Disney hotel or off property

[Seaandsea]

We are thinking of staying at Port Orleans in Disneyworld. Is this a good choice? Would we be happy at any of the hotel close to Disney? Help?
Thanks, Cheryl

 

[mrFDNY]

We are thinking of staying at Port Orleans in Disneyworld. Is this a good choice? Would we be happy at any of the hotel close to Disney? Help?
Thanks, Cheryl

Hi,
Well it all depends on a lot of things. While i think Port orleans is a great resort, everyone has a different opinion. If you stay on property(a disney hotel) you can use disney's transportation. You can use the Early or evening magic hours, where every day a disney theme park opens 1 hour early or stays open up to 3 hours later for disney resort guest only. How much time do you really plan to spend in your room or at your resort?? It is a good idea to use the Disneyworld website and "explore" all of thier resorts first, See what fits your budget and needs. Good luck and have fun!

 

[can]

Hi Cheryl!

Totally agree with mrFDNY. Alot depends too on the time of year you are going. We always try and stay on Disney property, but going over Spring/Easter Break in 08, we couldn't afford it this time. As an alternative, we have reserved a 3bdrm/3ba townhouse in Windsor Hills Resort which is approx. 1 1/2 miles from Disney.

Being on Disney property has it's perks as pointed out, but on occassion it is nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of the parks and hotels. The fact that there are extended hours before and after is great. The bigger thing we always liked was being able to use transportation. Some days you just don't feel like driving, and it feels good to plunk down in an air conditioned bus.

There are a ton of great, offsite places to stay. Just takes some time and research to find "just the right place" that will fit your needs/likes. You might also want to consider when you are going and for how long, will it be a good thing to buy an AP ticket and would it be at a time they were offering AP discounts on rooms? This helped us several years back tremendously when we were able to go twice a year. Thanksgiving week would be a staple week for us and having an AP would pay for itself in room discounts. (We have since stopped going Thanksgiving week for school reasons and they were starting to black-out days in the middle of that week) So, there are a lot of great options money-wise that are also fun alternatives to staying on Disney property.

But; that all being said, and being a true-to-heart WDW lover, there is no place like staying on resort property. Good luck with your research!

 

[Lilolvr]

To me on site is much better for all the reasons mentioned above but you have to do what's best for you. I love CSR because it does not share transportation.

 

[Hopefully]

What are the ages of your group? If you have young ones who will need a break and a nap or swim in the afternoon, nothing can beat the convenience of staying on site.
Also, when you stay on site you are immersed in the Disney magic. There is nothing like it.
Consider that if you decide to stay off site you will be paying $11 each day to park.
Disney has so many different resorts that appeal to different people and in different price ranges that I am sure you can find a resort on site to meet your needs. Continue your search here on the DIS and also check out allearsnet.com. They have a lot of pictures too.
Good Luck

 

[Seaandsea]

Thanks for all your replys. I did not give a lot of info, sorry. We are going in August, 2 adults, no kids this time. I am very new here, so I don't understand some of the abreveations. What is an AP ticket, which resort is CSR? If staying outside the park do you have any recomendations?
Thanks again, Cheryl

 

[Mickiethepooh]

On property is just plain a totally different experience than off site. and Port Orleans Riverside is a beautiful resort. and you get the Disney on site perks.
I have done both and I will NEVER stay off site again. past 13 times have been ON site.

 

[tiggersmyguy]

Thanks for all your replys. I did not give a lot of info, sorry. We are going in August, 2 adults, no kids this time. I am very new here, so I don't understand some of the abreveations. What is an AP ticket, which resort is CSR? If staying outside the park do you have any recomendations?
Thanks again, Cheryl

Just to help you out, an AP ticket is an annual passholder ticket. I bought one for our trip this past June. There were passholder rates available at the hotel (YC) that we wanted and even with the additional cost of the pass, we saved about $300 for that trip. CSR refers to Coronado Springs Resort, a moderate Disney property that many people seem to enjoy. You did not mention if you would be driving or flying but one of the best things about staying on site if flying in is Magical Express. No driving involved for the whole trip (my husband's favorite perk.) It also saves a good deal in that no rental car is needed.

