Any of you On site people ever try staying off-site?

[dtsaos]

Well, I'm starting to think maybe we should give it a shot. Most likely we'd stay at DTD. We're not even considering staying at universal resorts this trip only because we did universal last year and even though we love it there, we want to wait til the kids are a little older to do the whole stay on site deal there. our kids are DS 5, DD 3 and DD 8 mo. The only thing is that DS will actually be turning 5 on our last night there so maybe it would be more fun for him to be on property....Oh, decisions decisions!

 

[heffalump9]

We stayed offsite for part of our 2004 trip at the Westgate Vacation Villas off 192, we loved the space and extra luxury but we did loose time in the parks and at mealtimes. This year we are back onsite probably to stay!

 

[pepe of ohio]

Have never stayed off site since 1977, first trip to WDW, CR ,and never would. Had our daughter go through the college program few years back and stayed on site when we visited her, 3 times that year and she stayed with us, on site. After graduation from college, she moved to Kissimmee and worked for Disney one full year, visited her 3 times that year also, she had an apartment and we stayed on site and she stayed with us most of the time. She has moved back to Ohio now, poor wages and a field not in the degree area, and we still go down and stay on site. Only place on earth that has pixie dust and all the magic from border to border!

 

[dtsaos]

bump one time!

 

[the kabuki]

We've only stayed off site one time and never again. I agree with the majority of posters here, just doesn't have the same magic as on site. I like to live in fantasyland when I'm in WDW. Well, according to DH, I like to live in fantasyland most of the time though

 

[CarolinaBlue]

We have stayed offsite a few times. We enjoy the complimentary breakfast and the prices are a little cheaper, but I prefer onsite.

 

[SuBeat]

If we could not stay onsite, we wouldn't go at all. Once we are on Disney property, we don't leave until it is time to go home. I have no desire to break the spell until I absolutely have to.

 

[rcraw45425]

I agree with the general concensus (sp?). On site, deluxe or stay home! We stayed offsite last year during spring break and I should have had my head examined! For waht we paid for a flea bag holiday inn we could have stayed in a value or moderate with a code! NEVER AGAIN!

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

I used to stay at the Westin Grand Bohemian in downtown Orlando, but it was typically for business trips. Awsome hotel, but I have to agree with the other posters, you're out of the magic. Beautiful thing, I have now been OKed to stay on WDW property on business trips so I make it a mini-vaction while off the clock. As far as I'm concerned, it's not truly a Disney trip without Kryssa and her Top 7 things to do on the tube!

 

[BevS97]

We have done both - while I prefer onsite, there is a lot to be said for the space available offsite, and I certainly wouldn't say onsite or no trip.
We don't find the transportation an issue, and for the mega park hopping days, I find it easier to use the car anyway - other than at MK, there is no advantage to using the buses (although it's nice that you can), but if you want to do 2 parks, golf, a water park and downtown disney all in one day I think it's much easier with a car.

try asking this same question on the orlando hotels board for a different point of view.

 

[shellybaxter]

I know it's not really staying offsite, but we flew in late last trip. Our plane didn't arrive in Florida until after 8:00PM. I thought it would be okay to stay offsite the first night. I hotwired us a room at the Doubletree Club Lake Buena Vista. The flight was fine, picking up the rental car was fine, the hotel was even fine, but when I saw those purple and red signs and didn't go directly to Disney, I was SOOO depressed. I'd been so looking forward to that vacation (lots for bad stuff happened in the months previous) and checking into a so-so three star hotel just didn't do it for me. Even the warm chocolate chip cookies didn't do it for me (they give them to you at check in for Doubletrees). We got up to the room about 10:30 and I started to cry. I'm sure it was all the pressure and finally being at Disney. But I wasn't really at Disney and I could feel it. So my Darling Husband quickly took me back to the car and drove me to DTD. We bought our Annual Passes and got ice cream. We sat out by the river and called home to our friends who were joining us later in the week and asked how the snow storm was back home. It was then I started feeling "right". The next morning we checked into the BWI and had a GREAT vacation after that. I'll never stay at Disney but offsite again. I'm thinking if we get in that late again MAYBE I could stay at the airport Hilton. That might not feel too bad, cause we wouldn't be at Disney yet.

In my opinion staying offsite just isn't the same and not worth the extra room.

shelly

 

[DoomBuggyBabe]

I did one of the Doubletrees (it was in Kissimmee) in '99 with my mom, dad, sister, BIL and niece. It was certainly workable. A very nice hotel, and nice to have the kitchen amenities. And that was the only way I could afford the trip at that point in my life.
The commute to the parks wasn't God-awful (it was an early November trip, so crowds were down). I could see myself going that route again if money was a huge issue. That said, I do prefer staying on-property -- I've been seduced by the magic of the Wilderness Lodge...
Good luck in making your choice.
Cheers,
Q

 

[dtsaos]

Thanks for so much great feedback guys...we'll see what happens.

DoomBuggyBabe,
I love WL too

 

[eeyore0062]

Yes and we never will again!

 

[Karate Kid]

never.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

We stayed off site for the first time when we were at WDW in January. NEVER AGAIN!!!! What a hassle. Between the traffic and the parking, thats enough in itself. It was nice having a car but give me a Disney resort and the buses anyday. Next stay CR Tower!

 

[dpuck1998]

I've done both. The magic of staying on property is a BIG plus. However, the talk about the advantages of busses and not fighting traffic is perplexing. I would much rather drive to the parks even when I'm on property than take one of the slow, packed busses. I always rent a car, even when we stayed at the Poly in October. Driving to Epcot, Downtown Disney and MGM was (to me) much nicer than a bus. I would rather stay on-site if I'm on a monorail resort, but there are some great hotels that are right on Disneys property line...some closer than the All Stars are to the magic.

 

[ScottOKW2K]

We have stayed off-site about three times. The first time was a priceline stay at the Hilton. The hotel was nice, but it just wasn't Disney. The other two times were when we had trips planned that were water-park only, no theme park visits involved. In this case were in the (then named) Summerfield Suites outside downtown disney. Since we have found that driving to the waterparks easier than using disney transportation this was acceptable.

However, if we are visiting the themeparks we definitely want to stay on-site !

 

[Tinkerbelll]

We've stayed offsite a few times, although we would much rather be onsite, assuming the wallet permits...

In August we stayed at the Holiday Inn Sunspree (may be called something else now)... about 3 minutes from the DTD area. Almost all of their rooms were "KidSuites" and they had a seperate area in the room with bunkbeds and a seperate T.V. for the little ones. Each room had a different theme ("cops and robbers", "wet n' wild", "kennedy space center", etc). It was genius! They were adorable! Great pool and lobby area, movie theater for kids, and lots of fun activities!

If you have kids and need to stay offsite, this is a GREAT place. Check it out!!!

 

[Disney Daddy et al]

We go down every August for two and a half weeks and spend our first week at Disney and our second on International Drive at the Grande Vista a timeshare community by Marriott's Vacation Club. The rates here, if you purchase directly, can be pretty pricey but we usually get a good rate on Redweek.com(2 bedroom,7 days, W/D,jacuzzi in master,etc)
I usually pay under 700.00 and were only minutes from the outlet malls and 15 minutes from IOA/US/SW. The last three or four days we go back to Disney and stay on property. Good luck and best "WISHES"