Off-site hotel would Save us $1400. WWYD?

[Pembo]

Stay offsite and enjoy the extra spending money.

We tried Windsor Hills a couple years ago and I admit it is a different vacation experience being offsite, I love the extra space and being away from the high prices for everything.

 

[englishteacha]

We always stay offsite. We can't afford to travel if we don't travel frugally. We've rented a 3 bedroom condo for $50-75 a night through private owners. We rent the cheapest car we can once we get there (Driving from Maine isn't very fun). We eat cheaply offsite when convenient, sometimes have breakfast and snacks in our room, and eat counter service in WDW when we're in the parks. $1400 is A LOT of money. That's another vacation! Or a deck. Or several car payments. Or a start on baby's college fund.... Yeah. I'd stay offsite.

I'd REALLY check your figures. You can get a cheaper car to rent if you're going to drive down in a rental. You could likely rent a condo or suite or villa through VRBO or vacationrentals.com for less than the Hawthorne Suites, or stay at another "chain" suite hotel that might be a bit cheaper. Travelzoo is your friend for hotel bargains in Orlando. Not only would I bank that $1400, I'd try to save even more.

 

[fairytinkerbell]

Thanks you guys for all the helpful and informative responses.

I really appreciate it!

I hope I can remember what everyone said as I write in this box.

We are renting from Hertz because they are the only ones with unlimited
mileage, and we need that. We were thinking of renting a car because as someone mentioned, too, wear and tear and there could be flooding or something and I don't want to worry there and back. We would get the extra insurance each day too. That is for a small SUV. They said the rate might drop by the summer, by $100 or so. I've tried priceline, etc. for better rates, but nothing less is coming up. I have AAA so I got that discount at least.

DH doesn't want interior rooms, so I guess POR is out. I held a room at WL for $2100. I have 4 days left to put a deposit.

Which hotel has a lazy river? we'd love that!

 

[deva]

How long ago did you book the minivan through Costco and does that include unlimited mileage? If I could get a deal like that, that's the difference in gas prices for me driving my 15-16mpg SUV 2500 miles RT to Orlando and back versus driving a 23-24mpg minivan and I'd save the wear and tear on my car. I wonder if it's too late now to get such a deal since we're leaving in 3 1/2 weeks?

-Astrid

DH booked monday night for around $280, I think, and Tuesday it had dropped even more. We are picking up and dropping off at airport. Thru Alamo. With Costco you get two drivers at no additional cost and I am virtually certain it is unlimited mileage (all other times we rented from MCO it was, so I am assuming this is no different). I thought most rentals now were unlimited milage.

 

[CarolineB]

I didn't read through all the posts so I don't know if this was already said but I would put the $1,400 towards an extra mortgage payment.

Does the $1,400 in savings include the hotel taxes or is that the base price. You might even be saving more after you factor in hotel taxes.

Anyway, I would save the money. You can still go to any of the WDW resorts for a meal, a drink, entertainment, etc. (just don't swim in their pool lol.)

 

[robinb]

I thought you decided on WL earlier last week after (it seemed) weeks of waffling. And now you are STILL waffling?!?! Decide on your budget and then select the accommodation that fits in that budget. It's really not rocket science and you will have a good time no matter where you stay. You are making yourself (and the rest of us) crazy by second guessing yourself and asking the same question again and again and again on different boards. You have been given TONS of good advise on basically the same thread at least twice prior to this one.

One question: What the heck are you buying Hertz's insurance if you insure your own car at home? That is a total waste of money. Call your insurance agent and convince yourself that your own car insurance will pay for any possible damage.

 

[dougsmom98]

$1400 is a lot of money. For me, this would be a no brainer. There is absolutely no magic that could get me to part with that much money, if I knew I didn't have to.

Check out the rental car tab on www.mousesavers.com to look for codes for rental cars. We always get a minivan and we have never paid more than $320 including all taxes and fees - always with unlimited mileage. You need to check mousesavers weekly and try the codes there just as often. As soon as you see a good price jump on it and cancel what you have for a reservation.

 

[cluvsdisney]

I would stay offsite in a heartbeat to save that much money, especially since you're going to have a car with you (which I am sure you can get for less...keep checking rates, check out the mouse savers link above, sign up for their loyalty programs, etc).

