Feeling left out staying off-site

[Ametista]

Where do you find the off-site homes with pools online. We are planning to stay off-site in August.

Homeaway, Tripadvisor, flipkey, vacationrentals, vrbo

add a .com to any of those and you will find loads of very nice Kissimmee and Orlando vacation homes.

 

[MinnieLovesMickey12]

Rather than staying at an Econolodge you could stay in a one bedroom suite at Quality Suites Lake Buena Vista with free hot breakfast and a full kitchen for around $70 a night if you pre-book online and pre-pay.

When we take the kids we stay onsite but when it is just Dh and myself we stay off site. Staying at Quality Suites is about $45 cheaper a night than staying in a value resort with rock hard beds. The beds at Quality Suites are nice and comfy with big fluffy pillows.

It is about half way between Universal and Disney on Palm parkway. It is surrounded by shops and restaurants in a very good neighborhood.

 

[aubriee]

We just got back from Orlando this past Monday (May 20th). We spent eleven nights in a one bedroom deluxe villa at Wyndham Bonnet Creek. Booking through a third party (Vacation Strategy), we paid just $89.50 per night. Since Bonnet Creek is physically inside the Disney gates, we got a one bedroom villa with a king size bed, jacuzzi tub, walk in shower, seperate living room, dining area, and a fully equipped kitchen, and washer dryer at a deluxe resort with multiple nice pools, multiple hot tubs, two lazy rivers, game room, and a free mini golf course cheaper than what we would have paid for a Value resort through Disney, and were actually closer to the parks than if we had stayed at some of the WDW resorts. Using my Costco discounts I was able to get a midsize car for a little over $12.00 per day and with our AP parking at the parks was free. Having the car allowed us to eat most dinners offsite, where we got better food much cheaper. However, we also had that fully equipped kitchen with stove, microwave, full size fridge, blender, toaster, pots, pans, dishes, utensils, etc tht we could have used to prepare full meals if we'd wanted to. I go to WDW several times a year and used to always stay onsite, but can't see us going anywhere but Bonnet Creek from now on.

Last Oct/Nov we were booked at CBR, but just a couple of weeks before we left, a coworker offered us her one bedroom time share over at Westlake Town Center for just $400.00 for the week. $57.00 per night for a fully equipped villa was just too good a deal to pass up, so even though we had always said we would never stay offsite, we decided to give offsite just one try. That was all it took. I can not see us ever staying onsite again. A fully equiped one bedroom villa at a deluxe resort, cheaper than what a tiny WDW value room would cost is just too good to pass up. We've stayed at all levels of Disney resorts and in fact was at AKL in a savanna view just last Sept. We actually preferred our offsite trip in Oct/Nov and really enjoyed our stay at Bonnet Creek last week.

 

[Kitkat6595]

Oh, I cant wait to stay off site next week!!! We didn't want to depend on disney transportation with little ones, so we knew we were renting a car and driving. And the thought of sharing a tiny bedroom for over $200 a night was anything but magical. So, off-site it is for us. A 2 bedroom condo with all of the modern conveniences, a full laundry and kitchen and just a few minutes from the parks? And a balcony to enjoy the peace and quiet once the kids go to sleep IN THEIR OWN ROOM WITH A DOOR?

Yes, please.

 

[dsnycrzy]

I love staying off-site. I can stay in Florida longer that way. If you look at my past trips below, I stay off-site for almost 2weeks after staying on site a few days. There was a time when I only stayed off site. The posts about being cramped in a room has said it all. It's me, my DD20, DS 17, DD10 (she's bigger than my 20 yr old) and now my munchkin DS1. My DD20 doesn't want anyone to sleep with her, so everyone tries to squeeze in the bed with me that is not the Disney love I look forward to. I bring to blow up bed for my DS17 but that still leaves me squished. Once we check out and go to Celebration Suites... I'm great spirits my little ones and I have the bedroom which has 2queen sized beds. The big kids have the living room with a Murphy bed & pull out couch. Love the full kitchen so that food expense drops a lot. BBQ grills by the pool and I can sit on the balcony and have my coffee in the morning & night cap at night. More then one tv is a plus as well. I do both on site & offsite but I'm "on vacation" offsite
This year we are trying a 3bedroom pool home! I am really looking forward to that stay

