How important is it to YOU to stay on property?

[runner26.2]

I feel like a lone voice in the wilderness but to me it doesn't make that much of a difference, altho staying at a monorail resort adds a huge convenience that isn't available anywhere else. We've stayed at all three levels of WDW resorts and off site over last 10 years as well as staying off site.

Now that we have three chldren (9,6,3) the convenience and space of a 2 bedroom condo offsite is a huge bonus. The place we stay also has a great themed pool that keeps the kids entertained for hours on end.

We take other week long vacations in the winter (skiing) and summer (camping, new places) to other locations and therefore there is a limit to $$$ available for our WDW trip. If all of our vacation budget was allotted to WDW then our answer might be different, but to us WDW is not the be all and end all for family vacations.

Staying off site allows us to go every year and do the other trips. For us that is the better option.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy and have nothing but praise for WDW resorts, but 5 people in a room is too cramped for a week long stay.

Something that does intrigue me is DVC but for now we'll stick to our off site timeshare.

 

[LiteBrite]

Years ago when we were too poor to stay onsite, we did super-budget trips at the cheapest possible offsite hotels, carried PB&J sandwiches in with us to eat, and still hard a great time every time.

Now we almost always stay onsite, and love feeling immersed in Disney 24/7. It's absolutely our first choice, always. However, we did stay offsite a couple of years ago with my parents in their timeshare, and that trip was fine, too. Maybe not quite as magical, but still very nice.

Conclusion: we like onsite better, but we'd stay offsite in a heartbeat if it was the only way we could go.

 

[LiteBrite]

While we enjoy being onsite, being offsite isn't a real downer. We know our way around, and we still come and visit and eat at the Disney resorts, watch the EWP, see Bob.

Who's Bob?

 

[DMRick]

Who's Bob?

Bob plays the piano, and is very entertaining over at Port Orleans Riverside. We visit him each visit, no matter where we stay.

 

[Blondie]

I agree that staying onsite is part of the magic. When we're on vacation, we don't want to be fighting the traffic. It's nice to sit back and let Disney do the driving.

We also like the fact that we can be back at our resort within a few minutes if we so desire. If we had to leave the grounds, I'd find it harder to go back to the parks after resting. We'd probably just stay put for the rest of the day.

Onsite is the way to go for us!

 

[Blondie]

It's VERY important. Even if we "venture out" into that other world once or twice during our vacation, once I pass those gates and drop off my problems, I don't pick them up again until after we check out and drive back out. It's kind of a "ritual" letting go for a few days.

Very well put, and that's how I feel as well. I don't even know what's going on with the rest of the world when I'm at WDW! And you know what, I don't want to know either!

 

[LiteBrite]

Bob plays the piano, and is very entertaining over at Port Orleans Riverside. We visit him each visit, no matter where we stay.

Oh, Bob *Jackson*! Got it, thanks.

 

[conciergekelly]

My inlaws just built a house 20 mins. from WDW. (they don't live in it yet)We stayed there and went to Disney on day trips. WE realized how spoiled we are. They have a beautiful new house and I found myself longing to stay on property. We are going for X-mas and staying at WLV for a week and their house for a week. I think once we get to the inlaws, we will find other things to do, beach universal etc. They gave us a key and said now you don't have to pay those high prices for those hotel rooms. It just isn't the same. It is funny, I feel very grateful for the offer and like a spoiled brat at the same time!

 

[DisneyMim]

As others have already said, being onsite is part of the magic for us. We would never think of staying offsite. We don't go to any other Orlando attractions, (Universal, etc) except the grocery store and the Disney outlet! LOL!! On those rare trips outside the WDW gates we can't wait to get back!! For us a trip to Disney means losing ourselves in the magic 24/7.

 

[Kapp]

it is the one this we won't consider not doing.

 

[ducklite]

I've done it four ways--onsite, offsite at DTD, offsite on I-Drive, and offsite at home. I much prefer onsite. It's much more convenient, and immersing.

Anne

 

[jody]

Staying on site is definitely part of th magic for me. I wouldn't go any other way!

 

[Dallas_Lady]

Staying onsite is part of the experience for us. If I am in Orlando and not staying at Disney, it's because I am not planning to go to Disney at all on that trip.

But, if you ask this question on the Orlando Hotels board, you will probably get different opinions.

 

[solgent]

Years ago when we were too poor to stay onsite, we did super-budget trips at the cheapest possible offsite hotels, carried PB&J sandwiches in with us to eat, and still had a great time every time.

Now we ... love feeling immersed in Disney 24/7.

This is our experience as well. When we stayed offsite, that was right for us. We had a wonderful time.

 

[disneyfan6301]

I had never stayed on site until we went on our honeymoon in 1991 and stayed at what was then The Disney Inn. Would NEVER consider staying off site again. Been 7 times since and have always stayed on site. Leaving in 18 hours for a stay at "Dixie Landings"

 

[Candice30]

i stayed off-site when i was a child and it didn't matter to me because i was at disney. but as an adult, i did it once and i will NEVER DO THAT AGAIN! the shuttle schedule to get to the parks was way too limiting and i just didn't feel like i was at disney. the hotel wasn't well taken care of either which may just be because it was a bad hotel, but my experience there will keep me on disney grounds forever!

 

[princess-rn]

I have never been without staying onsite. My DH has and he says that he can't imagine staying off site ever again. I just think staying in "the world" is part of the experience. We will NEVER stay off site.

 

[BonnieBell]

Oh, Bob *Jackson*! Got it, thanks.

We just returned on Monday from our first visit to POR and our first time staying in Disney!! My DD7 is now in love with Bob, he really gets the kids involved, all the kids there were having a blast. We watched him three times while we were there.

 

[shafke]

On our last three trips we have gone off site a grand total of 4 times. 3 for groceries and one trip to universal.

 

[Lulu's Mom]

We have done both.. offsite and onsite. I much prefer onsite. Like everyone pretty much said it is part of the magic.