How on earth do you get a better deal off-site? What am I missing?

[KellyWasHere]

My husband, my 2 daughters (4 and almost 2), and I are going to Orlando in December. We are going to US/IOA Dec 9, 10, and 11 and Disney Dec 12-17. We are staying at a condo in Windsor Hills booked through Florida Sun Rentals Dec 9-11 and booked the Disney dining package for the 12-16. The Disney package, staying at All-Star Movies, 6 day base ticket, and upgrade to the regular dining package is $1,280. I've seen on here so many people saying offsite is a better value so I crunched the numbers. If I expand our condo rental from 3 nights to 8 nights, the cleaning fee comes off and we get a 15% discount. So at $79, with those discounts removed then taxes added, it comes to a total of $607. My mom's staying with us when we go to US/IOA, and she's contributing $200, so with that excluded it comes to a nightly rate of $51.

Accomodations = $51 * 5 nights = $255
Tickets (6 day MYW through Undercover Tourist) = $247 * 2 (husband and I) + $223 (4 yo) = $717
Parking = $15*6 = $90

Total = $1,062

That leaves $218 for us for food. For 6 days! That's $36 per day for the entire family. This doesn't seem like a good deal to me at all. Even if we ate breakfast at the condo, and I cooked dinner every night (ick), we'd still go over this amount. We're just doing one character meal, princess breakfast in Norway, and that would send us over the budget edge.

Is there something I'm missing?? The extra space would be nice, but honestly, we're never in our room much at all.

 

[Purseval]

You're comparing a cramped little hotel room to a condo and wondering where the savings comes in. Compare the condo to a 2-bedroom villa on Disney property and you would get a more realistic idea. A quick search on the WDW site for a 1 bedroom Boardwalk Villa on the same dates with the same package would be over $4100, and you would still have to get that 3 day offsite rental. Raise those prices if you want AKL or BLT.

 

[FoodLover]

You're comparing a cramped little hotel room to a condo and wondering where the savings comes in. Compare the condo to a 2-bedroom villa on Disney property and you would get a more realistic idea.

Exactly. Talk about an "apples and oranges" comparison!

 

[ama223]

I agree with the previous poster.

I'm giving up free dining (we were going to do a mod though, I can't do values!) in a 300 sq foot room to stay in a 1500 sq ft room at Bonnett Creek.

When I really crunch the numbers, we are probably going to spend a bit more staying at BC. We're giving up free dining and will now need to rent a car, pay for parking at the parks, and pay for food. But I'd much rather do that than spend 9 days in 1 hotel room with my DH and 2 kids. We'd go NUTS!!!!!!!!

 

[DVCBELLE]

When you say upgrade to regular dining...that means that you are on the free dining plan?

So if you weren't on free dining: that's another $500 in food. Plus you are only a family of 3 paying customers - add in a family of 4 and the price goes up. Add in a family of 5 or 6 or more and they are either in 2 rooms or more expensive rooms.

For your family combined with free dining this works - but for larger families or people who prefer larger space - the offsites are a better deal.

 

[ama223]

OP, if I were you I'd be more apt to stay on-site too. But having a 4 yo and a 23 month old, we just need the space.

Last yera we stayed at WL with only DS1 (he was 3 at the time) and we were fine. Cramped, but it worked.

 

[KellyWasHere]

I didn't mean to offend anyone! I said in my post that you obviously get more space, but really, how much time are you away from the parks? We are there almost the entire time when we go.

We have 2 kids, they'll be 4 and 21 months when we go. It worked out fine last year. I could see if you had more kids or older kids where you may want more space. But my SIL stays at the All Stars with her husband and 3 boys (9, 6, 1). They are almost never in their rooms either. So does it come down to how much time you want to stay in your accomodations everyday?

I'm really just trying to understand. I feel like I'm missing a great deal and I HATE that feeling.

 

[DVCBELLE]

I didn't mean to offend anyone! I said in my post that you obviously get more space, but really, how much time are you away from the parks? We are there almost the entire time when we go.

