Do you think staying onsite makes a difference...

[Tinkaroo]

My family went quite a bit when I was growing up (grandparents lived only 2 hours away, so we usually went at least every other year). My dad traveled a lot, so we would always still in off-site hotels using his free nights (usually the Marriott World Center).

Although I grew up loving that hotel (they had a pool slide, way before they were so prevalent), once I stayed on-site as an adult, my DH and I have never gone back. There's a true sense of "belonging" when you stay on-site, and as many have already stated, the magic is all around you. I've never been treated as well as I have been at Disney hotels. That makes me a very loyal customer.

 

[Lisa P.]

It's pretty obvious from these replies that this is the "Disney Resorts" forum! If you ask the same question on the "Orlando Hotels" forum, the responses are more balanced with many people who favor each.

We have spent many stays both onsite and offsite, sometimes splitting time between them. I enjoy the themes and the pools onsite. However, my whole family and I enjoy (and prefer) the resort condos and amenities offsite - for the same price as a value motel room onsite. The cost of a value or moderate room onsite is not worth it to us. And while we've enjoyed our stays at the deluxe hotels, our budget then prohibited nice restaurants or other extras that we could afford when staying less expensively.

We keep going back to Orlando for many reasons and we do "get it" at WDW. However, where many of you feel "a part of the magic" when "immersed in Disney," my DH and teens feel "a part of the marketing scheme" and bothered by the extensive Disney-this, Disney-that. They don't like feeling fooled by the illusions, and pressed to open their wallets a little bit wider at every turn. It's just another perspective!

For us, staying offsite in timeshare condo resorts for most of our vacation time in Orlando is a no-brainer... plenty of room for 3 teenagers and 2 tired parents to enjoy a week or two together without getting on each other's nerves, no over-stimulation, less overspending, great pools with palm trees, music, hot tubs and other teenagers around, great weather, extra money money for nice restaurants and various theme parks, with all the variety that Orlando has to offer. To each their own.

Then again, we also love visiting places we've never been. So an Orlando vacation only every other year is fine for us too. If we were still into frequent Disney vacations, we'd never have made it to Washington DC, New York City, several southeast beaches and the Grand Canyon in the last few years either. With 3 teens rapidly approaching college entrance, those new experiences were very worthwhile too!

I wouldn't change a thing!

 

[cdntourguide]

I used to stay off-site because of the less expensive motels, less expensive restaurants, going to Universal and other areas.. but the last few years I have stayed at one of the Resorts and only leave WDW to go to Walmart.

Now I budget my trip based on staying on-site. If I must I go to a value resort, but do like the moderates best of all. I have stayed at deluxe resorts but did not get the feeling that the deluxe units were any better than the moderates (or values for that matter).

Last October I went with my sister and her family: we stayed at one of the condo's offsite for the first two nights. Those two nights were the worst of the vacation for me, as the leaving of Disney "Magic" was extremely evident in the parking area of the condo which had large stinking garbage bins on every block.

If it is a question of not being able to go to WDW unless I stayed offsite, I would. But IMO staying onsite is part of the Magic of WDW.

 

[SandrainNC]

I have never stayed onsite (ok - I have been told we camped at Fort Wilderness at some point when I was little), but I still LOVE it! So, I don't think you have to stay onsite to really enjoy yourself. Our trip in November was great! So, what is wrong with these people??

I am staying onsite for the first time in January and cannot wait!!! From what I have read on this post, I am going to have an even better time staying there and might even be more of a Disney addict than I am now. This could be a problem.

Sandra

 

[DisneyJen0504]

Definitely!!! We will never stay offsite again.
I dont think if you stay offsite you dont have a great vacation but staying onsite is positively more magical (and more convenient).

 

[sotoalf]

We keep going back to Orlando for many reasons and we do "get it" at WDW. However, where many of you feel "a part of the magic" when "immersed in Disney," my DH and teens feel "a part of the marketing scheme" and bothered by the extensive Disney-this, Disney-that. They don't like feeling fooled by the illusions, and pressed to open their wallets a little bit wider at every turn. It's just another perspective

Well said! The marketing does get oppressive!

 

[Laurajean1014]

WDW is in Orlando - but what's Orlando?