BV suites or POP?

[tigertimbo]

BV suites would be $115 cheaper for our stay. It includes breakfast and is bigger. We don't plan on buying the dinning plan.

Someone sell me on why I should stay at POP.

 

[Robbi]

All you have to type is suites and I'm there. Cheaper, too, even better
Sorry I'm not familiar with POP. Do you have young children? I believe part of the attraction to POP is huge Disney icons that appeal to little ones.

 

[goofy78]

What is BV suites?

 

[maxiesmom]

Why you may want to stay at POP over Buena Vista Suites (I'm guessing that is where you mean?)

#1 No need to rent a car. No off site resort can match the ease of getting on a Disney bus. Off site buses typically have a set schedule, and don't drop you off at each park. And the bus stop will be out in the parking lot somewhere, not where the Disney buses are.
#2 Disney Magical Express. No need to find a way from the airport to your resort. Or back to the airport when your trip is done.
#3 Extra Magic Hours Especially during busy seasons, they are worth their weight in gold.
#4 Being in the Disney bubble. I love not having to see the real world for the duration of my vacation. I like being in the Disney bubble, where everything is lollipops and sunshine.
#5 No need to pay for parking at the theme parks. If you rent a car and are staying off-site, you have to pay $14 a day for parking.

 

[goofy78]

Why you may want to stay at POP over Buena Vista Suites (I'm guessing that is where you mean?)

#1 No need to rent a car. No off site resort can match the ease of getting on a Disney bus. Off site buses typically have a set schedule, and don't drop you off at each park. And the bus stop will be out in the parking lot somewhere, not where the Disney buses are.
#2 Disney Magical Express. No need to find a way from the airport to your resort. Or back to the airport when your trip is done.
#3 Extra Magic Hours Especially during busy seasons, they are worth their weight in gold.
#4 Being in the Disney bubble. I love not having to see the real world for the duration of my vacation. I like being in the Disney bubble, where everything is lollipops and sunshine.
#5 No need to pay for parking at the theme parks. If you rent a car and are staying off-site, you have to pay $14 a day for parking.

I agree with all of those but #4 is why my family and I stay onsite. Staying on site makes me feel like we have taken a vacation to Disney; not a vacation to Florida (if you get what I'm saying). There is just a completely different (and better, IMHO) feeling you get when staying on Disney property.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

Why you may want to stay at POP over Buena Vista Suites (I'm guessing that is where you mean?)
#1 No need to rent a car. No off site resort can match the ease of getting on a Disney bus. Off site buses typically have a set schedule, and don't drop you off at each park. And the bus stop will be out in the parking lot somewhere, not where the Disney buses are.
#2 Disney Magical Express. No need to find a way from the airport to your resort. Or back to the airport when your trip is done.
#3 Extra Magic Hours Especially during busy seasons, they are worth their weight in gold.
#4 Being in the Disney bubble. I love not having to see the real world for the duration of my vacation. I like being in the Disney bubble, where everything is lollipops and sunshine.
#5 No need to pay for parking at the theme parks. If you rent a car and are staying off-site, you have to pay $14 a day for parking.

Especially the Extra Magic Hours!

 

[HITCH KING]

BV suites would be $115 cheaper for our stay. It includes breakfast and is bigger. We don't plan on buying the dinning plan.

Someone sell me on why I should stay at POP.

You do not say how old the kids are and how many people in your group. Also what time of year are you going to be staying?

If you are going to be attending the parks during a peak season where the lines tend to be longer, then I would stay on property for the extra hours. Get into the park 1 hour earlier and do most of the major rides before the crowds shuffle in. (Also if you are going in the summer months where the temp rises) I would leave the park and have the kids take a nap or swim at the pool and as the sun starts to go down head back to the park. Less people and you can normally do more in the 2 extra hours then you can do in 9 plus hours during the day. Kids will be happier and so will you.

 

[CarrieR]

I would definitely make sure you factor in the price of parking (unless you're an AP-holder) and the price of a rental car, if you need one. Then factor out the price of breakfast.

