Just can't justify it... staying onsite

[FryingPansWhoKnew]

I think we really need to choose words a little better than "slumming it". I do know there are people on here who love to boast-- and they keep me entertained , so I continue reading these posts, but sometimes it sounds a bit, shall I say snooty.

I don't necessarily disagree with you, but I think you might be paddling into some choppy waters there.

 

[5forMickey]

I think we really need to choose words a little better than "slumming it". I do know there are people on here who love to boast-- and they keep me entertained , so I continue reading these posts, but sometimes it sounds a bit, shall I say snooty.

Wow really, I reread every post and not once did I see the word "slumming it". So now one is boastful or snooty for having a different opinion? I can think of a different word......I guess I'm snooty then because I will never apologize for having my own opinion, especially if that means I can spend what I want on what I want, last I checked that was called freedom not snooty.

 

[whoever]

I think we really need to choose words a little better than "slumming it". I do know there are people on here who love to boast-- and they keep me entertained , so I continue reading these posts, but sometimes it sounds a bit, shall I say snooty.

I'm the one who used slumming it, and the offsite I stayed at was indeed slumming it. That's putting it kindly.

 

[sweethannah]

Wow really, I reread every post and not once did I see the word "slumming it". So now one is boastful or snooty for having a different opinion? I can think of a different word......I guess I'm snooty then because I will never apologize for having my own opinion, especially if that means I can spend what I want on what I want, last I checked that was called freedom not snooty.

You're free to have a snooty opinion.

You don't have to apologize for having an opinion but the flipside to that coin is that people are also free to disagree with you.

Hundreds of DIS members have had very lovely stays at those motels you feel are beneath you.

 

[5forMickey]

I'm the one who used slumming it, and the offsite I stayed at was indeed slumming it. That's putting it kindly.

Oops, yup there it is, I think we stayed at that same motel once also!

 

[LizzyS]

We loved staying at the PPH in February, but that was a special thing for our 5th anniversary. There is NO way we can afford to do that every time we go!

It's very expensive, but it's totally awesome.

 

[aliceindisneyland]

Hey everyone! It's great to be back... and the fabulous reason I'm back is because we just booked our third trip to the Mouse House . We're so excited to go during the holiday season this time (Dec 3-9). We've never seen Disney all done up for Christmas but I hear it's absolutely incredible.

So after our last trip, DH and I swore that the next time we go, we were going to stay onsite. We've never done that before and really wanted our kids to have that experience. However, when we started pricing it out and realizing that it would cost about $1,000 more just to stay onsite, we just can't justify it. We could afford to but we just keep thinking about how little time we spend in the hotel and how much $1,000 could buy. If staying across the street means we have $1,000 more left in our savings (for next trip!)... then it's a no-brainer for us.

How do so many justify it? Is it really worth it when you aren't even there most of the time? This may shock you all but I'm not even a cheap person!

I haven't read the other replies yet. I do it, but I cannot justify it!
The way we fell into on site madness: We found a great (<$200) rate for DLH several years ago. That was several years into our APs, and to that point I was go-go-go at the Parks; we always got there at rope drop, took the kids back to BWPPI for a nap if they hadn't napped in their strollers, then back to the Parks until they got tired out. We ate as quickly as possible, often in line.

So we got to DLH. The kids wanted to swim. And swim. And swim. This was when it was the Neverland Pool. They wanted nothing to do with Disneyland! A mom in the lounge next to me quipped, "It's an expensive swim!"

DH and I had our first *relaxing* vacation moment in 5 years at that pool, sipping a cocktail and watching the kids swim. And we were hooked!

It was a slippery slope that found us staying 5 nights at the GCH for "only $40 more a night than the Disneyland Hotel, Honey!" - as though DLH pricing was our normal price point and not BWPPI! That trip, we purposefully scheduled our trip so that we'd have a blockout day on our APs and I could let the kids swim All Day Long without stressing about being in the Parks.

