Dare i ask about off site???

[kaylajr]

I know on site is everyone's favorite way to do disney
but cost is becoming a big issue

what are your opinions of off site compared to on

i have only stayed off site so i can't compare

is on site really worth that much more

for a 7 night stay in october it would be almost 2000.00
more

just looking for opinions

thanks

 

[loriwvu]

We have stayed at the deluxe resorts and have decided not to do that again. It was nice but we would rather use our money for more frequent trips. When we go again we think Downtown Disney is the way to go. Much cheaper and you still get to use the Disney transportation. Our kids want to stay at the All Stars and that is also a cheaper option. Good luck with your choice.

 

[Geoff_M]

When we go again we think Downtown Disney is the way to go. Much cheaper and you still get to use the Disney transportation.

In general, I don't think that's true. A year or so ago Disney discontinued direct bus routes from DTD to the parks due to the traffic they got from people walking from the hotels to DTD to hop the WDW transportation system. Now DTD buses only run to the resorts, so now DTD off-siter's have to take an extra bus if they want to get to-and-from the parks.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

$2000 more???? That can't be right. Are you comparing the cheapest off-site hotel to GF concierge or what? That's the only way I can see a $2000 difference for a 7 night stay.

We stayed at All stars recently (nov-dec) for 12 nights and paid under $700 TOTAL. So you can stay onsite- and not have it be anywhere near $2000 difference. We might have been able to stay somewhere else for around 500-600 total... and that's not much of a difference compared with staying onsite. And that would be staying at the cheapest place we could find! Majority of offsite local hotels would have cost us the same or more!

 

[RescueRanger]

How many are in your group and how many rooms do you need? A value resort on site is only about $80 per night during that time. So, for 7 nights you are at a little over $600 after taxes.

 

[Lisa P.]

The cheapest onsite option for our family of 5 (2 adults, 3 teens), would be connecting rooms at a Disney Value hotel - All Stars or Pop Century. Then, it's up to a Disney Deluxe room (probably garden wing at the Contemp is lowest, perhaps a room at the Swan/Dolphin), all sharing a single bathroom. The OP has posted in other threads about traveling with 2 school age kids and a grandparent, so would likely be seeking similar.

For a 7 night stay in October ("regular" season at the value hotels), each room is $99/nt plus taxes. So the cheapest onsite option (2 rooms at AS or PC) would cost ~$1,553 w/taxes. At $264/nt + taxes, the cheapest room at the Contemp (sleeping 5 people) would cost ~$2,052.

Comparing these costs with 2 offsite rooms at a decent motel (comparable to AS or PC) or an upscale offsite suite, villa or condo (much more spacious and comfortable than a single hotel room & bath onsite!), onsite is too pricy, IMHO. SkyAuction.com, HotelKingdom.com and other discounters normally have plenty of availability for mid-autumn and could easily save $1,000 by staying offsite. If the OP was thinking of a nicer Deluxe onsite room or 2BR DVC condo, I can see how she came up with the $2,000 figure in savings for staying offsite. It can definitely be true! HTH!

 

[Lisa P.]

Disney discontinued direct bus routes from DTD to the parks.

I was under the impression that the previous message was suggesting they liked the hotels at DTD on Hotel Plaza Blvd. (Hilton, Best Western, etc.), which do have frequent bus shuttles to the parks.

 

[JANNYANS]

In October it is possible to rent a pool home that will easily sleep the OP 's party for $840 inc tax. Along way off from $2000.00

 

[kaylajr]

THanks everyone
and Lisa P
your right
with two school and girls and grandma we were looking at the home away fro home resort the cabins at FW because we want to still like each other at the end of the trip
that plus park tickets came to 4000.00

i can rent a pool home for 750.00 and get tickets for 1400.00
so that is almost a 2000.00 savings

i just wanted to know if we would be giving up too much of the magic if we don't try onsite

i was hoping someone who has done both could comment

i would love to stay onsite but have yet to find and affordable option

also a little off topic when it says moved on my post how do i find out where it was moved to and why?

thanks all

 

[Shooby doo]

Kaylajr, we have always stayed off-site & the majority of Hotels supply transport to the parks (WDW anyway).We've always stayed at LBV which is only about 5 mins from Downtown Disney anyway & we have always had a car.It may be different for those of you in the US but across here (UK) even the budget WDW hotels are expensive compared to being off-site!We have looked at on-site a few times but like you we want a bit of space (we normally stay for 3 weeks) & we can normally get a suite for the price of on-site!
SD

 

[ncbyrne]

We (DH and I, no kids) like both onsite and off. We are splitting our next 10 night trip (May 2-12) into three hotels. We'll be spending the middle 4 nights at the Dolphin (Gov. employee rate). Still checking on prices for our other destinations, and will also keep trying for a Resort on Priceline at a lower price, as well as Hotwire.

