Deluxe or FREE Off Property Hotel?

[jrt1176]

I was hoping you all could weigh in on this and help with my decision.

I'm planning a trip next year for my niece's 2nd visit. My brother, who didn't get to come on her 1st trip, will be with us and my mother.

I was thinking of staying at the Contemporary with the convenience of the monorail and being close to MK.

Last time we stayed at Wilderness Lodge, which we all loved, but I thought it would be nice to stay somewhere different.

We'll spend most of the week at MK and EP with 1 day each at HS and AK.

My dilemma is that I have enough hotel points to get 2 rooms off property for the week and a rental car for free...

I have stayed off property 2 times, but I was young. So, I can't recall how it was going through the process of getting to the park, etc.

I imagine that staying off property would save at least $2,500, which would pay for all the dinners, snacks, BBB and things my niece wanted, etc.

Is staying on-site worth that much? Will driving to the parks and back to the hotel take a toll? We don't really go back to the hotel for breaks, but what if we wanted to? Or what if my mother or someone wanted to join us later or head back early? Plus, there is just something about staying on property and being surround 24/7 by all the magic.

I see all the benefits of staying on-site and I have a feeling I will probably end up doing it... But, It's hard to justify not saving the money and using it to pay for all the expenses...

Thanks

 

[sunsetbeachgal]

wow...we love staying on site but free is free...and for me I would do that. You didnt say what hotel or hotel chain your points are with, hopefully not too far from the MK.

 

[bluejasmine]

What about doing a split stay? That way you'll still save some money? Do CR for your MK/EP days & offsite for HS/AK visits?

You'll have monorail convenience plus save $! Lol

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[pieface]

I am a true Disney addict been to Disney 51 times stayed on property 49 times love the place. True believer of staying on site but if you have free lodging you have to take it gives you more money to buy things. Plus Disney is going to raise rates on hotels which will make me stay off property.

 

[dpswift]

we also love staying onsite. However I also love free. I think that if I did not have any other trips planned where I could use my points that I would use them and stay offsite. Use some of the saved money for the extras that you were talking about. The extras could easily make up for the loss of onsite.

Whatever you choose have a great time.

 

[pepe of ohio]

Free being free said....when we travel 1050 miles to a destination, I'm staying close to the action... Forget about free...

Especially to WDW, I'm staying in the magic, on property, no car needed... It's like going on an ocean vacation, I'm not going to stay inland to save money, I want the beachfront accommodations, simple walk out my resort to the ocean and beach...

WDW, ideal themed resorts... Free transportation anywhere on property... Have a few drinks, no problem, no parking fees and short hops to any park and back for noon breaks...

Never would stay off site, never visit or stay with relatives if we had any in Florida... We enjoy the full immersion in WDW, and stay on property with the mouse..

 

[CuteAndFluffy]

I'd go ahead and sty on property and save the points for your next trip or a trip elsewhere.

For me, going to Disney is much more about the immersive experience and less about the stuff. I like being surrounded by it. Staying Off property is great, but then it's more a Central Florida vacation and far less a Disney vacation to me.

Since you have a little with you, Contemporary is a great choice

 

[Sugardimples]

The point you make about someone getting a later start or wanting to leave early is a good one. I think I would rent two cars. Yes, this would be an additional expense but still far less than the cost of a deluxe room. It would give you a lot more flexibility.

Your only other options would be to use taxis or the person leaving early taking the car and then coming back to pick you up.

 

[momto3gr8boys]

I'd go ahead and sty on property and save the points for your next trip or a trip elsewhere.

For me, going to Disney is much more about the immersive experience and less about the stuff. I like being surrounded by it. Staying Off property is great, but then it's more a Central Florida vacation and far less a Disney vacation to me.

Since you have a little with you, Contemporary is a great choice

This sums up exactly what I was going to say as well!

And being that you were planning Disney anyway, you can now get two trips instead of one.

 

[Wcpedorc]

I would stay offsite. Saving $2500 is more than enough reason. You may not be immersed in Disney magic, but with the extra money you sure could make your time in the parks pretty spectacular. Depending on where you stay with your points you may even get a nicer room. You may want a second car if people aren't going to be ready or interested in staying as late, but your points may get you a hotel with a shuttle. I say take a look at what a hotel that you can use your points on can offer you, ask some questions on here about commutes and things related to that hotel. I know that my commutes offsite have been very easy, and it surprised me.

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

it really would depend on the hotel chain.

If its something that is located on International Drive or the "old" area, $2500 isn't worth it to me..If it's Marriott or Hilton, then maybe

 

[amccu18007]

We faced the same decision last trip. I found that we had a wonderful time but it was not a "Disney" vacation. It was a central Florida vacation. We loved it but our kids kept asking when we were going to Disney...lol.

