Need advice about staying off property

[HPS3]

We have been to WDW many times and have never stayed off property, but with the costs always going up, we are considering it. Can anyone give their thoughts and opinions. We are looking at Wyndham Bonnet Creek. One concern is driving. We like just being able to walk to the bus stop, hop on, and not worry about directions or traffic etc. Also, and I know this will sound petty, but I like having fresh towels, clean room etc by Mousekeeping without having to do it myself. Does doing chores like this make it feel less of a vacation? Help!

 

[GSLand]

We stayed at a condo for one trip. It was convenient to have a kitchen, and more room(!). And the drive in was a short, direct drive to the MK park. And, of course, the price was much less. The resort was beautiful and I did not feel we were missing any of the amenities of the a WDW resort - other than bus service.
What I didn't like: the drive back at the end of the day. Even though DH did the driving I was the navigator, and I found it confusing to find our way back to the condo from the parks other than the MK.
I did not miss not having fresh towels and other maid services. With just the two of us it wasn't needed.

 

[brandylouwho]

We just got back from our first offsite visit (stayed at Wyndham Bonnet Creek) and we loved it. We like staying onsite too, but prefer the timeshare/condo type rooms and renting WBC prices beat DVC by a mile.

I like having a washer & dryer in the room. We could bring far less clothing that way (for an 11 night stay). We just threw the towels in with our clothes-did about one load per day (either while we were gone to the parks or when we went to bed, as the w/d were sort of noisey).

I also like having the option to cook in the room. We got up early and often ate breakfast in the room, but then ate lunch and dinner out. Or just made pizza or easy meals in the room. Also appreciated having a full size refrigerator for soft drinks, beer, etc.

I like the idea that housekeeping/strangers had no reason to be in my room every day.

My DH did the driving while I navigated. It took a day or so to get our bearings, but it was not difficult to get around at all. The GPS on our phones was our friend. I prefer driving to the bus, never had to wait or cram into a full bus. We came and went as we pleased. (Unless we wanted to consume a lot of alcohol. Then the bus would win).

Our kids appreciated the space. They needed time apart, even if one was in a bedroom and the other was in the living room.

The only negatives I can think of are 1) you need to pay to park at the parks (unless you have an AP and 2) You'll make your FP+ plans at 30 days instead of 60, so 7DMT and FEA are not likely to be available (although we did snag 4 Frozen FP by checking randomly)

 

[ExpatDisneyLover]

Transportation is a real advantage to staying onsite but with the prices going up so high for Disney resorts, like you I am booking an off site trip this year. I'll be staying at Universal and driving a rental car to WDW with an annual pass.

Having lived eight months in Orlando I enjoyed many off site trips and well, enjoyed them even though I wasn't in the Disney bubble. Just a few thoughts - I enjoyed driving myself over staying at other hotels which offered transportation shuttles. The shuttles just didn't compare to Disney and well left me a bit grumpy - however driving myself gave me more freedom and I like the way Disney does parking and so it wasn't too much of a hassle. I did have an annual pass though and that helped with parking expenses. Some of the shuttles I tried were the Downtown Disney Hotels, Hilton Bonnet Creek/Waldorf Astoria, and South I drive area hotel shuttles. None of them were as convenient as Disney transport.

If I were booking off site -I would give myself something I loved at a price point Disney can't match whether it is more space, a kitchen, more luxurious pool, included breakfast - the Orlando area offers all of these at really great prices - much cheaper than Disney. That way, I don't feel cheated.

I am staying at Cabana Bay resort because well it is a whole lot cheaper even with paying for hotel parking and a rental car. Plus I can enjoy the pools and lazy river, the nearness of city walk and Universal attractions/restaurants. Was I planning a Universal trip - not really (actually have never been) but because the prices have gone up so much Disney has made it one for me this time around - and I am a total Disney geek.

Have fun exploring all the great places to stay in Orlando - there are so many!

