Current advantages of onsite hotel stay?

[twodogs]

We always stay onsite. When we came in July and again in October of last year, there was no routine housekeeping and there was no Early Entry, of course. What are the advantages to staying onsite these days, other than proximity to the parks and the "bubble" feel?? We will probably stay onsite again for our next trip, even with this reduction in benefits (though I will request daily housekeeping at check-in), but I am honestly asking what else is there for the onsite guests now?

 

[cindernat]

I would like to know as well!

 

[greeneyedchick]

Not sure about Disney but I stayed at Universal's Portofino Bay resort in January and they had full, daily housekeeping. Not sure why it's safe for Universal to do it but not Disney. If you by chance stay at a deluxe resort at Universal, you get free Express passes from the time you check-in to check-out.

 

[Malcon10t]

Currently, none. But very few of the hotels/motels in the Disneyland area have returned to full housekeeping. (Big issue is staffing.) I prefer onsite because 1. I need bell services (we travel big due to the service dog...) 2. I like the staff and they know me and 3. It is a comfort factor for me. We do stay offsite on occasion when I have both daughters with me. And when we do, we like Residence Inn, Candy Cane Inn, the Hilton (don't need both daughter here) and we will check out the Westin next trip.

 

[gelatoni fan]

Proximity, access to the pool, access to the hotel bucket reservations and Disney theming. I guess you also get bragging rights for spending more money on your hotel than other guests.

 

[Version 6]

Even proximity has to come with an asterisk, given there are hotels in Harbor, closer than DLH and certainly PP.

 

[deedubb]

You will weigh less at the end of your vacation because your wallet will be much lighter. That in turn will make you feel good because you went to Disney, ate a bunch of junk and still lost weight. That's about it.

 

[Obi-J Kenobi]

I have found that the vast majority of CMs want you to have a wonderful stay and vacation and it shows when you speak to them and they are providing help or service for you. My DW and I have stayed onsite (albeit all my experience has been at WDW) at least five times, I have only had 3 bad experiences with CMs. And one of those CMs actually apologized to me and asked me if we could start over because he was having a bad day and the rest of our conversation went well when I told him that we could start fresh because I've had bad days too. That was at the WL and you know what when we checked out he made sure to thank me again and wanted to know that we were a very valued guest and hoped we would return to WL. That made 1 of the 3 bad experiences to turn out well in the end.

 

[StormyCA]

Two of the primary reasons I stay onsite are gone; package delivery and EMH. Who knows if either will ever return. At this point, I'm rather doubting it. WDW has already restarted 'early entry/stay late' hours for onsites, I think if DLR was planning to, they'd have done it by now. Neither place has restarted package delivery and I have a feeling neither one sees the need to add back that particular perk. Why should they when they don't need to entice people in?

All that really remains for me is the distance from the Grand to the turnstiles and the ease of the DCA gate during the day (not for rope drop) and the feeling of safety within the Bubble.

So what is there for onsite guests now? Nothing.

 

[MillauFr]

We can get a 40% friends and family discount at the onsite hotels. We still would never consider it. $400+ per night at the Grand vs. $179 per night at the Candy Cane with free breakfast isn't much of a decision for us. Sure the pool is nicer and the location better but still the Candy Cane is a no brainer. I just hope they get their renovations done prior to our September stay.

 

[DizMe]

For me, the main advantage is not being outside of the resort. How far I have to walk is less the point than where I walk. There are also no nearby hotels that compare to what I can get on site unless I'm willing to go farther away. I probably spend more time at the hotel and vicinity than most people. I don't go to DLR just for the parks.

However, there are times when I stay off site for various reasons, like going with friends who don't want to pay for on site, taking a quick trip that's more focused on being in the parks, etc.

 

[kristensideaoffun]

They were doing movies by the pool at DLH when we were there a couple of weeks ago. Besides what was said above and being able to charge to your room using a barcode on your phone (we never took advantage of that), there are no other benefits. I doubt they will ever return.

 

[goooof1]

proximity (to parks and DTD)
comfort
pools
charging to room
.......proximity....

 

[Malcon10t]

Charging to rooms is a great perk for some, not for others. The hotel reservation bucket is an advantage. And if you have kids, the pools are a definite advantage. They offer various small things also, like Movie night. I also like the proximity to DTD for quick pick up of food. Not uncommon for us to arrive starving, so kids send me to the taqueria while they get the bags brought to the room and set up.

 

[DLgal]

At this point, location and the guarantee of getting park reservations.

 

[BayouQueen]

We are going back to the parks next month for the first time since pandemic. We're staying at GCH only because I want it to be a "whole vacation" experience for DGD. I'm hearing that the experience inside the parks has been diminished a lot -- food, shows, music, parades, attraction malfunctions -- so having the hotel be part of the experience might kick things up a notch to make the trip something memorable.

 

[Astylla]

Honestly...I work too hard and in a stressful job to not splurge on myself. My first Grand Californian stay was for my birthday last year renting a confirmed reservation for a studio..and I was hooked.
I love the rooms and the proximity, oh it does matter to me who works 12 hour shifts almost with little to zero breaks. I'm more prone to do half days and enjoy the resorts more now as a dream key holder in her mid 40s but think she is 19 lol.

Now my other go to is Park Vue Inn mini suite but if I'm solo like one of 3 trips in April I have booked , staying offsite as I am celebrating my late mom and really just need a place to sleep as the next weekend I'm at GCH.

I will say I never pay rack rate.

 

[Malcon10t]

Honestly...I work too hard and in a stressful job to not splurge on myself.

Exactly. I know some will say it is a waste of money, but *I* enjoy it. And that is all that counts.

 

[cindernat]

I will say I never pay rack rate.

What do you do? Book via a 3rd party?

 

[rpfennig]

We went back and forth about staying on or offsite for our trip at the end of April and settled on staying on site at DLH because 1) the monorail (hopefully easier trip back from Tomorrowland on some days), 2) we were able to take advantage of the Dapper Day discounts that made the cost a bit more palatable, 3) proximity to Dapper Day Expo and 4) proximity to Trader Sam's now that we're not travelling with children.

So, some of that is event/date specific and a desire to have the monorail to cut down on some steps while being Dapper. Hopefully, there will be an evening or two where we can stop by Trader Sam's on the way back and have some drinks on the patio before a short stroll back to the room.