Anyone else prefer staying off-site?

[shalom]

I'm hearing about 3/2 condo's for $99 can someone shoot me a PM with the name so I can look it up please thankies!

We have friends who rent condos or houses with private pools off of e-bay for less than $99/night pretty regularly. There are some rental agents that list there regularly and you could check them out here or other places. And there are a lot of deals in Orlando, especially if you go off season. Wyndham resorts is running a "one week for $199" deal right now in the thread on this board with "Endless Vacations $199" in the title. Most Timeshares rent by the week, but if you're getting a week for $200 it may be the best deal going even if you're only staying 5 days.

Right now I could get a week and 5 days in Orlando, either all at the same place or switching after the first week, in 2BR condos that sleep eight three different ways at about $50 a night, using the Wyndham deal or an RCI Last Call vacation along with distressed points. If you hang out on TS boards, you can find deals in point systems where you can rent by the day.

And I know people who've gone to Orlando - even traded into DVC - for even less. Most Orlando timeshares have very poor trading power, so a lot of people buy a Timeshare outside of Orlando and use that to trade into somewhere for their Disney vacation, which can save a lot of money if you visit Orlando on a regular basis. The DVC deals and the really nice resort deals are off season, but I've heard you can get some good deals on the plainer places even in season. We don't like crowds so haven't looked into it much myself.

Staying in motels and hotels is the most expensive, most flexible, and least risky way of visiting WDW. Renting condos or owning a timeshare is less flexible and can be more risky, depending on how you do it, but they're much cheaper. If you do your homework the risk is pretty minimal - the only risk I carry in renting points is if I rent them and then can't go; you don't usually get your money back renting points if it turns out you can't make the vacation.

 

[4forMe]

This is a great thread- thanks ya'll ... heres' my deal

I am taking my brother and SIL and my 2 yo nephew for the first time for a quick 2 day trip. we are driving so will have wheels. my bro and SIL are not Disney fanatics like my family and I think they will prolly suffer Disney overload. plus the finances are on the skimpy side as we are trying to work a few days at the beach in as well...

I'm hearing about 3/2 condo's for $99 can someone shoot me a PM with the name so I can look it up please thankies!

Check out the following:

www.vacationcentralflorida.com

They offer 2 and 3 BR condos in Windsor Hills for as little as $199 per week (depending on what time of the year you go). However, it requires a stay of Saturday to Saturday. They've been recommended on this board many times. We usually stay in a 4 BR pool home but would stay through vacationcentralflorida if we needed a smaller space.

 

[richmo]

Check out the following:

www.vacationcentralflorida.com

They offer 2 and 3 BR condos in Windsor Hills for as little as $199 per week (depending on what time of the year you go). However, it requires a stay of Saturday to Saturday. They've been recommended on this board many times. We usually stay in a 4 BR pool home but would stay through vacationcentralflorida if we needed a smaller space.

We stayed at one of these condos last year for two weeks. Basically a 3 bedroom condo cost about the same for two WEEKS as Wilderness Lodge would cost us for 3 NIGHTS. I'm all for the Disney experience, and I love Wilderness Lodge, but I'll trade 3 nights for 2 weeks anytime!

 

[jjjmranch]

It's not true that all condos rent Sat-Sat. We just came back from Windsor Palms and had a Wed - Tue rental. All you have to do is ask. VRBO.com is good, and so is the owner websites through the community (i.e. windsorpalms.net). I love the space and the quiet of being offsite. We have just as much fun and since I grew up in a major city with buses, I have no desire to wait for or ride a bus ever again. That has no appeal. I just work the $14/day parking fee into my budget.

 

[richmo]

It's not true that all condos rent Sat-Sat. We just came back from Windsor Palms and had a Wed - Tue rental. All you have to do is ask. VRBO.com is good, and so is the owner websites through the community (i.e. windsorpalms.net). I love the space and the quiet of being offsite. We have just as much fun and since I grew up in a major city with buses, I have no desire to wait for or ride a bus ever again. That has no appeal. I just work the $14/day parking fee into my budget.

Thats true, some of the condos are available other than Sat. to Sat. However, thru vacationcentralflorida.com, they are all Saturday to Saturday. That helps them keep the units occupied, allows them a regular cleaning schedule and hopefully keep the prices down. But if you can't do Saturday to Saturday, vrbo and others have some good options. (We've also come in on a Friday, stayed in a hotel for a night, then gone on to the condo)

If you do the condo thing for a decent amount of time, say 10 days or more, you may want to consider buying one annual pass. One of the benefits is saving the $14 per day in parking. It'll take several days to make up the difference between the park hopper and the AP, but there's other benefits to factor in. You just have to do the math.

 

[jpeppers]

There is a huge advantage to both. If I was traveling with a big family I would go with an Off site condo (love Cypress pointe) for the extra room but when it is just my daughter and I, I love to stay on site. We have been renting through DVC owners on the Dis and it has worked out great the last couple of years. The convenience of staying on site is awesome but it is great when you go back to your off site condo and ave all that extra room. With me, I just have to weigh all factors every trip before I make my decision but staying off site can be great.

 

[Coach81]

Thank God for my DVC!!!!

 

[TamaraQT]

Maybe one year, I will splurge and try DVC. Maybe rent from a DVC owner. At present time for me, off-site is the only way I can go. I am sure once I try on-site I will just LOVE it. But I couldnt afford on-site every year. I'd rather go more often and stay off-site than to go less often to stay on-site. I like Disney too, but I just cant justify their prices within my budget.

 

[Planogirl]

Maybe one year, I will splurge and try DVC. Maybe rent from a DVC owner. At present time for me, off-site is the only way I can go. I am sure once I try on-site I will just LOVE it. But I couldnt afford on-site every year. I'd rather go more often and stay off-site than to go less often to stay on-site. I like Disney too, but I just cant justify their prices within my budget.

That's exactly our situation except we have been onsite several times. I can't deny the convenience but otherwise I prefer to save money. It's probably because we're really only there for the parks anyway.