On-site/Off-site *confused*+more questions

[Rienchen]

Hi,

I am new to this board and I am currently planning my second trip to WDW.
Last year I stayed at a youth Hostel On Irlo Bronson(sp?), but this time my mom will join me, so I am looking into an Hotel.

I've been reading on this board for a little while, but one thing still confuses me:
What is considered on-site and what is off site?
Are only the Disney Resorts considered on-site? Or all the Hotels in Downtown Disney as well.

Do all Hotels in Downtown D. offer transport to the Parks(or are they even covered by the official Busses?) What about the extra hours? Is this just the Disney Resorts(PLUS the Hilton, from what I have been reading?)
Do all DTD Hotels charge Resort Fees?

And last but not least, is there a list out there with all hotels in Downtown D.?
My mom and I will not be renting a car, as I don't have a licence and she has never driven a car in the US(we are both from Germany), so we want to stay close to the parks. But we are on a tight budget(not that easy if the week you're travelling is considered peak season) and want to stay in the cheapest hotel possible.

I hope it is okay to ask more than one question in one thread.

TIA

Rienchen

 

[hobogary]

Ok. Let me try. On site covers all Disney hotels, Swan/Dolphin and the hotel plaza hotels. I'm pretty sure they have Disney transport to the parks.S/D definately does.Most dont have all the perks (extra hours , etc.) of Disney hotels but you are "on-site". For your budget, and transport problem, I would stay at AS or POP. Cheapest, Disney transport, and all the perks. If i'm wrong ,I'm sure someone will correct me, and sure hope this helps. OH, and welcome to the dis.

 

[spiceycat]

I too would go with one of the Disney value resorts.

the DD hotels are considered to be on Disney property. but they don't have alot of the perks. No WDW transportation - so instead of a bus coming every 20 minutes to the park, at the DD it could easily be an hour, plus they all share one bus, the Hilton (more expensive) is the only one with EMH

however since you asked
http://downtowndisneyhotels.com/

the value resorts are Pop Century (my favorite), All Stars Music, All Stars Movie and All Star Sports.

When are you going?

 

[kilee]

I would consider a value resort too. The problem is during peak season this still isn't going to be your cheapest option. Many hotels have shuttles- but they are not the greatest or most reliable transportation to and from the parks.

The DTD hotels wouldn't be really any cheaper than a value resort and the transportation will be better from a value resort plus you'll get the onsite benefits.

 

[spiceycat]

one more benefit if you stay onsite at a WDW resort - then Disney will pay your transportation costs from and to the airport. - Disney Magical Express.

this benefit will be until the end of Dec, 2006. then there might be a charge.

 

[MiaSRN62]

Rienchen,
Welcome to the DIS boards. Hope you and your mom can plan a great second trip to WDW.

I agree with hobogary,spiceycat and kilee in that you and your mom would probably much more enjoy POP Century or one of the All Stars onsite (particularily if you don't have a rental car) if you can swing it in your budget. I feel the the wdw busses at these resorts run on a more consistant basis. Also, you have the perk of the food court for meals right at the resort. I'm not sure what time of the year you're going, other than the fact that you mentioned "peak" season. You'll probably have a rate of anywhere from $99/night to $115/night unless you're going during the Christmas season when it becomes $125/night.


Here is a list of the DD hotels:
http://www.hoteldiscounts.com/disney/go2orlando-disney.html


http://www.mousesavers.com/royalplaza.html

http://www.allearsnet.com/acc/faq_dtree.htm or http://www.mousesavers.com/dtguestsuites.html

http://www.mousesavers.com/hiltonwdw.html

http://www.mousesavers.com/bestwestern.html

http://www.grosvenorresort.com/main.html

http://www.downtowndisneyhotels.com/HolidayInn.html


http://www.downtowndisneyhotels.com/Wyndham.html

 

[Rienchen]

Hello and thanks for all the fast replies....

We will be going from April 10th until April 16th(Easter), so from what I remembered, the rates at the Value Resorts were around 115$ a night, which unfortunately isn't really cheap.

