OverviewLocated about a 6-minute drive from Disney World's Animal Kingdom, and a 2-minute drive from Highway 530, the Worldgate Orlando Hotel Resort and Conference Center is geared toward business and vacation travellers who prefer a hotel with on-site dining, a free Disney World shuttle, meeting/conference space and easy highway access.
This hotel has 429 air-conditioned guest rooms and suites, each offering two double beds or one king bed with a sofabed, free Wi-Fi, cable TV, a coffeemaker, a mini-fridge, a laptop safe, a desk, an iron and ironing board and a hair dryer. Wheelchair-accessible rooms are available upon request.
Hotel amenities include two heated outdoor pools, a hot tub, a fitness centre, over 25,000 square feet of meeting/conference space, two bars, a Starbucks, tennis, basketball and volleyball courts, a games room, a business centre, laundry services, a gift shop, vending machines and a tour desk. There is also an on-site theatre showing Disney films.
The hotel offers free parking and a free shuttle to Disney World, Universal Studios, SeaWorld and Lake Buena Vista Factory Outlets.
On-site dining is offered at Savannah Grille, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and offers a children's menu, and Worldgate Pizzeria, which serves lunch and dinner. Voka Kosher World Cuisine is also on site, with full-service dining and gourmet as well as traditional options. Pets are permitted for an additional $75 per room, per stay, and a mandatory resort fee of $10 per room, per night is applicable.
Universal Studios is about a 20- to 25-minute drive northeastward, while Downtown Disney is a 15-minute drive northeast. Lake Buena Vista Factory Outlets can be found 15 minutes east by car and Orlando International Airport (MCO) is about a 35-minute drive away. (All distances and travel time estimates: Google Maps)
Verified with a front desk agent: Free Wi-Fi, free parking, pets permitted for $75/room/stay, wheelchair accessible. (Call Date: July 28, 2013)
The GoodThe majority of the reviews sourced for this analysis were positive, with much praise going to the hotel's location, rooms and staff.
The hotel's location was praised by numerous lodgers, who found it to be close to restaurants, Disney World, Magic Kingdom, shopping, grocery stores and Universal Studios. One guest stated, "This is a great hotel for people looking for somewhere to stay that is clean and close to everything. Lots of restaurants in the area of all different price ranges".
Many guests were pleased with their accommodations at the hotel. They described their rooms as clean, spacious, well equipped and nicely decorated, with comfortable beds and linens and good water pressure. It should be noted, however, that a few patrons were disappointed with their rooms (see below).
Several reviewers complimented the hotel's staff, characterizing them as friendly, accommodating and professional. One guest noted, "The staff are so friendly and couldn't do enough for us; an absolute pleasure to deal with".
The Bad
While the majority of reviews consulted for this analysis were positive, there were a few complaints about the rooms, noise transfer and the value.
Although the majority of reviewers enjoyed their spacious and well-equipped rooms, a few guests had complaints. They reported small bathrooms, poor Wi-Fi connectivity, uncomfortable beds, cleaning issues and a shortage of towels.
A few lodgers complained of noise disturbances during their stay. They reported noisy children running in the hallways, and noise from guests in adjacent rooms, as well as noisy in-room air-conditioning units and mini-fridges.
While several guests described the hotel's rates as great and reasonable, a few reviewers had complaints about the extra costs they incurred while staying at the hotel. They felt the mandatory resort fee and the fee for breakfast were too expensive and should have been included in the rates.
Expedia.ca guest reviews rated the hotel 3.4 out of 5 with a 72% recommendation rate from 876 reviews.
TripAdvisor.com guest reviews ranked the hotel #
67 of 162 Kissimmee hotels with a 3 out of 5 average rating from 604 reviews.
Booking.com guest reviews rated the hotel 5.9 out of 10 from 40 reviews.
The author called the hotel on July 28, 2013 to verify some information.