Convince me to stay off resort

[matt f]

Hi everyone!! Wow, such a wealth of information here!! And holy cow you guys are killin' me with all the acronyms!

I posted this same question in the welcome forum as "Convince me to stay ON resort". So I've re-posted the question here with the opposite viewpoint. Why should I stay off resort?

OK - family of four, daughters will be 3 and 6 for our first trip to WDW this summer. I work for the gov't so I can stay at Shades of Green or World Quest Resort (1 mile away on International Drive). So, here's your chance to convince me to stay off resort. Of course I can stay anywhere else as well, but these are my top two right now b/c of price/features.

We'll be driving down b/c we're stopping in two other cities to see family, so we'll have a car. We'll be in Orlando from Monday morn through Friday morn, planning on three days in WDW and one day poolside at the resort, just relaxin'. The two resorts are similar in price, BUT World Quest is a 1200 sq ft, two BR, two bath suite will a full kitchen and living room... compared to SoG single room. The separate bedrooms is a big plus for us.

Many more questions will follow later, but for now this is question #1. Thanks!!

Matt

 

[tiff211]

Welcome Matt!

You will find yourself using the acronym IRL, (in real life) before you know it.

I loved staying onsite as we were completely engulfed in the "magic" of Disney!

I found staying onsite to be fine with the little ones, thye were so tuckered out after a day in the parks that getting them to sleep was no problem. The room was cramped but doable.

I also found that all the "perks" that are mentioned for staying onsite we did not utlize. We did not use the EMH at all, nor did we go back to the rooms for naps. Well, one day we did when we wanted to see "Wishes" at MK. The buses were convenient but IMO took just as long as it would be hopping in your own car and driving to the parks from an onsite location.

This year we are staying at a offsite villa and are very much looking forward to it. Mind you our teenager DD is going with us this year, and the thought of us all sharing one bathroom makes me shudder! I know it will be relaxing for all for the girls to have their own space to unwind as well as us! Spreading out on a large bed after a soak in a whirlpool tub, being able to save a little money on meals by being able to toast bagels, give them cereal, freeze water bottles, eat at cheaper offsite restaurants etc. makes me look forward to staying offsite. However, keep in mind when weighing the costs, that if you stay offsite, you have to pay $10 a day for parking. I have an AP so that is not a issue.

Honestly, I think either way you go has pros and cons. You just have to decide exactly what you want out of the experience. If saving money or having plenty of space is #1 then offsite is the way to go!

 

[kilee]

Well, I cannot convince you until I know more. What is the price difference you'd be looking at between the 2 locations. For me, that is usually the biggest factor. I look at price vs. amenities.
Next, will you be doing only WDW, or will you be visiting other attractions like Sea World, Universal, the Beaches, ect? If so, how many days of your trip will you be visiting the WDW parks?

Btw, I agree almost everything you need to know can be found here.

 

[matt f]

What is the price difference you'd be looking at between the 2 locations. For me, that is usually the biggest factor. I look at price vs. amenities.

I think the prices are basically the same. I can get SoG on resort for $111 a night. The military rate for World Quest is still being negotiated but it's available to the general public for $139 a night and I expect about a 20% discount, which would make it $118 (totally a guess on my part). Parking will cost me $10 a day at WQ and SoG charges $5 a day. I think I'll save $$ on meals if I use WQ, they have complimentary cont breakfast and happy hour, plus some of our dinners would be cheaper off resort. So let's consider the prices the same. The main difference is space and getting the kids in their own bedroom so I can sit up with the wife and have a glass of wine without disturbing the kids.

Next, will you be doing only WDW, or will you be visiting other attractions like Sea World, Universal, the Beaches, ect? If so, how many days of your trip will you be visiting the WDW parks?

Probably no other resorts but WDW. We're visiting family in two other cities so even with 4 days at WDW this trip is going to be 10 - 12 days long. So we'll be limited to just WDW.

OTOH, I want a place with a nice pool b/c we want to spend some easygoing time there. The pool and kids rec facilities seem a lot better at the on-resort hotels.

All good choices I'm sure. Whatever we choose I expect we'll be happy. I just can't help ofer-analyzing everything, I'm and engineer

 

[Brian Noble]

For me, the reason to stay off site is to have separate rooms for the kids at the same cost as a single Value-category hotel room on site. Again, for me, that's just no contest.

For you, SoG is much closer to a Deluxe room, at the Value price, and so your comparison is harder.