 

[mrFDNY]

Thanks for all your replys. I did not give a lot of info, sorry. We are going in August, 2 adults, no kids this time. I am very new here, so I don't understand some of the abreveations. What is an AP ticket, which resort is CSR? If staying outside the park do you have any recomendations?
Thanks again, Cheryl

This might help.
DISboards Abbreviations
While exploring our discussion forums, you'll come across many abbreviations that you might not understand. These are the commonly used abbreviations you are likely to come across:
ADR - Advance Dining Reservation

AKA - Also Known As
AK - Animal Kingdom
AKL - Animal Kingdom Lodge
AKV - Animal Kingdom Villas - New
AP - Annual Pass (AKA Animator's Palette)

APR- Annual Pass Rate
ASAP - As Soon As Possible
ASM - All Star Music
AS Sport - All Star Sports
ASMo - All Star Movies
B&C - Beaches & Cream
B&TB - Beauty & the Beast
BB - Blizzard Beach
BC - Beach Club
BCV - Beach Club Villas
BGT - Busch Gardens Tampa
BIL - Brother in Law
BRB - Be Right Back
BTMR - Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
BTTF - Back to the Future
BTW - By The Way
BW - Boardwalk
BWV - Boardwalk Villas
BWI - Boardwalk Inn
CB- Generally Used As Community Board
CBJ - Country Bear Jamboree
CBR - Caribbean Beach Resort
Cindy's - Cinderella's Royal Table
CITH - Cat in the Hat
CG - California Grill
CM - Cast Member
CM's - Chef Mickey's
CONT or CR- Contemporary
CoP - Carousel of Progress
CP - Crystal Palace OR Candlelight Processional
CR - Contemporary Resort
CRO - Central Reservations Office
CRT - Cinderella's Royal Table
CS - Coronado Springs
CW - Citywalk
DC - Disney Club
DCA - Disney's California Adventure
DCL - Disney Cruise Line
DD - Downtown Disney
DD - Dear (Darling, Disney) Daughter

DDE - Disney Dining Experiance
DDP - Disney Dining Plan
DDM - Downtown Disney Marketplace
DDWS - Downtown Disney West Side
DFi - Dear (Darling, Disney) Fiance(e)
DH - Dear (Darling, Disney) Husband
DIS - Disney Information Station (the former name of this web site)
DIS Meet - A DIS term used for a gathering of other visitors to this web site in a predetermined place. These meets happen in Disney World, and in cities all around the country (and the world!)
DL - DisneyLand
DLH - Disneyland Hotel
DLP - Disneyland Paris
DLR - Disneyland Resort
DQ- DisneyQuest
DS - Dear (Darling, Disney) Son
DU- Dreams Unlimited Travel
DVC - Disney Vacation Club
DW - Dear (Darling, Disney) Wife
EA- Emerald Aisle
EC- Emerald Choice
EE - Expedition Everest (AKA Early Entry)

EMH - Extra Magic Hour
EWP - Electric Water Pageant
FDP - Fanstasmic Dinner Package
FFC - Flying Fish Cafe
FIL - Father In Law
FOTL - Front of the Line
FP - FastPass
FTLK - Festival of the Lion King
FW - Fort Wilderness OR Future World
FWIW - For What It's Worth
FYI - For Your Information

GALPP - Get a Life Podcast People
GC - Grand Californian
GF - Grand Floridian
GG - Garden Grill
GKTW - Give Kids the World
GMR - Great Movie Ride
GMTA - Great Minds Think Alike
GoH - Guest of Honor
H&V - Hollywood & Vine
HDD(R) - Hoop Dee Doo Review
HH - Hilton Head (DVC Property)
HIFS- Holiday Inn Family Suites
HISTA - Honey I Shrunk the Audience
HM - Haunted Mansion OR Hidden Mickey
HoB - House of Blues
HoND - Hunchback of Notre Dame
HoP - Hall of Presidents
HRH - Hard Rock Hotel
HTH - Hope That Helps
IASM - It's a Small World
IC - I see
IG - International Gateway

IIR - If I Recall

IIRC - If I Recall Correctly
IMHO - In My Humble Opinion
IMNSHO - In My Not So Humble Opinion
IMO - In My Opinion
IoA - Islands of Adventure (Universal Theme Park)
ITTBAB - It's Tough to Be a Bug
JC - Jungle Cruise
JIYI - Journey Into Your Imagination
J/K - Just Kidding
JPRA - Jurassic Park River Adventure
JTA - Journey to Atlantis
KRR - Kali River Rapids
KTTW - Key To The World (card)
LC - Le Cellier
LOL - Laughing Out Loud
LOS - Length-of-stay
LTT - Liberty Tree Tavern
MCO- Orlando International Airport
MGM - Disney-MGM Studios
MiB - Men in Black (Universal Studios Attraction)
MIL - Mother In Law
MK - Magic Kingdom
MNSSHP - Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party
MSEP - Main Street Electrical Parade
MVMCP - Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party

