Advantages of Value Resorts over Offsite Properties?

[gtalum]

I'll preface my post by saying that I have always been a die-hard off-site hotel fan. That said, we have purchased annual passes this year and I would like to try a WDW resort just to see what it's like. We will be taking monthly (or thereabouts) 2-3 day weekend trips to WDW with our passes.

We need (want, I guess is more like it ) a suite because we have a 13 month-old and she goes to sleep long before we do and we want the ability to have a cold tasty adult beverage and watch TV after she goes down for the night.

Anyway, looking at a stay in mid-January (for our upcoming late October and early December trips, I'll be staying off-site for sure) I can book a suite off-site at Hawthorn Suites or Quality Suites for ~$85 per night. I can, with a AAA discount, get a family suite at the ASMu Resort for ~$147.20 per night. The accommodations themselves are basically equivalent, but is there anything about the Value Resorts that makes them worth the extra $60 or so per night over an off-site hotel?

I'd really like to stay in a Deluxe Resort on the monorail, but I can't justify the cost, especially without a suite.

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

Have you looked into renting DVC points and getting a suite that way? Works out about the same cost as the ASMu suite. I think you will love being on site. The key to the world card is great and you don't need to be carrying tons of cash around. Also if you rent DVC points you could get the Dining plan.

 

[gtalum]

Can you rent points for short stays (2-3 nights)? I hadn't even looked into it because I thought you had to book entire weeks...

 

[blue_eyes5212]

To me, the advantage of any onsite property is not having to drive to the parks. Having to find our way around, paying to park, making sure we're in the right lane, fussing at each other when we get in the wrong lane and have to double back......I'm getting stressed out just thinking about all of it!!
To me all of that does not sound very "vacation-like".

I love being able to ship purchases back to the room so I don't have to lug them around all day!

I like knowing that I can just hop on disney transportation for an afternoon swim or rest at my disney resort. Then I can head back to the park at night for fireworks or other fun things.

I guess you could say I'm a die-hard on-site person!!
Disney resorts just offer a level of convenience that I am willing to pay for!
I love the all-inclusiveness of it! And I love the dining plan!!

To me onsite means leaving the outside world behind!!

 

[Taja]

I tend to label the value resorts as "Motel 6 meets Disney!" Think basic, clean and very convenient.

For me, the pluses of onsite vs. offsite are at a basic level are: WDW transportation (use it frequently even with a rental car), EMH (evening for us, but morning for many others) and LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION.

Beyond that, the amenities of moderate or deluxe resorts are nice depending on one's needs and budget.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

What do you mean? There are hotels off-site? What is off-site?

Never, will I ever stay off site. Once you enter those gates you are fully submerged in the magic. We enter from the Western Beltway with no traffic what so ever and just before you get to the second toll booth, you can look to the left and see the CR, that is when thee magic begins. Then as you circle off of the interstate and see that Welcome to Disney sign, you feel like you are home. At most, if not all, there is a sign when you enter the driveway that says "Welcome Home" and you really do feel at home. Everyone at the resorts makes you feel that way. We have stayed in Value resorts and Deluxe resorts and as long as I am on Disney property, I am a happy girl.

DH can go off and play mini-golf and I can go to DTD, a park, the Boardwalk without having to worry about driving, or at least getting into traffic (he usually drives to the mini-golf). I feel safe being on property. Then there are Extra Magic Hours, it is really nice to jump on a bus and go back mid-day for a rest, especially with a baby, I don't have a baby, but my mom has to have a mid-day break, and that gives those staying off-site a chance to be gone by mid evening when I go back. There are so many reasons to stay on site, it would take me half a day to explain it all.

At certain times of the year, you can also use those AP's to get a great rate at the resorts. We are satying at AKL from December 21-23 for $210/night, granted I am paying $25 for an extra adult($185/night w/o extra adult), but if I wasn't paying that it would be $184 off rack rate, I am getting $159 off rack rate.

When we decided to go in June, last minute, I called WDW and there was nothing avail in any category, except conceirge, but I called back the next morning at 7:00am and was able to get a standard room at AS Movies, I was determined that I was going to stay on property, there is just no other way to go to WDW.

Suzanne

 

[Skroops]

Can you rent points for short stays (2-3 nights)? I hadn't even looked into it because I thought you had to book entire weeks...

Sure you can rent points whenever you want, for the duration you want. Trouble is, it doesn't save you much money if you go over the weekend. It's a great deal during the week.

With the deluxe resorts you wouldn't really need a suite, you could use the balcony for your adult beverage time. The WL and AKL are priced a little lower than the monorail resorts. For ease of naps and over all vacation experience, we prefer on-site. You can definately find beautiful off-site resorts for less money, but it is a different vacation. Try checking into the DTD resorts. The bus service isn't as easy because they stop at each DTD resort, but the price may be right.

Good luck!

 

[Us3]

In a word, transportation. That's the big difference between onsite and offsite IMHO. The idea of renting DVC points sounds good too...I need to look into that!

 

[rcraw45425]

As others have mentioned, the transportation advantages, no tram to the hot icky car, then waiting in traffic to get back to your hotel, just hop a bus, monorail or boat and you're "home". The resorts are wonderfully themed with great pools (love the WL pool for younger kids, in fact love the WL!). All Disney hotels offer a variety of sizes of life jackets to use too. The deluxe resorts offer table service dining, not to mention the EMH perks, there is even a Little Ones EMH now I think. The thought of offsite sends chills up my spine!