If you can contemplate living in a single (albeit large) room for a week, stay at SoG. If that sounds abhorrent to you, then consider World Quest very seriously.

 

[hercamore]

Remember, you'll need to pay parking at the theme park lots which is $10/day.

You are getting a really cheap rate for a brand new 2 bedroom/2 bath unit not too far from Disney. I think I'd stick with that.

herc.

 

[matt f]

I'm begining to think that the prices may not be equal as I had thought, once you factor in the free breakfast and happy hour. That's probably worth another $30 a day, maybe more.

 

[A&CsMom]

We stay offsite in a pool villa when we go, and here's why. For about the same price as a value resort (less than $120/night including tax, pool heat, BBQ), we have a four bedroom home with our own screened in pool and a stand alone hot tub, laundry facilities, full kitchen, 3 bathrooms (master ensuite with a garden tub and large walk in shower), king sized bed, lots of room and more. We don't like eating restaurant food all the time, and eat many of our meals at the villa, saving us money and giving us healthier and better meals than any restaurant (we use the BBQ a lot, saves on dishes, everything else goes into the dishwasher). After a long day of fun, the kids go to bed in the same room or different rooms, their choice, and DH and I sit back with some wine and put the underwater pool lights on, swim, go in the hot tub, relax, unwind and talk, this is the part of the vacation that is for us, not the kids. Then we go to our master suite and sleep in our king sized bed (we are used to a king sized bed and don't sleep well in a queen or double). Everyone has a great sleep, and in the morning we can get ready quickly, with all the bathrooms. Finally, we can never find a good cup of coffee when we are in Florida, so we bring our coffee maker from home (it's a good one) and bring it with us for the drive to WDW in travel mugs and drink our great cup of coffee on the way to the parks.

 

[5mins2disney]

Here's a list of some of the amenities and the resort amenities from our places, just to give you an idea... (we're in Windsor Hills Resort). I'm not trying to "advertise" , just give you an idea of the kind of private villa amenities you can expect to find in a resort like community, which are typically much higher end and less expensive than you would find in a traditional resort / hotel room.

We first "discovered" staying in a place like this for the same reasons as you... our kids wouldn't go to bed if they were in the same room as us, and we didn't want to go to sleep at 8-9pm (we had a HORRIBLE experience with our kids the prior summer in a single hotel room at the Wisconsin Dells, never again!).

As much as everyone talks about how great all of the WDW "perks" are... the EMH, the transporation, the dining, we never used any of these things. The EMH didn't really matter to us, we're not early morning people anyhow, the transportation... buses!? no thanks..it's far quicker just to drive, and the dining..well.. we didnt' want to eat every single meal in a restaurant somewhere...and you're really just pre-paying for all of your food, it's less expensive to not eat out every single meal.

Amenities Include:
3 Spacious bedrooms with 3 private full bathrooms
Heated screened-in splash pool with spa jets
Cable TV in Great Room and Bedrooms
50" Phillips HD Plasma TV+ Ambilight in Great Room
Digital Cable TV + all the HD Channels..wow!
5.1 Panasonic SC-HT740 Surround Stereo, DVD
32" Sharp Aquos HD Flat screen LCD TV in Mst BR
27" HD LCD/DVD Flat Screen TV in 1st FL BR
20" Toshiba - TV+DVD/Video games for 3rd BR
Modern kitchen w/dishwasher, microwave
All utensils & kitchen appliances
Free phone calls to the US, Canada, and UK/EU!
Heavenly beds, you won't want to get up!
Highend mattresses, 500+ thread count linens
Sheets, linens, towels provided
Hair dryers, alarm clocks, etc
Washer/Dryer and Iron
Child stroller, highchair, pack&play crib, bouncy
Newly tiled & painted
Free high speed wireless 802.11 cable internet
9'4" ceilings first floor, vaulted ceilings on 2nd floor
Electronic security hotel safe for valuables/laptops
24hr gated resort community
24hr property management on call
Only 2 traffic lights / 5 minutes to Disney parks
Brand new multi-million $$ clubhouse
10,000 sq foot clubhouse!
Double olympic sized resort pool
Waterpark slide, lagoon style hottub
Lighted basketball
Sand volleyball courts
Tennis courts
Putting/chipping green
Free loaner sports equipment
High-end kids castle themed play park
Giant outdoor chess
State of the art fitness facility
Clubhouse with game room / arcade
Outdoor ping pong
Sundry shop / free DVD movie rentals
50 seat private high def movie theater
Shuttle service to/from Disney resorts
Close to numerous restaurants, shopping, more!

