Disney Resort worthwhile?

[USS Disney]

We have been to Disneyland on numerous occasions but I have always stayed in a Good Neighbor hotel. Disneyland is not a "Once in a lifetime" vacation for us, as we typically go every year for about 4 or 5 days so i dont need the end all be all of resort rooms. Mostly its just me and the spouse but we occasionally bring another sibling along. I just finsihed all our vacation plans for our first trip to DisneyWorld in April and will be staying in our first Disney resort (Port Orleans Riverside) so that experience will be a big factor as well.

I plan on getting an AP once we move back to Vegas (Sept 2014) so im just trying to see if its really worth the extra money.

 

[Cinderpamela]

So what I am gathering from your post is that you asking if it is worth it to stay onsite at WDW vs DLR?

To that I would answer yes, since WDW is soooo much larger in scale I would definitely recommend onsite. And the resort you have chosen is a really good one to go with from all the reviews that I have read. If we were not DVC members POR would be my first choice of resort at WDW.

At DLR we have stayed both on and offsite and liked both, but at WDW I would stick to onsite if the budget will allow.

 

[hjgaus]

I think the MOST important advantage to staying @ the Disney Resort is the EARLY ENTRY MORNING! If the long lines at certain rides DO NOT matter to you then your fine at a good neighbor hotel. I agree with OP about staying @ a WDW resort while there.
While you will still have Early Entry AND EXTENDED after hours @ some PARKS they COULD take care of all your transportation needs such as when you arrive/leave to the airport; bus & boat ride to n' fro parks!

 

[CaptainEIEIO]

WDW is a must do to stay onsite. Its huge, and you cant walk from your off site hotel to any of the parks like you can at Disneyland. You cant walk to the parks from your on site locations at Disney World either, but the transportation buses that get you around would work better than driving to and from the hotel and the parks and paying for parking. Just use the Disney transportaion to and from Orlando Airport and then use the transportation busses provided at Disney World to get you around, its easily the best way to get around.

 

[Disney_Ohana]

Yes, its worth staying on property. The value resorts are terrific as well Magical Express is awesome if you need RT airport transportation and the transportation system is pretty efficient

Have a fabulous time!

 

[MermaidHair]

I have done both Good Neighbor hotels and the Disneyland hotel. This May I will be staying at the Grand Californian for the first time. It is fine to stay at the Good Neighbor hotels but I always like the extra special feeling of staying on site. To me, it extends the magic.

I had a chance to spend a couple of nights at POR at WDW in January. I LOVED it and would go back in a heartbeat if WDW was in the plans. It has a wonderful, very immersive feel to it. Enjoy!

 

[Astylla]

As someone who grew up in Florida and attended WDW and some of the surrounding parks ( this was before Animal Kingdom) I would definitely say go for staying on site. Unlike at DLR where you can easily walk between parks the WDW resort is much more spread out and the access to the hotels is well worth it for all the benefits.

The Port Orleans is a great choice too !

 

[momjeeps]

For a couple, I would say stay onsite especially if you are flying and don't want to rent a car. For our family (6) we did a little of both in November with free dining when we were onsite. Looking back we will stay offsite in the future. For the price we could get so much more space offsite and with a family of our size offsite was more enjoyable. We drive so we have our car for transportation.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[deanimal]

We split our stay last time at Disneyland with two nights at Best Western Park Place Inn and two at the Disneyland Hotel. I loved the DLH, but for the money I think BWPPI was a much better value. It was actually quite a bit closer to the parks and was clean and quiet. The walk through Downtown Disney from the DLH was not particularly magical or special in any way. The room was beautiful and I'm glad I stayed once, but I just can't justify paying $200-300 more per night.

 

[USS Disney]

Yeah Im just trying to figure out if the disneyland resorts are good enough to justify the price compared to the offsite hotels. I can tell WDW resorts have that "specialness" as there is nothing but disney that surrounds you and allows you to immerse yourself in the magic (or so im hoping) but I just dont know about the DLR hotels since so many Good neighbors are just as close to the gates...

 

[sherilaine]

Yeah Im just trying to figure out if the disneyland resorts are good enough to justify the price compared to the offsite hotels. I can tell WDW resorts have that "specialness" as there is nothing but disney that surrounds you and allows you to immerse yourself in the magic (or so im hoping) but I just dont know about the DLR hotels since so many Good neighbors are just as close to the gates...

From what I have read, seen, heard first hand - if you are asking if they are worth staying at for the hotels themselves then No. I have yet to have someone tell me that the double queen room they stayed in at the GCH was worth the $400 or more they paid.

If you are asking if they are worth it for all the perks of being an onsite guest (meaning whether you are staying in a 2 bedroom villa at the grand or the very basic of rooms at the PP) you still get in early and still remain in the Disney bubble, then that depends on how important that is to you.