 

[topiney]

Two years ago we rented a home in the Indian Creek development and I must say we were all so pleasantly surprised how much we all liked it. We went with our two daughters and their families (5 adults and 4 kids). The trip back and forth to Disney was very easy and only took about 10 minutes. We had two cars and went to Disney 3 days and then went to other places the rest of the week. We saved so much money by doing this and we all enjoyed doing our own thing. The house also had a heated pool which we all could not wait to get back to in the evening (we are from PA so swimming during Thanksgiving week was a real treat)!!!!!! We would consider this as a great option in the future.

 

[mernin]

We've stayed off property in a condo twice now. We love the space and the price! We bring a gps with us for the rental car so we don't have to be great about directions. We didn't mind driving and it was a quick trip from condo to property. We had a pool in our backyard as well as two pools & hot tubs in the facility. We also did laundry in the condo so packing less was possible. We ate at the condo for several meals during our week - just picked up easy to make foods at the nearby grocery store. I would hesitate to stay off site again, especially for an extended stay.

 

[JonesFamilyTravels]

I actually love the hotels in Bonnet Creek! You are right down the road from Disney Springs, Epcot, and Disney's Hollywood Studios. The pool is also amazing at this resort!!

 

[dreiwhit]

We stay off site because my father-in-law can get us a week at a condo for free. If he isn't able to, we can book one for $349 a week through my employer. We can't pass up either one of those two.

If we stay off International Drive due east of the parks, we are @15 minutes away from Epcot, and slightly more for the rest of the parks. The time to drive to any of the parks isn't a big deal.

What we like is having an in room washer and dryer and full kitchen. We usually will eat breakfast and supper in the room and lunch at the parks. Keep in mind that some condos do not have in room washers and dryers - you have to find one that does.

While we think its nice to be able to stay on property one day, we just can't justify it because of the additional cost.

 

[mom2rtk]

We stay off site because my father-in-law can get us a week at a condo for free. If he isn't able to, we can book one for $349 a week through my employer. We can't pass up either one of those two.

If we stay off International Drive due east of the parks, we are @15 minutes away from Epcot, and slightly more for the rest of the parks. The time to drive to any of the parks isn't a big deal.

What we like is having an in room washer and dryer and full kitchen. We usually will eat breakfast and supper in the room and lunch at the parks. Keep in mind that some condos do not have in room washers and dryers - you have to find one that does.

While we think its nice to be able to stay on property one day, we just can't justify it because of the additional cost.

I would love to have a washer and dryer in our room!

But I *might* pay extra NOT to have a kitchen.

 

[NH-to-FL]

I would not be too concerned about driving around the World. The signage is good. Spend a few minutes with Google maps before the trip and you will be fine. The only park where driving makes it a bit more time consuming is MK where you park at the TTC and either boat, monorail, or bus to the park. And remember to factor in the $20/day parking fee unless you have an AP.

As to daily fresh towels, only you can make that cost/benefit decision. I will say that DW and I (no kids) easily made the transition from many visits to BWI to staying in an offsite villa. We found increased vacation relaxation by having more of our own space and increased flexibility in our meals. Having a washer/dryer made packing a bit easier. The villa quickly became our 'home away from home' and is now our snowbird home.

 

[lindsmom]

We have stayed off site twice, and are going back for a third time in April (to WBC). Our family LOVES it. We definitely need our space - no way could we all be in one bedroom for a week. So as far as price point, we would be comparing an AOA suite versus a WBC condo (which would still have more square footage) and the price difference is not even close. That money goes toward us not worrying about paying for meals, or buying souvenirs etc during the week.

Personally we enjoy getting out of the bubble, also. Disney is great but it's not for us 24/7. That's just a personality thing, of course, but it is nice to get out of the bubble and then go back into it. It's like each day is a new vacation day!

ETA: I would throw a load of towels in when we went out for the parks, then toss in the dryer when we came back for a midday break. They would be dry for the evening swim or showers the next day. Also like another poster, we only packed 5 days of clothes then did 2 loads of wash (1 white, 1 color) midweek. Perfect.

