Nervous about staying offsite

[Grog]

If someone convinces themselves they will be miserable staying off site then they will be miserable. The power of suggestion can be a strong thing. if however that same person goes into it with a positive attitude it can be a great experience.

Our last off site trip we got a three bedroom-two bath house in Kissimmee about ten minutes from the front gate. We had plenty of room, a private pool with a deck and a gas grill that was at our disposal. Seven nights for $600.

As for the magic, it's what you make of it. We didn't miss the magic by staying offsite. We also didn't miss the obnoxious tour groups, the loud people yelling through the paper thin resort walls, the long wait for a bus at the end of a long day, the wait for a bus the next morning, etc. And those are just the outside the parks non-magical experiences. I think that sometimes when people worry about missing out on the magic they are looking back at their previous trips through rose colored glasses.

Orlando is a great place to visit with great shops, restaurants, shows, and other entertainment venues out side the mouse house.

I'm as big a Disney fan as anyone (whenever I leave DL at the end of the day and see the light on in Walt's apartment my "allergies" always seem to kick in) but I'd rather have more money to spend on "stuff" than to spend it to stay at a crowded resort. That's not to say I'd never stay onsite again, but it would have to be a great deal for me to do so.

 

[lisajl]

If someone convinces themselves they will be miserable staying off site then they will be miserable. The power of suggestion can be a strong thing. if however that same person goes into it with a positive attitude it can be a great experience.

Our last off site trip we got a three bedroom-two bath house in Kissimmee about ten minutes from the front gate. We had plenty of room, a private pool with a deck and a gas grill that was at our disposal. Seven nights for $600.

As for the magic, it's what you make of it. We didn't miss the magic by staying offsite. We also didn't miss the obnoxious tour groups, the loud people yelling through the paper thin resort walls, the long wait for a bus at the end of a long day, the wait for a bus the next morning, etc. And those are just the outside the parks non-magical experiences. I think that sometimes when people worry about missing out on the magic they are looking back at their previous trips through rose colored glasses.

Orlando is a great place to visit with great shops, restaurants, shows, and other entertainment venues out side the mouse house.

I'm as big a Disney fan as anyone (whenever I leave DL at the end of the day and see the light on in Walt's apartment my "allergies" always seem to kick in) but I'd rather have more money to spend on "stuff" than to spend it to stay at a crowded resort. That's not to say I'd never stay onsite again, but it would have to be a great deal for me to do so.

I agree! This was well said! BTW-my allergies kick in when we leave WDW and the castle starts the kiss goodnight. Darn allergies!

 

[scrappinannie]

I have so been where you are. The 1st time I had to plan an offsite trip I was a wreak! In our case in one year we went from a dule income family to one income and baby #3 turned 3. It was either offsite or no Disney that year. I was convinced I was going to hate it and we were in for a nightmare trip. BOY WAS I WRONG!

That first offsite was in a condo for a fraction of the cost. We loved the space to spread out. I can't begin to express how nice it was to put the kids to bed in their own room. The full kitchen saved us both money and time. We still did a few ADR'S for some meals but not struggling through the the foodcourts with 3 kids in tow was not missed at all. The in room washer and dryer was a gift from heaven. I love the offsite experince so much that it was a few years before I ventured back on site.

We have since moved to FL. Money is not as big of an issue as in those days. We now do some trips on and some offsite. Both have their perks. My advice is to try it. If you don't find it enjoyable you can always go back to staying at Mickey's house next time.

This is where we are. Our kids are 2 & 5. We've had 2 trips to Disney with the kids. Once when our DD (who is now 5) was just a baby and once in 2010 when DD was 3 and DS just a baby. When our DD was a baby, we stayed offsite at The Fountains. We loved the room this resort offered us. 2 bedrooms are a blessing with kids, but especially with small kids. I think maybe the only downfall for us was transportation. I felt our resort was a bit out from lots of restaurants and shopping and we had to drive every where. Not a HUGE deal as we also went to SeaWorld that visit, but I did miss the ease of hopping on a bus, monorail, boat, or train to access another park without having to huff our butts and all our stuff out 8 miles to our car. In 2010 we stayed onsite at POR and LOVED it. Not a complaint in the world, other than it cost us way more.