We have 2 kids, they'll be 4 and 21 months when we go. It worked out fine last year. I could see if you had more kids or older kids where you may want more space. But my SIL stays at the All Stars with her husband and 3 boys (9, 6, 1). They are almost never in their rooms either. So does it come down to how much time you want to stay in your accomodations everyday?

I'm really just trying to understand. I feel like I'm missing a great deal and I HATE that feeling.

You aren't missing the great deal - you are getting free dining...if you weren't getting free dining - it would be a better deal to stay off-site AND you would have more space

 

[Jaime4004]

I didn't mean to offend anyone! I said in my post that you obviously get more space, but really, how much time are you away from the parks? We are there almost the entire time when we go.

We have 2 kids, they'll be 4 and 21 months when we go. It worked out fine last year. I could see if you had more kids or older kids where you may want more space. But my SIL stays at the All Stars with her husband and 3 boys (9, 6, 1). They are almost never in their rooms either. So does it come down to how much time you want to stay in your accomodations everyday?

I'm really just trying to understand. I feel like I'm missing a great deal and I HATE that feeling.

If you are never in your room, a condo probably isn't worth it. We ways stay in a rental house (helps that my mom owns it ) but we also do spend a lot of time at it. We usually go for 9 days, spend 1/2 days in the parks and 1/2 days swimming in our backyard. The kids love the parks, but maybe even love swimming a little more. I think the Disney part is probably more for me, the kids would have fun with a cardboard box... Also, as other posters have mentioned, me, DH and 3 kids all in one room is not always fun. I love that they all have their own rooms. I also would rather eat breakfast at home. Don't really like eating out all the time, especially park food. We also eat lunch sometimes at home and I usually pack lunches for the kids at the parks, if we are there. Somedays we go to the parks in the morning, some days after lunch and stay late.

 

[Brian Noble]

If you want the very best bottom-line deal, *and* you are flying into MCO, it's hard to beat the Disney Value resorts---especially under the various promotions they tend to run, and especially during Value season. The transportation from the airport is what usually tips the deal, though sometimes the current promotion will too.

For a few dollars more (usually, just a few) you can get a 2-3 bedroom condo or townhome offsite, with a full kitchen, a washer/dryer, that is only 10-15 minutes from any theme park parking lot. But, the Disney Value is usually a few bucks less than this.

That said, you could give me the Disney Value room for free, and I would not stay there with my kids. Sitting in a dark room at 9PM pretending to be asleep until they nod off (or, back in the napping days, during nap time) has never been my idea of a fun vacation. Sharing a 260 square foot box with a single bathroom and one sink between four people is also not my idea of fun. The extra space and amenities of a condo make a qualitatively large difference in our vacation enjoyment. Other people find a Value room just fine for their family. That's cool, but it's not for me---not by a longshot.

About half my stays are onsite, and about half are off. But, my onsite stays have always been in at least a 1BR DVC unit---even without the kids. Anything smaller just isn't worth it to me. In fact, we vacation this way everywhere we go. We can do a single hotel room one night, *maybe* two. Anything longer rates at least a suite in my book, but preferably a condo.

If you wouldn't mind sharing a Value room with your kids, then enjoy! Save the few dollars and use it for an extra mickeybar or two.

Edited to add a few more thoughts:

So does it come down to how much time you want to stay in your accomodations everyday?

Not to me it doesn't. Having a master suite, a separate bedroom for the kids, plus a living room means that the night owls won't disturb the early birds, and vice versa. I can get up early and have my coffee without waking anyone else up, and without having to sneak a shower to leave the room (or scare random people in the food court with my bed-head.) The kitchen means being able to have breakfast on real dishes before getting out in the morning, or having a glass of wine in real wine glasses at night while the kids are asleep. The laundry facilities mean we can pack light, and we don't need to know exactly how many jeans vs. shorts we'll need for our late February trip.

