Does it get old arguing with the "Onsite Only" crowd?

[Biggen]

When I talk to the 'on-site' crowd and explain to them how much cheaper staying at Bonnet Creek is than [INSERT ANY OTHER WDW RESORT], their jaw drops to the floor and they now become a part of the 'off-site' crowd.

Seriously, if you have the money to stay on site, then rock on. I'd do it too. But to be able to take that money saved by staying 'off-site' and roll it back into food, drinks, merchandise at the parks is an awesome feeling. Heck, I don't even consider Bonnet Creek 'off-site' to be honest.

I don't enjoy the buses, monorail, etc... So to be able to drive to the parks from our condo is actually a positive in my book. Having AP, I already get free parking so that is no problem and its only another $15 to get preferred parking and park right up near the gates.

 

[robinb]

That's not hard. If staying offsite means renting a car and paying $20/day to park, that can easily make onsite about the same price as offsite.

Easily, especially when people feel the NEED to have an expensive minivan. The daily cost of a car plus parking could easily be $60-$70 per day with taxes and fees. IMO, that puts mere hotel rooms out if the running since people really don't save anything by staying offsite.

The problem is when people say things that just aren't true.
For example, I've had people say, "We have to stay offsite because we want to be able to take a break midday and you can't do that if you aren't onsite."
The fact that we stay offsite and almost always take a break midday isn't enough to convince them that what they're saying is simply not true.
Those are the folks that is just isn't worth arguing with.

We also take breaks, but I do admit that it can be a little harder to do it when offsite. It takes a bit longer to get from the park to the offsite accommodation and back, especially to/from the MK.

 

[Westcoastwild]

When I talk to the 'on-site' crowd and explain to them how much cheaper staying at Bonnet Creek is than [INSERT ANY OTHER WDW RESORT], their jaw drops to the floor and they now become a part of the 'off-site' crowd.

Seriously, if you have the money to stay on site, then rock on. I'd do it too. But to be able to take that money saved by staying 'off-site' and roll it back into food, drinks, merchandise at the parks is an awesome feeling. Heck, I don't even consider Bonnet Creek 'off-site' to be honest.

I don't enjoy the buses, monorail, etc... So to be able to drive to the parks from our condo is actually a positive in my book. Having AP, I already get free parking so that is no problem and its only another $15 to get preferred parking and park right up near the gates.

Definitely. I looked at bonnet creek and if I'd been going with my family, it would have cost a lot less money than onsite. I did a lot of price comparing. And much of the time the "onsite crowd" was flat out wrong if you look at what they're actually arguing. Even the resort subgroups are wrong- some make a big deal about staying at a monorail resort, for example, but that only helps for 2 out of 4 parks and even then only if the monorail is running.

In my case though, onsite made sense- as a solo traveller it was the same price to stay onsite once I added in parking (not an AP holder). Because I had to factor in not just getting to the park but also transport to and from the airport. Not much money but still the airport transit made it more expensive to stay offsite.

But would like to point out that you aren't looking at strict budget either- you willingly pay $15 for preferred parking, which I get and would totally do too, but most of my relatives would say no way.

 

[disneysteve]

We also take breaks, but I do admit that it can be a little harder to do it when offsite. It takes a bit longer to get from the park to the offsite accommodation and back, especially to/from the MK.

Maybe from MK but that's about it. From the other parks, we can be back in our offsite house while the onsite guests are still in line waiting for a bus. There's one place we have stayed several times in Kissimmee. I once timed our drive from AK to the condo at 4-1/2 minutes. It's tough to beat that.

 

[prprincess]

I've done both and I honestly love both, so I can't argue either way.

As I have posted before, it just depends on what mood my family is in. We have a ton of family in the Orlando area, and unusually when we stay offsite it's so that we have more time to spend with them. Those trips are usually more laid back/go with the flow types of trips. Sometimes we'll do a Disney park, and then maybe a Universal Park or Legoland. Sometimes we just spend the entire trip at the pool or hanging out in the area. We stay onsite when we want to immerse ourselves in the Disney experience. And on those trips, our schedules are so packed and planned out that we rarely get to see family. Overall, yes the offsite trips are cheaper, but when we are onsite we do appreciate all of the extras that come with staying there and don't mind paying for it. Could we stay onsite every year? Probably not. But then again, we don't visit the Orlando area every year either.

