I can't decide!!!

[jenjenmouse]

I have tried and tried but cannot make this decision. I have reservations at the Wyndham on I Drive for our comming up trip on May 3 through 13th. I got a really good price at expedia. But now I want to stay onsite but can only switch to the ASMu through expedia. Cancellations cost $450. Anyway, the ASMu is about $367 more for the stay. There's also the Resort Magic package that appeals to me but then we could get AP for that amount.
Anyway, do you think I should switch to ASMu or just spend the extra money in WDW?

Thanks

 

[Madmother]

Stay where you are! Spend the extra money and buy yourself something really memorable. Staying onsite is great, but You don't really spend that much time in the room. Atmosphere is fine if you're staying at one of the moderates or deluxes, but the extra costs plus the cancellation fees doesn't justify a move to the ASmo. That's $800.00 you could have a romantic candlelight dinner, or take the family on that tour you might not have done before.

But that's just my opinion.

 

[jenjenmouse]

Thanks so much for the quick response.

I love the way you said what you thought. I posted on this subject before and no one wanted to say. I guess they were just as uncommitted as I am. I just needed someone to just say just stay because that's the easiest and least expensive. I stayed last year a PO R and loved it but I think I'll love the deluxe type accomadations at the Wyndham too. Again Thanks!

 

[Grumpy92]

The debate over staying on or off site properties is long and both have their pros & cons. It definitely comes down to personal choice.
It sounds like you are locked into a pkg and with a hefty penalty so I think I would have a hard time canceling this. I have stayed at this Wyndham. They recently rehabed it a little over a year ago. So it is a fine hotel and the rooms are nice. There are draw backs to staying on Idrive and 192, mainly the traffic. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to get to WDW. I4 is ALWAYS backed up. Factor in the $6 a day parking fee in your budget as well.
For your next trip I would try a Disney hotel. I like the conveniece of a midday break at the hotel, never leaving the magic and not having to fight the traffic. Having been in the Hospitality business for years I can tell you overall, packages do NOT save you money. My best advice is check out mousesavers and go directly through CRO. I have gotten better rates that way compared to Expedia. That way you will have experienced it both ways and YOU will know what your family likes better. Hope you have a vacation fill with Disney days and Have a great time!!!

 

[jenjenmouse]

Hey Grumpy,

Thanks for the input. I can transfer to ASMu through expedia and not pay any fees. The only difference is the cost difference of the two hotels. I keep thinking for $350 or so more for the ten nights it might be worth it. I do not like to be in traffic. I can get that here at home. We did stay onsite last year and time flew. We do want to visit Universal on this trip. But if we stay onsite maybe we will just do WDW completely. I just would not want to leave it. Do you know if there are any off site restraunts that we could have cheaper meals at?
Well, now I'm thinking about changing again. I can't live with this constant indecision!

 

[gabylin]

well here's my 2 cents worth then....My sister booked Wyndham last summer and when she got there she did not like the hotel at all. She ended up switching that night to POR. One reason was they didn't offer EE, well that is no longer a factor for anybody but she also just didn't like the atmosphere. My suggestion to you is to go to the Off site Resort Bd. and do a search on the Wyndham and see what people think of it. If I'm staying anywhere longer than 4 days I want to make sure I'm happy with where I'm staying. Good luck in your search and choice, keep us posted on your decision!

 

[MJames41]

Personally, I will never again book off site, unless I plan on doing other things besides Disney. Since you asked for opinions, I would suggest that if you can switch without a penalty, to do that, if you are there primarily for Disney. I Drive is a good 20 minutes away, (if this is your first time there you might add in another 20 minutes lost time to get used to it).

You sound like I was on our trip in 2000. I was so undecided, trying to save money. I got 3 nights through Priceline at a really nice hotel - the Marriott Orlando World Conference Center. The MOWCC is rated by the Unofficial Guide as 92 quality points (or is it 94). And, they strongly suggest that you not stay at the All Stars (size of room, noise, etc). They give the All Stars I believe a 76. Lots of difference.

Reality turned out to be that there was lots of difference. We hated the MOWCC. They had laundry facilities on site. That broke down, with our clothes in them. We called 3 times for maintenance so we could to Disney. They finally showed at 6 (our first call was at 3), and they did take care of our clothes for us, but the Candlelight Processional dinner reservation we had was at 5:45. The place was completely secluded. And, they didn't tell us about the extra fees (almost doubled what we were paying). After 2 days, I switched to the All Star Sports. Should have went there from the start. There was lots of difference - for us the All Stars were so much better.

If it's going to cost $450 to switch (we only lost $60), I'd say stay, but if there is not charge, I'd say switch. Just my 2 cents.

