Need some "OFFSITE" encouragement!!

[Pug Mom]

One of the downsides to coming on these boards is seeing everyones posts sometimes makes you question the plans you've already made. For some reason, I am having "offsite" anxiety. My husband and I (no kids) are booked for a 6 night stay at the Radisson Resort Parkway for $69 a night. Before I found these boards, I was so excited about our trip and choice of hotel as the pictures of its pool facilities (the most important aspect for us) look fabulous from the pictures I've seen. Plus theres two outdoor hottubs (a must!!). I know our trip will be great but I can't help this annoying feeling I now have, thanks to the "ONSITE" diehards from these boards, that somehow I have made a mistake by not staying onsite. This is our first trip so I guess we won't know the difference of not having the "Disney magic". We will be renting a car so we can get around freely. While I am well informed of why the onsiters choose to stay onsite, I would like to hear from some of the DIEHARD OFFSITERS! I want to hear more from the "other side" who believe the magic is still possible staying 1.5 miles away from Maingate. There has to be some of you out there!!

 

[tiggermiller's mom]

WHAT A COINCIDENCE-- YOU JUST RESPONDED TO MY THREAD ABOUT HOTEL WORRY AND NOW I'M GOING TO MAKE YOUR TRIP MORE RELAXED.

TO BE HONEST, BESIDES THE "MAGIC" OF STAYING ONSITE AT DISNEY, THE BEST PART ABOUT ON SITE IS THE EARLY MORNING BENEFIT OF GETTING IN BEFORE ALL THE OFFSITERS.

I WOULD RECOMMEND EVERYONE STAY ONSITE AT SOME TIME IN THERE LIVES, PREFERRABLY BEFORE THE ee MORNINGS ARE CANCELLED IN OCTOBER. BUT IF YOU CAN'T, JUST MAKE SURE YOU DO SOME OF THESE THINGS:

1--TAKE IT SLOW AND DON'T FRET THE CROWDS, LOOK ALL AROUND AND TAKE IN EVEN THE LITTLE THINGS AT THE PARKS. MAKE IT ABOUT HAVING A MEMORABLE TIME WITH THE PERSON YOU ARE WITH. HAVE YOUR PICTURE TAKEN TOGETHER SOMEWHERE MEMORABLE.

2--SPEND TIME ON THE MONORAIL RESORTS. TAKE A WALK ON THE BEACH FROM THE GF ALONG THE MONORAIL ROUTE. DO A CHARACTER BREAKFAST OR MEAL AT THE CONTEMP. STOP IN AF THE GF AND TOUR THE BUILDING, IT IS GORGEOUS. STOP IN THE ATRIUM LOBBY AND DANCE WITH YOUR HUBBY. (THEY OFTEN HAVE A SMALL BAND PLAYING IN THE EVENINGS.)

3--SEE ILLUMINATIONS PREFERRABLY FROM A PICTURESQUE PLACE LIKE AFTER DINNER ON THE DECK OF THE JAPANESE REST.

4-GET A FACIAL AT THE GF SPA OR AT THE CONTEMP.

5-DINNER AT THE CALIF. GRILLE DURING FIREWORKS.

6-VISIT THE AKL JUST FOR THE VIEW.

7-SIGN UP FOR THE CAMP WILDERNESS BBQ

IF YOU DEVOTE SOME OF YOUR TIME TO TAKING IN THE ONSITE AREA, YOU WILL COME HOME FEELING FULFILLED AND NOT LIKE A SECOND CLASS CITIZEN

YOU KNOW HOW I KNOW THIS?? I WAS AN ONSITE JUNKIE FOR MY BIG FIRST TRIP IN 2001. STAYED AT THE CR AND AKL. , AND NOW THAT I'M GOING TO WDW AFTER EARLY ENTRY IS BEING CANCELLED , I'M STAYING OFF SIGHT AT THE AMERIHOST IN KISSEMEE, RIGHT? I JUST CAN'T SEE SPENDING 150-400 A NIGHT FOR JUST A HOTEL ROOM WHEN I CAN GET A KITCHEN, SEPERATE ROOM FOR THE KIDS AND FREE SHUTTLE TO WDW.

FOR $69.00!!!

IT WILL BE OK!!!! DON'T WORRY!!!

 

[Jane E.]

Pug Mom, I've only stayed onsite one night (AKL) in all of my WDW trips. The money issue is an important one. In the past we've stayed at offsite condos, suite hotels, or priceline hotels. After a hectic day at the parks, its so nice to get offsite, find a nice restaurant & have a relaxing swim. There have been times that the parks have been so busy we've been glad to get off of Disney grounds. Enjoy your trip & have fun!

