Just going to the resort and skipping the parks

[shalom]

If not planning to do any of the parks, you are paying a premium for a lot of things you won't be using so there are a lot of other more economical places to stay in Orlando (or most other resort cities).

True, but what most people mean by a resort stay is not just sitting at the resort they sleep in -- they tour the other resorts or visit them to eat, or they go to Disney Springs, meaning they're using Disney transportation, which is the main appeal for some. I don't mind driving, myself, and have no interest in taking the Disney buses (which remind me of going to work), but some Disney transportation I outright enjoy -- the monorail and the boats -- while my eldest son hates driving and likes the buses right along with the other options. We haven't done the Skyliner yet but I'm sure he'll love that as well. Aside from the transportation, theming is another part of the extra cost, and I have yet to find an offsite resort where the theming compares except Gaylord Palms, if you ignore their boring rooms. Some people get a real kick out of swimming in a themed pool.

While it's true that plenty of non-Disney resorts, including some of the ones we've stayed at, have great pools and other onsite activities, none of them I've looked into offers anything comparable to what Disney World offers without leaving the property and either driving or using the local trolley or bus system. Non-Disney resorts can't compete there; Disney World offers too much. For one thing, while I've stayed in other resorts with horse-riding onsite, I've never seen it offered anywhere but Disney in Orlando! Nor do many non-Disney resorts offer all the watercraft options you can find at Disney. Plus if Disney Springs is a firm part of your Orlando routine (the Lego store is a must for hubby), it's a lot nicer to boat there from any of the "Disney Springs Resorts" -- Old Key West, Port Orleans, or Saratoga Springs -- than it is to drive or take a bus.

We stay offsite because we like more space than Disney offers -- even the regular DVC units are cramped compared to the other ones we have stayed in in Orlando -- but I have often considered getting an onsite room for a couple of nights instead of park tickets. I have a Disney Visa, and my Visa Rewards are a "sunk cost" -- I have to spend them at Disney anyhow -- and we usually buy our Disney tickets elsewhere because we've found better deal. With the money limited to Disney, getting an onsite room is about on par with eating onsite and paying for my whole crew. Looked at that way, I'd prefer the room, but my crew prefers the meal!

When it's just hubby and I, staying onsite will be more likely, and I expect we'll do some non-park onsite visits.