 

[Lewisc]

The DTD hotels have continuous bus service (about every 20 minutes). Most other off-site hotels have VERY LIMITED scheduled bus service. The service may make many stops at other hotels, may require reservation the night before and isn't always free.

If you're not going to have a car I'd stay on-site or in DTD.

 

[jeff968]

I've done both, as recently as this year. Disney does a great job with their resorts. The places, food, activities are always top notch. But your vacation dollar doesn't go that far in Disney and they get all of them. On top of that, there is so much more in Orlando and you can get a unit with a lot of room for a lot less money. The Disney resorts are great but we've been staying off site for years now and I have no regrets.

 

[rrsafety]

We often stay offsite and love it.

Doing Holiday Inn Family Suites in just 24 days.

$76 a night for a two bedroom, one living room with kitchenette and free breakfasts.

 

[Lisa P.]

Kaylajr, the cabins at FW sleep up to 6 w/full kitchen but it's still a bit crowded with 3 generations of people traveling together, IMHO. You all share ONE bathroom and someone has to sleep in the LR. If you choose an offsite pool home or condo or timeshare villa that "sleeps 8," you'd likely be able to leave the LR free for relaxing or whenever people sleep on slightly different schedules. There's much more privacy & space. Also, you'd get at least 2 full bathrooms - great when everyone wants to shower or change into swimsuits.

When we stayed there (years ago), it was our first time onsite and followed a few bad days at a rundown offsite motel. So we were thrilled about how wonderful FW and onsite were, thinking we'd "never" be happy offsite after that! LOL! Little did we know about the terrific offsite timeshare condos that awaited us on future trips, a few years later.

The bus service at FW required us to walk quite a way in the rain & dark from our bus stop at night, bus transfers for some destinations (took much longer than driving from nearby offsite), and standing in long lines at park closings. It wasn't all it was cracked up to be - probably among the worst onsite shuttle system we've experienced. Not to mention that there is minimal "theme" there - just green & shady. We enjoyed FW more as campers, where the expectation is different and it's so much nicer than most typical campgrounds.

If you are going there rather than offsite due to the desire for a theme, it's a mistake, IMHO. The FW pools have NO theme, NO slide, NO water features (waterfall, fountains or float rentals), NO hot tub, NO piped music or palm trees. Again, fine for a campground but not resort-like for a festive vacation. If you don't plan to swim, it doesn't matter. We enjoy a fun pool area.

Truly, the only relatively affordable option for onsite is 2 rooms at All Stars or Pop Century. My stay at All Stars Music was okay but not "magical" - teenage cheerleader groups practicing (yelling cheers and chanting songs) on the lawns outside my room; standing room only, jam-packed buses with people who desperately needed a shower after a full, hot day at the parks, lots of loud, excited children at the pools and food court. For the budget, if one doesn't have a car (needs onsite) - it's still a good choice for the free buses. But when most people talk about nice theme and great amenities at Disney resorts, they generally mean the moderates or the deluxes, IMHO. Those come at a price.

Threads may be moved when the moderators consider the topic more appropriate for a different forum than where you posted it. This one is now on the "Orlando Hotels and Attractions" forum - because you asked about offsite and more people who read this forum will be able to give you firsthand experience here. HTH.

