Orlando, Florida plays host to uncountable conventions and other business and sports events in addition to being a vacation destination for families the world over. As such, there are numerous hotels, resorts, condos, villas, timeshare accommodations, and rental homes from which to choose when planning a visit. Our first choice is always a Disney resort even if our activities are not on WDW property We are in Orlando annually for a national youth sports championship in which our kids participate. Although it is not held on Disney property, we always make a point to visit the World during our visit. Usually we stay at a Disney resort and enjoy a few days in the parks as well. However, on our most recent trip we stayed at the resort the activities were in, the Rosen Shingle Creek.
I wasn’t sure how die-hard Disney fanatics like ourselves would like being so close to our Happy Place without actually staying there. We are extremely biased toward staying onsite for every Disney trip and had never stayed in a non-Disney Orlando hotel more than one night before this. Here’s our experience.
The Rosen Shingle Creek resort is a 230 acre convention resort built in the Spanish Revival style. It is extremely well-appointed and easily compares to any of the deluxe Disney resorts in terms of luxury and available services. There is almost 500,000 square feet of meeting/event space, and there are 1,500 guest rooms and suites.
The elegant guest rooms include a king or two queen beds, 32” flat screen TV’s, high-speed internet capabilities, two telephones, laptop safes, hairdryers, robes, mini-refrigerators, coffee makers, and large full bathrooms with double sinks. Plush beds with Egyptian cotton sheets make for very sweet dreams. Most rooms feature pool and golf course views.
We stayed during a very busy time of the year, and the resort was booked to capacity. We arrived a couple of hours before check-in and had to wait for our room to be made ready. We had booked a double queen room online through a discount website. While waiting, we were offered a suite that would require the kids to be on a murphy bed but would be larger than our original room. We asked to see it before we made a decision and were thrilled to find an enormous executive suite featuring a living room area, 6 seat dining room table, granite-topped kitchenette with microwave, sink, mini-refrigerator, and counter with 3 bar stools. A full bathroom was off the foyer, and there was a connecting king bedroom with its own full bathroom. We quickly accepted and moved into our beautiful “home” for the weekend.
Obviously an upgrade like this is very much a “luck of the draw” sort of thing, but we were very grateful and let them know how much we appreciated it.
The rooms were very clean, up to date, and comfortable. The furnishings are dark woods with jewel tone fabrics, and have a rich European feel. Out suite overlooked the back of the resort giving us a lovely view of the 3 heated pools, hot tubs, and golf course and lake beyond. I found the king room to have more than enough storage for clothing and toiletries. The shelf under the double sinks running the length of the vanity area kept the counter neat and organized.
The resort offers several onsite dining options as well as a shopping district between the hotel area and event area. All spaces are connected without having to go outside to get to the convention side from the guest room side. There is also a spa, golf course, and a fitness center onsite. Tennis, basketball, volleyball, and seasonal fishing are available at the resort, as well as an arcade, nature trails, and a jogging trail.
Rosen Shingle Creek is located on Universal Boulevard and has complimentary transportation to the Universal parks, Sea World, and Aquatica as well as regular transportation available to Orlando International Airport. Valet parking and self-parking are available for a fee. Disney property is about fifteen minutes away down Interstate 4.
The verdict: We will always be Disney resort fans and prefer the magic of being on WDW property. But the Rosen Shingle Creek is an excellent choice if visiting those “other” parks or when your days are filled with conventions, competitions, or other non-park activities. It is a gorgeous resort with wonderful service and tons of amenities, and it is tough to beat the convenience of staying in the middle of the action. After all, that is one of the main reasons we prefer Disney resorts when visiting Disney’s theme parks.
Rosen Shingle Creek is located at 9939 Universal Boulevard, Orlando Florida, 32819. The website is www.rosenshinglecreek.com. You may contact them by phone toll free at 1 (866) 996-9939 or locally at (407) 996-9939