Disney or non Disney hotel?

[floridagirrl2]

I can understand choosing to stay at an offsite house or condo for the extra space and the kitchen; but for just a plain ol' hotel room, especially on a budget, I think onsite beats offsite in a heartbeat. For ~$50 bucks a night (the price of a Value Resort during Value season, with a discount code), there is not an offsite hotel that can come close to POP or the All Stars.

 

[Cindy n Mickey]

There's nothing quite like the Disney Magic you experience when you stay onsite.

That said, whether you stay on- or off-site depends on your trip focus. If this is definitely a Disney focused trip, then onsite is best. If you cannot afford an onsite resort, then stay very close to the parks (such as Downtown Disney or Lake Buena Vista), and accept the move off-campus as a compromise.

If you are splitting your time between Disney and any of the other Orlando theme parks (Orlando/Isle of Adventure, Sea World, etc), then off-site is probably best, but with a car. Also, if you are economizing by limiting the number of days in the parks, offsite might work.

I've stayed at a couple of offsite hotels I love -- including Marriott Orlando World Center and the Hyatt. However, neither of these were cheaper than WDW resorts. On those trips, the focus wasn't on Disney, and it worked out quite nicely. Also, I had a car rental. My all-time favorite Disney memories all include a Disney Resort.

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

You might want to consider going to the DVC Forum and looking at the Rent/Trade board. You could rent points from a DVC member and stay at Old Key West for approx. $80/night for a Sun.-Thurs. stay (weekends are much higher). That would be for a studio with two queen beds, a kitchenette that includes microwave, refrigerator, coffee maker, toaster, etc. and you would also have access to free laundry facilities as well as Disney transportation and discounts at select restaurants, stores, etc. Other DVC resort would be available but at higher rates. It is a win/win situation as the renter gets to experience first-class accomodations at an affordable price and DVC owners get to rent points there are unable to use. Just find someone that can provide references if you decide to go this route.