Windsor Hills and Reunion- Thoughts on staying off property?

[TeacherDL]

We are a family of four (two girls ages 17 and 12). We have never stayed off property, but we are considering it for our October trip.
The main reasons we are considering this option is more room for the girls, it is definitely much cheaper, and it would be easier if we wanted to do something different (like Discovery Cove).
I'm worried about not being able to come and go easily to the parks (we usually stay beach club and walk to Epcot at night), not having transportation (magical express) and having to rent a car, and not being able to make fast pass reservations at 60 days.
I'm looking at Windsor Hills and Reunion.
What are your opinions on staying off property?
Any thoughts on Windsor Hills and/or Reunion?
Thoughts on my worries?

I appreciate any advice. I'm just trying to make the best decision for my family.

 

[100AcreWood]

I love Windsor Hills but have never stayed at Reunion. We are a family of 5 so the cost savings is huge.

I like that everyone has their own bed. We usually go to the parks and stay all day so the ability to come and go doesn't make any difference to us. Driving isn't bad at all. That said, you will have to pay parking which is $20 a day. Also, you will have to deal with the ticket and transportation center at Magic Kingdom. That was probably the biggest shift for me staying offsite. You have to account for an extra "trip" meaning you park at the TT and take the monorail or boat to the MK. I was happy with our fast pass reservations at 30 days so that would not concern me. The only one we did not get was 7d mine train. We road it anyway.

I love having a kitchen to make breakfast, a washer and dryer in case I need to wash swimsuits or beach towels and it's just so much quieter than Disney's properties in my opinion. We usually take a break from Disney at some point while we're there. So it's not Disney all week long. Good luck deciding!

 

[katallo]

We have stayed at both. Always, 3 bedroom condos. I was hesitant about Reunion because it seemed a little less convenient than WH. But, overall we loved it. Travel time difference was minimal. We also liked being close to Championsgate for restaurants and Reunion has a great restaurant/bar area at their hotel with a view of fireworks. WH has a nice pool area. Reunion has quite a few pools and a waterpark.

 

[tiring_day]

We have stayed at Reunion resort in one of the 3 bedroom condos and had a great experience. The resort is huge with a really nice waterpark. Can't comment on many more of the amenities as never used them but ran miles around there grounds. It was about a 20 minute drive to any of the Disney Parks. Very well placed resort.

We have stayed both on and off property and both have their advantages. What I liked about off site was my son had his own room so we could chill out and watch TV without worrying about waking him up. The washer, drier and full kitchen is a big plus.

 

[cammie810]

Have stayed offsite at Windsor Hills and Bonnet Creek many times (as well as onsite) and would never go back to onsite. For us it is a no brainer because we have annual passes that come with free parking. Even if I had to budget in parking and a rental car; I think it would still be less expensive than staying on property and the extra space is completely worth it. Having a living room and a kitchen along with a separate bedroom for everybody makes life so much easier. If you want to go to bed or get up earlier or later than your spouse or kids you can! Being able to have a cup of coffee while still in your pajamas relaxing on your balcony in the morning or a glass of wine at night is a bonus as well! We still eat out a ton but if we dont want too we have the choice to cook. Windsor Hills is a beautiful community with many different types of housing options and is very close to WDW as well as a ton of different restaurants and shopping. The units are individually owned and we have had different degrees of how well they are stocked with cooking utensils and how they are decorated but everyone we have rented has been clean and fairly well equipped. Bonnet Creek is closer and has fantastic pools and lazy rivers, scheduled activities and entertainment, bars and restaurants. Definitely more of a resort compared to Windsor Hills. Where we stay for us depends on availability and price.