For us, DME, resort busses (we tend to stay WAY too late in the parks and I don't like to drive tired!) and EMH settles the deal for me. We have tried to stay off-site, but I can't make the numbers work. If they are $115 less including parking etc, you value the space, and you don't mind driving, then go for it!

 

[tigertimbo]

We are driving to orlando and have 2 chidren (7,11)

- Buana Vista Suites advantages:
$150 cheaper
$120 savings in Breakfast
free onsite parking
Queen size beds ( pop century have reg size)
free shuttle to park

- POP Century
- extra magical hours: I don't remember taking advantage of them several years ago. My wife takes too long getting ready in the morning, and my kids cannot stay awake past 10 pm

- the pool looks bigger at pop century
- bus system is better

I've never stayed at either property but I'm leaning to staying offstie and save $250

 

[sunsetbeachgal]

We have stayed both on and off site but when we are there with grown kids and grandkids, it is definitely on property. We take advantage of the EMH hours, love the bus system and the resorts are such fun.

 

[maxiesmom]

When is your trip planned for, and how many days are you staying in Orlando? Are you planning on having park hopper tickets or just basic tickets?

Depending on the time of year, the parks can close pretty early at night. Animal Kingdom can close as early as 5 pm, so you don't need to be a night owl to take advantage of night time EMHs. Unless you have park hoppers, you may have some short park days. Just another thing to consider.

Also, if you switched to the All Star Resorts you would probably save a few more dollars. And we hardly ever eat breakfast in the parks. A quick granola bar or some cereal and we are good to go. I'd rather do that then stay at an off site hotel that serves breakfast. Ymmv.

 

[tigertimbo]

good points. looking at may 24-30 and we are buying regular tickets (never park hopped)

the last time i stayed by renting a DVC at old key west.
- The Disney bus system was good but not great
- I felt like I spent 15 -20 going over and buying cereral and a muffin each morning at goods to go

 

[CaptainEIEIO]

Why you may want to stay at POP over Buena Vista Suites (I'm guessing that is where you mean?)

#1 No need to rent a car. No off site resort can match the ease of getting on a Disney bus. Off site buses typically have a set schedule, and don't drop you off at each park. And the bus stop will be out in the parking lot somewhere, not where the Disney buses are.
#2 Disney Magical Express. No need to find a way from the airport to your resort. Or back to the airport when your trip is done.
#3 Extra Magic Hours Especially during busy seasons, they are worth their weight in gold.
#4 Being in the Disney bubble. I love not having to see the real world for the duration of my vacation. I like being in the Disney bubble, where everything is lollipops and sunshine.
#5 No need to pay for parking at the theme parks. If you rent a car and are staying off-site, you have to pay $14 a day for parking.

You forgot one. Staying at POP means the transportation busses to and from the parks don't stop at other resorts, they only stop at POP.

 

[maxiesmom]

Park hours look pretty good for that time frame. Looks like the Animal Kingdom closes at 6 pm at the earliest. My only concern would be that that is a holiday weekend, so the parks may be busy. You may want to work on getting your wife up a bit earlier than she is used to, so the parks are not too busy by the time you arrive.

Don't forget to factor in to your budget parking. If you plan on going to the parks each day of your vacation, that is almost $100 gone on parking alone. Add to that the cost of gas, and half of your $250 is gone.

I know it is starting to sound as if I'm against staying off site at any cost, and truly I'm not! I've stayed off site many times. However for me it is a little different as we would have needed 2 on site rooms for those trips, and that meant we saved quite a bit by staying off site. I don't know that I would stay off site to save $125 over a week. That is not even a savings of $20 a day. Who am I kidding, I wouldn't stay off site to save that amount. Just not worth losing the Disney feel, imho.

 

[holbie18]

You can always do breakfast in your room pretty cheaply. I am bringing everything we need for breakfast (cold cereal, breakfast bars, bagels) and am planning to buy some milk at the hotel. So I would ignore the free breakfast cost.
How often will you be in the hotel?
We are staying on site this trip because it is my kid's first trip but I think in subsequent years we might stay offsite for the bigger spaces. My kids are still in car seats so being able to travel without those was another advantage to me for booking on site. We are at an MK resort too so if we need to get back to the hotel it should be fairly easy.