 

[MrsPotts]

We stayed off-site last month and enjoyed it. We rented a house that was just down the road from WDW. Took less than 5 minutes to get there. We never had any problem with traffic and enjoyed the peace and quiet after a hectic day. We didn't miss and "Disney Magic".

 

[aprincessmom]

I've done both on- and off-site and still prefer off-site. Just the fact that you can get so much more for your money in terms of space and peace!

For all of our stays on-site, I have yet to experience the "magic" everyone talks about. I have experience some convenience (the busses) and general happiness but nothing that I couldn't have experienced off-site (except the busses but if you have a park hopper you can use the busses to move between resorts).

We've never had towel animals, special mousekeeping encounters, CMs who've gone out of their way to make our visit, pictures delivered, etc. Don't get me wrong, we've had a good time and everyone has been polite and courteous and accomodating...but no more so than those employees of off-site resorts.

So don't sweat it. Enjoy the magic of the parks while you're there and then come back to your resort and enjoy the magic of just being on vacation! Have a great time.

 

[Debbie-TN]

We have also stayed on-site and off-site. We love to stay off-site in Kissimmee. It's so quick to get to the parks and if you take your own car, you don't have to wait for a bus at the end of a long tiring day. Put a small cooler in the car with some canned drinks, have a drink, wait for some of the traffic to clear out and then leave. We are never in the room for long except to sleep and shower, so I can't see spending a lot of money for a place you're at for only a few hours a day. I would rather spend the money of other things like some nice meals or souviners. Even the first time we went we stayed at an Econolodge and had a great time. Don't let anyone tell you that you will missing out on something special if you stay off-site. It's just not so!

 

[tobylee]

my family and i have just come back ,we stayed at the dolphin hotel,when you go to the park you do not need to do anything for fun because you will feel like a big kid all over again,the atmosphere there is unbelievable,when you have been there for only one day you will realise why people go back time after time,we have already made plans for 2004 to go back.

 

[LADYnTRAMP]

I Love staying off-site. I have stayed on site at the CBR and at SOG (if you still consider that onsite) and it just doesn't make sense. If you have a rental car (we always do because we love the freedom and like to go shopping) there are so many great places to stay that are close to the "Magic". Alot places offer free breakfast and almost everyone offers the shuttle if you want to use it. Most of all the nice hotels have great pools and other amenities with spacious accomodations that can't compare to the onsite resorts unless you want to take out a loan! In 7 weeks we're staying at the Amerisuites in the new Calypso Cay Resort and are SO excited. They have a great comp. breakfast, shuttle service, a neat pool and comp. 18 hole mini. golf. I could go on...I promise, if you are excited about your trip you will have a great time no matter where you stay. Remember, it's what YOU make of it!
Have a blast!!!
Susan

 

[MsGail]

Pug Mom, I've stayed both offsite and on property. The early entry advantage to staying on site was the clincher to me. That was the biggest seller but now that Disney now longer offers that perc it doesn't matter. The Disney bus system was the next best advantage. It is rather nice just to walk out the gates and board a bus. Although the disadvantage to that was the many stops along the way.

Staying offsite also saved me alot of money in food. When I stayed on property we tended to eat at Disney more than going outside. I cost less for a family of 4 to eat outside of the Disney resturants.

This time I'm staying at an off site condo and I'm looking forward to it. When you stay onsite you feel like you have to do a park every day. I'm going to take a day or two and do some outlet shopping and just plain relaxing. I think you will be happy either way! Just enjoy!

 

[B3LM]

It will be fine as long as you have your own car. We've stayed on-site several times, but over Easter break, we stayed at Comfort Inn-LBV. We had no problem with staying off-site, although, I wouldn't want to have to use their shuttle because it only runs a few times each day.

Everything is very well marked with signs - we had no trouble finding our way around at all.
Have a great trip!
Beth

 

[Robinrs]

I frankly PREFER offsite. Why? I like the city of Orlando, not just WDW. When I say I'm going to Orlando, that's what I'm doing, going to the city and all it has to offer. And that's ALOT!

I agree, you have to have your own car if you're staying offsite. I always rent a car because I like exploring. The times I stayed on property I had no use for them except for a jaunt to Universal, and then I'd take a taxi or shuttle.

I also prefer lots of SPACE, which you don't get too much of without a paying a real premium at Disney. I like to rent condos or homes and that way I escape the crowds and have some real peace and quiet. After all, I AM on vacation!

I think it depends on your mindset and experiences. There are thousands of options OFF property, not all nice ones. If someone goes to a 2 star hotel offsite and has a bad experience, of COURSE they're going to hate the whole idea of offsite. I don't like anything less than a 3 star and since I have ONE STAR or ALL STAR pockets I have to stay off to get what I want! It gets this single Mom and her son going back 4 to 5 times a year!