 

[Christine]

I can't comment on each of the resorts you mentioned, but as you can see from my signature, my last few trips have been offsite. Like you, the kids got older (or one of them brought a friend) and the hotel room for 4 (or 5) was getting a bit to close for comfort. We started doing offsite and I actually LOVE it. That said, there are some inconveniences such as driving to the park each day (which I like because I'm not a fan of the bus), paying for the parking, and then yes, it's not easy to go on and off. But we were never the type that did that. Basically we are the type that get to the park at rope drop and stay all day until dinner. We head back to our place, shower, and then go out for the evening. I generally don't do parks at night with the one exception of Epcot to do fireworks. But we do head back to some resort for dinner. I really love staying offsite and having all that room to relax in the evening.

 

[disneysteve]

We are a family of four (two girls ages 17 and 12). We have never stayed off property, but we are considering it for our October trip.
The main reasons we are considering this option is more room for the girls, it is definitely much cheaper, and it would be easier if we wanted to do something different (like Discovery Cove).
I'm worried about not being able to come and go easily to the parks (we usually stay beach club and walk to Epcot at night), not having transportation (magical express) and having to rent a car, and not being able to make fast pass reservations at 60 days.
I'm looking at Windsor Hills and Reunion.
What are your opinions on staying off property?
Any thoughts on Windsor Hills and/or Reunion?
Thoughts on my worries?

I appreciate any advice. I'm just trying to make the best decision for my family.

As my sig shows, we are mainly an offsite family. The onsite trips listed were all a long time ago. I think we've only stayed onsite with my daughter once (All Star) and once at the Swan.

You do need a car, but I don't consider that a negative. Even staying offsite, I would never do it without a car. Disney transportation is awful. I would quite honestly rather stay home than have to depend on Disney buses to get around. DW and I did that once before DD was born and swore we would never do it again. It really ruined the trip for us. Also, we like to go to various places in the area like restaurants and shopping and need a car for that. It's easy to come and go with your own car, far easier than when you don't have one.

The FP thing doesn't matter to us as we don't book them in advance. We only book FPs the night before so that's totally irrelevant to us.

We have stayed many times at Windsor Palms but haven't been to Windsor Hills yet, though we have rented at Crestwynd Bay which borders Windsor Hills. In fact, that's where we're staying next month when we go down for the DIS Mega Meet. It's a great location. We're getting a 3-bedroom, 3-bath townhouse for $75/night. Sorry, but Disney just can't compete with that.

Go and have a great time. People who give offsite a chance usually become offsite converts very quickly when they realize how much better it is than being onsite in many ways.

 

[FigmentSpark]

We always stay off site. We try to book something with enough bedrooms for everyone and a pool, even a hot tub in the back. It's wonderful to come home after a long touring day, put on a bathing suit and walk out the door to relax. I also love having the space for everyone to decompress and just being able to have the freedoms I have at home. Yes, we have to drive and pay parking. So what? We don't park hop and we don't come and go anyway. But we could and do it faster in a car than someone on a Disney bus.

The price is right, for sure. Which amenities of a resort hotel will you miss? Having your bed made in the morning? Fresh towels? Maybe the pool area or ambiance if you go for a walk?

One thing I will mention, most rental places expect you to provide consumables, like groceries, toilet paper, kleenex, paper towels, dish soap and laundry pods/detergent. They usually have one roll of tp and those small hotel soaps for the sink, but otherwise, stop at Publix (which is at the Championsgate exit behind the 7-Eleven) and pick up a few things like that.

You don't have the 60 day FPP and you don't have the EMHs but we avoid those park days anyway. I've never had a problem getting a FPP at 30 days, including 7DMT, but maybe I'm lucky. If you can't get that one, just make it your first stop at RD. Maybe Frozen would be a problem, too... we'll have to wait and see.

Once you've gone offsite and you see how much you save, you will be hard-pressed to justify going back.

 

[NH-to-FL]

We had many trips over many years to the BWI before shifting to an off site villa in the West Haven development near Champions Gate. There is no comparison to the room and amenities of an off site villa. A full kitchen, private pool, plenty of bedrooms and bathrooms. At a much lower price than the daily rate at the BWI.

