Using Tripadvisor for Orlando and WDW

One travel website that isn't specifically Disney World related,  but which can be very helpful in planning for your trip is Tripadvisor.com.   This website provides user’s reviews on hotels, restaurants and attractions, and ranks them based on how people rated them. The rankings aren't that important, because too many hotels and restaurants are similarly rated.The user reviews paint a much clearer picture to how suitable and good a property will be for your needs and wants. Tripadvisor now also has a search engine which provides an opportunity to book the hotel at the lowest price that it can find from its partners.  But booking through Walt Disney World or even the hotel directly is almost always cheaper.  So I only use the price feature as a gage, but have never used Tripadvisor to book.

Most hotels in Orlando are on the website, including all of the Disney Resorts, plus the on site independent hotels. We have chosen to stay in the Holiday Inn in Walt Disney World twice in large part due to the reviews on Tripadvisor. Everything they said in the reviews was correct including how nice the rooms and pool were, the high level of service, and the frequency and punctuality of the shuttle to the parks. This hotel is located on Hotel Plaza Boulevard, a five to ten minute walk to Disney Springs. 

On our most recent trip we first stayed off site in Orlando before moving to a Disney World Resort for the remainder of the trip. While we did read the reviews in order to compare Port Orleans Riverside to French Quarter, Tripadvisor was not significant in helping us choose, as we got similar and more concrete information from Disney related Facebook group members.  But we chose the Hampton Inn at Seaworld largely on its location and its great Tripadvisor reviews.  The reviews not only were complimentary on its good service, comfortable rooms, and excellent breakfast, but made it clear that it was walking distance to Seaworld, and had some extra free Seaworld benefits such as fast line passes for the rides. The biggest problem with using Tripadvisor for a big city such as Orlando is that you can't easily figure out where exactly the hotel is located  (other than clues in its name).  A chain such as Hampton Inn has over a dozen different locations throughout Orlando and vicinity.

Restaurants are also on there too, including quick service options.  However,  the risk with the dining reviews in particular, are that there aren't enough reviews to rank them accurately.   But for both accomodations and dining establishments,  reading the reviews are critical to making a good choice.  The reasons people like or dislike a place will give you a much better picture of whether it is right for you.  Be sure to read a couple of the poor or terrible reviews to get a sense whether the complaints were reasonable or not.  Sometimes a hotel or restaurant's management rep will respond, and this could also give you a sense of the level of customer service offered.  Just by responding to the reviews  (and not just the glowing ones) shows that they care about the opinions offered on their establishment. 

You  can also search through the reviews by rating, best value, or by whether you are traveling on business, as a couple or a family. You can also click on keywords that lead you to reviews that match such as "breakfast buffet" or "shuttle bus". And if you want to be a more active participant, you can contribute your own reviews.  I have written and submitted over 90 hotel,  restaurant and attraction reviews so far. You might suggest that Tripadvisor means a lot of extra reading as part of your trip planning , but when I think of all the value and good stays and meals it has steered me towards,  it is well worth a look!

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