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

I think this is all a matter of perspective in many ways. We are here now and definitely don't feel left out or "missing the magic" so to speak. We are staying at Windsor Hills in a 3 bedroom condo and are loving the offsite experience. We stayed onsite in a family suite at AS Music for our last trip two years ago and had a good experience and felt it was the right choice for our first ever family WDW trip; but after weighing out our needs as a family of six, budget, and plans for this trip for many months, making the choice to stay in a condo (after initially planning on staying onsite) has worked out beautifully. I think the key to making an offsite stay a successful one is really doing your research in advance and staying somewhere that is a short drive to the WDW gates and also having your own transportation is necessary IMO. We got a great deal on a nice, spacious 3 bedroom condo, also got a great deal on a seven day minivan rental through Alamo, and it is such an easy and quick drive to Windsor Hills from the Disney parks (and vice versa) that in a way we still feel like we are a part of "Disney" once we leave the parks to go back to our condo. The only thing I think I miss about being onsite is having the ability to utilize Disney transportation for the purpose of splitting up if for some reason one of the kids isn't feeling well or up to staying longer in the park and me or DH can take someone back to the room while the rest of us remain in the park. Other than that we are all good. We are going to each of the four Disney parks (with two days at MK) and have resort based ADRs at Boma, 'Ohana, and Chef Mickey's so we feel very much a part of all the Disney magic!

 

[Aliceacc]

Realize that the vast majority of the people at WDW are NOT Dis-boarders.

As someone on these boards, you know about ADRS and rope drop. You know about fastpasses and photopass. You know all sorts of things totally foreign to that family that shows up at the Magic Kingdom at 11 am, takes out a map, and asks "So, where are the shows??"

Don't let these boards color your idea of how wonderful your vacation will be. It's kind of like the phenomenon that All the kids of ALL the Disboarders (except me) are all straight A students-- absolutely NOT typical of the real world.


MOST people stay off site. Most people who do so have a fabulous time.

Have a wonderful trip!!

 

[palentir]

Bah, I stay off site and without issue. I find that on site hotels are vastly more expensive, and to be honest, how much time are you spending in a hotel? if you do the math.. not much. I would much rather spend my money on a decent offsite hotel and spend more money ON the vacation, rather than where I will be staying. With the abundant amount of hotels in the area.. truly how close do you need to get? I can be on site in 2 minutes..instead of 1 minute. I again will be having a disney vacation this year, in fact today is the day we travel from Chicago to Orlando, and check in at the Holiday Inn Vacations hotel. Why do I use this hotel? Well the rooms are clean, I am staying for 8 days for less than a grand for the entire stay including tax. The hotel has 7 pools and a water park, and I am getting a two bedroom condo.. what is wrong with this picture?... NOTHING! My daughter will still enjoy Disney, and heck probably even more so, when she gets another toy to bring home, or perhaps a fantastic meal with a character, or simply just enjoying the park.. you see my daughter is 5 and she honestly could careless where she was staying, as the second she sees Mickey or Stitch, she is in heaven, and that my friends is PRICELESS... so don't ever let those around here say you are a second class citizen for staying offsite... because once you are in the park, no one can tell where you are staying, and if they honestly care.. well then they missed the boat a LONG TIME ago....I can't wait, 8:50pm can't come soon enough!!! Today we travel, for an 8 day vacation of our lives..

 

[rainynight]

We just made the decision to stay off site for the first time this December. Got 8 nights at a 1,250 square foot 2 bedroom condo with a full kitchen, balcony and Jacuzzi tub for $65 a night. That tub is going to be awesome after a long day at the parks! Its closer to Animal Kingdom than many of the onsite hotels. I'm actually very excited to stay off site. On site is fun but I've been there/done that.

 

[MomofKatie]

We have been to WDW 9 times since DD was born, and we have stayed in a range of accommodations- everything from a very cheap scary motel near the Main Gate to a 2 bedroom offsite timeshare to onsite at a Moderate to an offsite fancy resort hotel (and some inbetween).

Every one of our trips was amazing in its own way, and we had a blast every time! I never felt we lost out on any "Disney Magic" in any of our hotel/motel variations.