MYW - Magic Your Way
NoJ - Night of Joy
OKW - Old Key West
OMG - Oh My Gosh (or Goodness or God)
OT - Off Topic
OTOH - On the Other Hand
P&PD - Prayers and Pixie Dust
PAP - Premium Annual Pass
PBH - Portofino Bay Hotel
PC - Pop Century
PH - Park Hopper
PI - Pleasure Island
PIC - Picture
PM - Private Message
PO - Port Orleans
PoC - Pirates of the Caribbean
Poly - Polynesian
POFQ - Port Orleans French Quarter
POR - Port Orleans Riverside
PP - Paradise Pier
PS- Priority Seating
R&C- Rose And Crown Pub
Ressie - Reservation
RFC - Rainforest Cafe
RnR - Rock 'n' Roller Coaster
ROFLOL - Rolling on the Floor Laughing Out Loud

ROFR - Right of First Refusal
SD- Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin
SE - Spaceship Earth
SIL - Sister in Law
SM - Spectromagic OR Space Mountain OR Splash Mountain
SO - Significant Other
SoC - Soaring Over California
SoG - Shades of Green

SSR - Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa
SW - Sea World
T23D - Terminator 2 - 3D (Universal Studios Attraction)
TIA - Thanks in Advance
TDL - Tokyo Disneyland
TDS - The Disney Store
TL - Typhoon Lagoon
TMI - Too Much Information
ToT - Tower of Terror
TT- Test Track
TTA - Tomorrowland Transit Authority
TTC Transportation and Ticket Center
TTFN - Ta Ta For Now
TTYL - Talk To You Later
UAL- United Airlines
USF - Universal Studios Florida
V&A - Victoria & Albert's
VB - Vero Beach (DVC Property)

VWL - Villas at Wilderness Lodge
WC - Whispering Canyon
WDT(C) - Walt Disney Travel (company)
WDW- Walt Disney World
WDWCP - Walt Disney World College Program
WL - Wilderness Lodge
WS - World Showcase
WWoS - Wide World of Sports
WWTBAM - Who Wants To Be A Millionaire - Play It!
Y&BC - Yacht & Beach Club
YC - Yacht Club
YMMV - Your Mileage May Vary

 

[eliza61]

Thanks for all your replys. I did not give a lot of info, sorry. We are going in August, 2 adults, no kids this time. I am very new here, so I don't understand some of the abreveations. What is an AP ticket, which resort is CSR? If staying outside the park do you have any recomendations?
Thanks again, Cheryl

Cheryl,
Also remember that if you stay off site and drive, you will have to pay for parking. Never stayed off site so I can't give a recomendation but this board does have an Orlando forum check over there for some tips.
August is hot and the parks are open 14-18 hours a day. The cool thing about staying on site during this time of year is that you can quickly get back to your resort, cool out during the hottest part of the day and then go back to the parks when it's cooler at night.
Eliza

 

[ashef]

August in Disney World will almost surely be very hot and crowded, but can still be lots of fun. I think staying in a Disney World resort maximizes your chances of having a fabulous trip. (We were there the last week of July.) The early magic hour opening, which is available only for those staying in Disney resorts, is a godsend. Each day, one park opens for Disney guests at 8 am instead of the usual 9 am. The parks are much cooler and much less crowded then and you can do the most popular rides without much of a wait. A different park has evening magic hours each day, staying open late only for Disney resort guests. When it is 90 degrees or above, visiting the parks early and/or late is the way to go! The buses between parks and resorts are fabulous. Get the Unofficial Guide to Disney World -- it has a good section on staying in a hotel on sight vs. staying off sight. The bottom line is that the two of you can stay in a Disney World resort for the same amount of money you would pay for an outside hotel, and you will get a lot of benefits staying in DW that you won't have if you stay outside DW.

 

[dmiller882]

I would have to agree with the earlier posts. We have never stayed off site.
Check the Disney Website to compare resorts.I would also check www.mousesavers.com or call the resort you are looking at and see if there are any deals going. You just might find a great deal on site.
Also if you stay on site and purchase something in the park you can have it sent back to your room instead of walking around with it. I believe it takes a day or two to get to your resort. Its also a nice perk.
For me after a long day at the park it's nice to seat down and have someone else do the driving.

1998 1st year as a couple opening yr of AK AS Sports
2000 1st Mickey’s very Merry Christmas AS Music
2002 AS Sports
2003 Family gathering AS Movies
2005 1st to Mickey’s Not so Scary AS Movies
2006 AKL
2007 1st at our AKV in 8 days

 

[Aurora63]

You can have a good off-site experience. I will only go so far from Disney, though, that is key. My two favorite offsite hotels are the Marriot Orlando World Center and Gaylord Palms. Both are extremely convenient to Disney property.