So, I certainly am considering staying off site next trip because at this point it very well may be the difference between us going to Disney and staying home. Just do your research and take all the reviews with a grain of salt. I rely very heavily on real people reviews and photos, but even with complaints, I have to take it all in. Some people pay one star and expect 5 star service/amenities/accomodations. That's not a bad review, that's bad expectations. LOL

 

[scrappinannie]

I can't believe I just agreed with a guy from Ann Arbor! I feel so dirty.

Go Bucks!

Hahaha best thing I've heard all day! GO BLUE!

 

[ADznyDrmr]

We stayed (3 adults and 2 kids) at Port Orleans Riverside our first trip. While we had fun, the amount of walking...around the resort, to and from room, to and from bus stops, and standing and waiting at many of these stops, wore me out! Also, I'm not really into crowded pools, and we didn't have the dining plan. So, it was a no-brainer for us to give off-site a try the next year.
That next trip we stayed at Radisson LBV, and we got a rental car for the week. Huge difference! Saved $$ (important to us), no mile long treks (I got lost frequently at POR lol) to and from bus stops, only a couple of people in the pool, and we were right down the street from a huge variety of restaurants (more $$ savings for us)!
This year we have reservations with Romancing the Mouse, and I honestly can't think of a better scenario than a vacation home with a private pool and hot tub, in a gated resort with access to the beautiful zero entry resort pool and game room, our own transportation (I detested those Disney buses), and full kitchen/laundry facilities on hand! When I looked up price comparison for a 2 bedroom Disney villa (no match for the 5 bedroom/5 bath home we are renting), the current cost is a little over 3 times as much as the vacation home. No thanks!
I'm SO excited about our (forever away) trip, and I hope you make a decision you feel good about and have a WONDERFUL time!!!

Also, in response to the rental car or van being part of the equation, even if we had to budget an entire 1k for a van (we don't), we would STILL come out saving well over 1k when compared to a 2br villa (which is the closest comparison to our 5br/5bath that I can find)!!!

 

[Brian Noble]

I can't believe I just agreed with a guy from Ann Arbor! I feel so dirty.

Not just "a guy from Ann Arbor"...

http://www.eecs.umich.edu/~bnoble/UM_EECS/Welcome.html

 

[Brian Noble]

I wanted to not have to wash a dish or make a meal or make a bed as well!

You know, when I stay at DVC villas on an exchange, I have the same problem of dirty dishes and unmade beds. That's not exclusive to offsite.

 

[snowy76]

I love the way you break down the 2 out of 3 I wanted to not have to wash a dish or make a meal or make a bed as well! My DH said "for a $1.5 savings I've got it covered". He made a great breakfast everyday. We made rope-drop everyday. Had a character meal everyday. I never felt like I was on a "budget" trip It was great Good luck with whatever you decide

Our DHs must have gotten the same memo LOL. Except we just didn't bother making the beds. It was great to eat breakfast while the kids were getting ready. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed dinners at "home" too - after a couple of days of theme park food it was nice to have familiar flavors. For a 12-night stay it was essential to not have theme park food constantly.

Speaking of... just the fact that we could stay 12 nights for $135 with three bedrooms and full bathrooms was fantastic. It was our longest trip ever. I packed for a week, and we did laundry (throw some in, head to the parks). We even did laundry the night before we left - suitcases full of CLEAN clothes to put away when we got home felt heavenly!

The feeling of a "real" house made for a much more relaxing and MAGICAL vacation IMO. Space and comfort were huge factors for us this time. Of course, I still want youngest DS to experience staying on the monorail or at AKL someday... but WDW was no less special to him on this first trip of his.

 

[lisajl]

I can't believe I just agreed with a guy from Ann Arbor! I feel so dirty.

Go Bucks!

Go Bucks!


Not just "a guy from Ann Arbor"...

Wow!!!Hey there Professor!