We always rented a car so no change for us there.

As frequent Disney visitors and now snowbirds, relaxation was always big part of our time in Florida and the villa gives us the space to relax. While still being close to the "Disney bubble".

There are a few things we miss. You mentioned the biggest, being able to wander over to Epcot in the evening. It is a bit longer to get to the MK through parking at the TTC and then the ferry/monorail/bus. So we just get up a few minutes earlier on MK days. We visit the parks at rope drop, generally following easyWDW's recommendations, and get our 'must do's' out of the way first thing.

Reunion is a bit further away from Disney than Windsor Hills but as someone else noted it is not that big a deal.

My suggestion is try off site once. Based on the comments I see you will either love it or find it not right for you.

 

[Christine]

I just can't say enough how much I enjoyed the space of offsite (plus most are so nicely decorated that you definitely feel like you are on vacation). We'd come back from a long day at the parks and I sit back a brew myself a nice hot cup of tea and decompress while getting ready for dinner. Then after dinner, we'd all come back and the teens would either get in the backyard pool or watch whatever on the big flatscreen TVs that most homes have while I went into my master suite and relaxed with my Kindle! SOOOOOO much better than being jammed in a hotel room. Mind you, when my kids were really little, I did not mind the hotel. It's only once they got to be as big as me and wanted to stay up later that the one room thing got really old.

 

[powellrj]

I have never stayed at either resort, but we always stay off-site anymore. We have done on-site, but they would really have to bring the price down for us to stay on-site again.

I have never done it, but DD and her friend went down last month for some Harry Potter event and they were too young to rent a car, so they took uber. It was great. One of the first times they used uber, the lady who was driving gave them tips on how to get around and it made their stay much easier. We are going down in september. We will have a car because we are driving, but we are also taking our DS who is 25 and will want to do things on his own. He has college friends that live there and he wants to get together with them, so he will be using uber.

I think once you give off-site a chance, it is a great way to travel.

 

[disneysteve]

We have done on-site, but they would really have to bring the price down for us to stay on-site again.

For us, it isn't even about price. It's about the space, amenities, and convenience that comes with staying offsite. We can park right outside our door. We have separate bedrooms and separate bathrooms. We have a full kitchen. Sometimes we have our own private screened-in pool. We have a comfortable living room and big screen TV. We have a washer and dryer. And we have peace and quiet.

 

[Dave1234]

We are a family of four (two girls ages 17 and 12). We have never stayed off property, but we are considering it for our October trip.
The main reasons we are considering this option is more room for the girls, it is definitely much cheaper, and it would be easier if we wanted to do something different (like Discovery Cove).
I'm worried about not being able to come and go easily to the parks (we usually stay beach club and walk to Epcot at night), not having transportation (magical express) and having to rent a car, and not being able to make fast pass reservations at 60 days.
I'm looking at Windsor Hills and Reunion.
What are your opinions on staying off property?
Any thoughts on Windsor Hills and/or Reunion?
Thoughts

We've stayed in both. Windsor Hills is a more compact smaller resort but perfect for families. It's the closest resort to Disney, only 2 miles to parks. Reunion is 6 miles away and is a far larger more exclusive resort so more expensive. This summarises the differences:

http://www.windsorhillsprivaterentals.com/kissimmee/windsor-hills-or-reunion/

We are a family of four (two girls ages 17 and 12). We have never stayed off property, but we are considering it for our October trip.
The main reasons we are considering this option is more room for the girls, it is definitely much cheaper, and it would be easier if we wanted to do something different (like Discovery Cove).
I'm worried about not being able to come and go easily to the parks (we usually stay beach club and walk to Epcot at night), not having transportation (magical express) and having to rent a car, and not being able to make fast pass reservations at 60 days.
I'm looking at Windsor Hills and Reunion.
What are your opinions on staying off property?
Any thoughts on Windsor Hills and/or Reunion?
Thoughts on my worries?