Yes you would have to pay for parking, but sometimes having your own car and paying more beats standing on a Disney bus, and waiting, waiting, waiting.

I've done both and enjoy both for different reasons. POR is a great resort, but not so great transportation wise. I'd do what previous posters have said, go online and check out your different options.

 

[Disneydenise]

I think it is a personal choice. If you don't mind traveling to and from the parks and many people are fine with that then I would save the money and get a much larger room perhaps a suite at one of the resorts listed at the top of this page. I have friends who have never stayed on property and they don't have any idea why I haven't stayed off property. The places they have stayed are lovely with far more amenities than Disney provides and they have just as much fun if not more than our family.

 

[septbaby]

I just returned from my first onsite Disney experience. If Disney is my Orlando destination I will stay on site. The conveniences and even interaction with the other guests just cannot be beat:

1. We used Magical Express, bus service to and from Orlando Airport to our resort. I curb side checked my bags at my home airport and Disney did the rest, brought them to our hotel room later on our arrival day. No looking for a luggage cart or dragging them upstairs, etc.

2. The resorts have many conveniences. We stayed at the Caribbean Beach Resort in a standard room. We got a first floor in Martinique, near our village quiet pool and a short walk to the resort's main pool and town center (food court, game room, gift shops).

3. Disney Transportation!!! No parking worries, no gas to replenish, no extra step at the airport. Transportation is easy to use and in fact we found it fun. We rode in the front of the monorail took boats to Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Wilderness Lodge. Our resort was served by buses and we happily used those too. On one occassion our cue was really filled at the Magic Kingdom, but we arrived right after Wishes at stayed a full large resort, what did we expect? The cue moved fine and we had wonderful conversations with the families around us while waiting. Getting tips and fun stories from other guests can be helpful. Also as two adults if you decide on a night at Pleasure Island, you already have a designated driver.

4. Key to the World and the Dining Plan: Your room key and park ticket are the same. You can also allow charging on your room key. If you have the dining plan you use that key to pay for meals as well. Many of your store purchases can be delivered right to your room, so no lugging around in the park, no chance of losing them either.

5. Extra hours: While we found the evening extra magic hours (EMH) more crowded than expected, we enjoyed them very much and had a great time each night. We also did the Little Ones Magic Hour, 8-9am for my nephew's first hour in the park. Not only did he ride Dumbo, the Carousel and Peter Pan twice he played with Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Chip and Dale, Stitch, Peter Pan, Wendy and Captain Hook! Only guests can get in for that and it was like no other hour we had at Disney.

6. Dining Plan: Normally I prefer to stay in condo like rooms because of the kitchen and even laundry facilities. Our room had a fridge, but not a microwave. The Dining Plan gives you so many options that we had plenty to eat, not all junk, and was so convenient. One MUST DO make reservations for your Table Service meals before arriving. Places fill up quickly and it would be frustrating to try to do this while on site.

7. Golf: You may not golf, but I do and did on my Disney vacation. Disney will provide and pay for taxi service to and from one of their golf courses for resort guests!

8. Payment plan: Disney requires that your reservation be paid in full 45 days before arrival. I made all of my payments on the website or via phone via credit card. I paid those bills before arriving. It was so nice to know vacation was paid for. I could eat, sleep, drink (no alcohol) and be merry with the mouse worry free. Also there are no bills waiting for me at home due to the vacation.

9. I travelled with my mother and 5yo nephew. Though we are always careful my mother is a worry wart when it comes to her children/grandchild. Several times she used the phrase "safe at Disney". If being on site gives her a bit more comfort in that department that's icing on the cake.

Just a snap shot of one day as a WDW resort guest:
We cancelled one of our breakfast Table Service meals, we slept in and ate at our resort food court and spent half a day relaxing at the pool. Best decision we could have made. We relaxed for the morning, visited the Animal Kingdom mid afternoon(bus), had a TS dinner at Boma(bus), caught Illuminations at Epcot (bus)and Magic Kingdom extra Magic Hours til 1am(monorails). We were actually able to rest on vacation in the AM but still got in some great park time after 10pm when off site guests have to leave the park.

During this time of year you can get all of that for as little as $82/nite, $145 or $275 per night depending on the class of accomodations you choose.

While I think you can find really nice accomodations off site if you are going to Disney stay at Disney and stay in some nice accomodations as well. Someone pulled the curtain back for me and now that I know...lol!