OUR TAKE AFTER STAYING
Would it suit your trip?
A practical main base for the way we travelled. Compare the room rate, breakfast, fees and the journeys you will actually make before deciding whether it is good value for your family.
What worked for us
- Breakfast was included in the rate we booked.
- Our room had a balcony upgrade, fridge and microwave.
- We could reach some food and shops on foot.
What to weigh up
- The breakfast menu became repetitive over a longer stay.
- Our Disney shuttle timetable did not cover Universal or SeaWorld.
- Our booking had a nightly resort fee; add fees to the room price.
The room and the space
We show our actual room in Day 1, including the balcony, fridge and microwave. Our balcony room was an upgrade, so compare the exact room description on the rate you select.
Make sure the reservation names Vista Centre on Palm Parkway. There is also a Courtyard in Marriott Village in the wider area; similar names do not mean the same hotel.
See our actual room in the episode ↗Getting around from here
We used Uber for Universal and SeaWorld and walked to some nearby restaurants and shops. Our arrival Uber from Orlando International Airport was about $43 on that date.
Marriott currently advertises a scheduled shuttle to Disney’s Transportation and Ticket Center. That is a transport connection, so allow time for any onward journey to your park. Check today’s timetable and booking rules directly with the hotel.
Read our Orlando without a car guide →Food and the breakfast question
Breakfast helped our day-to-day budget because it was included in our particular rate. Marriott’s current information does not describe breakfast as free for every booking, so check how many guests your selected rate covers.
After several hotel breakfasts we walked to Denny’s for a change. Having a few nearby food choices suited a longer stay.
What we paid and what to check
Our recorded hotel-only price, August 2026. Flights were part of a separate combined budget line.
- Hotel-only booking
- Just over £800 · 10 nights
- Resort fee on our stay
- $10 per night
- Hotel credit on our stay
- $5 per day
- Parking quoted then
- $20 per night · we had no car
These are recorded August 2026 costs, not a quote for your dates. Add taxes, mandatory fees, transport and food when comparing rates.
Before you reserve
- Exact property name and room type
- Breakfast for every person on the reservation
- Current mandatory charges and parking
- Shuttle destinations, times and reservation process
The useful questions
Is breakfast always included?
No. It was included in the rate we booked. Check the selected rate, guest allowance and breakfast terms rather than assuming every stay includes it.
Can you stay here without a car?
We did, using Uber, some walking and the advertised Disney shuttle where useful. Confirm each planned journey, especially Universal and airport transfers.
Check the details for your dates
Our opinions describe our own stay. Room descriptions, current benefits and operating details are checked against the hotel’s official information; rates and availability depend on your booking.
Official Courtyard Lake Buena Vista information ↗