 

[TamaraQT]

Well there you have it @BigredNole ......the arguments still continue. Maybe not an argument like I got involved in but they continue. I see it as some people do think the argument does get old and have stop arguing all together. Others are diehard fans of onsite and some are diehard fans of offsite. I think my favorite post is the one that provides the 3 options and you can only choose 2 of the 3 options. I personally love off-site better than onsite and that's that. No, I dont think the argument will ever get old. People are just too passionate about it.

 

[BigredNole]

It was like the person that posted on the WBC thread stating I completely lie about the cost of WBC. Then I post a bunch of current prices coming up. He deletes his post and says nothing else once proven completely wrong.

 

[dish rag]

Reading this thread was the first I heard that people argued about this. It would have never dawned on me to care how or where others vacation or that others would care about how I did.

 

[BigredNole]

Reading this thread was the first I heard that people argued about this. It would have never dawned on me to care how or where others vacation or that others would care about how I did.

I agree. I was reluctant to even post it, but it was just another one of those that gets under your skin. It usually starts out as..."Hey, you went to Disney just recently. How was it? Where did you stay?" Then it turns into..."Oh, you didn't really go to Disney." And on from there.

In the case I started this was due to someone we know not believing you can get a 2BR resort for less than they paid for a studio room for 2-nights. I even showed them the purchase receipt, went online to compare prices of similar size Disney 2BR villas, then looking at what DVC members rent points out for. When it was proven that I saved over $3500 on accommodations (basically winning the argument), the response was "It's not Disney"

 

[dish rag]

I agree. I was reluctant to even post it, but it was just another one of those that gets under your skin. It usually starts out as..."Hey, you went to Disney just recently. How was it? Where did you stay?" Then it turns into..."Oh, you didn't really go to Disney." And on from there.

In the case I started this was due to someone we know not believing you can get a 2BR resort for less than they paid for a studio room for 2-nights. I even showed them the purchase receipt, went online to compare prices of similar size Disney 2BR villas, then looking at what DVC members rent points out for. When it was proven that I saved over $3500 on accommodations (basically winning the argument), the response was "It's not Disney"

That's a lot of money to save, well worth it. In my circle of friends there is never discussions like that. No one really cares what the other does, where they go and what they spend. Oh, we talk about trips and things like that but no one would ever care to ask detailed information nor would they comment negatively on what the other did or spent.

 

[disneysteve]

What I hear often is, "We want to go to Disney but it's SO expensive. We can't decide if it's worth the $6,000 it'll cost us." Then I say, "The three of us go for a week for $2,500. We would never spend that kind of money." That progresses to, "Oh, we could never drive to Florida. That's nuts. We have to fly. And everyone says you have to stay onsite. And have the dining package. And we want to do all of the parks and the water parks and we want a sit down dinner every day." Well, then, I guess you're going to spend $6,000.

 

[Biggen]

But would like to point out that you aren't looking at strict budget either- you willingly pay $15 for preferred parking, which I get and would totally do too, but most of my relatives would say no way.

Pile into one car and split the preferred/non-preferred parking fee!

We live in Florida, so I'm fortunate enough to get to Disney twice a year. So for us, its worth the price of APs and preferred parking. Especially with two kids (2 year and 4 year old) and all the crap that they require to lug into the parks. Plus you get free water and maps in preferred parking so it must be worth it, right.

 

[robinb]

But would like to point out that you aren't looking at strict budget either- you willingly pay $15 for preferred parking, which I get and would totally do too, but most of my relatives would say no way.

Preferred parking is now $40 .

 

[robinb]

So for us, its worth the price of APs and preferred parking. Especially with two kids (2 year and 4 year old) and all the crap that they require to lug into the parks. Plus you get free water and maps in preferred parking so it must be worth it, right.

I'm curious, do you just pay the $20 difference?

 

[Biggen]

I'm curious, do you just pay the $20 difference?