 

[SamanthaL]

I hope I am not speaking out of turn jennymouse but it sounds like you have already made your decision. You said in your last post that the extra $350 for the whole 10 night stay isn't throwing your budget out of wack and you hate traffic and spending time en route to the parks. Well to me if these issues will ruin your trip, then staying on site is the easiest. The transpo is out of your hands. Disney does it all. You sit back, wait 10 minutes for a bus and have no more cares. To me $350 is worth not having to listen to my DH curse when he gets lost, walk a mile from our car to the gate, and Disney transpo. makes it easy to return to the parks after a rest at the hotel. I guess you should ask yourself " Is the ease of transportation worth the extra money?" Some say no some say yes. I say YES!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[halfway there]

I agree with Samantha, if you want Disney then stay in Disney. If you're only going to other parks once or twice out of 10 days, the drive will not be so bad but if you stay off-site and spend most of your time at Disney then the drive will kill you! At first I thought just stay where you are and try again next time but if the difference is only between the price of the hotel and transportaion, I'd prefer being pampered by Disney magic. Besides International Drive is truly a nightmare! The All-Stars are far enough to the edge of disney property to allow outside dining along 192 and there's a McDonald's nearby within Disney boundaries. Tough call, try flipping a coin!

 

[FLAA1A]

Hey Jenjenmouse,
If it is not to late, and if you do not incur a heafty penalty, I would change resorts and stay on Disney property. I personally prefer the on property resorts for the convenience, not to metion the other added extras. Traffic on I-4 is a nightmare.
Good Luck and have a great trip!!

 

[Cinderella]

I too would switch. I stayed off property once thru priceline and it ended up not being such a great deal. I bought DVC whilst on the trip (at least staying off site finally twisted my husband's arm) and we gave up our off-site room for the last four nights and went to stay at OKW.

I am not saying off-site is bad but, if you really have your heart set on Disney, I would switch. If you want to do Universal, could you not just switch the last eight nights of your trip and stay at the Wyndham for the first two?

 

[nanalisa]

If there is no penalty to change, I would switch. It would be worth every bit of 350.00 not to drive back and forth for 10 days. Let us know what you decide!

 

[jenjenmouse]

Thanks so much! All of you!! I really do want Disney and the Expedia people said I just have to pay the $350 hotel cost difference to switch. I even think I might just do all ten days at disney but my husband may say otherwise. I think the main issue is cost of food for us. It just seems cheaper to eat off site although I've never done it.

I had no idea about the I Drive traffic. Thanks everyone who has mentioned it.

I'm going to head over to the Expedia web site and see if I can still get the All Star Music. My 5 year old saw the guitar shaped pool on the video Disney sends out and thought it was sooooo coool. She insists that the rooms are shaped like instruments also. I don't know where she got that impression but she says it shows it on the video.

I know she'd love the ASMo but it isn't available.

I'll come back and let ya'll know how it turns out...... Did I or didn't I make the switch.

 

[jenjenmouse]

Cinderella,

I can't split my stay through expedia. I'd have to cancell my first reservation and pay a $450 fee. Then I could do whatever I wanted. I tried to get some kind of discount ( Disney Club, AP) to justify the 450 charge but as I said before for about $350 I could switch to ASMu and no other fees would incure. It is now about 6am here and I must get some sleep. I still am looking for a way out of this. I'd even shorten my stay so as to stay at a Delux but Expedia won't let me do that w/o cancelling.

Thanks so much again. I'll let ya'll know tomorrow/ today but later. Sleep is calling me.

 

[zurgswife]

I think you should switch to the all stars for the entire trip...the cost difference in the two hotels you say is $350 for 10 days.

Well the way I figure, if you go cheap breakfasts for most of your stay you could almost recoup the entire amount. When we stayed at the hotels (we own DVC now) we always did pastries and pop tarts and cereal in the room to start our day to save on some eating expenses.

Thoughts about staying off site...I did it for one night and it was a nightmare....We will never stay off site again....I would rather pay $200 for a Disney room then $45 for a cheap off site room. By the way the traffic can be a nightmare at times. It seems like construction is always going on....

 

[Madmother]

Jenjenmouse, If you don't have to incur the cancellation fees, and the hotel price dif is only $350, then switch. My budget would probably allow for the $350.00 but not the $800.00. As far as eating goes, I've noticed alot of people mention a food site that you can order from and have shipped to your room for your arrival. To go one better, you can also pack a box with breakfast stuffs and snacks, and just UPS or Fedex it down to the hotel you finally choose. Be sure to mark it with the name of the hotel, Attn: Hold for (Use RL name here), guest arriving on (insert date). I have done this before with no problems. Then you can save at least some funds on foods. Check out the forums here and on mousesavers.com on ways to save on foods. They really do work.

 

[jenjenmouse]

heloooooo everyone,

Thanks so much for all your suggestions. I want to update you. We have changed our trip. We are now going on May 1-9th. 8 days instead of 10. Staying the first 3 nights a HRH then switching to All Star Movies. I could have gotten a DC discount at All Star Music but my 5 year old really will enjoy this hotel. How does this sound to everyone? Any more suggestions. I really loved the help I got from ya'll and appreciate this board so much. Now I'm trying to talk DH into staying till the 13th. But that's another story.