 

[Lizziotti]

The first time we stayed off site I'll admit I was bummed I thought I'd really miss being on Disney. I was also nervous about the drive since I had to do it alone since my husband was working. my husband was sent to a trade show in Orlando so they paid for a hotel for us. So we still had housekeeping so I can't comment about that I can say that with using a gps the driving was a breeze and I preferred it over waiting in line for the buses and being crammed in. I definitely didn't like the price to park though.

 

[Klayfish]

We never stay on site, and have no interest in it. We have at least 10 trips under our belt off property. Not that we have anything against staying on property, it's just of no interest to us. There are so many things we love about staying off site.

We don't have to rely on buses. We can go wherever we want, whenever we want. Want to go from AK to Disney Springs? Easy. Epcot to Blizzard Beach? Just hop in the car. I like driving, so I don't consider it a chore whatsoever. Signs are everywhere, quite easy to follow. Driving around off WDW property is easy too. Any phone GPS will get you where you need to go. Most of the good off site resorts are only 10 minutes away from WDW entrance, so you're not driving far.

This is just a personal thing, but we're huge nutrition and fitness nuts. We could never eat in WDW parks all day, we'd get sick. It's awesome to have a full kitchen that we can have all kinds of food choices for us and the kids. I think a lot of people get the impression that it means spending hours of your vacation slaving over a hot stove. Nothing could be further from the truth. We pick up a lot of cold cuts, frozen foods for the kids (chicken nuggets, Hot Pockets, etc...), and also bulk packages of boneless, skinless chicken breast. We will then throw it in the oven one night while we're relaxing. Takes about 5 minutes to put it in a Pyrex and toss in the over. Voila, we've got food for several days. Yes, there is some "work" involved in doing this, but at least in our opinion, it's so minimal that we don't consider it an issue and it doesn't bother us one bit. We often pack up for the day while we're having our morning coffee. It's become a routine, so it's not stressful whatsoever. We just like having our own food. Outside of buying snacks/desserts, on a 14 day trip, I doubt we buy 3 meals inside WDW. Just not our thing.

Clean towels. Again, not a lot of work. Like at home, we'll use the same towels for several days. All the places we rent provide a lot of towels, so if you really want to switch every day, you could. Doing laundry is so easy. We don't fold or iron really, just wash and go. We pack clothes that specifically don't need ironing and are good with just a wash and go. Again, super simple.

I love not being confined to WDW property. We love to do things off property after a fun day at the park. Souvenir shops, Dunkin Donuts, ice cream shops, etc... Plus, if we need to run to a store to pick up any kind of supplies, it's easy to do.

Most important to us, having the space to spread out. For well under $1000/week, we can rent a 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath townhouse. After a long and fun day at the parks, it's awesome to have room to spread out and relax. The kids love going into "their" room and watching TV or playing on their phones. My wife and I can relax in the family room with a cup of coffee, etc... I think we'd kill each other if we had to spend a week or longer in the same room, especially at bedtime and waking up. Having the comforts of home while on vacation is fantastic.

I have no doubts that there are wonderful things about staying on property, there's a reason so many people do it. But it's not for us, we thoroughly enjoy being off property.

 

[mom2rtk]

We never stay on site, and have no interest in it. We have at least 10 trips under our belt off property. Not that we have anything against staying on property, it's just of no interest to us. There are so many things we love about staying off site.

We don't have to rely on buses. We can go wherever we want, whenever we want. Want to go from AK to Disney Springs? Easy. Epcot to Blizzard Beach? Just hop in the car. I like driving, so I don't consider it a chore whatsoever. Signs are everywhere, quite easy to follow. Driving around off WDW property is easy too. Any phone GPS will get you where you need to go. Most of the good off site resorts are only 10 minutes away from WDW entrance, so you're not driving far.

