Originally Posted by
squatch
the marriot villiage is close to everything disney and traffic is heavy (but not necessarily a nightmare) in the lake buena vista area. however, i think that the marriott villiage complex is just about the oldest and most threadbare of the marriott properties in the area. they are generally a decent place to stay but i usually choose them last.
if you do stay there BEWARE: there is a shell gas station right across the road (8788 Vineland Ave) that charges 2x-3x the going rate for gas. seriously, they absolutely price gouge. under no circumstances should you give them a penny. they rely on people pulling in and filling up without looking at the price.
We stayed in the Marriott Village Courtyard this week. Got upgraded to a true 2-room suite, which is nice for the extra space, but Courtyard suites aren't anything to write home about. But yes, Marriott does give suite upgrades!
The room was fine, but I don't think it had been updated in a while. The lobby and bistro area were nice.
Our rate included a $40 F&B voucher which got us a beer in the Bistro when we arrived, then in the morning we had breakfast for 2, plus 3 coffees. If you want a breakfast-inclusive rate, I recommend this F&B credit instead. They had a sign posted which listed what's included with a breakfast rate, and coffee isn't included (only milk or juice). I would have been annoyed at having to pay for coffee if my rate included breakfast.
Oh, and as Platinum they give out points AND the voucher for a market item which includes beer and wine! Maybe that's standard for most Courtyards but I'm pretty sure in some locations (Salt Lake City) it's not included. Also when I called down to the front desk with a question later, the lady who answered thanked me for my loyalty. So they make a good effort to recognize status.
Traffic was not bad, but this is low season for Disney. BTW, the price per gallon for gas at the Shell station was $5.99! We saw it nearby for $2.29, so yes, almost 3x the going rate. Insane. But of course that doesn't have anything to do with the hotel; just be aware as squatch said.