Off-site AND on-site on same trip -- anyone done this???

[SleepingUgly]

A possibility we're considering is staying off-site for the first three nights, and then moving to an on-site resort for the last 4 (possibly 5) nights. We'll go to Sea World and Cape Canaveral those first couple of days, and then do all Disney once we are on-site. Anyone ever done this before? Are we crazy for even considering this? I figure we can get a really good deal at a middle-of-the-road place for our offsite stay (I'm getting quotes as low as $175, including taxes, for 3 nights in a 3-star hotel), and then take those savings and upgrade to a deluxe resort onsite. Our other option would be to just stay onsite the entire time, in a moderate resort. But I thought maybe the off-site option may work, since we are doing non-Disney things anyway on this trip, and I figure we can do that while we are off-site, and we can then enjoy posher accomodations while onsite. What do you think of this plan???

Linda

 

[mickilovesmickey]

We do this every trip. The only difference is that I love the Disney resorts so much that we usually do the Disney parks when we are off site. And then when we are on site, we enjoy the resort activities, DTD, and the Boardwalk. Last year was the first year that we didn't do this.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

Well, last year we stayed at HRH for three nights before moving onto Disney. Obviously we did Universal then. This year we're staying two nights at the "Nick" notel before moving onto Disney. We're planning on just enjoying the hotel or going to Sea World when we're there. We have APs and could go to Disney while we're there but for us it's just not DIsney if we're not onsite.

 

[SleepingUgly]

So you mean you do Disney while staying OFFsite, and then just enjoy the resort when ONsite? How do you handle transportation to Disney when staying offsite? I thought it would be easier to do Disney when staying ONside since we have two small chidren and would enjoy the convenience of being able to return to our room for quick, midday naps, but if you experts have other thoughts, please share them!

Linda

 

[TammiMcMan]

Linda, we did this one year and it worked out great. We actually rented a house for the first 5 days. We did some non-Disney things and enjoyed having our own pool and all that extra space. We ended the vacation by staying on site and going into the parks.

 

[mickilovesmickey]

I have 3 small children. But they all will nap in the strollers. And we usually go in July when the parks are open until late. So we still have time for the midday break. I just hate to waste the Disney resorts with spending the whole day away at the parks. We usually stay offsite very close. (right outside of DTD) We always have a car. With 3 small children and a double and a single stroller, Disney transportation was never the easy way. (at least not to me) I know a lot of people say that it is not Disney if they don't stay on site. And I can see that. But there are things that we have really loved with being off site.

 

[SleepingUgly]

But there are things that we have really loved with being off site.

And one of them, at least to me, is the PRICE! I am amazed at the prices of these hotels. Many look just like the moderate resorts at Disney, but are quoting prices of $50-$65 per night!!! And the ones that resemble the value resorts are quoting prices of $35-$45 per night. That is quite the bargain. This is why I was thinking, since we would be at Sea World and driving to Cape Canaveral for a couple of days, we could do this in the beginning, when we can stay offsite. Besides, we would not be in our room that much anyway during those two days, so the quality of our room is less important. Then, once we are at Disney, we can stay onsite at a deluxe resort and take advantage of all its amenities, which may help us relax more so we are not that tired towards the end of our vacation, and feel as if we need a vacation from our vacation!

Linda

 

[GoofyinNY]

We're doing it this year - 5 days off-site at the Nick Hotel and 5 days on-site at the Polynesian. It's our first time doing a split stay and our first time at these resorts. Talk about excited!!!

 

[DisneyMomx7]

We're doing it this year - 5 days off-site at the Nick Hotel and 5 days on-site at the Polynesian. It's our first time doing a split stay and our first time at these resorts. Talk about excited!!!

We seem to have a similar plan. Are you "doing Disney" when you're at the Nick or waiting until you get to the Poly?

 

[GoofyinNY]

We're going to do Disney at least two days during our stay at the Nick Hotel. We promised ourselves that we would do Universal and Sea World first because we tend to get caught up in Disney to the exclusion of everything else. For three years, we have failed to make it to Universal or Sea World. (LOL, but If history repeats itself, we may end up doing Disney everyday!)