When I was there last January, it was $15 for preferred parking for AP holders. Regular parking was free for AP holders. I'm assuming that preferred parking didn't increase did it?? I'll have to check...

Edit: Maybe it was $20 that we paid. It wasn't more than $20 I'm sure. Was really thinking it was $15. I'll have to look at my CC statement!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

What I hear often is, "We want to go to Disney but it's SO expensive. We can't decide if it's worth the $6,000 it'll cost us." Then I say, "The three of us go for a week for $2,500. We would never spend that kind of money." That progresses to, "Oh, we could never drive to Florida. That's nuts. We have to fly. And everyone says you have to stay onsite. And have the dining package. And we want to do all of the parks and the water parks and we want a sit down dinner every day." Well, then, I guess you're going to spend $6,000.

I agree with you as a whole.

The dining plan, the onsite aspect, the parks+water parks and table/buffet meal is all extra stuff that I do see get pushed for or it's what people think you have to do for a WDW trip and some of that stuff can easily push you sky high on your trip cost.

The only thing to me is the flying vs driving factor and that's on a more practical level. A group needs to figure out if the cost of flying outweighs any negatives to driving. You can still go to WDW but you may need to adjust your plans here and there to accommodate price of airfare.

Just using me as an example it would be 2 days of driving just to get to Orlando airport for comparison with flying (or roughly 18hrs and 40 mins of drive). A flight would get me there in around 2hrs and 45mins. A flight for SWA seemed to average around $400 RT per person (some flight options would raise that to over $400 though) but there have been reductions in fare. We ended up getting it for $298 RT per person {ETA: corrected amount} (we actually used SWA pts and a companion pass so we didn't spend actual $ aside from the 9/11 security fees). And it's not just "well driving could save you a lot more money than that" because you've got to factor in taking 4 days of travel and depending on your plans that could mean taking even more time off from work. There's also the wear and tear on your vehicle (unless you rent a car) you may consider.

I've done the whole driving to Orlando (well an hour or so east-ish of Orlando) but that was when I was a kid during summer and the main reason was visiting my step-grandmother and WDW was something we did while we were there.

I guess for me people need to figure out: do they have a budget? do they have a realistic budget? are they doing things because they want to or because people told them "you gotta do it you'll regret it if you don't", etc?

 

[TamaraQT]

What I hear often is, "We want to go to Disney but it's SO expensive. We can't decide if it's worth the $6,000 it'll cost us." Then I say, "The three of us go for a week for $2,500. We would never spend that kind of money." That progresses to, "Oh, we could never drive to Florida. That's nuts. We have to fly. And everyone says you have to stay onsite. And have the dining package. And we want to do all of the parks and the water parks and we want a sit down dinner every day." Well, then, I guess you're going to spend $6,000.

Exactly!!! If my family went for a Disney only vacation @ $6000 then we could only go to Disney every few years. But staying off-site allows us to afford to go every year. The best part was discovering my DD10 likes Disney but she loves Orlando area. So that made it very easy for us to appreciate off-site accommodations and amenities even more. The money we save has allowed us to extend our annual Orlando vacation to 14 days. And for that I am very thankful.

 

[Westcoastwild]

Pile into one car and split the preferred/non-preferred parking fee!

We live in Florida, so I'm fortunate enough to get to Disney twice a year. So for us, its worth the price of APs and preferred parking. Especially with two kids (2 year and 4 year old) and all the crap that they require to lug into the parks. Plus you get free water and maps in preferred parking so it must be worth it, right.

I just end up paying for stuff like that. It's totally worth it for young kids, you're right, but my relatives will flat insist everyone can walk over chipping in a few bucks. But I do like the freebies.

 

[Westcoastwild]

Preferred parking is now $40 .

Wow, that is steep. But that's about what airport preferred parking would be, and sometimes it's worth the money.

 

[disneysteve]

Wow, that is steep. But that's about what airport preferred parking would be, and sometimes it's worth the money.

I don't really get the appeal of preferred parking. At all 4 of the parks, we often walk from our car even though we do standard parking. MK is the main one where I guess preferred could make a difference as the lot is far larger, or if you are going at a really peak time. Otherwise, it's not like it's hard to hop on the tram and get driven to the front of the park.