Should I cancel my off site??

[rxsuperwoman]

I'm currently booked at the Royal Plaza downtown disney. It's just the two of us, me and my daughter who is 5. I feel that I got a good rate for 8 days, 7 nights at 531. Everyone says how large the rooms are and I hate feeling cramped. Well, I opened my e-mail yesterday and of course Disney is running a discount on their rooms. All Start Disney Movies for the same time frame is 603. I think both will cost me about the same in the end, but how small and cramped are the rooms at asdm. I really like comfort, but I also like convenience.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

With only 2 of you, you'll probably be fine in an All Star room. If I was going alone with a small child, I would want the convenience of the Disney buses. It will be much easier and quicker to get back to your room for a break if you need one.

 

[stitch34]

I'd say switch to ASMovies. For just two of you, would think room size would be fine. But I think it would be easier to stay onsite with your daughter transportation-wise, and surely she would really enjoy staying at Movies!

 

[hmillerbarilla]

I agree as well. For us, the ease of being on-site is much more valuable than the size of the room. The rooms will be just fine with 2 of you. Enjoy!

 

[NJRRK]

The Royal Plaza isn't that bad, the rooms are MUCH bigger than the All Stars, the beds are Queen size instead of Doubles and the transportation is not significantly worse than the ASM. That said, with the ASM you will be able to take advantage of EMH, whereas from the Royal Plaza you will not. That would be my biggest concern, not transportation.

Wherever you stay, DON'T TRY TO DO EVERYTHING, the less you do, the more you are atuned to your daughter's enjoyment, the more she'll want to go back.

 

[Veals_Family]

OH, go with On Site!!! You're DD would just LOVE it. How special would she feel just her and mommy AT DISNEYWORLD!!! GO FOR IT. And I agree...the transportation would most likely be quicker.....

 

[leebee]

Regarding the "convenience" of the Disney buses for onsite guests... This isn't a popular opinion, but we do not enjoy using the Disney bus system. When we have had to use the system, we find the long walk to the bus stop at the resort, waiting for the bus to go to the parks, and especially the long wait for a bus home (never less than 30 minutes if we've stayed until the park closes) to be VERY annoying... and then there is the joy of standing on a packed bus after you've been standing in a park all day! However, if you have your own car and stay on-site you can usually park pretty close to your room, beat the bus back to the resort at park closing (yes, even taking into account the tram to the parking lot and the traffic- and you are sitting, not standing!), and NOT pay the $14 a day for parking that you'd have to pay if you were offsite.

Regarding room size: DD and I stayed at POP a couple of years ago. As there were only 2 of us they put us in a king bedded room, so the room felt huge! Even if you are in a 2-double room, there will be ample space- MUCH more space than in many hotel rooms in New York City or Boston! Other things to consider... does your room at the Royal Plaza have a coffee maker and refrigerator, and include a continental breakfast? The room at the All Stars won't, unless you pay more and/or use the food court.

I think either way, you will have a magical vacation!

 

[Aristocath]

If it was me and my child, I'd stay on-site. The transportation alone is worth it to me. Plus the EMH and the ability to send items to your resort is great with kids. Room size isn't a huge factor to me...we frequently travel to NYC so I'm used to tiny rooms.

Have a great trip!

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

I'm with the other posters, if it's just the two of you go for on-site. It's the only way to go for DF and me. We've stayed off-site and will not do it again. We love the 24/7 experience of Disney.

 

[JessicaWakefield]

If your room at the Royal Plaza has a fridge and microwave, I would just stay there. It's probably a lot quieter and spacious. I agree with Leebee, those buses aren't that convenient and trust me, just because you have a young child that doesn't mean people are going to give up their cushy seat for the two of you (which means you'll be standing most of the time).

The lack of space, noise, running to a bus and not being able to have a microwave is going to annoy you after the 2nd day.

 

[mlittig]

rxsuperwoman, to the DIS boards I also would recommend staying on site My adult daughter and I stayed at All Stars Sports last summer and the room size was fine I know your daughter will love all the cool, over-sized icons at the value resorts It will just add to the experience for her And it will make it so much easier to go back to the resort for pool/rest break during the day I hope you have a marvelous, magical, memory filled trip

 

[stephmarty]

We've stayed off-site and found the transportation to be just as good as the All Star Movies resort. I haven't stayed at the off-site hotel you mention, but I've stayed at Bonnet Creek and at the Palace hotel just across the street from Downtown Disney. I've also stayed at ASM, and the buses at the off-sites were at least as good (if not better) than ASM. Also, not sure what the rooms are like at the off-site you've chosen, but we found the rooms at ASM to be very basic. It's more of a motel with outside access to the rooms rather than interior corridors. The size of the rooms was fine at ASM, especially for 2 people. And I do really like the resort grounds with the pools and all of the Disney theming. There's a good chance I would choose ASM for the Extra Magic Hours at the parks, for the "Disney feel," or definitely if I wanted the Disney Dining Plan. In the end, I wouldn't choose ASM over an off-site for the rooms or the transportation.

