Offsite...can't find the value like everyone else

[Don Disney]

With our party of eight we would need at least two rooms, more likely three if staying at a value. I really don't believe onsite is cheaper when you have larger parties. We stay at least ten nights and enjoy a little downtime at our resort. We also love a kitchen. We have strange kids I guess because they don't eat well at WDW, and I like to cook a few meals for them in the middle of the trip. My dh loves a balcony which requires deluxe. For all of the reasons mentioned we've stayed at Bonnet Creek several times. We arrive this Dec. 6th for 11 nights in a 3 bedroom for $1495.00, tax included. I can't justify spending thousands more to stay onsite. Have a great trip.

Sweeeet Price! Where did you book for that? We have 6,and could DEFINATELY use a deal like that!

 

[Ametista]

I don't think you looked hard enough. Go to Homeaway.com, go to Kissimmee and then sort by price for 1 bedrooms. There are a lot of condos for much less than what you quoted.

Also, being able to zip around in my own car is much better than bus service. Even when I stayed onsite we had our own car.

 

[TamaraQT]

Finally, speaking for nearly all husbands (and, for that matter, quite a few wives!) don't discount the value of a separate bedroom with a lockable door while on vacation.

I agree!!

 

[katyjeka]

I reserved with Vacation Strategy. They were very prompt in their replies, and seem very helpful. We've stayed at Bonnet Creek before, but this is actually the best price we've been able to get.

 

[SMWfamily]

I have recently booked through Redweek. Got a heck of a deal and I checked the renters references, address, called the resort, sent the check, then just checked resort confirmation again. All seems smooth and legit. The price, even 140 days out, was very low for a 2 bed 2 bath at Bonnet Creek. It's a chance... but sometimes chances are the only way to get the super low bargains.

Redweek requires you to pay 13.99 a year for membership. Within 48 hours I was booked.

 

[jeff968]

We save money by staying offsite. We stay at the nicer timeshare resorts. We hit the Publix as soon as we get there and do breakfast, lunch, drinks, and snacks out of our kitchen. We go out for dinner only. This saves tons of money. The resorts are great and have much to do we we spend most of our days there next to the pool. The in-room laundry is great and cuts down on the clothes we bring. We are offsiters for good now.

 

[momfeez]

We just got back from Disney with my parents and stayed at Port Orleans Riverside and had a great trip. My husband didn't go with us and hasn't been since he was 5. When we got back he said he would like for us to go next year. It will be me, him and our DD (6). He knows I'm a deal hunter so he said for me to find the best deal. We will be going in May 2014 so to get an idea of prices and things I started price comparing rates for this May.

I thought going offsite would be the way to go but now I just don't know. Here's what I found.

Blue Heron 1 bedroom - $728 for 8 nights plus a $50 cleaning fee, 6 day park hoppers and water park, and then $15/day to park at Disney - Grand total - $1945

All Star Resort on property - with the current promo they are offering discount on room and tickets I can get the 8 nights plus 6 day park hopper and water park for $2028. Without the promo it would be $2167.

I honestly thought that staying offsite would save me more but I guess since we aren't a large group and we don't have to rent multiple rooms or cram 5 people into one the savings just isn't adding up. I know I would save some money but I like the Disney bus service a lot in case we have to go back to the room or if DH wants to go back and we want to stay.

Am I missing something?

The cost all depends on the amenities you want. You can stay off property for way cheaper, but it all depends on what you want. We prefer to drive and not use bus system (we are APs, so we don't have to pay to park). We spend all our time at the parks, so the pool and other amenities don't really matter. I like to have a full kitchen for breakfasts and sometimes to cook a quick late dinner or for snacks. I also like to have a washing machine/dryer.

We are renting a 3 bedroom 3 bath townhouse in Crestwynd Bay for $75 a night this June. With 2 teenagers and a preteen we all need space, especially if we are together for a week. A few days we can handle in a suite type hotel room, but not for longer than that. When they were younger....10 years ago or so, we could do a regular hotel room and it was ok, but not anymore.

Disney can be very expensive or not so expensivey, it's just a matter of your personal preference and what you want and what you are willing to do without.

 

[Robbi]

We're staying 7 nights at WBC in a 2BD 2BA, full kitchen, LR.with a washer /dryer for $840.
I do not cook on vacation but the kitchen is convenient for snacks/ drink storage.

