benefits of staying on property?

[mulanrouge]

Hello all!!

Could someone provide me with information about the benefits of staying on property (besides the transportation to and from the parks). We may have the opportunity to stay on property (my parents own timeshare and can trade it in for the "home away from home resorts"). I have been to Orlando 3 times now, and have always stayed at other timeshare resorts (Sheraton Vistana, Wyndam Palms Resort, and Marriott's Cypress Harbour - all of which I loved!!) I am wondering if it is worth it to look at the Disney property resorts, because right now my first choices are Sheraton Vistana and Mariott's Grande Vista.

Also, at any of the home away from home resorts, can you see any of the fireworks from the resort?

Thanks all!!

 

[cdnmickeylover]

We stay onsite because we like the atmosphere and the wakeup calls!. There is also free parking if you stay onsite even if you decide not to use the Disney transportation. We love the fact that we can park the car (we drive) and then don't have to do any driving for the time that we are there. Other reasons to stay on site are extra magic hours and eride nights.

I don't know the answer about the fireworks though.

 

[cabmom]

We've stayed at the All Star Movies and also Music. For us we did it for the kids. The memories will be ones they have for a life time! Just the look on their faces every morning coming out of the hotel rooms did it for us.
We liked it for the transportation and just being a part of the whole Disney atmosphere.

 

[Susan--Ontario]

We always stay onsite. (as you can tell by my list below). Are the hotels better than off-site. Some are, some are not. The type of hotel is a very personal opinion. I know people who love Holiday Inn Family Suites. We've even been tempted to stay there, but for me it is part of the whole Disney experience to stay on site. There is nothing like being able to head for your own boat dock when you leave Magic Kingdom and not have to go on the big ferry boat. Even though we always go on the ferry boat at least once every trip. The transportation isn't even an issue for us because we drive and have our own van while we're there. And we very rarely use Disney buses unless we're going to Magic Kingdom. It is usually faster to drive ourselves; so the free parking is a nice advantage.

To offer a sample of how I feel consider this; it is like standing outside the fence of the other, new school in your neighbourhood. You're looking through the fence wishing you could be at that school, even though it may not be any better than your own school. For me it is all feeling. Which is why we bought Disney timeshare so that our favourite vacation place in the world is now our second "home".

Not very helpful maybe, but sometimes you just can't explain why you do the things you do.

We call it Disney magic, other people just call us nuts.

But that is the tie that binds us all together here on the Canadian board.

 

[dhluvsDisney]

We've actually only stayed on site. I agree that it is a personal opinion, some do some don't. There are many reasons why we like it and here are some:

1. Transportation. We only do Disney and rent a car for a day if we want to go outside. We find it so easy to use their trans system, and much less stress. No parking fees or hassles.

2. Nothing like being right at the Magic. We take walks around the Boardwalk in the evening and catch glimpses of Illuminations without being in the park.

3. Did I mention less stress!

4. Nice to go to the parks for a while. Come back to the hotel. Go in the pool. Head back to the parks. Very casual and uncommando routine. As a couple of us that have been many times have said, "This can be a "working" vacation if you are not careful."

There's my 2 Cents (which seems worth more today Yippee!)

 

[Lezah]

We have only stayed on property once and we will never stay offsite again (if we can afford it of course). The value resorts are as affordable (or extremely close for same quality) as off-site IMHO. The transportation alone is worth it for us, plus the free parking if we decide not to use it. Having the Disney magic from the moment we wake up until the moment we go to sleep is the best experience!!

 

[AndyMcV]

Hi mulanrouge

My first suggestion is to post your question in the Resorts thread. You'll get lots of information regarding the home away from home resorts.

That said.... STAY ON SITE. I stayed off site when I was a kid and as an adult with my wife and 2 kids we've stayed off site once and on site twice (and hopefully going again in October). We will not stay off site again.

It all boils down to less stress, convenience and you really (no really) feel apart of the Disney experience. I get asked by my family why I spend the extra money to be on site. My father always says "Sheesh... it's so cheap in Orlando you can stay anywhere for $40 - $50 bucks a night. Why the heck do you have to stay at Disney?". He must be thinking of the motel without a pool. Anyway when people as me I can't explain you really have to experience it to know.

Our last trip we stayed at the WDW Swan. It was awesome. We would get up early every day, get a quick breakfast and jump on the bus or boat to 1 of the 4 parks. No parking, driving, super convenient, very relaxed. After a while in the parks we'd come back to the hotel and go for a swim or a walk on the boardwalk and some dinner. Again very relaxing and nice to know that I didn't have to find the car in a parking lot, pack everyone in and drive back to an off site hotel. A couple of nights we'd go up to the MK and watch the fireworks from the Contemporary. Every night they had fireworks at Epcot too which we could easily see from our hotel. One night we got a Uluminations boat cruise which toured around the lake and then docked at Epcot where we got an amazing fireworks view.

There are just so many suttle things that you can't put money to. When you're walking around at night with your spouse or family everyone you see has a smile on their face and everyone is in a good mood. I always say to my wife that I can't believe how everyone is in such a good mood. It's just a nice feeling. My son thought it was really neat taking the boats to the MGM and Epcot. The drivers are dressed in uniform, look like real ship captains and are super friendly. Disney always does EVERYTHING with great detail and you notice this all when you're on site. There are so many things to enjoy that are not in the parks (which you don't see by staying off site).

Another nice thing of being on site is that you get extra hours before and after the parks open and close. Some nights the parks are open really late. For example one night at MK we stayed util 11:45 pm and we could have stayed later.

I don't know if any of this helps you but you should at least try it once to see what I mean. I've never seen a post that says "We stayed on site and then we stayed off site and we'll never stay on site again."

Good Luck
Andy

 

[tmli]

All things equal I would always stay on site. That being said there have been trips where we have stayed offsite in a condo/villa. Sometimes by parents and sisters family have travelled with us and we need the extra space. Instead of getting seperate hotel rooms we can share a 3bdrm condo for $20/each per family per night. On those trips we also drive down so we don't need a rental car.

Sometimes these less expensive trips are the only way I can go that year, and I'd rather go this way then not at all. Plus honestly there are some advantages to all that space and the kitchen etc. This year for my sisters wedding we are all staying on site with different rooms and I am looking forward to sharing the onsite experience with them.

 

[NorthernON_MOM]

Haven't stayed off site when I went with my parents, and now onsite as a parent, I wouldn't do it any other way (onsite that is). Unless I wanted to do something other than Disney. The only hotel I know for sure that you can see the fireworks from is PC as that is where we stayed and you had a very good view of both MK and Epcot Fireworks.