Long term planning for visiting DL

[psimon]

Having just come back from WDW, I'm all juiced up to start planning for next year!

We are considering doing the West Coast next year (November time frame). I am trying to decide whether I want to stay "on property" at a DL hotel, or off property at a place like a Residence Inn, where we can either eat their quicky breakfast, or make our own in our own kitchen.

We are a family of 5, with 2 9 year olds, and 1 16 year old.

What are the upsides and downsides with staying on property vs off property? Either way, we will have a car as we want to go to other places, such as San Diego, Knotts Berry, Universal, etc.

All thoughts greatly appreciated...

---Paul in Southern NJ

 

[only1mouse]

Staying onsite a DL is much different than staying onsite at WDW. You will sometimes find it that the offsite hotels are closer to the entrances of DL/DCA than the DLH or PPH - GCH is right in the middle of it all, but the other two are not. I am a big fan of getting the whole Disney experience and when we do stay overnight we stay onsite (at the GCH).

The Disney hotels don't have kitchens etc so if you are really looking for that as part of your trip you will have to stay offsite. But there are a few "inexpensive" places to eat at the hotels or DTD. Whitewater in GCH is great and reasonably priced, LeBrea Bakery in DTD has a good variety (although, for some reason, I remember this opening up later than I expected).

Where ever you stay you will have a great time, if you go in November as you stated, it will be during the 50th and while the decoartions are up for the holidays.