WyndhamVR Bonnet Creek Resort Rating: 3.5 Pearls

Disney World, Orlando, Florida

• Standard housekeeping service is once a week, not daily.
• Concierge available until early afternoon, mainly to help guests with activity or event reservations and tickets
• Free shuttle service to all Disney attractions about every half-hour; reservations must be made an hour in advance
• Roundtrip shuttle service to Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, Wet 'n Wild, and Sea World is charged per person
• Late check-in and early checkout

View on a Larger Map

The Wyndham has a prime location on the Walt Disney World property, but feels secluded and low-key because of its location off quiet Bonnet Creek Road. Downtown Disney and Hollywood Studios are both a five-minute drive away; Epcot is 10 minutes away; the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom parks are between 15 and 20. Nothing is within reasonable walking distance; you'll want a rental car if you want to eat off the property.

• Free shuttle to Disney attractions; shuttle to non-Disney attractions like SeaWorld and Hollywood Studios are charged per person, round-trip
• Free parking, and plenty of it
• 15- to 20-minute drive to SeaWorld and Wet 'n Wild parks
• 20-minute drive to Universal Studios and Universal's Islands of Adventure
• 15- to 20-minute drive to International Drive, a 14.5-mile road parallel to Interstate 4 that's chock-full of hotels, strip malls, outlet shops, and restaurants. In the middle of this stretch is the Orange County Convention Center, the second largest convention center in the U.S.
• 30-minute drive to Orlando International Airport

Full kitchen at The One Bedroom Condo

The Wyndham consists solely of one- and two-bedroom condos with full kitchens, washers and dryers, making them especially economical for families. As the Wyndham opened in 2004, the units are still relatively new, but minor renovations have been completed to Towers 1, 4, and 5 since then that have helped refresh some of the units (new carpets, paint, kitchen counters, but no new linens, which are outdated). Renovations to Towers 2 and 3 are ongoing, with plans to have all guestrooms updated by late 2013, early 2014.

• Units are huge. One-bedrooms are 812 square feet, and two bedrooms are 1,142 square feet. All come with full kitchens that include a dishwasher, four-burner stove, oven, and refrigerator, all by GE. Also provided is a coffeemaker, and full sets of pots, pans, dishware, and silverware.
• One-bedroom units include a king bed in the master and a daybed in the living room; mattresses are fairly comfortable, but pillows are lumpy and the beds are covered in dark, drab polyester bedspreads. Two bedroom units come with a king, two queens and a pullout sofa and a daybed.
• Décor is dark, drab, and generic, and the fake plants don't help.
• Bathrooms are spacious and come with Jacuzzi tubs and a separate shower, although the water pressure is weak.
• Toiletry sets by Bath & Body Works
• Washers and dryers in all units
• Tech amenities include flat-screen TVs, DVD player, and a five-disc stereo.
• Free Internet, wired connection only (this limits guests to a single laptop connection, and use at the desk, wires don't reach the bed); there's free Internet access in the Recreation Room and the Activities Lobby too.
• Most requested units are in Towers 4 and 5 (the newer of the five towers) on a higher floor; however, you can get both fireworks and lake views from Towers 1 and 2 as well. Avoid rooms on the ground floor facing the parking lot -- they're dark.

Guests enjoying a round of Mini-Golf

The resort offers a slew of features for both kids and adults, including four pools, a small mini-golf course, game room, and free shuttles to the Disney attractions. The fitness center is small, and the kids' club isn't suited for long-term stays, but there's a ton of activities for everyone -- so much so that one family said, "There's no reason to leave the resort."

• Free shuttle to Disney attractions; shuttle to non-Disney attractions like SeaWorld and Hollywood Studios have per person charges
• Free mini-golf course
• Indoor game room with pool tables
• Daily schedule of free activities for both kids and adults, including boccie, casino nights, and ice-cream-sundae parties.
• Small gym with six cardio machines (none with personal monitors) and a small assortment of weight machines
• Free Internet -- Wi-Fi in the lobby, but rooms are hard-wired
• Small video arcade located off the activities center
• Free parking at the resort (but not at the Disney attractions)
• Free Wi-Fi in the lobby; free hard-wired Internet in the condos
• Indoor kids' club with arts and crafts room, but can only leave children there for up to two hours -- it's primarily used for parents needing a place to drop their kids off while on sales tours; charged per hour, per child
• Business center off the lobby with four PCs; Internet and printer use are both free

Waterslide at Pool 2

Four large pools spread across three pool areas. Lifeguards on duty seasonally.

• Main Pool: Zero-depth entry and a lazy river
• Pool 2: No zero-depth entry, but the pool does have a waterslide. La Cocina Pizzeria is also located in this pool area.
• Pool 3: Zero-depth entry, lazy river, and lots of character. Escudos is located here with a pleasant outdoor seating area.
• Pool toys like inner tubes free to borrow
• Lifeguard hours are seasonal.

Kids will love the lazy river

Families looking for the full Disney immersion experience won't find it here. But they will be well positioned for days in the parks. They'll have a ton of fun stuff (see Features above) to do on-site. They can easily spread out in the enormous one- and two-bedroom condos. And they can save some money by taking advantage of the full kitchens and washers and dryers.

• No full-size cribs, but Pack n' Plays are free; no rollaways available
• One-bedroom units are 812 square feet and sleep four; two-bedroom units are 1,142 square feet and sleep six.
• Washers and dryers in every unit
• Three pool areas (four pools total), including two with lazy rivers and all with adjacent children's pools
• Outdoor playground, mini-golf course, and pingpong table
• Indoor game room with pool tables
• Some light dining options with kid-friendly sandwiches and snacks, but no sit-down restaurants
• Nearest grocery store is at Wal-Mart, a five-minute drive.
• Indoor kids' club with arts and crafts room, but can only leave children there for up to two hours -- it's primarily used for parents needing a place to drop their kids off while on sales tours; charged per hour, per child.
• Daily schedule of activities for both kids and adults, including boccie, casino nights, and ice-cream-sundae parties

The public areas and grounds are very well maintained, but rooms don't feel particularly fresh and clean. The drab polyester bedspreads have definitely seen better days, and there was some grime in my shower. The good news is that Towers 1, 4, and 5 have been spruced up, with Towers 2 and 3 planned for similar sprucing to be complete by late 2013, early 2014.

La Cocina Pizzeria

The lack of dining options is one of the most significant complaints among guests; the resort has three spots on the property to grab a sandwich or pizza, but no sit-down dining and no market to pick up anything beyond a loaf of bread. You'll need to head to the nearby Wal-Mart, a five-minute drive away, to stock your full kitchen.

• La Cantina serves made-to-order sandwiches, burgers, and wraps for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
• La Cocina Pizzeria serves pizzas, salads and wraps adjacent to one of the pools. Open for lunch and dinner.
• Escudos offers sandwiches, paninis and wraps in a pleasant outdoor setting. Open for lunch and dinner, and has a decent bar.
• El Mercado, located off the lobby, is half gift shop, half convenience store. Don't expect to do major grocery shopping here, just basics like bread, milk, and soda.