How much longer will you stay on-site?

[maxiesmom]

I probably won't go back off-site as long as my family continus to fly to WDW. When you add in the cost of a rental van (instead of a car) it is still just as expensive to stay off-site at a decent hotel as it is to stay on-site.

I actually like the Value resorts and have no problem staying at them. If I want to stay at a Moderate or Deluxe resort I save longer, and go to WDW less often. I don't feel I am being driven to stay off-site.

 

[GAGirlInVA]

As long as possible. We are looking into DVC though.

We fly in, and with four kiddos (and the carseat hassle) then parking, staying onsite is just super convenient to us. We don't mind transportation one bit (even with folding down strollers and such.)

DH said yesterday when the kids were acting insane as we drove into the city and across it, that we will NEVER drive to Disney if he has any say about it.

 

[damien]

you might consider buying DVC thru resale not DVC - then you would have more reasonable expenses.

For me, it's not really a question of being able to afford it. Realistically, we can still afford it. I've just gotten to the point where I won't pay rack rate. That being said, I don't remember the last time I did pay rack rate, but if the discounts start drying up, it would make staying on-site much less attractive.

As for DVC, it doesn't interest me. Nothing against it. I just don't believe timeshares are a good move, especially in a weak economy. If I can go on vacation, I'll go and happy I can do so. Heaven forbid we can't, we just don't go. No worry about paying DVC payments or dues.

 

[Daisy-J&D]

From the prices I have seen on the family suites at AoA, you could probably stay in a standard room at a Deluxe resort.

No Kidding, right? We priced out AoA for next year and quickly decided we wouldn't be staying there!! I'll put my money into a mod or deluxe instead!!

 

[dclfun]

We bought DVC in the early 90's due to having a family of 6 who didn't fit in any Disney resort except a 2-bedroom villa or Ft. Wilderness cabin. Now my kids are grown and I have grandkids and I still love my DVC and have added on twice. Still, if there's a good code or FD discount I will make another trip w/o using my points if it's a real value. I will always stay onsite though- I like being immersed in WDW "magic" too much. We stayed offsite ONE time when the kids were little and we were driving from New Orleans. Never again, and I don't think we've send the end of nice discounts/FD to keep it affordable. I'd never pay rack rate either unless it's for FD.---Kathy

 

[thej]

Inspired by another thread, I'm curious what the thoughts of the members here are. With rack rates at the Grand Floridian now eclipsing over $500 per night with taxes, close to $500 per night at the Polynesian, and around $450 at the other Deluxe Resorts, I know Disney has just about priced me out. As a family of 5, our options are limited. I never thought I would take a Disney trip and stay off site, but after next year, we're going to. Is anyone else going to start staying off site, or will you continue to pay Disney's prices?

Will I continue to stay Deluxe onsite at rack rates? Um, NO.

Deluxe is nice, but not needed for our family of 3 though with 5 I can see more of the concern.

If I can swing a decent discount and our vacation fund allows, yes we will do Deluxe. In fact we are at AKL in Jan thanks to the discount. Otherwise a mod or in a pinch even a value will do just fine. To me there's just no point in spending a long vacation at Disney off site. I'd probably consider the DTD or Bonnett Creek properties as far as I'd go.

Heck if we can cram into a cabin on the Wonder for a week, we can handle a value room for a week.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

We haven't decided.

I know for my solo trips, I'll stay at moderate or value and use my AAA card to get 10% discounts like I used to do many years ago. Although I'm currently thinking I may want to splurge and do a Dec. 2012 solo trip and stay at WL.

For family trips, we have problems because we really need a king bed plus 2 actual beds for the kids.
We are figuring we only have 1 maybe 2 more trips with all 4 of us since my oldest is 16 and will be off to college and working part time before we know it.
It's either going to be 2 rooms at a value so we can have 4 beds and hopefully connecting rooms or an offsite condo. With only 1 car and me an early riser, offsite could be a big problem. Everyone else prefers to sleep in until noon which I hate.

 

[sydneysmom]

For us, we wouldn't stay off site. Now, will I pay rack rate for a deluxe ? No way. But, staying on-site is part of the whole "vacation experience to Disney" for us......we'll work around when Disney is offering discounts or pin codes.

About 8 years ago I stayed off site and hated it. I felt like I wasn't at Disney at all.....I know that sounds weird, but it was like when we had to leave Disney for the hotel, we weren't a part of the magic. Staying on site, you're IN the magic. It's just our family's opinion, I know others love staying off site.

We love the GF.....however, if we can't get a good discount code, then we'll stay at either WL or maybe POR. But for us, we don't go to Disney every year. So when we do go, we want to do it where it's most special for us. And if it means saving up a little more, then we will. We like to be right in the middle of the magic.

 

[MickeyNicki]

I rely on the AP and FL resident discounts...no discounts mean we do not stay deluxe, and we have no problem doing that

I love POFQ but they have been shut out from discounts most times so CBR or POR is fine with us....will never stay value though, I would much rather stay off site instead

 

[sukhakuli]

We always have the option to stay at SoG, so the deluxe prices don't bother me. If we stay there, it's because we are choosing to pay more.

I've always wanted to to DVC, but I don't see how it would work for the way we travel. We like to go for 2 weeks, and a 1 or 2 bedroom for 2 weeks... I don't even want to think about what our buy in costs would be! Plus we can't plan vacations the way they want us to plan (11 months out), and we may, or may not, go every year. I wish it would work for us, though.

 

[BuzzLiteyear]

I too was shocked when I looked at rack rates for CR. I have been so used to looking at package pricing. We just recently bought at DVC. I think in the long run this will allow us to manage accommodation costs at WDW.