I will check out the links you gave me and then get back...it really is a lot of fun planning it, as I am surprising my mom...she thinks were staying at the shabby Youth Hostel for 36$ a night.(It actually wasn't bad last year)

thanks again

Rienchen

Edit:
I checked the hours for April on the WDW website and it looks like the Magic Kingdom(the park we will spend most of our time at) is already open until midnight, so we wouldn't need the Extra hours.

 

[kilee]

Unfortunately for Easter week you probably won't get any of the DTD hotels any cheaper.

Your only option if these rates aren't possible for your budget would be to stay completely offsite. But that comes w/ it's own issues. You'll need to pay for a shuttle to your hotel. As well as use the hotel shuttles to get back and forth to the parks. It can be done-- we did it once (well we did it for 1/2 a trip and finally decided to use our own car). Many hotels do run free shuttles. The best bet would be to find one w/ a great shuttle schedule.

 

[MiaSRN62]

Unfortunately for Easter week you probably won't get any of the DTD hotels any cheaper.

I agree....I plugged in the dates for a couple DD resorts (Hilton, Best Western, Grosvner) and got higher rates.
You can try hotelkingdom :
http://www.hotelkingdom.com/HotelSe...=1753222&location=1753222&offset=0&sort=price

I did get some rooms further offsite for $47-$60/night. Not sure how their shuttle service is though. You'd have to do either ask them directly or ask on these boards if anyone has had any experience with them. I wish you luck.

 

[spiceycat]

you are going to WDW in Easter with your mother.

Do you have any idea how crowded it can yet then????

there is a good chance that WDW will close the parks because of crowds - the parking lots get full....

so be prepared to go early and stay....

I would reconsider going during Easter. Disney only has one time more crowded - Christmas to NY....

I know you say you can't do the value resorts - but believe me if you want to go during Easter - you might wished you had....

Now I love Offsite - but I ALWAYS have a car.

Sorry to sound so preachely - but believe me - WDW crowds for Easter is not something to go to lite hearted.

I though you were talking about summer....

 

[Rienchen]

I know, but sadly Easter is the only time we can go.... I work as a nanny for a teacher, so I can only take my vacation during the breaks and my mom(who is flying all the way from Germany to see me) can't take days off work during the summer...so this is the only date possible.(I will leave the US in August).

For Hotel, I checked Rates on POP, and it came out about $770 for 6 nights...
I might try Priceline for the DTD Resorts, maybe I am lucky...

 

[spiceycat]

the problem with trying priceline - is you can get stuck somewhere else - that doesn't even have bus transportation.

do you find anything on

www.hotelkingdom.com
at least this site explains what you are likely to find at the hotel.

If you are on a budget - I would be looking in the other area close to WDW - Kissimmee US 192 West - Silver lake or Holiday Inn West - now neither get great reviews but they are very, very close to WDW.

here is Holiday inn
http://celebration.hotelkingdom.com...ts=2&numkids=0&hotelcode=DISWG&cityId=1753222

as you can see you are not saving alot of money. with DME it will be even less. How are you planning on getting to the hotel? Taxis, towncar, shuttle?

the rate go up that Friday.

 

[MiaSRN62]

Sorry to sound so preachely - but believe me - WDW crowds for Easter is not something to go to lite hearted.

It's a shame it's the only time you can go because I'm with Spicey. We went Easter week in '99 and Fri, Sat, Sun (the holiday weekend) were particularily dreadful. The MK was so packed on Sat, we left by 11 am. Just make sure you're mentally prepared for this. You might want to stay away from the MK over that weekend.

Holiday Inn West - now neither get great reviews but they are very, very close to WDW.

If this is the Holiday Inn Maingate West, then this is actually where we stayed that Easter week (it was a VERY last minute trip/decision). Even that resort was going for $99/night. We did have a car so I don't know even if they have a shuttle. I found this hotel, very basic, but clean. We had a room on the 6th floor with a view of the pool (smallish size). The room appeared to have been recently remodeled----bathroom fixtures were new, carpet new, bedspreads new and wallpaper border new. But, this was in April of 1999. Not sure how that hotel stands up today.