 

[spiceycat]

I like both too - love on-site and like off-site.

you can get a cheap place - OKW studio (says it sleeps 4) - but DVC resorts don't do the check that WDW resorts do - now we are talking 2 queen beds - that is all - any extra you have to bring - but I love OKW.

there 1-bedroom will spoil you - but it cost twice as much as a studio

You can rent points from a DVC member and stay at OKW in a studio - Sun-thurs night for $80 (8 points * $10 a point)

the studio has a mircowave and a under-the-counter refrigerator plus a toaster - 2 mugs,4 glasses, a few paper plates,etc.

you rent points from a DVC member on this site - just go look at the DVC rental/trade board. READ the FAQ that Doc has at the top.

remember a great deal is not always a great deal - the guy was selling for $5 a point - when most members were selling for $10 a point - he was having financial problems and DVC cancelled this membership - so all the people he rented to got nothing and he had already spend the money....

if you have doubts about anyone - just ask on the DVC board.

you don't want to stay Fri or Sat on points rental - much, much to expensive - Sun-thurs 8 points a night - fri/sat - 20 points a night

this is off season - Sept, Jan and 2 weeks of Dec - other seasons and other DVC resorts are more expensive.

now for off-site I have a SA that I trade with RCI and it gets some great (wonderful) places off site - but those trips are not generally WDW - I also happen to love Seaworld and US/IOA - it is kinda care to get to them from WDW....

I have stayed at Marriott's Grande VIsta and Hilton Grand Vacation Club - both I can highly recommend - great resorts - great service!!!!

Now for my up coming trip in May - I couldn't go my DVC resort - no studios availablity - so I am going to stay in a very cheap place on US192 - I haven't done this since the 80's - so I might have a problem - don't know - I got it through this site travel agency - I would recommend them!!!

if you want other timeshares
www.skyauction.com
for RCI - if you use this - read the ads carefully - some will look like a normal timeshare but they have extra charges besides the normal $195 and $15 that skyauction uses

http://tug.condodirect.com/iw/cs?a=0
this is Interval International rental site - this is not a auction site - so what you pay is what you see (plus taxes).

if you would like to see reviews - then go join
www.tug2.net

now if you don't mind listening to sales pitch and you understand what no means - you can try
http://www.discounthotels.cc/Hotels/celebrationworldresort.php

but be careful of these people - they lie - they advertise rooms that they don't have - like the embassy grand vacation - it only has 3-bedroom - so they tell you that the 1 and 2 bedroom are filled - so be very careful with these people....

all are much cheaper than on-site

 

[C.Ann]

Check out the cottages at Tropical Palms Fun Resort.. If you're going to be renting a car, that's the route I would choose.. Plenty of room for 3 generations and reasonably priced..

 

[Gillian]

If you look at the top of the page, under where it says Disboards, you can see what forum you're in.

I have not stayed at the all stars, just deluxe or home away from home. It's fun staying on site. Convenient. Exciting. I don't think I'd go so far as to say magical, but different from off site without a doubt.

However, we have chosen many times to stay offsite because of the savings & space issues. No regrets, except when we visited the Animal Kingdom lodge last year while staying offsite. Something about that place made me long to stay there again (for a third time), but with grandma & a 3 year old, it wasn't affordable for that trip.

I do think that next time we will try the all stars. Hopefully it won't be during a cheerleading event. We like having a balcony though, and find that renting DVC points for a studio is one of the least expensive ways to get that.

 

[PattiPB]

Some comments because you are travelling with Grandma.

We travelled to WDW last April with my parents (ages 72) in near-perfect health, and stayed at the Contemporary. We are going in December with them again, and will only consider onsite (POP) because of them:

1. Commuting to everywhere but MK is okay from offsite, but MK is so much easier from onsite, because you are let off at the gate, not the parking area.

2. Consider possible afternoon breaks. If you are onsite, Grandma can easily go back to the room alone, while you continue touring with the kids and meet up later. Offsite this is not an option!

Just a couple of our considerations.

Patti

 

[MJames41]

I agree with Patti regarding transportation.

Another option for 5 is the Port Orleans - Riverside (Alligator Bayou). Many rooms there have a trundle bed. Since you would be using the trundle bed, it would be $15 more, but, depending on when you go and if a code is available, you could get the room for close to $100 per night.

Our preference is definately on-site, although we will be staying off site for 4 days so my dad will come (he hates the mouse). It is just too convenient, and I don't have to worry about my kids safety (as much anyway). It is difficult to go more than 50 feet without seeing a Disney employee, so if one of my teenagers is away, help is right there if they need it. Just my thoughts.