Now we take two different types of trips: Budget hotel trips (Castle Inn is our new favorite) and We Can't Help Ourselves trips (we've decided that we love DLH and don't love GCH so it's a relative bargain! )

I cannot justify the time and money we've spent on Disney vacations, but we've sure had a blast!

 

[aliceindisneyland]

The world is full of weird people.

 

[GracieB]

I'm the one who used slumming it, and the offsite I stayed at was indeed slumming it. That's putting it kindly.

Just curious, what motel was it? Super 8?

 

[MillauFr]

Just curious, what motel was it? Super 8?

Maybe it was the Little Boy Blue. That place does look like a dump.

 

[mummabear]

I agree. Canada is worth every penny . Good for you! We love the Christmas train and are going to miss it this year since we moved 8 hours away from Vancouver. I hope you have an absolutely wonderful time in Canada and at DLH!

Oh I know! I can't wait for my girls to experience Christmas like I did as a kid. DH on the other hand doesn't want to leave summer for freezing Van

 

[planningjollyholiday]

Yes I totally know what you mean. We are staying at DLH this trip but I fully expect it to be a one time thing, as we are people that would rather spend that $1000 towards another trip, something else on the trip, more days on this trip etc.
I have always wanted to stay on site and the upgrade from offsite was my birthday gift.
I figure some things you just have to do, then you will know if they are worth it (like for us we are saving to take the girls for a xmas home in Canada, DH hates the fact that our flights will cost twice what they would to visit another time of year and to spend so much to go somewhere we visit so often BUT the only way to experience the Christmas train, carolling ships, cutting down a real tree etc is to spend that extra money, we won't get that experience visiting in September)

My husband and I had our first date at the Christmas train! It is now an annual tradition of ours that the whole family looks forward to. I'm sure your kids will love it. The DLH is awesome, I hope you have a magical stay there!

 

[mypixiedust]

I just left Disneyland yesterday, and I can tell you the Magic was worth it all! We never stepped out of Disney our whole week. Everyone morning my kids were greeted by CM's and I wouldn't change it ever!

 

[mikana876]

I agree with a PP that there is just no answer for this. It depends.

For my family, no, we do not stay on site, and no, we cannot justify the cost. "Afford it" and "willing to spend it" are separate ideas in our heads. There is just no need for us to stay on site at DLR. There are plenty of nice off site hotels within easy walking distance. If you are accustomed to high end hotels like the Four Seasons or even Hilton, then I suppose that the walking distance hotels wouldn't be ok for you. While we have stayed in high end hotels, we do not have a need to stay in one for every trip. Clean and comfortable are my absolute requirements, and I have had no problems finding those in the Good Neighbor hotels.

Personally, at DLR, there is no justification to me for the on site hotels. The EMH isn't enough to do it for me, and there really aren't any other perks guaranteed, as a PP pointed out. At WDW, we always stay on site (although again, not at the Deluxe resorts because we cannot justify the expense) because the perks are worth it (bus to parks, proximity, no parking fees, comparable prices to off site hotels).

But each person has to decide for their family. Everyone is different in what they value and find "worth it."

This is how I feel about it.

I agree with you OP, there's no way our family could justify spending that kind of money for accommodations, especially when you're not getting that much more in return. EMH? Lots of people say they didn't get much out of that ONE extra hour. Proximity? There are lots of hotels/motels offsite RIGHT there outside the gates or just down the street. Pool? Other hotels have pools, and besides my family doesn't use the pool because we are park people, we are at the parks from open to close. We don't take afternoon breaks, it's just not our style. So the room just has to be fairly decent. No gross dirt, no bad neighborhood, and no bed bugs.

Plus we're just kind of low maintenance people. And frugal. And choosy with how we spend our money. I think it's one reason why our financial situation is much better than lots of Americans these days. Because we are picky with how we spend money.

 

[whoever]

Just curious, what motel was it? Super 8?

Yup... the super8. I can't say I've ever been in a less nice hotel room. You get what you pay for. I was literally in it for only 4 hours..

