If you stay off-site, does it really provide a huge savings?

[sln88]

how did you get a skyauction condo for 179? I thought the fees were more than that?

 

[2tinks2pirates]

chelly00- Would you mind sharing where you stay for $110/night? We are a family of six also and searching for a decent deal.

Thanks!

 

[dougsmom98]

It is definitely less expensive off site. We like to stay in villas, but even in a hotel room, it is less expensive. You can get Comfort Suites Main Gate East for less than $100/nt for up to 6 people. They give you free deluxe continental breakfast and a small refrigerator and small microwave for your room. The money savings for breakfast is worth it.

We stay in villas, so we tend to eat healthier because we have such a large fridge for drinks and fruits and veggies. We eat breakfast at the villa and lunch at a CS restaurant. For dinner we usually get take out or we go out. There are more restaurants than you can imagine on 192. There are great deals to be had for dining if you want them. Ponderosa's all you can eat buffet breakfast is only $3.99/person. We go to Golden Corral a lot for dinner buffets. It is $10 or $12/person and they have awesome bacon wrapped steak every night. We have pizza one night and it is $30 or so dollars for the 6 of us. We also get Chinese take out. When we get take out, there are always left overs, so that takes care of a meal or snack the next day.

Good luck.

 

[madge]

how did you get a skyauction condo for 179? I thought the fees were more than that?

there's a thread on this board - the cost is now $199/week, plus $20 in fees. That's cheaper than AFVC!

 

[Jeninindy]

I know I'm planning really early I wanted to go back next summer, but it isn't going to be in the budget for two years...

I'm just trying to decide if renting a condo (Windsor Hills) or staying off-site and doing our own meals is what we want - or if we want to spend more and stay on-site and have the convenience...

I might (LOL) be overthinking the food part...

I have never stayed onsite so I cannot really compare, but I thought the convenience of everyone having their own space to go decompress after a long day, everyone having their own bed, having 3 bathrooms, our own pool, a fully equipped kitchen for breakfasts (we mostly ate out for lunches/suppers) and snacks was incredible. We were able to drive to the parks and be there/parked in 10 - 15 minutes top....

My kids are bigger, so the thought of them sharing beds for two weeks was not fun.......i was picturing the "he is on my side of the beds, she is touching me" moments over and over..........

As for food, we are on vacation - I set a budget for food and we went with it. Last thing I wanted to do was cook meals, but we would have if the budget would have warranted we do so.

Good luck deciding.......

 

[sln88]

there's a thread on this board - the cost is now $199/week, plus $20 in fees. That's cheaper than AFVC!

ok, but that is still 219 not 179?

 

[Chelley00]

ok, but that is still 219 not 179?

The $179 deal was awhile ago. They've since raised those prices, but $219 for an entire week is a great deal!

 

[madge]

ok, but that is still 219 not 179?

I assume the earlier deal was $179 + $20 in fees = $199.

$219 for some of these Orlando properties is a deal for one night, let alone 7!

 

[ahill004]

We definitely save money. This year we are going for two weeks and staying in a timeshare near DTD. It cost us $300 for the entire two weeks for a 2 bedroom condo at Cypress Pointe. We are eating at A LOT of restaurants in the parks and resorts because we like them. Its part of the trip. But even with all the meals we have booked we still wouldn't spend us much on food as we would if we bought the DDP. That being said, we are not HUGE eaters. None of us in my family (there will be 2 grandparents, 2 parents, 2 children) typically eat an app., entree and a dessert. (My mother will most likely order a salad or soup at most places and that is all). We will each order our own entree and MAYBE split a dessert at the table at the end of the day. Plus, we will eat some b-fasts in the room since we have a kitchen. Also, if we bought the DDP I would feel obligated to eat all that it came with since we'd purchased it and we would be less likely to decide to skip lunch b/c we'd had a big breakfast, etc...Just not right for our family, but everyone is different!

 

[Darcy03231]

We found it was a huge savings for us. There were 9 of us last summer. I rented a 5 bdrm/3 bath private pool home for $700/wk including all taxes and fees. We were there for two weeks so the house was $1400. We also rented two cars for a total of $800.00 and paid $10.00 per car per day so that was an additional $280.00. Total cost for room and transportation was $2,480.00. Three rooms at a value resort (we went in August) was going to run us about $5,500.00. We also found we saved a lot on food by eating breakfast in every day. We also ended up eating dinner in most days too. I didn't count that in the food budget as I would have grocery shopped at home. Since it was so hot when we went we found that most everyone just wanted something cold to drink in the parks and ice cream or slushies. We snacked more than we really ate in the parks. We got there early and did a lot by 1-2 pm. We then went back to the house for a swim/rest, had something to eat and went back at night while it was a bit cooler.

 

[Amirah95]

.

 

[preschoolmom]

I have enjoyed every response!

Our plan is to stay in a condo off site, eat all our Breakfasts and Dinners in the Condo - and do the parks early and late...

The money we'll save will enable us to go for two weeks instead of just one!



We Might also try to fit in two days at Universal/IOA - but that's a whole separate post!

Thanks again for your input!

 

[madge]

We definitely save money. This year we are going for two weeks and staying in a timeshare near DTD. It cost us $300 for the entire two weeks for a 2 bedroom condo at Cypress Pointe. We are eating at A LOT of restaurants in the parks and resorts because we like them. Its part of the trip. But even with all the meals we have booked we still wouldn't spend us much on food as we would if we bought the DDP. That being said, we are not HUGE eaters. None of us in my family (there will be 2 grandparents, 2 parents, 2 children) typically eat an app., entree and a dessert. (My mother will most likely order a salad or soup at most places and that is all). We will each order our own entree and MAYBE split a dessert at the table at the end of the day. Plus, we will eat some b-fasts in the room since we have a kitchen. Also, if we bought the DDP I would feel obligated to eat all that it came with since we'd purchased it and we would be less likely to decide to skip lunch b/c we'd had a big breakfast, etc...Just not right for our family, but everyone is different!

would you mind sharing this deal?