 

[matt f]

After a long day of fun, the kids go to bed in the same room or different rooms, their choice, and DH and I sit back with some wine and put the underwater pool lights on, swim, go in the hot tub, relax, unwind and talk, this is the part of the vacation that is for us, not the kids.

This is what I'm talking about!!

Any and all opinions welcome!! I need a Disney Edumacation (would that be a Disnucation?)

 

[5mins2disney]

This is what I'm talking about!!

Any and all opinions welcome!! I need a Disney Edumacation (would that be a Disnucation?)

Exactly! Since I posted in your original thread on the other part of the board, I thought I'd better chime in! Our kids are always "split" between wanting to jump in the pool when we arrive...or play video games! LOL For them they have as much fun at the townhome as they do going to the parks...and in the mornings we have to "pry" them out of the pool to go to the parks for the day! It's pretty sweet to be able to sit and drink coffee in the AM or have a drink while the kids are in the pool too, all while relaxing in your own private home... or be able to sit up and surf the 'net or watch TV while they're passed out upstairs from a long day of parks and swimming!

In our traditional hotel room scenario they wouldn't even fall asleep if we were all in the same room. Couldn't watch TV..etc... not fun at all. Turned into a very bad vacation experience for us as a result. Hey..you don't live in a single room, why vacation that way!?

 

[matt f]

Thanks everyone so far! We're still on the fence but luckily we have time on our side.

 

[jeff968]

We've done both for many years. We stay offsite exclusively now for a few reasons:

1) The room, the two bedroom units at the timeshare are huge with lots of room for everyone.
2) Saving money, we hit the grocery store first thing and stock our fullk kitchen with all the snacks, breakfast, and lunch items we need. We go out for dinner everynight and save tons by living out of our unit.
3) The big name resorts are great, we 've stayed at many of them and many are very nice but the marriotts are our favorites. The resorts are beautiful and have a full schedule of things going on all day long for the kids to do if they choose to. The activities are on site so no driving is needed and the kids are safe and always have a great time.
4) Convienience, there is nothing like getting up, having your breakfast on your deck overlooking a beautiful resort, and then leasurely walking down to the pool to spend the day with the kids anda book. No cars, no packing, and if someone needs something it is just a few steps away.
5) Lot more to see in Orlando, Disney almost keeps you prisoner when you stay on site. there are so many nice places to eat and shop and attractions and shows outside of disney.

Don't get me wrong. We visit disney at least one day while we are down there and have a couple of our dinners at disney places but off site is the choice for us.

 

[spiceycat]

when exactly are you going?

Disney is expecting fairly large crowds - year of million dreams.

so i would expect some days in the summer (July 4 and around that date) to be closed unless you are staying onsite.

might even be closed to onsite.

so if you aren't going on a holiday week - then staying offsite is fine.

I stay both offsite and onsite.

my latest trip will be offsite first for a week,then onsite for 5 days.

 

[matt f]

when exactly are you going?

Disney is expecting fairly large crowds - year of million dreams.

so i would expect some days in the summer (July 4 and around that date) to be closed unless you are staying onsite.

might even be closed to onsite.

so if you aren't going on a holiday week - then staying offsite is fine.

I stay both offsite and onsite.

my latest trip will be offsite first for a week,then onsite for 5 days.

What do you mean, that they'll close the entire park to offsite guests on these days?? We will probably be later in July, thinking the week of 15 - 20 July right now. Where would I find out about these "planned park closings"?

 

[Brian Noble]

They are not planned closings. They are capacity closings. Mostly happens in MK, sometimes one of the other parks. Maybe 1-3 days all summer.

Two thoughts:

1-if a park is so full that they have to limit who gets in, do you really want to be there?

2-if you are following the advice of one of the "planning resources" (Unofficial Guide or TourGuideMike) you will almost certainly avoid the MK on days when it enters capacity closure, and visit it on days when it is less crowded.