Did you check the prices of the swan & dolphin? They have deluxe features at a better price point than Disney deluxes (from what I have seen posted). They will still be more than staying off site but it really comes down to what is most important to you.

 

[eliza61]

We can stay at Hawthorn Suites for $750ish or POR for $1350 or WL for $2150.
This is only for 6 nites. We are hoping to drive to WDW so we'd stay at hotels 2x on the ride there and back.

Tickets $700 (univ and 5 day)
Rental car: $800 or $600 if not suv

I am getting un-enthused over my trip.
Was excited, but after realizing it's $3000k min. after food etc. Not that excited over blowing money for one week.

I hope I will even want to take the long drive down and be in the mood for that drive. Will not fly this trip.

LOL. no contest for me.

First let me say I've a annual visit to disney so I don't buy into the "can only get disney magic by staying onsite" mentality. Really? knowing I'm spending an extra 3K needlessly would pretty much kill any "magic" for me.

If I did not own a dvc I would probably never stay onsite. We can't do values and no way would I ever pay over 300 bucks a night for what is really a decorated Marriot.

I don't use disney transportation, so that is not a perk for me. In fact the couple of times we stayed at BC or the Waldorf we got to our resort FASTER then getting to any disney resort with the exceptions of the Epcot resorts where we walked.

the only thing I miss when I'm offsite is the EMH's. We love being there for late nights.

3K difference. sorry I can buy a whole lot of pixie dust for that. Ask yourself would you get 3000 worth of value just by staying onsite?

 

[Lucky4me]

I would stay offsite, but at Bonnet Creek if it was that important to stay "on site".
We will stay on site if it's just two of us going, but any more than that we get a condo or a rental home a few miles down the road from Disney. When we stay at WIndsor Hills, which has a 24 hour manned gate, we actually get to the parks faster than if we were at a value resort taking the buses. There are short cuts to all the parks where the traffic is low.

I also get enough Disney magic the 10-12 hours I'm in the parks, I don't need it 24/7. Having a 500 square foot master suite with a huge jacuzzi tub in the bathroom is very magical. lol I don't think most hotel rooms on site are even 500 square feet. We love having our own rooms in a large house or condo. We don't get on each others nerves by the end of the vacation like we would staying in a hotel room.

I've saved thousands of dollars over the past 20 years staying off site. If you're budget minded, it really is the way to go.

 

[peytonfinnmom]

I agree with Robinb that you have gotten a lot of great advice on this board and the other ones you posted as well. To be honest you don't seem that interested in taking the advice... Just my personal opinion. Everyone is telling you that your car rental cost is extremely high but you are not even exploring other options that were suggested. I get the feeling you are not really looking for a budget type trip and are trying to still justify staying at WL. If your husband does not want to stay in either values or moderates because of exterior doors and interior doors then you don't have a lot of options. People also suggested staying off site at Wyndham Bonnet Creek which is fabulous ... On property but not owned by Disney and has a lazy river. It extremely easy on the budget when you rent through a private owner not via there website. It costs us about $850 for 9 nights for a 2 bedroom suite last time we stayed. I would say to decide what your budget really is for this trip and work backwards to see what resorts fit the budget and then add in all other costs and if your in your budget in staying at WL then just decide and move on to the rest of planning. Good luck!

 

[Marionnette]

Thanks u guys. Keep responses / ideas coming. Reading them all twice.

To clear up some stuff, yes we've paid thousands for one week @ WDW, but we used to not care as much. Now we're paying down mortgage and focusing on that, plus taking vacation $2k+ in summer. If we just went on 1 vacation a year, we'd stay at the GF!!!

I don't know if the time will come and it's not the summer so I won't be as adventurous to take a long drive so far away from home.

It also kind of annoys me that Disney charge for every little thing - they can't offer a free breakfast? even donuts for crying out loud??? gimme a break!
And the prices are so high - it's ridiculous. The rooms look small and door to outside, DH doesn't want, so there goes moderates and value resorts.

I have a PIN # and they supposedly applied it, along w/ AAA, but that's the price. They don't care about saving people money.

Sorry, but Disney does not have to save people money and sacrifice their bottom line in the process. They are not a charity. They are a business with stockholders to answer to. Just because they market pixie dust and warm fuzzy feelings, that doesn't mean that they are anything other than a business.