That said, we *do* also take some time away from the parks. Our trips tend to be about a week long, and we just can't commando for seven days straight without starting to fray around the edges. I know people often say they are "only in the room to sleep." I think that at least part of that is because that's about all most hotel rooms are good for---sleeping. A condo means that if the parks close early, or you want to take a break out of that mid-day heat, you've got a comfortable place to hang out.

I feel like I'm missing a great deal and I HATE that feeling.

I don't think it is necessarily a "great deal" in terms of the bottom-line price. But many people find that it is a great value. Most of the families I know who have tried both an onsite Disney room and an offsite condo find the condo to be more comfortable, and in many ways a better vacation. Throw in the attractive price vs. anything even remotely comparable onsite, and it becomes a no-brainder quickly. Heck, I know DVC members who rather than adding on more points bought Wyndham points resale to stay at Bonnet Creek, because the value is there.

 

[KellyWasHere]

This all makes sense, especially if you're doing days just hanging out at the condo. Our trip last year my oldest would ride the same ride over and over again and wanted to meet every character, so we spend every moment possible at the parks. We upgraded to the full dining plan because we're not too crazy about park food either, and it's easier for us to do a sit down meal rather than counter service and try to juggle kids + trays.

Having more space would be nice, but saving $200-300 is a big deal for us.

ETA - I can definitely see us doing the off-site "thing" when the girls get older and don't need as much time at the parks.

Thanks for taking the time to respond everyone!

 

[Detailor]

Value, of course, is relative and if you value "low cost" over comfort or what I think of as quality of vacation then staying at a Disney Value Resort sure makes a lot of sense. And certainly if you're at the theme parks every day then there's nothing wrong with a hotel style room - as long as the beds are comfortable.

But if you're like my family and at the resort as much or more than you're at parks then doing offsite at a condo or timeshare resort (or at a comparable onsite DVC resort) may well be a greater value. Though we started out with a two-bedroom offsite timeshare villa back in 1997 when our children were at home we, too, spent most of our time at the parks over our first few visits. We found the offsite timeshare was the way to go but then our children were older than your's. Now, after 19 or 20 Orlando vacations in fourteen years, the main thing for us is the space in the villa and the over-all resort experience.

Dick Taylor

 

[wbarkhur]

Please don't feel like you are missing anything. Go have a great time, and enjoy where ever you stay.

For us we do off site because for our family of seven the cost is HUGE to stay on site versus off site. So it is very cost effective. Because your family of four can stay at any disney hotel the savings may not be as great to stay off site.

I would decided what is most important to you, make a list of pro's and con's for both on site and off, and then decide where to stay based on what fits your family best. But like I said before, I am sure you will have a great time no matter where you stay. Good luck and have fun making a decision.

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

You've gotten some excellent replies here, and I think a lot of it is personal choices. I have 4 kids--a week in a hotel room would be a nightmare! They also love "down days", and don't like eating in restaurants. So, we rent a house. In fact, back in Feb., we rented the same house (they LOVE it!) for a non-Disney Orlando trip.

IF you have 4 people or less, are in the parks all day, and consider eating out an important part of vacation, then staying onsite is likely the better choice.

IF you have more than 4 people, don't mind cooking a few meals, and value time away from the parks, offsite is going to suit you better.

Most importantly, you need the vacation that works for you. I know we could do things to save additional money--we could technically rent a 2BR condo versus a 4BR house, we could stay further out from WDW, we could eat "homemade" every single meal. We choose not to do those things. Saving money isn't worth it if you're not getting good value.

Some time down the road, you family needs may change--another child or three, less emphasis on park time, whatever. It's nice to have options available.

 

[burnurcomputer]

I didn't mean to offend anyone! I said in my post that you obviously get more space, but really, how much time are you away from the parks? We are there almost the entire time when we go.

We have 2 kids, they'll be 4 and 21 months when we go. It worked out fine last year. I could see if you had more kids or older kids where you may want more space. But my SIL stays at the All Stars with her husband and 3 boys (9, 6, 1). They are almost never in their rooms either. So does it come down to how much time you want to stay in your accomodations everyday?

I'm really just trying to understand. I feel like I'm missing a great deal and I HATE that feeling.