 

[sln88]

I assume the earlier deal was $179 + $20 in fees = $199.

$219 for some of these Orlando properties is a deal for one night, let alone 7!

yep- it is a great deal. I just did not want some people that have never used skyauction to be confused. I HAVE used skyauction and I am confused- only because I have never seen one that cheap

 

[scanmom]

how did you get Cypress Pointe for $300.00 for 2 weeks? I am looking at 108.00/nite for a 2 BR. Thjat is the cheapest I can find... I would love to get the deal you did!!

 

[ahill004]

My in-laws have a timeshare and they offered us two weeks of their time. Cypress POinte was one of the buildings offered. Last year we did Bone=net Creek for one week. We loved Bonnet Creek. I hope we like Cypress Pointe as well.

 

[twooley2]

I have to admit that we seriously were looking over staying offsite but just cant seem to break free after staying twice onsite. Yes we are all in the same room in a moderate but isnt that part of the fun. Everyone laughing and cutting up together in the same room and being able to get up and get coffee while walking to the bustop before the day gets hot, not dealing with traffic by having to drive traffic light to traffic light. The cost for meals well my question is how do you break up a day to cook offsite. I guess Disney is the size of San Francisco. I dont want to drive something that size for 2 days let alone a week and than have to cook when we get to our destination. Someone tell me how this actually works as the last time we were there we needed everybit of our time to see everything we were so excited to see and not miss.

 

[Chelley00]

I guess Disney is the size of San Francisco. I dont want to drive something that size for 2 days let alone a week and than have to cook when we get to our destination.

We had friends who stayed at AKL, and we were offsite. We both left the parks at the same time, and we were back at our villa before they were back to their room.

And I'm not making gourmet meals when we stay offsite. We eat breakfasts at the villa, sometimes lunches or dinner, which consists of sandwiches or frozen meals or pizzas or we use the grill.

 

[ntsammy5]

I have to admit that we seriously were looking over staying offsite but just cant seem to break free after staying twice onsite.

I guess your perspective is different after staying onsite for 32 visits. I'm ready for offsite now. It's just too expensive staying onsite at a deluxe anymore. As for food, we often eat at offsite dining locations anyhow, which can be very inexpensive and really good - at least as good as WDW TS and sometimes much better and no where near as crowded. We will still eat Disney TS, just not as often. We've eaten at so many Disney TS that they all tend to blend together and I don't want to try to plan that much - too many people eating in too few restaurants is not my idea of fun anymore. We won't cook, just get snacks. Even when we stay in the RV (not often) we still don't cook much at WDW.

Like I said it's all depends on your perspective. As for getting around, we rent a car most of the time anyhow and traffic is not bad - I can get around WDW with my eyes closed, but I usually leave them open.

 

[madge]

I have to admit that we seriously were looking over staying offsite but just cant seem to break free after staying twice onsite.

I was afraid we'd be missing something, by not being onsite. I understand your concerns.

Yes we are all in the same room in a moderate but isnt that part of the fun. Everyone laughing and cutting up together in the same room and being able to get up and get coffee while walking to the bustop before the day gets hot, not dealing with traffic by having to drive traffic light to traffic light.

I got over the "fun" of being in one room when I had my 3rd child. 5 people & one bathroom ... notsomuch fun anymore! Other thing that sold me on offiste accomodations? A whirlpool tub, a full size fridge, a microwave, more than one TV, and washer & dryer. I pack half as many clothes and do a couple of loads during the week. (I know that isn't everyone's cup of tea, though)

The cost for meals well my question is how do you break up a day to cook offsite. I guess Disney is the size of San Francisco. I dont want to drive something that size for 2 days let alone a week and than have to cook when we get to our destination. Someone tell me how this actually works as the last time we were there we needed everybit of our time to see everything we were so excited to see and not miss.

I posted this upthread, but I'll share how it works for us ... using our recent stay at Cypress Point as our example resort.

Arrival day: our flight was early, so we went straight to Epcot for several hours. We arrived at CP around 4pm, and our villa was ready. I had some snacks in our carry on, so we had something to eat and got our bearings at the resort. The kids swam for a little while before we headed out to Publix. On the way to Publix, we stopped at Pizzeria Uno to get a carry out menu. Called that in from the car on the way to the grocery, so it would be ready when we went back to Cypress Point.

** there is probably a closer grocery than Publix, but that's my grocery of choice in Florida. I love it. ***

Typical Park Day: Breakast in the villa - scrambled eggs, microwave bacon, and toast/french toast/cereal (something quick) easily made while everyone is getting ready. I bring along granola bars for a midmorning snack.

lunch: counter service in the parks

midday break: it took us, on average, less than 30 minutes to get from the theme park exit to the resort parking lot. Less time than the WDW transportation, 99% of the time.

at the resort: swim or rest. pre-park snack of chips & salsa, veggies & dip, cheese & crackers, etc.

evenings: we usually snack our way through the parks - especially Epcot. Yummm.

leaving the park: takes less time than waiting for a boat or bus with mobs of hot, sweaty people

I do very little actual cooking, other than breakast. Sometimes we'll have frozen pizza or microwave popcorn, but that isn't really cooking to me. LOL.

In the past, we've grabbed stuff to grill out at the resort for supper on nights we aren't planning to go back to a park.