 

[jeff968]

We stayed at Port Orleans and Dixie Landings two years in a row. The next year we wanted to visit Orlando again but I didn't quite have as big a budget. We ended up at the Radisson Resort Parkway. After the first day I couldn't believe how nice it was and what a value at $59 a night (this was back in 1995). The Disney resorts were twice the money. We had a great time, the resort was beautiful and we saw lots of additional sites outside of Disney. Since then we have returned to Orlando 5 times and stayed at a different offsite location everytime. This year we were at the Hilton Grand vacation club. For me, staying offsite allows my vacation budget to go so much further and we still get as much of the Disney experience as we want using some of the suggestions mentioned earlier. On top of that, Orlando and Florida have so much more to see and do. I just spent a week at Disney's Grand Californian for a work conference. It was a beautiful place but no nicer then the Hilton we stayed at and the Hilton was one third the price and we had a two bedroom suite!!! Offsite works for me.

 

[deena]

Pugmom as I have been staying offsite for years now traveling to WDW and I have yet to have a bad experience or not feel any the desbcribed magic that many feel can only be obtained by being onsite yet in all my times of vacationing. We usually stay for atleast a week and we enjoy being able to have extra space to roam around inside of the room when returning back from touring parks during the day as well as enjoying amenities that many off property resorts offer their guests.

A lot of hotels outside of WDW are so close and literally right next door that the drive is less than a ten minute trek and it is also super convenient to other fun attractions in the area whether major theme parks or other smaller scale museum/amusement type of attractions should you want to stop by. Also, you are close to all different varieties of restaurants and grocery stores even superwalmart for picking up any additional items you may need while in town. Definitely the savings of being offsite have allowed us to stay longer/visit more often and leaves money left over for more food, drinks, snacks, souvenirs, along with miscellaneous things.

Also, for me the comfort level just can't be beat by staying in accomodations that are maximized in size which really gives everyone in the family their own sort of personal space by not being cramped up within smaller WDW quarters; breaking from frantic pace of huge crowds that offsite provides has been a plus too.

Hope this helps some!

 

[hellokitty]

hey jeff with the mousesavers rate you can get the 1995 prices this summer!! at the radisson
was it really nice?

 

[Fauster]

My first trip was on-site. My kids were 5 & 3 and we only did the 4 Disney parks. Even though it was expensive, it was a good decision for us at the time and we have no regrets.

This trip is a little different. The kids are 8 & 6 and we'll be going to Sea World and Universal as well as Disney. Looking back at what I paid for lodging on my last trip, it just doesn't make sense to pay a premium to stay on-site this trip. However, if the Poly would offer the same rate as the HIFS AND EE was brought back, I might consider switching. But I'm not holding my breath......

Hey Pug Mom, look at it this way. Do you have to stay at the Hotel Hersey to enjoy a day at Hershey Park, or can you have just as much fun if you have a 20 minute drive home at the end of a busy day? Have a good trip from Harrisburg!

 

[Pug Mom]

Hey Neighbor! Very good point about the Hotel Hershey!! I'm getting so excited about my trip now!! My anxiety has subsided and now I'm just counting down the days till we leave next weekend!! I think the Radisson Resort Parkway is going to be great and just the fact that we will be at WDW will be "magical" enough for me!!

So are you enjoying this great "Florida" weather we've been having the past few days here in good old Central PA....I'm really qetting anxious now!!

 

[kilarney]

Count me as an offsite fan!
We don't have kids, so we are really just looking for a place to crash for the night. With a rental car, we are just as close (time-wise) to Disney as many people that stay at Disney and use their busses. Of course when we have kids... we'll have to give an on-site property a try.

For what you are paying, I think you can do a lot better through Priceline. Have you taken a look at www.biddingfortravel.com ?? You can get a resort for $75/night. We used Priceline on our last trip, and got a room at the Marriott World Center for $75/night. The pool was awesome! If you want a nice pool, any resort on Priceline would make you happy.

Good luck!

 

[jeff968]

HelloKitty, the Radisson is a very nice place and coming off of the Disney resorts at 2 times the price plus some it was very nice. I have since stayed at other resorts which are nicer then the Radisson (the HGVC was the best yet) but I still remember my first off Disney experience at the Radisson (actually a Ramada in 1995) was a positive one.

 

[lisa000]

Hi Pug Mom,
To make you feel better we stayed at the Radisson on Palm Parkway April 13-19th. It is a clean, friendly hotel. The pool was very nice and the restaurant had a really good buffet for breakfast. The area was great, you can walk to a shopping mall, and all the popular restaurants were very close. We drove and getting around to many places was very easy from there.