I can't believe it...

[Anonomom]

I've always worked on the assumption that staying on property at WDW is a big splurge, and even if you get a great deal, it's more expensive than staying off-property. But I've been pricing out vacations, and it turns out that's not the case at all! I've now priced out 4 different places with allegedly "great" deals, and not one of them works out to be cheaper than a package at a moderate with free dining. And even if we weren't getting free dining, the difference in price would work out to be only $100 or so.

Now, I"m sure we could find a room at a dive hotel for cheaper, and I will admit that most of the places we've been looking at offsite are suites, but still. I'm pretty shocked.

 

[*disgal*]

Well, yes and no.

It all depends on the details and what you are after but you can find a great deal on property, especially if it's for free dining.

We are at the CR for 4 nights (our family is 5 total) with free dining. We've done the POR with free dining and we had a good time/great food. But we've decided no deal is that good if the five of us have to stay in a room that small and deal with double beds. We did that for 10 nights. That's just us though.

This time, we're doing deluxe to give us a little more space, queen beds and on the monorail.

BUT, before we check in, we will be 7 nights offsite in a 4 bedroom pool home for less than what one room at POR costs. Yes, we have to pay for our food but it's worth it to us to be happy.

My definition of a "great deal" has changed over the years and my kids have gotten older.

But you will have a great time. I still love POR for the theming and the overall feel of the resort. I think it should still be called Dixie Landings though.

 

[Bete]

I've done some comparisons, too and I agree wholeheartedly about staying on site, especially with a good deal. Now, the deal is usually the best for staying at a value resort. I have even slept on an airbed to do it on the floor (twin size). I hear the other poster about the double size beds. The one room is not important to us; because, we are in the parks for most of the day. To sleep and wash up, one room is fine by us.

It's not just the price, either. When you think about the convenience of Disney transportation, how can you go wrong? If you are close to Disney off-site, you need a car and you commute every day. This takes at least an extra half hour, in my opinion and gas is not free. By staying on site you get the big perk, extra magic hours. I love that perk! Theming is an important element, too. If you need help in an emergency I'd rather be on Disney property, as well.

We are going to SeaWorld and Busch Gardens this year and I'm still going to stay on Disney property for those activities.

 

[Anonomom]

Well, yes and no.

It all depends on the details and what you are after but you can find a great deal on property, especially if it's for free dining.

We are at the CR for 4 nights (our family is 5 total) with free dining. We've done the POR with free dining and we had a good time/great food. But we've decided no deal is that good if the five of us have to stay in a room that small and deal with double beds. We did that for 10 nights. That's just us though.

This time, we're doing deluxe to give us a little more space, queen beds and on the monorail.

BUT, before we check in, we will be 7 nights offsite in a 4 bedroom pool home for less than what one room at POR costs. Yes, we have to pay for our food but it's worth it to us to be happy.

My definition of a "great deal" has changed over the years and my kids have gotten older.

But you will have a great time. I still love POR for the theming and the overall feel of the resort. I think it should still be called Dixie Landings though.

I hear you on size of room, but like the other poster, it doesn't bother me much. We were able to fit our family of three easily last year, and this year should be similar with the new baby.

I'm still worried that maybe there's a mistake somewhere. I did the arithmetic, and the room rate for POR with free dining is less than $89 a night! I must have checked it 10 times in the last two days, just to make sure I'm not missing something. We'll actually be paying less for our vacation this year than we did last year, and this year, we'll be buying tickets for our now-3-year-old.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

We are a family of 6 with 4 children, so staying on-site at a Value Resort with the basic dining plan, free or not, is always the best choice for us. I guess we could find some roach motel and eat PB&Js the entire time and come out better financially, but that's just not going to happen! lol!

 

[Bete]

I'm still worried that maybe there's a mistake somewhere. I did the arithmetic, and the room rate for POR with free dining is less than $89 a night! I must have checked it 10 times in the last two days, just to make sure I'm not missing something. We'll actually be paying less for our vacation this year than we did last year, and this year, we'll be buying tickets for our now-3-year-old.

Value season rates for a moderate are $149/night and you are suppose to pay full rack rate usually with free dining. There have been slight discounts on rooms sometimes with a package deal and promo, but never more than 10% which would be $15 more off the room.

If you have this trip confirmed and in writing from Disney you are very lucky based on what you are saying here. If you have something in writing from Disney make sure it doesn't say POP Century. If not then I suggest calling Disney and getting your deal confirmed to make sure.

 

[*disgal*]

I hear you on size of room, but like the other poster, it doesn't bother me much. We were able to fit our family of three easily last year, and this year should be similar with the new baby.