This is just a personal thing, but we're huge nutrition and fitness nuts. We could never eat in WDW parks all day, we'd get sick. It's awesome to have a full kitchen that we can have all kinds of food choices for us and the kids. I think a lot of people get the impression that it means spending hours of your vacation slaving over a hot stove. Nothing could be further from the truth. We pick up a lot of cold cuts, frozen foods for the kids (chicken nuggets, Hot Pockets, etc...), and also bulk packages of boneless, skinless chicken breast. We will then throw it in the oven one night while we're relaxing. Takes about 5 minutes to put it in a Pyrex and toss in the over. Voila, we've got food for several days. Yes, there is some "work" involved in doing this, but at least in our opinion, it's so minimal that we don't consider it an issue and it doesn't bother us one bit. We often pack up for the day while we're having our morning coffee. It's become a routine, so it's not stressful whatsoever. We just like having our own food. Outside of buying snacks/desserts, on a 14 day trip, I doubt we buy 3 meals inside WDW. Just not our thing.

Clean towels. Again, not a lot of work. Like at home, we'll use the same towels for several days. All the places we rent provide a lot of towels, so if you really want to switch every day, you could. Doing laundry is so easy. We don't fold or iron really, just wash and go. We pack clothes that specifically don't need ironing and are good with just a wash and go. Again, super simple.

I love not being confined to WDW property. We love to do things off property after a fun day at the park. Souvenir shops, Dunkin Donuts, ice cream shops, etc... Plus, if we need to run to a store to pick up any kind of supplies, it's easy to do.

Most important to us, having the space to spread out. For well under $1000/week, we can rent a 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath townhouse. After a long and fun day at the parks, it's awesome to have room to spread out and relax. The kids love going into "their" room and watching TV or playing on their phones. My wife and I can relax in the family room with a cup of coffee, etc... I think we'd kill each other if we had to spend a week or longer in the same room, especially at bedtime and waking up. Having the comforts of home while on vacation is fantastic.

I have no doubts that there are wonderful things about staying on property, there's a reason so many people do it. But it's not for us, we thoroughly enjoy being off property.

Different strokes for different folks. No way on earth would I even want to touch food prep (even the easy sort) after a long day in the parks. But that might be more about the fact that I do that every day at home and it doesn't feel like vacation to me.

But I have a hunch you vacation differently from us. We only view our accommodations as a place to sleep. We spend very long days in the parks and never have extended time in the room.

 

[miamimi]

This is just a personal thing, but we're huge nutrition and fitness nuts. We could never eat in WDW parks all day, we'd get sick. It's awesome to have a full kitchen that we can have all kinds of food choices for us and the kids. I think a lot of people get the impression that it means spending hours of your vacation slaving over a hot stove. Nothing could be further from the truth. We pick up a lot of cold cuts, frozen foods for the kids (chicken nuggets, Hot Pockets, etc...), and also bulk packages of boneless, skinless chicken breast.

Gee, I didn't know that chicken nuggets and hot pockets were nutritious. Are the ones at the grocery store more nutritious than the ones sold at a Disney park?

We love to do things off property after a fun day at the park. Souvenir shops, Dunkin Donuts, ice cream shops, etc...

Actually, it sounds like you love staying off property because it saves money, not because of good nutrition.

 

[BigredNole]

So far, we have only stayed offsite at WBC. We have been to DVC resorts on other's points. There is no housekeeping at DVC either and I prefer it that way. As for towels etc, I much prefer doing them myself. We take showers in the morning, toss towels in the washer, use our own detergent and fabric softener, and kick it on when we leave. When we get back, we toss it in the dryer and they are done with no muss no fuss. Spending 10 minutes a day to save $100-$500 a night is an easy pill to swallow.

We prefer driving to the parks because my MDE reservations have special notation in it. it is linked to every Magic Band and Pass I have ever owned. That little magical notation on my things always informs the bus system to suck. It tells the logistics operator that I am leaving a park and to insure no bus is available for at least an hour. People have flagged me for scheduling their trips knowing that the buses will go to garbage while I am there. On the other hand, I hop in my car and at a parking lot in 10-15 minutes with no issues at all.

 

[Spunky946]

Gee, I didn't know that chicken nuggets and hot pockets were nutritious. Are the ones at the grocery store more nutritious than the ones sold at a Disney park?