I appreciate any advice. I'm just trying to make the best decision for my family.

We've stayed in both. Windsor Hills is a more compact smaller resort but perfect for families. It's the closest resort to Disney, only 2 miles to parks. Reunion is 6 miles away and is a far larger more exclusive resort so more expensive. This summarises the differences:

http://www.windsorhillsprivaterentals.com/kissimmee/windsor-hills-or-reunion/

 

[edolee]

Onsite vs Offsite has always seemed to be a bit of a religious battle. I think you captured the concerns many have about offsite in your request... ease of transportation, loss of certain perks, and where to stay. (one note... my wife REALLY wanted to go to Discovery Cove on our last trip... I just about gagged when I saw the price, but after going it was more than worth it... if you can save some money on lodging and get to Discovery Cove you will not regret it.. (in addition, with your Discovery Cove tickets you can go to Sea World, and Aquatica as many times as you like during your trip.)

1) Transportation -- Don't let anyone kid you, it is more stressful and requires more planning to drive yourself. From needing to rent a car, find your way around Orlando, park, etc. It is just more work.

The good news is that rental cars in Orlando are usually really cheap (I would think you should get some good rates in October)... We LIKE the independence of coming and going when we please, and we so strongly value staying offsite that it is not a consideration for us any more. There is a good transportation forum on this site with lots of information about renting cars. Most people that are good at this seem to find a good rate, book a car asap, and then continue to track rates until right before their trip and change as they find better deals. DEFINITELY try to get into an affinity program that lets you bypass the car rental counter at the Orlando airport. At times the lines to pick up your car can get pretty long.

2) Fastpass at 60 days -- I too was worried about this on our most recent trip... so I took the (controversial) option of renting a throw-away night at Fort Wilderness. This got us free magic bands, 2 days free parking, and the 60 day window for about $100. I had to drive over to pick up the parking pass, but other than that it worked like a charm, and was essentially a wash financially given the free magic bands and free parking. Some people feel this is evil ;-), but I felt no moral qualms about it...

3) Windsor Hills vs. Reunion -- We have stayed a number of times at Windsor Hills, and have visited Reunion (in anticipation of staying there someday). As others have mentioned, Windsor Hills is REALLY close to WDW. In fact, it would not surprise me at all if you could get to Animal Kingdom park faster from WH than you could from Beach Club. Reunion is just a few miles farther, but has excellent golf, and its own water park. I would think WH the better choice for a first offsite trip given the proximity. WH has both condos and Villas... the 2-3 bedroom condos would be a good path to paying for that Discovery Cove trip. Plus, kitchen, washer/dryer can make things cheaper too.

If you can swing it... rent one of the Villas! Once we stayed in a WH Villa with a private pool, we realized there was no going back to on-site. Tons of room and privacy, a games room (in the garage) and the private pool have created so many wonderful memories.

4) Other options... Windsor Hills, while cheaper than Reunion, is still a bit more expensive than some of the other developments in the area. Emerald Island is probably going to be less expensive for a similar condo, and is nearly as close as WH. I would not hesitate to stay at Emerald Island if cost were the biggest issue. There are developments, with fishing, golf, and other amenities that you might try one day as well... but based on your post I would think Windsor Hills or Emerald Island would be solid choices.

Good Luck!

Ed

 

[disneysteve]

Don't let anyone kid you, it is more stressful and requires more planning to drive yourself.

I promise I'm not kidding. I just firmly disagree. I said it before and I'll say it again. If I had to go to Disney and stay onsite without a car, depending solely on Disney transportation to get around, I would pass. I would rather not go than go under those conditions. I enjoy driving. To me, waiting in line to get on a crowded bus every time I want to go anywhere is not my idea of a good time.

