Completely Random Election: Disney Resorts Collection or Non-Disney hotel?

[hardcorestitch]

Ah, the much needed hotel. For most of us, we don’t like to be in there for long periods of time if our visits to Disney are spent largely in parks. For others, we take time to take in the little Disney differences in our resort hotels.

 

[CynBeth]

We stay in a Disney hotel. One time as a kid we stayed at a non Disney one in the area but that has been it. Our last trip 5 years ago we spent a few nights at a Universal hotel prior to our Disney part of the trip.

 

[Meriweather]

Always Disney.....we like the parks but also staying at the resorts.
Full immersion

 

[slo]

We have done both in the past, and both suited our needs at the time, but now we only stay at a Disney Resort (we are new DVC members)

 

[hardcorestitch]

We stay in a Disney hotel. One time as a kid we stayed at a non Disney one in the area but that has been it. Our last trip 5 years ago we spent a few nights at a Universal hotel prior to our Disney part of the trip.

At least if you stay close enough to Disney in non-Disney hotels… you can still sneak into Disney resorts and grab lunch or take in the humongous Disney artifacts like in Art of Animation…

 

[TiggerTrigger]

It's usually onsite at a Disney hotel if we're at WDW, but not for Disneyland. As much as I want to justify staying at one of the three there, Good Neighbor just makes so much more sense. We always say we're going to stay offsite for WDW as there's decent bang for the buck with many of the offsite options, but it hasn't happened in decades since even staying at the Swan had DH missing the Disney resorts. My parents, who are FL resident APs, switch it up. They stayed at the Contemporary for my dad's birthday a couple of months ago but often opt for the Drury for the "bang for the buck" angle.

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

As an adult I've only stayed at Disney resorts when going to WDW. I often enjoy the resort a lot and want to spend time there looking at everything and making use of the pools and restaurants onsite. I don't know if we'll be back to WDW again (I've kind of moved towards DCL for my Disney fix instead), but I would definitely want to stay at one of the Disney resorts if we did go.

 

[BrianL]

It depends - Dinsey when at WDW, but not at DLR where they really only have deluxe resorts. There are too many other convenient hotels.

 

[ClaraOswald]

Now that we have DVC, it's always a Disney resort for us now.

But we used to stay off-site for Disneyland trips. (Always on-site for WDW though.)

 

[Meriweather]

We're DVC too.....so on site at both WDW and DLR

 

[jimmymc]

For the Disney destinations I've been to:

WDW - Yes, easily. Value and moderate resorts are a better use of money than offsite IMO.
DL - No, too many good hotels in walking distance to the entrance. But I will always waitlist a DVC room.
Paris - Yes for higher budget, no for lower budget. The cheaper DL Paris resorts badly need some updates.
Tokyo - Yes, for all budget levels. If they were all sold out, I would consider the other hotels near the Bayside monorail station.

 

[hardcorestitch]

Now that we have DVC, it's always a Disney resort for us now.

But we used to stay off-site for Disneyland trips. (Always on-site for WDW though.)

That’s the knack on Disneyland accoms. It’s deluxe or nothing for the Disney hotels along with more third party hotels.

Of course, me having cousins near Disneyland does give some advantage over WDW…

 

[Praying Colonel]

The combination of cost and small rooms led us to start staying off-site. We'd stay at Shades of Green (much larger room, lower price) or get a condo through Armed Forces Vacation Club (when we were going, it was a 7-day rental for $399). It was nice to spread out a little bit and sleep in a larger bed.

 

[hardcorestitch]

The combination of cost and small rooms led us to start staying off-site. We'd stay at Shades of Green (much larger room, lower price) or get a condo through Armed Forces Vacation Club (when we were going, it was a 7-day rental for $399). It was nice to spread out a little bit and sleep in a larger bed.

AKA the former Disney golf resort… yeah I’ve heard good things about Shades.

 

[sam_gordon]

All things being equal, on site (speaking WDW, never been to DL) is better IMO.

Unfortunately, it's not really equal. On site will generally be more expensive for a comparable room. But off site you can get a larger room for the same price.

We've done On-Site, Off-site, VRBO, and staying with parents (an hour away). They all have pros & cons.

 

[ddluvsdisney]

When my kids were little we did family vacations with my parents and sister’s family so we’d stay with them at my parent’s timeshare, and do another week over the summer in Disney. Now we have a condo not far from Disney so stay there mostly. DH and I do an onsite Disney trip every summer.

 

[hardcorestitch]

When my kids were little we did family vacations with my parents and sister’s family so we’d stay with them at my parent’s timeshare, and do another week over the summer in Disney. Now we have a condo not far from Disney so stay there mostly. DH and I do an onsite Disney trip every summer.

I bet you enjoyed the summers at Disney…

 

[cayennews]

Since I am a DVC member I always stay on property. Plus you know you are getting a quality, consistent experience. I love all of the properties I have stayed at over the years.