 

[spiceycat]

okay look at it this way
the Holiday Inn West
Mon- thurs - 81.95, fri/sat - $110.95 - so grand total $549.70 + 13% tax - $71.46 + $2.75*6 (resort fee) =$637.66 - the hotel only - then you add the taxi from the airport - I used a figure of $35 - this is probably low for Kissimmee plus the tip $7 - there and back

so now you are talking about $721.66 for offsite hotel.

vs $769.32 Pop Century.... you are saving maybe $47.66 - maybe.

do the figures!!! make sure you count the Magical Express (no charge to WDW resort guest) in your figures.

okay I check my figures with mears shuttle
https://secure.mearstransportation.com/PriceReq.asp

as you can see I understated it.

this is shuttle not a taxi or towncar.

 

[Rienchen]

It's a shame it's the only time you can go because I'm with Spicey. We went Easter week in '99 and Fri, Sat, Sun (the holiday weekend) were particularily dreadful. The MK was so packed on Sat, we left by 11 am. Just make sure you're mentally prepared for this. You might want to stay away from the MK over that weekend.
.

yeah...I thought it would be best, if we did MK during our first days and kept maybe Epcot or MGM for the Saturday.
We are getting a 5 Day Ticket for Tuesday till Saturday, planning at least 2.5 Days for MK alone as this Park is very similar to Disney in Paris, which we both loved.

Now if only I could decide about the accommodation But thank you all so much for your help...I really appreciate it and I will keep you posted on how I decide.

Edit: Forgot who asked, but last time I took the Mears Shuttle(payed around $22), but then I was by myself....maybe a different option is cheaper now that it is the 2 of us.

PS 'my mom' sounds so old...she is only 44 so she is still fit enough for 5 long days at Disney

 

[kilee]

Don't forget w/ Pricline you could get a hotel that is not in DTD. So, be prepared for that. W/O a car that could be a bit riskier than you might want to go.

 

[MiaSRN62]

PS 'my mom' sounds so old...she is only 44 so she is still fit enough for 5 long days at Disney

LOL
Well thank you very much Reinchen ("sounds so old") !
I'm glad to hear your mom is "still fit enough" for 5 days in the parks !!! Being 43 myself, I'd hate to think I'm too ancient to hang with my kids on vacation. My youngest (dd 12) is going snow tubing at a local mountain resort nearby next week. Sure hope I can hang with her as I have plans of taking my "old" body down that slope with her ! Gosh, if I'm "old" at 43, can only imagine what I'll be at 63 and beyond !??
Good luck with your plans. Hope you find something soon. Keep us posted on what you come up with.

 

[Rienchen]

LOL
Well thank you very much Reinchen ("sounds so old") !
I'm glad to hear your mom is "still fit enough" for 5 days in the parks !!! Being 43 myself, I'd hate to think I'm too ancient to hang with my kids on vacation. My youngest (dd 12) is going snow tubing at a local mountain resort nearby next week. Sure hope I can hang with her as I have plans of taking my "old" body down that slope with her ! Gosh, if I'm "old" at 43, can only imagine what I'll be at 63 and beyond !??
Good luck with your plans. Hope you find something soon. Keep us posted on what you come up with.

Haha, that's not how I meant it....
It's just, that you don't know, how old I am, so my mom could have been a lot older.

I just thought, that 'I am taking my MOM on vacation' sounds very old and boring...like taking a retired person to Disney....ot that there is anything wrong with that

Sorry for that...English is not my native language as most of you might have already guessed..

 

[MiaSRN62]

I just thought, that 'I am taking my MOM on vacation' sounds very old and boring

Oh, I know Rienchen I was just kidding too
I think it's really nice you're planning this trip with your mom. Is this her first time in WDW ? I'm still hoping you can swing staying at POP or one of the All Stars because without a car you also lack options for driving somewhere to eat. It's nice to have a reasonably priced food court right at your finger tips. Is there a possibility you could knock one day off your trip to save some extra $ ? Not sure if you purchased airfare yet.
Keep us posted.......

 

[mbb]

You guys are too funny!

Have a great trip (and another vote for Pop ) Let us know!