Island Resort is a quick walk over the pond and past the pool.
Travel Tip: when staying in the Buena Vista Palace, make sure to walk all the way to the crosswalk when crossing over to Downtown Disney.
The street next to the hotel is a main thoroughfare for the Disney buses, and you don't want to end up squashed like a pancake on your vacation. Plus, we heard that people got ticketed often for jaywalking there. So, whether staying un-pancaked or avoiding a ticket is your motivation, use the crosswalk.
Hotel Theming
Compared to the on-site Disney properties I've stayed in, this one didn't have much of a theme.
The furnishes were modern but casual--and that's as close as it gets to a theme.
It reminded me of other upscale hotels I've stayed in before, so it didn't have the unique factor that, say, All-Star Music or the Yacht Club or the Wilderness Lodge has.
I’m not really picky when it comes to hotel decor, though, so I thought the interior felt just fine.
While I think the over-the-top decor at the on-site Disney hotels are fun, it’s not something that I’d go out of my way for or pay extra for.
I do realize that others don’t feel this way, and that they’re expect a particular “Disney feel” in their accomodations.
Just know that you won’t have that experience here, though the hotel in all other ways is the epitome of casual luxury in an unbeatable location.
Hotel Service Review
Everyone that we encountered during our three night stay was extremely helpful.
The front desk employees let my sister check in a good four hours early, which allowed us to put our bags in the room and grab lunch before she had to go to her first afternoon of conference stuff.
That arrangement sure beat our first plan: I was going to haul the suitcases around Downtown Disney in the heat until she got out of the keynote address.
They certainly didn’t have to let us check in so early, so I was appreciative that the hotel was so flexible.
I also spoke with our housekeeper a few times, and she was very polite and accommodating.
When my sister and I asked the concierge where we could go watch the fireworks, she told us "On the 27th floor if it's open."
Of course, we headed straight up there, only to find that no one else was there!
All of the lights were out and we had the chance to just wander around this empty, dark hotel bar and lounge, all while we had the place to ourselves as we watched the fireworks in the distance.
Even though we weren’t as close to the fireworks as we would be in an on-property resort like The Contemporary, I loved having a private fireworks viewing here!
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Hotel Room Review
Our room was in the Island Resort section and overlooked a quiet walking path.
We liked staying in this area as it was closer to both the pool and Disney Springs.
I’d recommend asking for a room in this section instead of the main hotel as it was quieter and tucked away from the busyness of the lobby and the majority of the hotel guests.
We had two double beds, a breakfast area, a television, and small desk.
In terms of the offerings, the room was pretty standard, but everything was modern, colorful, and clean.
The beds were comfortable, which was a welcome relief after pushing ourselves in the parks earlier in the trip!
For the part of the vacation that included our stay at Buena Vista Palace, I didn’t have park tickets, so it was wonderful to have a comfortable room to hang out in, take naps, and use as a base to explore Disney Springs.
The bathroom included two sinks, a feature that I loved. Especially when you’re traveling with another adult, an extra sink is a must-have!
I liked that there was a sink behind the bathroom door with the shower and toilet as well as one in an alcove off the main bedroom.
This division meant that my sister could get ready for each day of her conference without shining the bathroom lights in my face.
Being on vacation without a conference to attend to, I worked hard at being supremely lazy during this stay!
The bathroom was clean and modern, just like the room is.
The light colored ceramic tiles and stone countertops added to that fresh, updated feel.
Compared to our room at Pop Century that we’d just checked out of, the room at Buena Vista Palace was spacious.
Even though it was just the two of us on this trip, I wouldn’t hesitate to bring my kids back to this hotel as the room had plenty of space for a family of 4.
If you’re traveling to Walt Disney World with a toddler, this room is also great for setting up a cot and any extras that your little one might need.
I loved that we had a small balcony with a small and 2 chairs. My sister and I ate there each morning that we were here.
It’s certainly not large enough that you’ll be hosting dinner parties on it, but the balcony accommodations are just fine for a cup of tea and a pastry or two in the morning.
All of the rooms come with balconies, and I really enjoyed reading and writing out on ours. It was the perfect place to work on my blog for bit!
Our room backed up to a lush set of bushes and trees, so it felt as if we were much further away from the hustle and bustle of Disney Springs that we actually were.
If you’re traveling with a little one, and balconies make you nervous (as they do for me), know that the railing here would be extremely difficult for a baby or toddler to wiggle through.
You’re more likely to have to worry about an older kid trying to climb the railings like a ladder, due to their horizontal orientation.
Always keep an eye on the kids outside, of course, but they should be safe with supervision.
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This resort was huge!
It has a bar, a restaurant, an arcade, a little market, a Disney souvenirs store, two pools, tennis courts, and walking trails.
I lingered by the pools for several hours one of the days that I was here, and it was peaceful with plenty of space to stretch out.
Even though we were visiting during peak spring break time, the pool area still had deck chairs available and there wasn’t too much overall chaos.
While I did see a good mixture of types of visitors, I think I stayed during a time when most of the hotel’s visitors were with the same conference that my sister was attending.
I can imagine that this hotel pool area gets much busier during the summer months as vacationing families become the majority.
The little market has plenty of snacks and dry items, so if you've forgotten something, there's somewhere nearby to get them.
I appreciate that convenience since I hate having to wander a city looking for a CVS or Walgreen’s to stock up on band-aids or something else I should’ve remembered to pack.
Of course, the prices at the convenience store in the hotel are higher than what you’d pay off property, but I think it’s worth it not to have to get in the car and fight Orlando traffic.
There was also a spa onsite, but I can't talk about that too much as I didn't make use of any of their services.
The Buena Vista Palace also has a convention center attached to it, so there were several ballrooms, multiple classrooms, and an exhibit hall there. (That’s where my sister spent most of her time!)
Final Thoughts on the Buena Vista Palace at Disney Springs
Buena Vista Palace is a convenient option for those who want to stay on Disney property without being in the middle of the Disney-resort craziness.
While I prefer to stay on Disney property because of the bus system and other perks, the Buena Vista Palace is a great place to call home if you're not that into Disney World theming.
It’s also an excellent home base if you're looking for more to do near Disney World than just go to the parks. Universal Studios is less than a 20 minute drive from Buena Vista Palace, the Premium Outlets, and International Drive.
I liked that it still felt as if I were in the Disney bubble, but that the overall amenities and room size were much greater than what I’d pay for the same price for a hotel on-property.
I wouldn’t hesitate to return again to explore even more of what the Hilton Buena Vista Palace has to offer!
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