 

[spiceycat]

What do you mean, that they'll close the entire park to offsite guests on these days?? We will probably be later in July, thinking the week of 15 - 20 July right now. Where would I find out about these "planned park closings"?

believe me they are not planned. but when the parking lot get fulls they close the parks to offsiters.

when the parks get full -they close down - until enough people leave that they can reopen.

they don't reopen the parking lot as quickly - so offsiters can get disappointed if the day they picked to go to the MK or Studios it was closed.

by your time in July - it is value season - so I won't expect that many people to be there then.

still I would get there early. but by then - this board (theme parks) will be able to say if WDW has any closed days.

if they don't close for Palm or Easter week - then the rest of the year until Christmas will be fine.

if they close those weeks or worst close before those weeks - then no guaranteeds.

of course from my point of view - the MK is too crowded with 40,000 people - I can't image going there with 125,000... if I did I won't stay too long - that is just too friendly for me to take.

now WDW will be very happy if several days they do close the parks - it approves to management that all this money spend on advertising is paying off.

Oh if this does happen on your trip just go to Epcot. there parking lot is as big (might be bigger) than MK. If it is filled - just be happy that you aren't in the parks that day.

 

[matt f]

Two thoughts:
1-if a park is so full that they have to limit who gets in, do you really want to be there?
2-if you are following the advice of one of the "planning resources" (Unofficial Guide or TourGuideMike) you will almost certainly avoid the MK on days when it enters capacity closure, and visit it on days when it is less crowded.

Thanks, good points!

 

[MiaSRN62]

Hi Matt,
First of all, I think you're getting a really good price on the 2 bedroom. I could totally understand why you'd want to stay there. I'll also preface with the fact that we stay both on and offsite so I don't think I'm biased either way. I do "prefer" onsite. The villa would be nice for preparing some of your own meals which is nice.

OTOH, I know some here downplay EMH, DDP, package delivery and disney transportation----I can tell u we definitely use these and find them a valuable asset. We vacationed in August '06; Oct '06 and Dec '06 this past year. August especially, had big crowds---especially when free dining kicked in. If not for EMH (and we're not morning people either), we would not have been able to do half the attractions we were able to get down by getting into the park an hour earlier than the general public, but also (for night owls), the evening EMH is an extra 2-3 hours after park closing. If not for the EMH, I don't think we would have had as positive a vacation experience. The parks seem to be getting more and more busy with far less "quiet" times than there used to be. Disney/DVC continues to build more resort which equates to more guests, but the parks are still the same size. WDW has been known to shut down the parks when they reach capacity during PEAK times (July 4th/Thanksgiving/Christmas/Easter are among these times). It's rare that they close the parks to non-resort guests, but there is a slight chance it could happen. Also, during peak times and summer, Fast Passes can sell out by 10-11 am ! I witnessed this over the summer. Sometimes it's invaluable to get into the parks an hour before offsite guests.

So some say they would never use any of the onsite perks (which is true), but sometimes I rarely use my offsite perks either. Sometimes all I use my full kitchen for is maybe coffee and an English muffin. I've gone full weeks without using the jacuzzi tub. It's something you need to weigh-in for yourself. Also wanted to mention with the ages of your children, being onsite can be very convenient. For instance, if the 3 yo needs a nap, one parent can hop on a bus and go back to the resort, while the other can stay in the parks with the 6 yo. I know, over the years, we've done this from time to time. One trip in 12/98, by 5 yo got sick. We had barely been at MGM maybe 90 min. It was so convenient for myself to go back to Dixie Landings with the little one, while my dh and mil stayed in the park with my 7 and 10 yo. It would have been very inconvenient if we were staying offsite and using a car----would have equated to alot of driving back and forth. Just a couple things to ponder. I honestly don't think you can go wrong with either arrangement, but you need to consider what perks/advantages are the MOST important or valuable to you.
Have a wonderful vacation.

 

[MiaSRN62]

2-if you are following the advice of one of the "planning resources" (Unofficial Guide or TourGuideMike) you will almost certainly avoid the MK on days when it enters capacity closure, and visit it on days when it is less crowded.

We've done this.....avoided parks that had morning EMH etc, and still encountered huge crowds and Fast Passes that ran out often by 11 am. If one is going during a popular time (and summer counts), sometimes just getting into the park an hour early makes a HUGE difference. We've been able to get through 3-4 attractions in the 1 hour EMH.....then notice crowds get bad and leave by 11 am to hop to another park.
As I said before, we're not morning people, but during the summer we found it necessary to become morning people or we would go through 4 hours in a park with barely getting to do 2 attractions due to crowds. And we've been going to WDW since 1994 (over 30 visits) and some days it's impossible to not avoid crowds. So TOur Guide Mike is something to consider, but it's not gospel imho.