 

[gatormom2tots]

We just got back from a 2 week trip at WH in a 4 bedroom villa. We are a family of 6 but Disney has pretty much pushed us off site due to cost. We were able to reserve CBR since our littlest is 2 for the 60 day window, free parking, and ease of transportation so we could split up on site- but this will be our last time. Even with ressies at both WH and CBR at the same time, it was way cheaper than even renting points at a DVC 2 bedroom for the same amount of time.

WH is like 2 miles from Disney property- though you have to keep in mind that it can still take 10-15 to get to MK and other parks just due to the size of WDW. AK is very close!

Just make sure you are renting from an owner with lots of positive feedback. I have heard of some poorly maintained condos and villas and have heard that some of those run by management companies can be lacking- though I have no experienced this myself.

Good luck!

 

[Ametista]

We always stay offsite. Our last trip was at Windsor Palms and it was literally 5 minutes to the Animal Kingdom Parking lot. We usually do half a day at a water park, the go back to house and rest/eat, then pm at theme park. No complaints whatsoever about travel times but I did have a problem with travel time to Terre Verde, which was over 35 minutes if traffic was bad. Loved the resort but would never stay there again. FYI Emerald Island, Windsor Palms and Windsor Hills are all right by each other. Indian Creek and Rolling Hills are too but they don't have security 24/7. I would be very leery of travel times to Reunion, based on its location and having driven through it 30 or so times.

 

[theyoungs07]

We just got back from a 2 week trip at WH in a 4 bedroom villa. We are a family of 6 but Disney has pretty much pushed us off site due to cost. We were able to reserve CBR since our littlest is 2 for the 60 day window, free parking, and ease of transportation so we could split up on site- but this will be our last time. Even with ressies at both WH and CBR at the same time, it was way cheaper than even renting points at a DVC 2 bedroom for the same amount of time.

WH is like 2 miles from Disney property- though you have to keep in mind that it can still take 10-15 to get to MK and other parks just due to the size of WDW. AK is very close!

Just make sure you are renting from an owner with lots of positive feedback. I have heard of some poorly maintained condos and villas and have heard that some of those run by management companies can be lacking- though I have no experienced this myself.

Good luck!

Good info about WH, but I'm puzzled about two diff res's at the same time...did you just do the CBR for one night to get the FP+...or did you reserve 2 rooms at CBR for the same 2 weeks as you did for the WH house? We're in a similar boat with a family that is too big for most Disney accomodations.

 

[gatormom2tots]

No, we had a room at CBR (10 nights) that overlapped our 2 weeks at WH. My husband often went with the older kids to 1 park and I went to another park with the younger ones. With one car, we just used CBR as a "base." in terms of transportation. We never stayed overnight, but took many naps during the day in the room and had a great time at the pool. I know...kinda weird!

 

[boakl]

I have stayed at both and I like both. Windsor Hills is more like staying at a Disney Moderate, and Reunion is more like a Deluxe Resort

Before booking, I determine the kind of trip we need. If we plan to spend most of our time at the parks, We book a cheap 3 bedroom condo through VRBO or the Windsor Hills rental site at Windsor Hills. We are fine with the large communal pool and no onsite restaurants. We simply need a place to rest our heads, make breakfast, do a load of laundry or two and a place for short swims. If we are in the area for a more relaxing trip, with a day or two of park fun, we book Reunion, as it has the water park, pools with food and bar services and several onsite restaurants to enjoy. We have also brought bikes with us to Reunion and had fun exploring the resort on wheels. We have rented through Reunion itself and through VRBO. If you rent through Reunion itself, you will pay more and have unlimited water park access, but will not know what your unit looks like or even exactly where in Reunion you will be located (FWIW, no area is an easy walk to the water park, but the North and South Villas are the closest. The Seven Eagles section is walkable to the Seven Eagles pool which stays open later and has food and bar service). If you rent through VRBO, you will know exactly where you will be located within the resort and what your unit looks like, pay less, but have limited (or possibly no --- be sure to check!) water park access (but you will be able to use the other pools). Reunion has a Groupon special right now that may be worth checking out.