We spend more time at our resort because my kids have to do homework as well. They also need space to just be, at their age. Disney is great fun, but being an owner of a time share is great because we don't feel that urgency to have to get everything done or need to rush around. We know that we will be back and are happy to enjoy our resort.

We have down days planned where we will just bum around and goof off. With my kids at 12, 10 , 2 and 5 months.....we have to have a sense of laid back good times or we would have chasos and melt downs (me too!!!) Things might change in the future as your kids grow, but for now enjoy the vacation that you want and don't worry to much about what others are doing. They aren't at the same place you are in your life or they might have different budgets for their trips. Heck, they might even have different priorties or factors that makes it a vacation for them.

I'm 31 and I'm already to old to wory about who's grass is grener...I think my grass is slightly brown from to many boys going outside to jungle pee while waiting for the bathroom

 

[Gretchen]

If you want the very best bottom-line deal, *and* you are flying into MCO, it's hard to beat the Disney Value resorts---especially under the various promotions they tend to run, and especially during Value season. The transportation from the airport is what usually tips the deal, though sometimes the current promotion will too.

For a few dollars more (usually, just a few) you can get a 2-3 bedroom condo or townhome offsite, with a full kitchen, a washer/dryer, that is only 10-15 minutes from any theme park parking lot. But, the Disney Value is usually a few bucks less than this.

That said, you could give me the Disney Value room for free, and I would not stay there with my kids. Sitting in a dark room at 9PM pretending to be asleep until they nod off (or, back in the napping days, during nap time) has never been my idea of a fun vacation. Sharing a 260 square foot box with a single bathroom and one sink between four people is also not my idea of fun. The extra space and amenities of a condo make a qualitatively large difference in our vacation enjoyment. Other people find a Value room just fine for their family. That's cool, but it's not for me---not by a longshot.

About half my stays are onsite, and about half are off. But, my onsite stays have always been in at least a 1BR DVC unit---even without the kids. Anything smaller just isn't worth it to me. In fact, we vacation this way everywhere we go. We can do a single hotel room one night, *maybe* two. Anything longer rates at least a suite in my book, but preferably a condo.

If you wouldn't mind sharing a Value room with your kids, then enjoy! Save the few dollars and use it for an extra mickeybar or two.

Edited to add a few more thoughts:

Not to me it doesn't. Having a master suite, a separate bedroom for the kids, plus a living room means that the night owls won't disturb the early birds, and vice versa. I can get up early and have my coffee without waking anyone else up, and without having to sneak a shower to leave the room (or scare random people in the food court with my bed-head.) The kitchen means being able to have breakfast on real dishes before getting out in the morning, or having a glass of wine in real wine glasses at night while the kids are asleep. The laundry facilities mean we can pack light, and we don't need to know exactly how many jeans vs. shorts we'll need for our late February trip.

That said, we *do* also take some time away from the parks. Our trips tend to be about a week long, and we just can't commando for seven days straight without starting to fray around the edges. I know people often say they are "only in the room to sleep." I think that at least part of that is because that's about all most hotel rooms are good for---sleeping. A condo means that if the parks close early, or you want to take a break out of that mid-day heat, you've got a comfortable place to hang out.


I don't think it is necessarily a "great deal" in terms of the bottom-line price. But many people find that it is a great value. Most of the families I know who have tried both an onsite Disney room and an offsite condo find the condo to be more comfortable, and in many ways a better vacation. Throw in the attractive price vs. anything even remotely comparable onsite, and it becomes a no-brainder quickly. Heck, I know DVC members who rather than adding on more points bought Wyndham points resale to stay at Bonnet Creek, because the value is there.

Ditto the above and:
We've done both on and off site. With my 2 kids there came a point when being in the same room just didn't work. We rented a house the last trip and it was fab! We were with friends, the kids all had their own space, we could eat breakfast before we jetted off to the parks. We did get exceptional rental car deals, so that did make a difference on the overall price. But as the previous posters have said, it all comes down to value, or bang for your buck-and only you can decide what deal, no matter how good/bad gives it to you. So for us, the next trip the better bang for my buck is to stay at the Dolphin, and rent a car-kids are older now, we're going with friends and the grownups want the upscale resort feel--and I just want to walk into Epcot!
Have a great vacation!