If the cost of staying onsite is outside of your budget, then you either stay home until you have the means to stay onsite or you choose to stay offsite. It's really that simple. Decide and move on. You can stay onsite, spend more money and get your interior doorway or you can go offsite, spend less and still get an interior doorway. Complaining to us that it costs too much to meet your taste and budget is not going to change any of that.

I'm beginning to wonder whether you want help at all or whether you just want the attention.

 

[Nayan]

One question: What the heck are you buying Hertz's insurance if you insure your own car at home? That is a total waste of money. Call your insurance agent and convince yourself that your own car insurance will pay for any possible damage.

Unfortunately many insurance companies do not insure rentals, unless one is needed in case of an accident. I was trying to rent a car when we were planning on a westward trip and was told I had to buy the rental companies insurance. So maybe that's why?

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

We are renting from Hertz because they are the only ones with unlimited mileage, and we need that.

Which hotel has a lazy river? we'd love that!

Hilton Orlando, Marriott Grand Lakes, and Holiday Inn Orange Lake all have lazy rivers onsite.

Coco Key has and indoor/outdoor waterpark onsite.

I think you are making a mistake on narrowing your car rental search to Hertz only for the unlimited mileage perk. Virtually all the companies listed on www.carrentalsavers.com include unlimited mileage. Certainly Alamo does (we rented through them in January and paid less than $70 for an entire week and that included unlimited mileage AND a free additional driver with my free Alamo Insiders membership). My Budget rental for this coming August is only $143 for the week (full sized car) and again, that's unlimited mileage, a free spousal driver, and all taxes and fees included. You can do MUCH better than your Hertz rate and use the car rental savings elsewhere.

 

[kkandaj]

so I don't buy into the "can only get disney magic by staying onsite" mentality. Really? knowing I'm spending an extra 3K needlessly would pretty much kill any "magic" for me.

My thoughts exactly!!!

 

[maxiesmom]

It also kind of annoys me that Disney charge for every little thing - they can't offer a free breakfast? even donuts for crying out loud??? gimme a break!
And the prices are so high - it's ridiculous. The rooms look small and door to outside, DH doesn't want, so there goes moderates and value resorts.

I have a PIN # and they supposedly applied it, along w/ AAA, but that's the price. They don't care about saving people money.

Disney has resorts that will fit into your budget, you just don't like them. They don't owe anyone a deluxe vacation at a value price, which is what you seem to want.

I have no problem staying off-site, and have done so many times. If you can find an off-site resort that suits your needs and saves you a lot of money, then book it. But you need to decide if you want to save the money or stay at a deluxe resort. No one else can make that decision for you.

Btw, if you like you can always bring food into the parks for your meals. That is one way that Disney does help people save money. Most places don't allow their guests to bring their own food in.

 

[momto2inKC]

I have a PIN # and they supposedly applied it, along w/ AAA, but that's the price. They don't care about saving people money.

Actually you can't combine discounts. You might check and see which discount you actually got, then price out the other one, maybe it'll be cheaper.

 

[tstidm1]

FairyTinkerbell, Are you close enough to take Amtrak or a bus? You may save yourself money by going via train or Bus depending on where you are. Could you also look at some of the deep discount programs such as the Annual Passholders or are military? Mom and I are staying on site in July due to Mom's (spouse of one who served) military discounts on tickets and rooms.

 

[SaraJayne]

Thanks you guys for all the helpful and informative responses.

I really appreciate it!

I hope I can remember what everyone said as I write in this box.

We are renting from Hertz because they are the only ones with unlimited
mileage, and we need that. We were thinking of renting a car because as someone mentioned, too, wear and tear and there could be flooding or something and I don't want to worry there and back. We would get the extra insurance each day too. That is for a small SUV. They said the rate might drop by the summer, by $100 or so. I've tried priceline, etc. for better rates, but nothing less is coming up. I have AAA so I got that discount at least.

DH doesn't want interior rooms, so I guess POR is out. I held a room at WL for $2100. I have 4 days left to put a deposit.

Which hotel has a lazy river? we'd love that!

Check again. Most car rental companies have unlimited mileage.

What do you mean, your DH doesn't want "interior" doors??

 

[starry_solo]

For the insurance (on the rental car):
1. Check your personal car insurance first;
2. Check what your credit card's policies are for rental cars (do they provide "insurance").

Typically, a car rental company's insurance is secondary to your own personal car insurance (or homeowner's insurance - you'd be surprised at what is covered under that policy).