Actually, it sounds like you love staying off property because it saves money, not because of good nutrition.

I was thinking the same thing

 

[Klayfish]

Gee, I didn't know that chicken nuggets and hot pockets were nutritious. Are the ones at the grocery store more nutritious than the ones sold at a Disney park?



Actually, it sounds like you love staying off property because it saves money, not because of good nutrition.

My, my, quick to judge, aren't we? My wife is a bodybuilder, as am I (look at the profile picture, you can only see my wife's arms, but you'll get the idea). We feed our children healthy in general, but since they are 12, 9 and 9 we're not going to make them eat the same exact nutrition that my wife and I do. As I said in my post, we buy those things for the kids. If you must know, for my wife and I, we buy non-fat greek yogurt, boneless skinless chicken breast (not covered in anything), tilapia, raw almonds, and other such foods. I can assure you that my wife's daily nutrition plan isn't something you can get in WDW, and for the most part, neither is mine. We also have daily protein shakes and other things that would be far less convenient in a hotel room. To top it all off, I have Crohns' disease, so what I eat is very important and I am quite careful with it.

WDW certainly has improved their menu choices over the years, there are now healthy choices for sure, but not enough to meet our requirements. Even for our kids, the nuggets and Hot Pockets are not every meal. Even on vacation, much of the food we give them is better than what they'd get at WDW. As an example, we buy all natural peanut butter and high fiber, low carb wraps to make PB sandwiches with. Not going to find that at WDW. They are kids, so we do let them enjoy some junk snacks. Even I will eat things I like while on vacation, to the extent I can, such as some junk food, but I still maintain a very clean base. But with my health, I'd literally get sick if I ate out every meal every day. So yeah, actually, despite your misguided sarcasm, good nutrition has a ton to do with it. Surely you don't have an objection to feeding some chicken nuggets and Hot Pockets to children while on vacation, do you? Nor taking the kids out for ice cream for dessert? Again if you must know, typically my wife and I just get a cup of coffee. Though I admit that on vacation I will cheat and get ice cream sometimes, 'cause I want to. My wife, no...she won't.

And yes, saving money is never a bad things. Along with all the other perks that come with staying off property. As mom2rtk said, different strokes for different folks.

mom2rtk,
Yep, sounds like we do vacation very differently. Nothing wrong with that. As I said, I don't have anything whatsoever against staying on property. I can see where it would be attractive to people and understand why they do. It's just not for us, especially not with our current situation. Believe me, we don't go on vacation saying "Gee, I can't wait to have to prep food", but we also don't see it as a major issue or anything that interferes with our vacation. That "work" that goes into it is really a non-factor for us. Plus, we really do enjoy the freedom of having our car and our own space.

 

[dreiwhit]

But I *might* pay extra NOT to have a kitchen.

LOL!

My wife isn't a big fan of cooking after we have been in the parks all day. So, I help her out and we plan meals that take little effort, such as crock pot meals that have slow cooked all day, pizzas you can buy from the Wal Mart deli, and other stuff that only requires it to be heated up. We also take our arrival day and cook things like a home made lasagna that we can just heat up the next day.

Regarding the washer & dryer, yes it is great. Having an in room washer & dryer is a must have for us when we go on vacation. Since we drive everywhere, we take no more than 2 or 3 days worth of clothes for each of us. We will do a load of clothing every other day and hang the pants and shirts up to dry while everything else, and the towels, go in the dryer. It really doesn't take long to get that done.

 

[nursejackie]

We have stayed on and off site. Although we prefer to stay on site as we love the theme of all the Disney resorts, the main reason for us is EMH. We love going into the parks in the morning EMH, the parks are usually less busy and we can get so much done in a short time and it frees up time to explore other places in the afternoon. We have a car, which we collect from the airport, so we rarely use the transportation system (except the monorail). If they ever phase out EMH we will go back to staying off site and just visit on site resorts for dining, as it wouldn't be worth the expense IMHO.