Don't let yourself feel bad for staying where you are- we all vacation differently. I choose to spend less on the room portion of the vacation so I can go more often. Others spend a mint on Deluxe onsite resort rooms, but only visit WDW every 5 years. Both are great options- just depends on each family.

 

[dennise]

We have been to Florida more than a dozen times and have never stayed on site. We enjoy our holidays, could now stay on site if we wished. We don't do Disney the whole time so we enjoy being able to get to other places without having to deal with the traffic near Disney. Your vacation is what you make of it. Like one of the previous posters we have stayed in extremely low cost places and some very nice ones. We have a few places that we stay at on a regular basis, not fancy,but clean, comfortable and safe. I would consider staying on site for a few nights and off site for the remainder.

 

[eeyoregon]

I know how you are feeling OP. I have gone to WDW once a year since 1998 and have always spent the majority of my trip at an on property resort.

We are flying from Oregon to do a 5 day cruise and then 5 days at WDW. It will be me and my sons, 17 and 20. The kink in the plan this year is that my dear friend, her boyfriend and her 21 and 22 year old sons are joining us on the cruise but really aren't sure if they can afford to do Disney post-cruise.

Even with the Values only be $78.00 a night, with 4 young men that are all over 6 feet tall, sharing a double bed isn't really a comfortable or realistic option = they would have to get 2 rooms, so double the expense.

Soooo, I have started looking at off site rental homes. We can get a 3 to 4 bedroom "home" for 4 nights for around $400.00. Split 7 ways makes it quite affordable plus with a kitchen we could eat breakfast each day and pack snacks/drinks for the parks.

What is killing me is the thought of no late extra magic hours!!!! It's what we live for. Especially during hot August it is so nice to visit the MK until 1 or 2 in the morning when it is cooler and less crowded.

Plus, with 7 adults and 10+ suitcases, we will have to rent 2 cars for 5 days + pay for parking at WDW each day x 2 cars and no free Magical Express to/from MCO.

By the time I factor in all of the extra expenses and lost benefits (extra magic hours) in addition to being off property, it makes me and .

OH, and did I mention how ANNOYED I am that Disney isn't doing free dining this year?!?!? First time in like 8+ years that we will have to pay for our food. UGGH!!! Staying onsite would have been a no brainer if we could have had free dining but no chance of that now. Double uggh! Ok, done whining.

Gina

 

[trips44]

I am one of the weirdos here on the DIS that (gasp!) PREFERS to stay offsite. The dedicated onsiters can't fathom why we'd make that decision, and that's okay.......we all travel differently. This summer, we are getting a 1200 square foot two bedroom, two bathroom fully renovated villa with a Jacuzzi tub, full kitchen with granite countertops, 3 flat screen TV's, and a washer & dryer in a resort with 7 pools, mini golf, arcades, tennis courts, volleyball and basketball courts, onsite activities and more for the same price as a teeny tiny room at POP Century. Many feel sorry for me that we are not staying onsite. I feel sorry for those that are paying premium prices to stay in a motel-type room, with Disney decorating or not.

I agree. Where you staying at? is it a timeshare with a presentation?

 

[trips44]

I am one of the weirdos here on the DIS that (gasp!) PREFERS to stay offsite. The dedicated onsiters can't fathom why we'd make that decision, and that's okay.......we all travel differently. This summer, we are getting a 1200 square foot two bedroom, two bathroom fully renovated villa with a Jacuzzi tub, full kitchen with granite countertops, 3 flat screen TV's, and a washer & dryer in a resort with 7 pools, mini golf, arcades, tennis courts, volleyball and basketball courts, onsite activities and more for the same price as a teeny tiny room at POP Century. Many feel sorry for me that we are not staying onsite. I feel sorry for those that are paying premium prices to stay in a motel-type room, with Disney decorating or not.

I agree. Where you staying at? is it a timeshare with a presentation?

 

[Dizisfun]

We stay offsite and I've never given it a thought.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I agree. Where you staying at? is it a timeshare with a presentation?

We are staying at the Sheraton Vistana Resort.

We are not required to attend a timeshare presentation, even though this is a timeshare property. Our 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom villa was booked with our flights through JetBlue Getaways, and came out to $120 per night (taxes included) after the cost of flight was deducted from our trip total. There are no additional costs for parking, resort fees, or internet access. Can't beat it!