Just Wanted Some Thoughts!!!!!

[chip64]

We have stayed offsite only a few times in all of our jouneys when visiting Walt Disney World. First let me say that for the very first time we stayed at the Celebration Hotel for a few days this past summer. We all really enjoyed this hotel. It really is worth staying at!! The town is very nice and a very nice establishment to stay at offsite from the world. Now after having said all that we have also stayed at the PBH at Universul and for the life of me, my wife and myself just couldn't put our finger on it!! Even though this is a very nice resort at Universal, it honestly just didn't have the Magic like WDW resorts do. So is it just me or does the resort not do it for you and yours like staying at WDW resorts? Just wanted some thoughts. Chip.

 

[ciera321]

I agree. We stayed at Hard Rock in June and while it was a really nice hotel, it sure didn't compare to the Disney resorts for us. The staff was OK but no one stood out as being real friendly or helpful. We love Disney resorts and will only stay on-site. Nothing like that Disney Magic 24 hours a day!!!!!!!!!

 

[Rootskate]

I have been worried about that myself. We are going for our Honeymoon in May and my Fiance would like to go to a Universal resort instead of a Disney one this time. (This is only our 2nd trip). I have been wondering if we will be sorry once we get there...

 

[dzneelvr]

We're a Disney family through and through so no Universal resort would ever "do it" for us.....opinions aside, it may be the customer service aspect of the stay. Disney is known worldwide for that and holds business seminars regularly on the topic. It's what every business strives for--customers that can't quite put their finger on what it is...it just IS.
I'm not surprised you have the feeling.

 

[princssdisnygina]

I agree, we are a Disney family and nothing just feels the same! Honestly, when you stay on Disney property you feel like you are at Disney. We stayed off property when I was younger and it just wasn't the same. The DIsney resorts give you that Disney feel! I don't think that is replaceable!

Gina

 

[lmhall2000]

We have vowed never to stay off property...the convenience of the transportation...access to great restaurants...and everything Disney is just too much fun with little kids....however, I don't think I would mind as much staying off-site if we were doing an "Orlando" trip....meaning experiencing Universal, Sea World, dinner theatre shows etc. It's just when we are doing Disney we want our entire trip to be an escape to some place and time that will be consistently brilliant....it's when you step off property that you see the "real world" out there and it takes you back to your "normal life"....seeing crazy drivers, meeting rude servers at restaurants, seeing trash on the grounds of Sea World or chewing gum on the water fountain....I'm paying more for the opportunity to find a place where nothing reminds me of the mundane aspects of daily living.

Even though there are bad experiences with CM's and hotel flub ups they are much less common and you almost have a "right" to declare "that just isn't Disney" and your opinion is shared by the majority and most the time it will be acknowledged, fixed, and/or even compensated. But if you know you're going outside Disney your expectations are different and an off-site stay would not be bad.

Tara

 

[njdc5]

My fiancee and I are staying in Disney for seven or eight nights in June on our honeymoon, and then going to the PBH for three nights; but with everything that we've read about it, we're just expecting a nice room and front-of-the-line privileges. We've heard a lot of people say that the staff are pretty rude, and they take forever to help you out.