 

[plutospup]

Personally, I would say it's a toss up. Hotel Royal Plaza is located near Downtown Disney, so it's not really "off property". HRP rooms are much larger, and IMHO nicer than All Stars. On the other hand the All Stars are very "Disney", and when our DD was 4 she LOVED All Star Movies, especially the icons, and pools. HRP busses are nicer than WDW busses, however, they are on a set schedule. Personally, I'm not a fan of either, but that's me. Extra magic hours (early & later) are a benefit from staying at All Stars, although when DD was 4 & 5 she was often too tired to stay at the parks later.
Good luck in your decision!

 

[blessedby3]

I would say that since it is just the two of you, that you will have plenty of room at ASMO. It will be more magical for your dd too. Plus you get the perks of staying on property.

 

[WonderlandsMostWantd]

For me, 2 of the BEST perks that come with staying onsite are the ones nobody seems to mention!
1) ROOM CHARGE! It is so, so much easier to charge everything to the room key. Food, souveniers, snacks, rain ponchos, you name it. If they sell it on proprty, I can probably charge it to my room key! That way, I can go to my hotel's front desk and pay off my current charges every few days, and I only have a few transactions hitting my bank account. Is much easier to balance my check book, and when I check out, I get a detailed list of everywhere I spent my money - from a balancing and budgeting perspective, this is awesome to me. It also feel safer and more secure than carrying around and pulling out large sums of cash, or my credit cards. If I lose me key to the world card, guest services can deactivate the old one and give me a new one, and nobody else has my credit card number! That extra layer of safety and security PLUS convenience is my NUMBER ONE deciding factor when debating staying off site. For me, it is very important.
2) Hand in hand, is package delivery. I don't know about you, but I've seen things I really wanted to get in the parks, and really don't want to carry and keep track of a bag full of stuff all day, and I may be too tired to go back for it at the end of the day - with a child, I imagine this would be even more of a concern. If I buy something almost anywhere onsite (in the parks, Downtown Disney Stores, etc) I can fill out a form and pick it up the next day (or 2 if it's the purchase was the end of teh day sometimes) at the gift shop in my own hotel.
Transportion can be hit and miss, as others have said. But charging to my KTTW card and picking up my purchases AT my hotel are 2 major perks in my opinion, and are worth it for us.

 

[leebee]

As you can see, everyone's different. I would never think that charging to KTTW is a perk- I just use my credit card- and we rarely buy souvenirs so I've never used the package service. If you post this question on the Orlando Hotel board, you'll get just as many people voting for offsite there as you have for onsite here.

I think you will OK at ASM, but if you really like space, or want a microwave or fridge (or continental breakfast) included with your room rate, stay offsite. We haven't found the Disney resorts to be especially "magical" as we spend most of our time at the parks, rarely using the pools or food courts.

 

[MareSINY]

Are you planning to rent a car? If you are then I think either hotel will be just fine, but if you aren't renting a car I say go for All Star, since you'll be able to use Magical Express and Resort Airline Check In for your return home. These things make life SO MUCH easier for an adult traveling alone with a child, I've done this a few times and have really appreciated not having to worry about luggage, etc.

 

[justkem]

Not sure if you're planning on using the transportation system or renting a car... either way, though, I think I would move to the on-site property for a 5-year-old.

Some things to consider in cost: if you're not renting a car, than the cost of getting to the off-site property to your hotel is going to be very nearly if not entirely offset by the Express service. If you are renting a car, the Disney resort is actually going to be cheaper. You have to pay for parking, and it's not cheap, if you're staying off-site.

Sure, there's the fridge issue, but that can be offset with a good "luggage style" cooler. I have a collapsable one lined with the silver thermal protective layer that I picked up at Sam's club years ago, and if you bring it empty, store it in the bathtub, and keep it packed with ice, you avoid the charges for a fridge. Bonus: At the end of your stay, you can dry it out and pack your souvenirs in it!

 

[rxsuperwoman]

The cooler idea is not bad. I guess I should have never second guessed myself. I'm a person who will go over it, and over it, and over it in my head. I don't have a car, but I might rent one. This leans me over to Disney, the other hotel charged 8 dollars a day for parking, then the 14 to pay for parking at disney. That really could start to add up. But again they say you could walk to downtown disney from Royal Plaza (which is cool). Oh but onsite I could use the DME ?? I already have my tickets, am I eligible to add a dining plan by staying onsite or do I need to have purchased a package.

 

[bamor]

If it is just the two of you and no car, stay on site!
Yes, the Royal Plaza is close to Downtown Disney but on a very busy street.
I would never rely on transportation from an offsite hotel.
If you switch to a value, you can take advantage of magial express, transportations to the parks, the dining plan.
AS Music is a lot of fun with activities and movies at the pool.

Pack a collapsible cooler in your luggage as well as ziploc bags for ice.
Change the ice twice a day and you'll be good to go.