 

[Blue32]

Yup... the super8. I can't say I've ever been in a less nice hotel room. You get what you pay for. I was literally in it for only 4 hours..

You don't always get what you pay for. Sometimes you get less. Which is why we will probably never stay onsite. I would not get out of it what I paid. Would I love to stay there? Sure. But not for what they are charging.

 

[GracieB]

This is how I feel about it.

I agree with you OP, there's no way our family could justify spending that kind of money for accommodations, especially when you're not getting that much more in return. EMH? Lots of people say they didn't get much out of that ONE extra hour. Proximity? There are lots of hotels/motels offsite RIGHT there outside the gates or just down the street. Pool? Other hotels have pools, and besides my family doesn't use the pool because we are park people, we are at the parks from open to close. We don't take afternoon breaks, it's just not our style. So the room just has to be fairly decent. No gross dirt, no bad neighborhood, and no bed bugs.

Plus we're just kind of low maintenance people. And frugal. And choosy with how we spend our money. I think it's one reason why our financial situation is much better than lots of Americans these days. Because we are picky with how we spend money.

I once had a relative say I was "too cheap" for choosing a $190 Sheraton rather than a $460 beachside hotel as a,wedding guest. The difference for 2 nights was over $520! Considering I was driving in very late, and the wedding was the entire next day and night, I was barely in the hotel. Between airfare, car rental, hotel, food, etc, that wedding was over $1400 to attend. Wasting another $520 would've caused me to reconsider attending.

I don't hate spending money on things I value, such as $500 for my annual pass. But I do not enjoy wasting money. I simply am not that rich!

 

[DizMe]

One other thing worth mentioning is this. It can certainly change with your age and circumstances.

When I was a young single mom, we stayed across the street (which was Katella at that time--the main entrance was there before DCA was built). It was an inexpensive motel but it had a separate bedroom and a kitchen for $15 more/night, so I'd go down with my sister and her 2 kids and all 6 of us would stay in that room. My sis and I were raised on Motel 6s so we were used to that anyway. I used to dream about staying at the DLH but there was no way I could afford to take the kids to Disneyland and stay at DLH.

Fast forward several years. Better jobs, more resources later and I began to stay in pricier hotels more often than motels.

I am now old, or at least I'm officially a senior by Ross's calculations, and I prefer to stay onsite. I think onsite often appeals to the older population, probably because they aren't "taking away" from their families to pay for it, they tend to have more discretionary income, and it provides more of a comfort zone.

I spent many many years staying in cheaper motels and I'm happy to be able to choose onsite now. I don't think that's snooty but if it's taken that way, I apologize.

 

[WestMom2two]

We are right there with you and had also said the same thing about staying onsite our next trip. So here we are on our 3rd family trip and I just couldn't do it. We too have the money to stay onsite but after pricing the trip I just can't help but want to keep that extra $1000 in our pocket to spend even more in the parks. We also love the fact that staying across the street from the entrance, you are so close to regular, cheap food like Subway, pizza etc if you just want a break. We are doing BBB for our daughter (castle package), 2 character meals and pretty much all food in the park. We don't like to feel restricted in the parks so we pretty much don't hold back and then Christmas time souvenirs! I just couldn't do it.
So next year when we go for a shorter trip, 3 days in the park, I'm telling myself that we will finally do it lol We will see

 

[Midnightred]

I always go back and forth with onsite vs offsite, and I really can't justify the cost. I'm not cheap either, I've plunked down $1,000 a night for a hotel in Hawaii before. We personally like having the 2 bathrooms and 2 big rooms in the Kid's Suite at HOJO because it's more comfortable for us. Sometimes I think about how nice it would be to go right into the Grand after WOC is over, and going the opposite way of the crowds and be in your bed in a few min., but not enough yet to give up that extra space and bathroom. I also travel with my cousin who doesn't make the salary I do, and we are Disney buddies.

Midnightred