 

[isla bonita]

Holidays to each family are very different. I have stayed on sight BC/YC, hotel off site holiday in sunspree, offsite resort Vistana and a rental home.

We have decided after staying in the rental home this is the way to go for us. It suites us great. We live up north and do not get a lot of swim time. The pool is a very big part of our holiday! Having the room to all have an escape is wonderful. Having a car to get where ever you want be it the parks or grocer is again fab. I do not care to do Disney transpotation. JMHO

We do not eat breakfast out ever. Being able to come home no matter what time and have a swim is the bomb. We also have for some time been sharing our holidays with friends and family. Not every ones idea of a holiday. We did it once with my side of the family my moms treat for her 60th and it was wonderful. I did not think I would survive and I was so wrong!

When we leave Florida we go home rested and with clean laundry. It works for us. It is not everyones idea of a holiday but it works fopr us.

I would try all that is offered to you in the area once if possible. If its not your thing you never have to do it again. Thats what so great about the area you have so many choices.

 

[At World's End]

I booked our upcoming offsite trip for January prior to the "free dining" being released. I had worked out our budget, including our ADR's, rental car, parking, tickets, etc. When "free dining" came out, I was tempted. I crunched the numbers again and it was about $300 more to stay offsite, or $30/day.

Then I remembered all the extras that are not included in the free dining: tips for table service meals ($10+/meal?), housekeeping tips ($5/day?), laundry ($3/load?). When I factor those costs in, the savings comes way down. Maybe we would be saving about $15/day staying onsite.

Then I have to consider whether it is worth it to me to pay $15/day for two more bedrooms and one more bathroom, a living room, a full kitchen (even if I just want to keep drinks cold and I never cook), a washer and dryer I can use anytime, and space to do whatever I want while my kids are asleep. To me, it's a no brainer.

Granted, If I could pay $15/day for all this and stay onsite, I would do it. But as someone said, to get this "deal" at Disney, I would be paying several hundred dollars more per day.

 

[ama223]

OP, I read your thread wrong.. thought you just had an older child going

I give you props... our kids are almost the same age, and we would go NUTS in a value-size room.

We found we were in our rooms quite a bit. We did a mid-day break with naps. We were in our rooms by 8 every night for wind-down and bath, books, bed.

Now when DH & I were kid-less (ahhhhh... it seems so long ago now!) we stayed at CBR and were almost NEVER in our rooms.

 

[snowy76]

Overall, I don't think I'm looking for *savings* as much as I am looking for *value*. When our kids were 8 and 10, it was a huge value to rent a DVC studio. Now, it's going offsite. For us, the move offsite on our upcoming trip boils down to having three kids instead of two now, and the older two being teenagers (really, they're two adults in terms of size, ticket prices and appetite).

We cannot get comparable accommodations for five on Disney property for anywhere near the cost of our 3BR townhouse with splash pool in WH ($125 per night). Also, our youngest has sensory issues and I appreciate being able to give him his own space to decompress after a day in the parks. Someplace a little more like someone's house. BTW, DH and I stayed at Pop two years ago (just the two of us) and he said never again. Too cramped.

We also can't take advantage of free dining because of the time of year we go. I'm a teacher and DH doesn't have the seniority to get my winter and spring breaks off from HIS job. So we're left with summer (another great reason for a splash pool in the back).

As far as distance to the parks, I went on a quick weekend trip last fall with my DSis (DTD Hilton) and I drove. I love Disney transport but I was equally happy with being able to get to the parks faster driving myself. We still plan to spend all day and night at the parks but still feel the offsite townhouse is really no further than some of the resorts (especially with the convoluted routes some of the buses take... ever ride the bus from MK at closing? Yikes... the grand tour of the back of the Poly and the Car Care Center LOL).