In all our stays we have never booked a suite with our two girls who have been travelling to WDW since they were 11 months and 33 months so I can't help with that part. We stayed at Swan, CR, (several times) and the GF when they were young. Once we stayed a couple nights at Hotel Royal Plaza in DTD since we were actually down for something other than Disney, with just one day allotted for the park. The room there had a seperate sitting area with a small sleeper, but the transpo issues were so bad that DH insisted on moving to CR after the second night. I do seem to recall that the Hilton in DTD does have EMH priviledgesm have you checked there with AAA?

 

[gtalum]

If you don't have a second room, what do you do wih the kid(s) while they are sleeping before your bedtime? I dread the thought of having to lie quietly in a dark room at 8pm (or even 10pm for that matter) so she can sleep.

 

[rcraw45425]

LOL, our girls are 10 & 12 now. Our children have always been night owls. I never put them to bed before 9PM even when they were small. DH is an ER physician and works weird hours. If our children went to bed at 7:30PM they would never see their Dad. Now they go to bed around 10 and get up at 7. We were also blessed with children that went to sleep and slept, pretty much could sleep through an earthquake, even now. I don't know if it was breastfeeding or family bed or what but they slept if there was a parent next to them.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

If you don't have a second room, what do you do wih the kid(s) while they are sleeping before your bedtime? I dread the thought of having to lie quietly in a dark room at 8pm (or even 10pm for that matter) so she can sleep.

If she was as tired as my cousin after a day at the parks, no noise in the world would have waken her up and this child wakes up busy and it takes moving mountains to get her to bed at night and then she might not go to sleep. We had to change her into her pj's while she was sleepiong because we couldn't wake her to change them herself. But, we never made it back to the room that early, and she was 7 at the time. I was as tired as she was, so it wasn't long before I was asleep too. I have seen people take the chair from their room and sit outside the door.

Suzanne

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

Sorry duplicate post.

 

[DWisher]

I'm a novice...what web sites can you look at to rent points? Is there any fraud scams that you know to watch out for?

 

[Eeyore's Pal]

I think for us it's a combination of the factors mentioned:

• Disney transportation -- no need to take the tram to the scorching hot car
• Emersion within the magic -- we make one trip for basic groceries on the first day, and never leave property again
• Extra Magic Hours -- we don't get up for the early morning hours, but we never miss the nighttime ones!

We also take adavantage of package delivery -- which might not matter for a weekend trip.

 

[Disney Von Drake]

…but is there anything about the Value Resorts that makes them worth the extra $60 or so per night over an off-site hotel?

I'd really like to stay in a Deluxe Resort on the monorail, but I can't justify the cost, especially without a suite.

As has been mentioned, Disney transportation to and from the resorts is the only significant advantage.

None of the Disney resorts can compare to the many good off site resorts that are available. The off site resorts offer bigger and better rooms with superior amenities for much less money. With any and all Disney resorts (including the DVC) you’re paying a premium price for one thing, location.

Off site deluxe resorts are far superior in every respect to Disney resorts with the exception of location.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

As has been mentioned, Disney transportation to and from the resorts is the only significant advantage.

None of the Disney resorts can compare to the many good off site resorts that are available. The off site resorts offer bigger and better rooms with superior amenities for much less money. With any and all Disney resorts (including the DVC) you’re paying a premium price for one thing, location.

Off site deluxe resorts are far superior in every respect to Disney resorts with the exception of location.

Have you actually stayed on-site? I beg to differ to your response. There certainly is no comparison to an off-site resort and the amenities provided by being a resort guest. I couldn't imagine ever having a reason to stay off-site. I dont really understand why people do.

There is no experience that can even begin to compare to how emersed in the magic you are. No other hotel can do above and beyond what Disney provides. I don't even take price into consideration when I say this either.

It is just magical

 

[blue_eyes5212]

I also don't understand why people stay off site unless they are visiting other Orlando area attractions. When we go down, it is all about Disney. I just feel if I had to worry about finding the theme parks in my own car, then when I'm tired at the end of the day having to get back in my hot car and find my way back to the hotel then I wouldn't enjoy my vacation as much.

And I like knowing that I can take a midday break by just hopping on Disney transportation and being taken "home"!

I understand that Disney transportation has its downfalls, but all in all it's pretty good. So I don't really understand why people stay on site and drive their own cars to the parks. We look forward to ditching our vehicle in the parking lot on our first day!! To me, getting back in it means it's time to go
back home and bidding disney farewell for another year!

 

[lunabkat]

I have stayed on site and offsite and if you are strapped for cash, offsite is much cheaper, even with a rental car. That's just the way it is. On site is definately "in the magic" but some people can only take so much magic. It is convenient to be able to go back to our hotel for a rest midday, but, frankly, with some of the bus service in Disney, your travel time to a close by offsite hotel isn't any longer than waiting for some of those busses to get you to where you are going. Done it, its a fact.

No doubt, it IS fun to be on property, but if its a choice of a week off property or three days on property, I will take the week off property. It would be nice to stay on property all the time, but not financially feasible. At least where I prefer to stay, I am not going to get trapped in one of the Value Resorts with the multitudes of cheeleaders, etc. that use these places, if i want to be surrounded, constantly, by teens and preteens, I will become a middle school teacher, thank you very much.

To each his own! The only requirement is you have a great time on your vacation.

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

What do you mean? There are hotels off-site? What is off-site?

Yep that's me. Even if there is a big price difference I can't justify the time wasted driving to the parks, the money spent parking, not being able to run back to the room if we want a break or forget something, having to carry around anything we buy, and carry cash? Add in EMH, and the feel of being on Disney property w/ all that magic all the time, there is NO WAY I could go anywhere else!