If staying off site ...

[maya_]

Now don't get me wrong, I have a deep and lasting bitterness over never having stayed at a Disney resort.

Our next trip is scheduled for possibly July 08, but more likely July 09. I believe I'm making some headway convincing the other members of my party to stay on-site, but I may yet lose this battle!

So I was wondering, if you do stay off site, would I be able to either drive or get Disney transportation to some of the resorts and just have a look around? They look so amazing and I would love to have a peek at some of them, maybe have lunch in a cafe, take a couple (but not a huge number) of photos, and buy a souvenir or two. Would I be able to do this, without any resort ID or dinner reservations?

 

[mom2of2]

sure you can visit and use your own car. All you have to show is photo ID and tell them you are looking around/eating whatever. The guard will give you a 3 hour parking pass.

We do this all the time at the holidays just to see what the resorts look like decorated.

 

[mjkaferle5]

Yes, you can absolutley do this.

But once you do...................you may never, ever want to stay offsite again!

 

[Wendy1953]

You can park at any of the parks and use Disney transportation (buses, boats and monorail) to get you to any of the on site hotels! You can also park at any hotel..when you pull up to the gate, explain you're going to look around and eat there, they'll let you park for 3 hours. If you take the monorail...you can get to see the Contemporary, Grand Floridian, and the Polynesian...get off at each resort stop, walk around and then get back on! You can get to the Yatch & Beach Club Resorts and the Boardwalk Inn through the International Gateway in EPCOT!

Hope you can convince the rest of the people in your party to stay on-site, but if not, take them around while you are there....next time you won't have to convince them!

 

[yesmylove]

We have done this many times as well. We have bought souveniers, eaten at the restaurants, taken pictures, walked around and even gotten peeks into the rooms while walking by when mousekeeping were cleaning the rooms. The resorts are all so beautifull. Go from the lobby of one of the value resorts to the lobby of the Grand Floridian and watch your jaw drop, it is the most beautifull place I have ever seen. We have always stayed off site because there are so many of us that go, that we rent a house. But in Sept. my dh and I are staying at CSR for our 25th anniversary, this will be our very first time on site and I am so excited.

 

[maya_]

Yes, you can absolutley do this.

But once you do...................you may never, ever want to stay offsite again!

Haha, I don't want to stay offsite now!

Seriously, though, I understand that certain family members have budget issues. I got a price for POR that's similar to our last offsite choice and got some people on my side, but now I feel like pushing for the Poly or WL for their closeness to MK and the Electric Water Pageant. Not to mention the monorail links at the Poly.

Thanks for your help, guys - I'll definitely go and check our four or five resorts on my next visit, whether I stay onsite or not.

 

[fla4fun]

There are budget advantages to staying offsite, but the convenience of being on property, especially if you are spending all your time in the Disney parks, really outweighs them. I remember many, many years ago, working to convince my dad that staying on property was the way to go. We had always stayed off property when he was paying, but this was our first vacation after I started working and I really wanted to stay on property. So I went ahead and booked CR (It was just CR and Poly back then really) and for almost a year listened to what a waste of money it was going to be, how much we could save staying in Kissimmee, etc. Well, we stay in CR for a week, and guess who asked how soon we could come back? Yep. He asked when we were coming back before we ever left the parking lot. I hope you can convince your travel companions to get on board with on property rooms!

 

[mgilmer]

We stayed offsite in a poolhome our first trip to WDW and it was great - until we visited the resorts. After that first trip, we have always stayed onsite. You just cannot beat the atmosphere of staying on site and the convenience. Please take your party with you when you visit the resorts for a meal or even just to view it and I bet they will be converted for the future.

 

[maya_]

I'll try and convince them to come too, but we dash around so much during our trips that most people just want to sleep when we get free time!

We also don't spend all our time in WDW. We go to Universal, IOA, Sea World, Wet and Wild, and Busch Gardens as well. We enjoy being in America as much as we enjoy being in Disney, so we don't often eat at Disney in the evenings.

On the other hand, I'm dying to stay onsite. Thanks for all your help

 

[pepe of ohio]

Never even considered stay off property, we've been going since 1977 and this September is our 39th visit and it just keeps getting better and better, on site that is, and we never leave the property for anything, have no wish or want to visit Sea World or Universal. disney has everything we want out of a vacation and no car needed. We use the Disney transportation with no regrets. that being said, if you ever wander over to the WL, gaze at the lobby and pool, its to die for, alittle quaint resort, to us rather on the small scale but huge in themeing and deluxe ammenities. Price is the cheapest of the deluxes, just a boat ride to MK and FW or a boat to CR to gain access to the monorail and EPCOT. Best all around deal with the deluxe perks, and we do enjoy the EWP most every night. There are cheaper resorts on property but they lack location and being around the MK, Seven Seas and Bay Lake spell WDW for us, just so many different ways to travel around and deluxe resorts to scout for dining and shopping all a boat ride or monorail away. It's just our little piece of heaven on site.