 

[Terk-1]

We'll stay on site from now on. Tried the off-site once and never again. Now that my nephews are older, my sister & her family will do one of the family suites or we'll do a few connecting rooms. We've only stayed at the deluxes a few times, but only because I had a CM discount. Other than that, to me, it's just not worth wasting that much money. We're very happy at the French Quarter, but if $$ is a bit tight, the values work fine for us. I like that there are alot more family suites coming next year.

 

[LittleStinkerbelle]

TBH, I don't ever see myself staying offsite. We really love the Disney resorts and don't do anything else in Orlando when we're there so we've never even gotten a rental car.

The string of good discounts in the past few years has allowed us to stay at deluxes. If the discounts dry up and the budget only allows a value or a mod for us, I'd happily do so. Or do what we're doing for our April trip, going for fewer days assuiming we'll be paying rack rate (needed to lock in break week airfare so had to assume the worst case scenario budget wise).

 

[DisneyGuy]

We haven't stayed at a Disney owned resort since 2006. We always stay at the Swan which is still on-site, but at a much more reasonable price and still in a perfect location. As long as they keep offering great deals, we'll keep staying on property - though not "Disney" owned, the perks that we need are offered there.

That said, our upcoming trip we decided to give a Disney resort another try - we chose a 2 bedroom villa for 5 nights and 1 night at AKL (first night of the trip). Never stayed at AKL and wanted to try a savannah view room and haven't stayed at the Boardwalk since 1999. We are definitely paying more but Visa discount was decent.

I don't know if we'll consider spending the money on a Disney hotel again though after this upcoming trip - especially $4-500.00 a night for a standard room.

 

[pjhootch]

I may stay off-site if the mood strikes me! It all depends on what the focus of our trip is, and since the 3 kids are old now... it depends on how many of them are going. My eldest daughter gets a bit cranky when all 5 of us are sharing very close quarters... although she is perfectly willing to cram in one room for a free Disney trip. lol.

I'm one of the folks from the other thread that won't pay rack rate for a deluxe. I guess I could afford it (sometimes) if I wanted to, but I don't want to.

We're a family of 5 but PO doesn't work for us because I have big kids and it is a little trundle. Two rooms at a mod is a possibility, but then we're right back up close to $400 a night. When you add in plane fare, tickets and food... nope. The miser in me just can't justify it. We like to travel to many places, not just Disney, and If I start looking at $5000 plus for a 5 day Disney trip... I go somewhere else for longer! We are doing a 7 day cruise to the Southern Caribbean in January and it costs us far less than 5K.

I would be interested in a family suite at a moderate level maybe... and I like the FS at all stars. That was where we originally staying this trip until one of the kids dropped out.

We stayed off property a lot when the kids were young. I'm the opposite of many people. I gravitate towards on-site now that my kids are grown, so everyone can go their own way and we don't have to stay together. My husband and I will have a rental car this trip since I scored one for $100, but the kids can take Disney transportation and come back to the room when they're ready. Works for us.

Families of 5 just don't have a lot of options on site, unfortunately. The AofA suites look nice in the pictures, but WOW on the price.

 

[jupers]

Must admit. We stayed offsite for the 1st time this summer...We only did 1 day at WDW. However, even for that 1 day I was lost. Never offsite again. We got a great deal resale and bought into DVC. Leaving for my 1st long weekend to BWV tomorrow night!!!!!!!

 

[travelforfun]

We have stayed at the GF(2007), BWI(2004), POLY(2004, 2010, 2011) and POR(2006, 2009). The past 3 summers were the only times I booked with discounts. In 2009 I had Free Dining at POR, in 2010 I had 40% off POLY Garden View and in 2011 I had 40% POLY CL.

I obviously prefer to book with a promo. I would NEVER book Deluxe without one. Although I LOVE deluxe and value my vacations, even with discounts they are getting out of hand expensive, JMO. I will stay onsite at POR (after AB rooms are renovated) with or without a promo. Hopefully, they will be ready by July or August next Summer. If not, I will have to fork out the $$$ for Deluxe one more year (ouch!) We have AP's. Don't have a desire to stay offsite.

 

[mickeynut1]

We will always stay onsite. Our first Disney trip was offsite and while it was fun and exciting for our first trip, the following year we stayed on property and found out just how convenient it was.....not to mention being immersed in Disney magic 24/7 . If Disney did away with discounts or didn't offer such deep ones (like 40% off), we would just cut our trip down by a day or two if need be. I'd rather go for a few less days and stay at a Disney resort than go longer and be offsite.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

We haven't stayed at a Disney owned resort since 2006. We always stay at the Swan which is still on-site, but at a much more reasonable price and still in a perfect location. As long as they keep offering great deals, we'll keep staying on property - though not "Disney" owned, the perks that we need are offered there.

That said, our upcoming trip we decided to give a Disney resort another try - we chose a 2 bedroom villa for 5 nights and 1 night at AKL (first night of the trip). Never stayed at AKL and wanted to try a savannah view room and haven't stayed at the Boardwalk since 1999. We are definitely paying more but Visa discount was decent.

I don't know if we'll consider spending the money on a Disney hotel again though after this upcoming trip - especially $4-500.00 a night for a standard room.

My only issue with Swan and Dolphin is the resort fee, which I see has gone up to $12 per night for services we wouldn't use and a parking fee, another reason I really didn't want to stay at Shades of Green.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Since I have an Annual Pass I will keep staying onsite because eventually WDW always comes out with Annual Pass rates and that's one of the perks to having one.

I also have no problem reserving general public room only discounts if the dates available work out and Annual Pass rates have not yet been released.