If we were only staying for 3 or 4 or even 5 nights, sure we'd stay on site to maximize our park time. And to let the kids enjoy the newly renovated DLH. But for longer stays, we feel the walk is not long at all from any hotel just across the street.

Now if and when the time comes to visit the monstrosity that is WDW, there will be no question, we will stay on site, even though we'll be much further away from the gates than we are at the Hojo at DLR!

 

[Snurk71]

I can tell WDW resorts have that "specialness" as there is nothing but disney that surrounds you and allows you to immerse yourself in the magic (or so im hoping) but I just dont know about the DLR hotels since so many Good neighbors are just as close to the gates...

Staying at DLH andGC have provided us with that same Disney cocoon that we experience at WDW. Staying at the DL hotels you don't see Denny's and the rest of the commercialism you'd see at a good neighbor hotel across the street. That makes it worth it to us.

 

[HMANSION LOVER]

WDW is a must do to stay onsite. Its huge, and you cant walk from your off site hotel to any of the parks like you can at Disneyland. You cant walk to the parks from your on site locations at Disney World either, but the transportation buses that get you around would work better than driving to and from the hotel and the parks and paying for parking. Just use the Disney transportaion to and from Orlando Airport and then use the transportation busses provided at Disney World to get you around, its easily the best way to get around.

If you are staying at the Boardwalk, Yacht Club or Beach Club you are within walking distance of EPCOT and HOLYWOOD STUDIOS.

 

[aristocat65]

Staying at DLH andGC have provided us with that same Disney cocoon that we experience at WDW. Staying at the DL hotels you don't see Denny's and the rest of the commercialism you'd see at a good neighbor hotel across the street. That makes it worth it to us.

That really sums it up for us too. I think after OP stays on site at WDW they will want to do so at DLR too. That's how it was for us. After experiencing the cocoon at WDW, I wanted to have it at DL too. I no longer wanted to see the fast food places and motels across the street. This time we are at PP because I love entering DL through the GCH or Downtown Disney. I don't want to enter off Harbor ever again or do the drive, park, tram thing.

 

[carisa81]

I definitely think it's worthwhile staying at either the DLH or the GC. My personal favorite is the GC. It adds a special something to my vacation that I don't have at a good neighbor hotel. Ultimately it depends on your wallet. Obviously if you are breaking the bank, then not worth it.

 

[mmmears]

Staying at DLH andGC have provided us with that same Disney cocoon that we experience at WDW. Staying at the DL hotels you don't see Denny's and the rest of the commercialism you'd see at a good neighbor hotel across the street. That makes it worth it to us.

Like you, we like to be in the Disney bubble. I'd even rather take a lower-floor Disney room with no view if that means that I can't see things beyond Disney. I don't want to feel like I'm in LA -- I want it to feel like WDW where we are immersed by Disney.

I definitely think it's worthwhile staying at either the DLH or the GC. My personal favorite is the GC. It adds a special something to my vacation that I don't have at a good neighbor hotel. Ultimately it depends on your wallet. Obviously if you are breaking the bank, then not worth it.

Totally agree -- we love the GCH, but wouldn't stay there if the price was too high.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

Yeah Im just trying to figure out if the disneyland resorts are good enough to justify the price compared to the offsite hotels. I can tell WDW resorts have that "specialness" as there is nothing but disney that surrounds you and allows you to immerse yourself in the magic (or so im hoping) but I just dont know about the DLR hotels since so many Good neighbors are just as close to the gates...

Actually, except for GCH, the other two Disney hotels are actually farther from the main gate than the closest Good Neighbor hotels on Harbor Blvd. Some parts of the DLH can be a real literal hike to the main gates.

 

[RalphMouth]

Actually, except for GCH, the other two Disney hotels are actually farther from the main gate than the closest Good Neighbor hotels on Harbor Blvd. Some parts of the DLH can be a real literal hike to the main gates.

really ?
I thought that it's roughly a 10 min walk ? that's not a hike to me

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

really ?
I thought that it's roughly a 10 min walk ? that's not a hike to me

It all depends I suppose. It used to not feel like a hike to me when I was in my 30s. Now in my 40s, it definitely does. As we all know, it also always feel shorter walking into the parks then walking back out at the end of the day. Your mileage may vary.

 

[rentayenta]

Staying on site at Disneyland Resort Hotel is totally worth it to me. Some good neighbor hotels may technically be closer but having stayed at all 3 on sites as well as various off sites, staying offsite doesn't feel like a shorter walk. Going through the GCH to get to the PPH is far more enjoyable than walking down Harbor or even crossing the street. It isn't like crossing a neighborhood street. If staying on site is a financially viable, do it.