We like the ability to spend most of our time doing what we want instead of traveling to and from the parks. Many will say that it isn't a big deal but to us, I found it was. Also, if someone wanted to leave, it was a bigger deal and took more planning. Not usually a problem IRL but I didn't want to deal with it on vacation. If it were me I would save the points for a totally different vacation and pay oop for this one. Good luck and have a wonderful time!

 

[Bob NC]

The monkey wrench here is the makeup of the people going on this trip.

Most nuclear families, (mom, dad, 1 or 2 kids), do everything together on vacation. If one person feels like going back to the room many times everyone does.

In a situation where you have your niece, your brother and your mother, I can see there might be transportation issues.

Your brother might want to sleep later one morning. Your mother may get worn out one afternoon and go back to the room for a while while everyone else is still raring to do more park touring.

Staying onsite would make all these issues easy to deal with.

If you aren't in a 'use it or lose it' situation with the 'free' aspect of your vacation offsite, if possible, why not just save that for later and stay onsite this trip?

 

[jrt1176]

Thanks for the insight everyone!

I was leaning to staying on-site for most of the reasons everyone has said...

The "free is free" comment is very true! That's what has been gnawing at my decision process...

The main factor is transportation to and from the parks and if it would take a toll. I know it takes time for the boats, buses and monorail, but I honestly don't recall it ever being a big deal. We don't really take breaks or separate much, but the option to do it will be there and it will be easier to do.

I have stayed off-site twice; once when I was very young and there was only MK and the other was just when we "stopped by" WDW on a trip to the keys.

Staying at a WDW resort has always been part of the vacation for us and I think not being "in the park" would take something away from the trip...at somewhere in the back of my mind! My niece may not notice, but I think I would and I, obviously, want her to have the best experience possible!

Thanks again!

 

[lauradis]

Is free hotel good other places? Does it expire? If you can use it at one of the dtd hotels then maybe.. If you want more space maybe..

Free is never really free. It more like what im i giving up to get free.

I would rather stay at vaule then stay off site. Unless its one of the hotels right next to dtd as in I can walk right across the street. Or I needed more space.

Maybe its just me but when im at disney i want to be only at disney.

 

[chasgoose]

As an obsessee of hotel/airline points, I'm of two minds about this. If your points will expire and you aren't planning any other trips before then, use them. Otherwise, I would probably recommend saving the points for another trip and staying onsite.

My biggest problem with using points for hotels near Disney (I'm assuming the Waldorf/Hilton if you have Hilton points or the Swan/Dolphin if you have SPG points) is that those hotels aren't a good deal for your points. They are always in a pretty high point category for the points program, despite the actual cash price of the hotels being fairly low. You can almost always make better use of your points in terms of a point per dollar you would have spent ratio elsewhere. So if you are planning a trip somewhere else before your points expire, I would save them for that.

Yes the onsite deluxes are expensive, but I think they are worth the cost, especially if you don't go to WDW very often. I would splurge now and use the points on another trip where you can better maximize their value.

I wouldn't think of it as $2500 vs free since you are getting different experiences with each hotel. I would look at how much it would cost to stay at the offsite hotel and how many points you would have to spend to stay there instead of using your points somewhere else. You will probably realize using points at an offsite hotel isn't a great deal.

 

[jrt1176]

I don't have to use the points right now, so I can always save them for other trips...

I usually use them for quick getaways and weekend trips anyway.

I want to thank everyone again for the help! I was pretty sure I was going to stay on site, but you all pushed me over the edge!

 

[iloveallthingsdisney]

I know that monorail resorts are more convenient but couldn't you just stay at a less expensive resort to try and reduce your costs? If it were me, that would sure make me feel alot better about not using the "free" accommodations.

 

[swimfly]

The main factor is transportation to and from the parks and if it would take a toll. I know it takes time for the boats, buses and monorail, but I honestly don't recall it ever being a big deal. We don't really take breaks or separate much, but the option to do it will be there and it will be easier to do.

What time of year are you going? If it's a busy time of year, traffic will be miserable. We stayed off-site during our first trip with DD in July 2012. The hot car (took forever to cool off in the summer), traffic, and parking took its toll. We stay for "free" off property too with points and have no plans to do it in the future. DH was so miserable during our July trip he won't even consider resorts where a bus is primary. I'm thrilled b/c I love staying deluxe and have now had the opportunity to stay at BWI, YC/BC, and Poly.

 

[mickeynut1]

I'd go ahead and sty on property and save the points for your next trip or a trip elsewhere.

For me, going to Disney is much more about the immersive experience and less about the stuff. I like being surrounded by it. Staying Off property is great, but then it's more a Central Florida vacation and far less a Disney vacation to me.

Since you have a little with you, Contemporary is a great choice

This is exactly what I was going to say .