Our family of 10 is flying to Orlando for a very short stay before a Disney cruise. One day at the Magic Kingdom and then we are off to Port Canaveral. Because our trip is so short we chose not to stay at a Disney property. We are currently booked at the JW Marriott Grand but are looking into moving to a resort closer to Disney World and Downtown Disney for restaurant and transportation reasons.
Can anyone tell me if any of the resorts in the Downtown Disney area are of the same quality at the JW Marriott? I am pretty picky about where I stay. As I've been researching I'm finding a lot of these hotels need updating.
Any information about the Hilton or the Doubletree in that area?
Any help?

I would think "because our trip is so short" you actually WOULD chose to stay ON the property.

Wish I could help but we have always stayed on the property over the past 30+ years. Frankly, when I read some of those "the room needs to be updated" TA and other reports about hotels I really wonder what the writer's own HOMES look like.

I, too, would most likely stay at a Disney property the night before a Disney cruise, but have you considered the Swan/Dolphin in the Epcot resort area? Or, perhaps the Waldorf Astoria? I am not familiar with the Waldorf, but it could be a nice option for you. Have fun!

Let me clarify....
I have only stayed at a luxury resort at Disney, the Polynesian and the Boardwalk. These were nice properties but I certainly would not call them luxury. Because of that I am hesitant to stay at a moderateI or lower classification room. We will be paying for 3 rooms and the Disney rooms are over $300 a night. I was able to get the JW Marriott Grand for $142 a night and get a car service to take us to the Magic Kingdom for around $80. That is a big savings and the reason I went with the JW. The Hilton and the Doubletree are even less....I am just unsure of how nice a property it is.

You sound very picky so would not do it. I would stay on property for safety and convenience. The Polynesian is one of the oldest hotels Disney so pick something newer. The Swan/Dolphin or Grand Floridian sound like your standard.

We have stayed at the Hilton in Downtown Disney and found it to be very basic and the "regular" shuttle to be anything but. We rented a car from the 2nd day on to avoid wasting a lot of time.

I would either stay at the Marriott and rent a car or stay at the Grand Floridian on site.

Maggie,

The Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress would be the only hotel in the Downtown Disney area comparable to the JW. The Buena Vista Palace is right across the street from DD and is probably not quite on par with the JW but it is a very nice hotel. There is also the brand new 4 Seasons that just opened on Disney property.

We stayed at the Doubletree earlier this year and found it just right for us, especially for the price and location, but guessing it may not meet your higher standards.

There's another new hotel in the Downtown Disney area called the B Resort, but even that is probably not on par with the JW Marriott. I've stayed at the Doubletree, and while I really liked it, it was not by any means a luxury hotel. But the rooms are large and the beds comfortable. The pool area is just meh.

To be honest, for just one night, though, convenience trumps all for me, so I find it a little baffling that you're jumping through such hoops. None of the hotels is what I'd call bad or insufficient, so I don't think it matters that much. You're not going to be able to use all the upscale, luxury amenities of the hotel anyway.

Wherever you stay off-property keep that car service. Bus service from the non-Disney hotels (even those on Hotel Plaza Blvd) is laughably bad.

If I read correctly you doing a disney cruise correct? I could be wrong but I thought you got a better deal if you booked pre or post-nights for a disney cruise in a disney hotel I believe a disney agent or vacation planner could help find out. Other nice thing with booking a disney room is the fact that they would pick you up at the airport and taking you to the cruise departure port so no need to rent a car or pay a bus to take you to the park.

I pass so many Disney Cruise buses so know there is a transportation package from hotel and airport. xraytech is correct.