 

[isla bonita]

When ever down we stay in our rental home but visit all the hotels.

We enjoy O'Hana's and will be heading over there in Sept. I also want to try Olivia's but have not been as of yet. Might not be until Feb.?

 

[flowers]

One of the choices of hotel was at the maingate and was really cheap. I'm guessing this is not "onsite". Since these hotels are chain hotels, they are not onsite, just at the gates? Unfortunately I choose something else and am locked in, just curious as we will be back.

Question: How long is the monorail ride? Is there any problem getting back to the parking lot in 3 hours? Iv heard you can go see fireworks someplace? What time are the fireworks and where do you go to see them if you are not in a park at the time? What happens if you are not back within 3 hours, can you just pay a parking fee?

Can someone tell me about "downtown disney" and what exactly it is. I keep hearing about it but I cant find it on a map of Orlando. Im guessing it is near International Drive. Is it just Disney shops and places to eat or is there more to it?

Iv only been to Orlando once before and we did Universal. (I know boo hiss hiss).

 

[MiaSRN62]

Hi flowers and to the DIS.....

I'm guessing this is not "onsite". Since these hotels are chain hotels, they are not onsite, just at the gates?

You're right....this would not be on wdw property.

Question: How long is the monorail ride? Is there any problem getting back to the parking lot in 3 hours? Iv heard you can go see fireworks someplace? What time are the fireworks and where do you go to see them if you are not in a park at the time? What happens if you are not back within 3 hours, can you just pay a parking fee?

Not exactly sure where your origin is when asking how long the monorail ride is. The resort monorail takes the following route :
TTC -> Polynesian -> Grand Floridian -> Magic Kingdom -> Contemporary -> TTC
The resort monorail will stop at each of the hotels listed, plus the MK, before going back to the TTC (Ticket and Transportation Center).

The express monorail goes from the TTC to the MK and back. It passes by or through the above hotels but does not stop.

I'd say to make a complete loop on either of these, you are looking at 15-25 min or so, depending on stops/potential delays on track.

If you park, say at the Contemporary, and go over the 3 hours limit, they could tow your vehicle. It is at their discretion.

I know the MK fireworks can be seen from the Contemp, Poly and GF. But this is discouraged by the security guards. It's best to have a dining reservation, then after dinner, go down to the beach area to view the fireworks. I noticed the Contemp guards were pretty strict in December when I was there. They were stopping each and every car and checking dining reservations. They did not care that there was a line of about 20 cars lined up.

Can someone tell me about "downtown disney" and what exactly it is. I keep hearing about it but I cant find it on a map of Orlando. Im guessing it is near International Drive. Is it just Disney shops and places to eat or is there more to it?

Downtown Disney (DD) consists of three different areas :
the Marketplace (mostly shops and restaurants)
the West Side (shops/restaurants/Cirque Du Soleil/AMC movie theater/Disney Quest)
Pleasure Island (nightclubs/comedy clubs/shops)
Here's some more info :
http://www.wdwinfo.com/downtown/marketplace/index.htm

http://www.wdwinfo.com/downtown/westside/index.htm

http://www.wdwinfo.com/downtown/pi/index.htm

Hope this helps some.

 

[deejay-55]

We always used to stay onsite at the Polynesian, in Moorea on the lakefront and with the MK fireworks every night! We really enjoyed it, but as the kids got bigger we found one room was not so comfortable for us. After that we had a condo offsite at Windsor Palms for our next few visits. We liked that even more, more room for the family, a nice community pool and just minutes from Disney. Next we got into a pool home at Windsor Hills on the lakefront there, and like it even more! We now spend time chilling out with our own pool and spa, which is really great after spending time in the parks. Plus there is space for the whole family, the resort facilities are great, and Disney is really close!

So, if you are taking a peek at onsite options check out the Poly.

