so you can enroll your kid(s) in a 3 hour class that takes place at Disney during your vacation (they are various choices, ocean, wild animals, chemistry, animation, etc) and your party receives a great deal on tix!
Also OP...I do believe that the SPACE is the biggest benefit to staying offsite...I would never even consider a 1 or 2 bdrm at Disney as there's NO WAY we could ever spring for that...but for a few bucks more than we're paying at a value, we could have gotten a really nice 1 bdrm off-site. SPACE for your money is definitely the biggest difference between on and off-site.
Didn't know anyone could use the kids clubs. Man....I have been missing out.
When I compare on site to off site I like to compare the same size accommodations. To me, a one room hotel is not the same thing as a 2 BR resort with washer/dryer, kitchen, living room etc. We love being able to put our children to sleep in their own room and staying up watching t.v, having wine etc.
The classes look great, don't they! My DD was thrilled to see Cirque du Soleil on the list. I'll accompany our DD and my husband will go with our DS. From the descriptions of the classes, I could see paying for a second class for each child.
I wish I had remembered the kids club last year. OMG, we could have used it!
I have to say, yes- SPACE! The kids were driving us nuts and my husband was driving me nuts. He even said he would have rathered less days because of the room.
In fact, he had me run the numbers on 2 rooms at POP and is seriously considering switching from POR to POP so he and DS will be in 1 room, and myself & DD in the other.
I'll gladly shell out the extra for 2 rooms at POP before losing Disney Days. That's when I started looking at Bonnet Creek. I bet when we go back in 2013 I can get him to agree to 2-3 weeks once he realizes the space we'll have! It will be pure
to let the kids watch a movie in their own bedroom (and/or go to sleep), while we stay up in the living room, have a drink on the balcony, do laundry, etc.
Best part is, we won't be paying any more money than we would to stay on-site. Could save more if we would eat out less & cook more. Which I would do if staying 3 weeks.
Most people don't necessarily care if they have the kitchen and extra space if it means they are off property. It's apples and oranges. I could see it more if you HAD to stay DVC.... The kitchen doesn't mean a whole lot with the number of meals you are figuring in. I think you have more of a following of people who are looking at going cheaper. So when you were able to save $1000 it seemed to be a point to think about.
For us though I don't want to stay off property but not have a car and as you mentioned with that figured in it's break even. So really not a savings at all.
Turns out the $1,000 savings was really $800. I forgot to figure in resort discount when doing my Disney math.
However, that still IS a valid savings. You can't say it's NOT a savings. I just chose to spend that savings on different things instead. (ie, tip money, taxis, etc). That's how it became "break even" for us. If we decided to rent a car, are we really going to spend that entire $800 on a car rental for 10 days? Not likely...
Not only that - how many people looking at going cheaper are suddenly going to ADD more money for food? If you look at the figures - we *increased* our OOP meals for staying off-site. Most people I'm sure won't spend that amount of money! So, even more savings for them.
And yes, I don't care about the kitchen either. Unless we were staying for 3 weeks. Then I'd use it. It's the 2 bdrms, living room, balcony and washer & dryer I'm in love with!
Truth be told - I just don't understand why people (not just you, but many others) insist Bonnet Creek is not on property. It's not a Disney resort sure, but it is still on Disney property - right between Caribbean Beach Resort and Typhoon Lagoon.
What it really comes down to - is people will never truly know what works best for them until they do the math for their family & way of vacationing. Unfortunately, the problem is how LONG it takes to do the math, consider different scenarios, and make sure everything is taken into account. So naturally, most people don't bother and just assume what will work. I spent the better part of a year wondering *why* some people love non-Disney resorts so much. Now I know.