 

[mel]

We're planning on doing this also this year, a few nights @ Nick Hotel and the rest of the time @ a Disney resort, but the rooms are so much nicer @ Nick hotel, we prefer to stay @ them when we aren't going to Disney. When we go to Disney we spend basically no time in our rooms. The rooms @ Disney are just two beds and a bath, one TV, where @ Nick it's LR, Bedroom and kids room with 3 TV's so you can all spread out and rest. There is also so much to do there for your children, you wouldn't have to leave if you didn't want to. Can't wait to see the new water slides the Nick hotel has!! The girls don't even want to stay @ Disney!! They just want to stay @ Nick!!

 

[Disney Doll]

Did this in November. We were three days at the Orlando Convention Center, then 4 days at OKW. While at the OCC, we did a lot of the off-site stuff, did a bit of Orlando. It was actually quite nice. Then we got to WDW, which was quite relaxing as well.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

We're planning on doing this also this year, a few nights @ Nick Hotel and the rest of the time @ a Disney resort, but the rooms are so much nicer @ Nick hotel, we prefer to stay @ them when we aren't going to Disney. When we go to Disney we spend basically no time in our rooms. The rooms @ Disney are just two beds and a bath, one TV, where @ Nick it's LR, Bedroom and kids room with 3 TV's so you can all spread out and rest. There is also so much to do there for your children, you wouldn't have to leave if you didn't want to. Can't wait to see the new water slides the Nick hotel has!! The girls don't even want to stay @ Disney!! They just want to stay @ Nick!!

Since you will be going before we do PLEASE post a trip report. I'm dying to hear all about it.

 

[mel]

Most definately!! DH and I are just about as excited as DD's are!!

 

[NC Belle]

We are doing off-site (Radisson Resort Parkway) and Sunday morning we are doing AKL. Its easier to be on-site on the most part if you are doing strictly Disney.

 

[bizeemom4]

We are going for a looong Thanksgiving vacation (hopefully). Staying offsite at Grand Cypress 2 bedroom villa $95 a night for Thanksgiving week. Then moving to Poly GV concierge when the rates drop to value the Sunday after Thanksgiving. We need TWO concierge rooms so we can't afford to stay unless it's value!! We'll do Sea World Wednesday and Thursday. Typhoon Lagoon on Friday. Then just hang out, go to DTD, etc on Saturday.

We're driving down so we'll have the luxury of having transportation.

 

[minijeanie]

in our last 7 visits, we have stayed both off and onsite.

we usually pick mariott vacation clubs because they have huge rooms, full washer dryer, and kitchen....
it has worked great for us.

still like the disney magic inside but sometimes it is hard to beat those great rates outside of wdw and for much bigger rooms

 

[Phrank40]

We have done the on/off site stay numerous times. Sometimes due to not getting code rate for a disney resort for entire stay, or where we wanted to stay was not available, or just to check out an off site hotel. Over the years it has evolved into staying at one of the Downtown Disney hotels if a good rate is available so we can walk to DD and go to the restaurants and shops there, go to Disney Quest (or as it is known in my family Dizzy Queaze) for my daughter. Numerous times we have stayed at off site hotel first night in Lake Buena Vista area if we get into Orlando late.

Phrank

 

[SleepingUgly]

Wow, I see this is a fairly popular option. I've been doing some research, and we can stay at a Best Western suite for less than $170 for three nights, and then we can move to the AKL and stay for five nights. With the AAA discount for our AKL stay, this option will only cost us about $380 more than our previous plan, which was to stay at the CSR for seven nights. So for one extra night and to be able to stay at AKL, I think this is worth it. I just hope that the CM at checkin will be kind enough to upgrade us to savannah-view!

Linda

 

[torianne31]

One of the tips that I got off of this website to cut a few cost corners is to stay at an offsite hotel the night that we drive down. It's going to be late when we get to FL (it's about a 10 hr drive from NC) so we're checking into an offsite property at araound 9 pm. We're checking into OKW the following day at a more "normal" hour. We're spending 5 nights there. When we are done at Disney (and Epcot, and AK, and MGM), we are going BACK to the offsite hotel, checking in for 2 more nights,going to Universal (we've seen enough of Seaworld in Texas and Ohio) and then heading home... We rented points from a DVC member for OKW and splitting the time up between hotels is only costing us an average of $75 per night.