 

[sympatico]

DowntownDisney is near Epcot. It's all part of the Disney area and not near I Drive. It's still Disney with some non Disney restaruants and shops, a marina area, nightclubs, theatres etc. As was said before it's 3 differnt areas although you can walk through it all. There's no rides but the BIG Disney store is there with each section marked for girls ( BBBoutique), boys, men and womem; Lego store; Christmas store; Toy store etc. Check the website out. It's a good place to spend a morning or afternoon and evening at Pleasure Island.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Now don't get me wrong, I have a deep and lasting bitterness over never having stayed at a Disney resort.

Our next trip is scheduled for possibly July 08, but more likely July 09. I believe I'm making some headway convincing the other members of my party to stay on-site, but I may yet lose this battle!

So I was wondering, if you do stay off site, would I be able to either drive or get Disney transportation to some of the resorts and just have a look around? They look so amazing and I would love to have a peek at some of them, maybe have lunch in a cafe, take a couple (but not a huge number) of photos, and buy a souvenir or two. Would I be able to do this, without any resort ID or dinner reservations?

Why not split your stay? We do this all the time between WDW and US/IOA. Maybe the more budget-minded members of your party would agree to perhaps the last 3 nts. onsite?

 

[U2_rocks!]

Why not split your stay? We do this all the time between WDW and US/IOA. Maybe the more budget-minded members of your party would agree to perhaps the last 3 nts. onsite?

I was just going to suggest this! It would be a good compromise, and may not increase your total accomodation cost by that much. Even just 2 nights onsite at a moderate (if that's all the budget will allow) might be all the "atmosphere" you need.

 

[flowers]

Hi and thanks for the welcome. I already had saved a link to downtown Disney, but it doesnt have a map of Orlando or how to get to it, so Im still a little confused on that point. I understand get on I4 and there will be signs for it, thats about the extent of my knowledge. I briefly looked at the links you provided but they seem to be once you find downtown disney. Ill look more at the links and see if they show directions to downtown disney, maybe I missed it.

So you cant just go in and eat at a disney restaurant?, you need to have reservations made ahead of time? I was hoping to just wander around and relax a few days here and there and hit a few smaller attractions.

I dont really know where we will be getting on the monorail so cant answer that question and don't know where this TTC ticket place is etc. Hopefully by the time I go in September I will have figured out a lot about Orlando, just found this board and started to read and learn. Obviously I havent a clue lol.

To be honest I booked the hotel as a precruise hotel and someone gave me this board to get on a disney cruise roll call and I just found this part of the message board so I could learn about Orlando and disney and how to get around and what to do. We have a hotel booked for 3 days and I hoped to make the trip to Orlando worth my time.

Ill be back to Orlando though, already have another cruise booked. Thanks for all your pointers. Hopefully, I wouldnt have any trouble finding my way around. I will keep absorbing all your information and reading and learning and by September I will be less clueless, but probably until I am there and see it for myself Ill feel a little clueless. thanks again for all your information. Ill keep your replies in my emails to piece together

Sorry to be so clueless that I cant answer any of your questions to give you more information at this point...but Ill get there.

 

[MiaSRN62]

but it doesnt have a map of Orlando or how to get to it, so Im still a little confused on that point. I understand get on I4 and there will be signs for it, thats about the extent of my knowledge. I briefly looked at the links you provided but they seem to be once you find downtown disney.

Hi again flowers,
Here's a site with several maps that might help you. WDW is VERY good with signs and pointing people in the right direction. I don't think you'll have any problem. If you tell me the name of your resort, it might help to know which direction you're coming from.

http://www.wdisneyw.co.uk/maps.html

So you cant just go in and eat at a disney restaurant?, you need to have reservations made ahead of time? I was hoping to just wander around and relax a few days here and there and hit a few smaller attractions

Sure you can---it's VERY helpful to have a reservation. With Disney's Dining Plan, it's difficult to just walk up and get a seat. I have done this, but you need to be flexible. Usually a very early dinner (4-4:30 pm) and an early lunch (10:30 am to 11 am) are the times I've had the most success. If you choose a popular restaurant like Chef Mickey's or O'Hana and walk up at 5 pm with no ADR (advance dining reservations), you will most likely be turned away. Just be prepared for this.

I dont really know where we will be getting on the monorail so cant answer that question and don't know where this TTC ticket place is etc.

The TTC is in the parking lot of the MK. Once you enter the MK parking lot, you'll catch a tram to the TTC from your car. At the TTC in the MK, you can purchase tickets and then go on to either board the monorail or the Ferry to the MK gates. You can also walk from the Polynesian to the TTC (about a 10-15 min walk).

And I agree flowers....just keep reading these boards or get a guidebook...you'll pick up alot.