I'm still worried that maybe there's a mistake somewhere. I did the arithmetic, and the room rate for POR with free dining is less than $89 a night! I must have checked it 10 times in the last two days, just to make sure I'm not missing something. We'll actually be paying less for our vacation this year than we did last year, and this year, we'll be buying tickets for our now-3-year-old.

Yeah, I don't think that's right. With free dining, you pay rack rate for the room which in a POR case, value season is at least $149 plus tax. That's why I said I was getting the 4 bedroom pool home for less than a moderate.

We are a family of 6 with 4 children, so staying on-site at a Value Resort with the basic dining plan, free or not, is always the best choice for us. I guess we could find some roach motel and eat PB&Js the entire time and come out better financially, but that's just not going to happen! lol!

Just to let you know, there are other options offsite other than roach motels for less than ONE room at a value resort. Although, I'm sure you know that. We stayed at a beautiful 3 bedroom condo at Windsor hills this past April (peak time over Easter) and it was $125 a night. Value resorts were $135 a night and we had 9 people comfortably in the condo.

Don't get me wrong.....I LOVE the WDW resorts and I can't wait for our stay at the CR. I just wanted to point out some facts for others who could be reading this to let them know what is all out there.

Value season rates for a moderate are $149/night and you are suppose to pay full rack rate usually with free dining. There have been slight discounts on rooms sometimes with a package deal and promo, but never more than 10% which would be $15 more off the room.

If you have this trip confirmed and in writing from Disney you are very lucky based on what you are saying here. If you have something in writing from Disney make sure it doesn't say POP Century. If not then I suggest calling Disney and getting your deal confirmed to make sure.

I don't like to doubt the OP but the deal is for rack rate and get free dining. I think there might be a few thousand people that would like to know how you get free dining AND a discount on the room.

 

[Bete]

I think there might be a few thousand people that would like to know how you get free dining AND a discount on the room.

Last year, there was a winter deal for Disney Visa card holders only that included a slight discount on the room plus free dining. I took advantage of that deal; so, I knew it was true. Normally, there is no double stacking of discounts.

 

[Anonomom]

I stand corrected. I must have been subtracting out dining, which led me to the insane room rate. Sorry about that.

eta: Unbelievably, I just tried to do the math again, and made the same mistake. I am so addled these days.

 

[*disgal*]

I stand corrected. I must have been subtracting out dining, which led me to the insane room rate. Sorry about that.

eta: Unbelievably, I just tried to do the math again, and made the same mistake. I am so addled these days.

Hey, no problem.

I was just wondering if I was missing something.......actually hoping I was missing something. A girl can hope, right?

 

[vicb]

Last year, there was a winter deal for Disney Visa card holders only that included a slight discount on the room plus free dining. I took advantage of that deal; so, I knew it was true. Normally, there is no double stacking of discounts.

Bete, curious when last winter you went on the Visa deal? I would love to get something to help out for my late Feb trip. And if you can remember when did that deal get released for booking?

Thank you!

 

[PrincessTiffany]

Just to let you know, there are other options offsite other than roach motels for less than ONE room at a value resort. Although, I'm sure you know that. We stayed at a beautiful 3 bedroom condo at Windsor hills this past April (peak time over Easter) and it was $125 a night. Value resorts were $135 a night and we had 9 people comfortably in the condo.

Don't get me wrong.....I LOVE the WDW resorts and I can't wait for our stay at the CR. I just wanted to point out some facts for others who could be reading this to let them know what is all out there.

Of course there are plenty of options off-site, but none of them qualify us for the Disney Dining Plan. There's no way I could feed my kids for $10.00 per without the DDP. We have two connecting rooms (so two bathrooms and plenty of space) at All-Star Movies for 8 nights for our upcoming trip with 7 day hoppers, 48 table service meals, 48 counter service meals and 48 snacks all for about $2,800.00. I couldn't get a deal like that off-site.

 

[dwalker]

1235

 

[PrincessTiffany]

1235

What's 1235?

 

[*disgal*]

Of course there are plenty of options off-site, but none of them qualify us for the Disney Dining Plan. There's no way I could feed my kids for $10.00 per without the DDP. We have two connecting rooms (so two bathrooms and plenty of space) at All-Star Movies for 8 nights for our upcoming trip with 7 day hoppers, 48 table service meals, 48 counter service meals and 48 snacks all for about $2,800.00. I couldn't get a deal like that off-site.

Oh, right. With value rooms, free dining is hard to beat. I was just saying, it doesn't have to be pb&j's to get a good deal offsite.