We have APs and will only have to buy 1 ticket-367.43
We had been booked in a BWV deluxe studio. With the AP discount, it was $2100.
a 1BD BWV villa is $2900 with the AP discount.
We won't have to pay for parking because we're AP holders.
We don't get the DDP because it's a waste for us.
Total for our stay is $1207.43. That is a value.
BWV 1 bd -2900+367.43 = $3267.43
BWV deluxe studio 2100+ 367.43=$2467.43
Just the savings on WBC over the BWV studio is $1260.00 That will cover the cost of all of the food at the restaurants we've booked.

 

[loveysbydesign]

The cost all depends on the amenities you want. You can stay off property for way cheaper, but it all depends on what you want. We prefer to drive and not use bus system (we are APs, so we don't have to pay to park). We spend all our time at the parks, so the pool and other amenities don't really matter. I like to have a full kitchen for breakfasts and sometimes to cook a quick late dinner or for snacks. I also like to have a washing machine/dryer.

We are renting a 3 bedroom 3 bath townhouse in Crestwynd Bay for $75 a night this June. With 2 teenagers and a preteen we all need space, especially if we are together for a week. A few days we can handle in a suite type hotel room, but not for longer than that. When they were younger....10 years ago or so, we could do a regular hotel room and it was ok, but not anymore.

Disney can be very expensive or not so expensivey, it's just a matter of your personal preference and what you want and what you are willing to do without.

We are looking at Crestwynd Bay too since it's right next to Windsor Hills, may I ask what rental you are staying in?

 

[momof2gr8kids]

I think it all depends on how many in your group, and what discounts Disney may be offering at the time.

For our past trip, I was looking at WBC for 5 of us. But when I got a PIN code for FD, it came out a lot cheaper, since 4 of us were disney "adults".

Anything other than FD, it would have been offsite for us. Yes, we didn't have the space that a condo would have given us, but everyone wanted the character meals, no driving (me and dh!) and the EMH more.

It all depends on what you value. For me, having a separate room for the kids to go to sleep in before me isn't important, as I can't outlast them anymore. More like a separate bedroom for me is what I need! LOL

Next trip kids will be older and sharing beds will be harder, so it will probably be offsite.

 

[dtum]

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Last week they had three-bed condos at WH for $299/week.

We are staying for $159/night in a 4-bed, 3-bath pool house in July at Emerald Island. With three families the kitchen, laundry and private pool are so worth it. Second trip off site and we would never go back on site.

Even if DH and I went alone, we'd still get a condo off site.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Maybe if you compared an offsite hotel room similar to what you would have at Disney instead of a condo then you would see more savings. It always seems like that when people start comparing off site to on site they compare a Disney hotel room to a condo/vacation home. Compare apples with apples and not apples with oranges and you may see the difference easier.

I agree! Why do people do that? To me, a Disney value resort is a Motel 6 with the Disney name slapped on it. I've never stayed at the Blue Heron but compare prices to the Disney equivalent. Chances are good it's more like comparing to a 1BR at BCV.

 

[dtum]

I agree! Why do people do that? To me, a Disney value resort is a Motel 6 with the Disney name slapped on it. I've never stayed at the Blue Heron but compare prices to the Disney equivalent. Chances are good it's more like comparing to a 1BR at BCV.

Motel 6... LOL! But you are right, not even a microwave or frig and the Best Western gives you those. Really need to compare apples to apples.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

The funny thing is, usually once people finally get up the nerve to try staying offsite, they'll choose a really cheap hotel like a Best Western, Comfort Inn, or Los TeePee (lol!) then compare the room to their last WDW stay at BC and say, "Wow, these offsite hotels sure are dumpy! I'll never try offsite again!"

 

[sympatico]

The funny thing is, usually once people finally get up the nerve to try staying offsite, they'll choose a really cheap hotel like a Best Western, Comfort Inn, or Los TeePee (lol!) then compare the room to their last WDW stay at BC and say, "Wow, these offsite hotels sure are dumpy! I'll never try offsite again!"

 

[Dallas_Lady]

It really depends on where you place "value". While we could stay at POP for the same price as our upcoming vacation at Sheraton Vistana Resort, we get some major differences:

2 full bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, full kitchen, washer and dryer, screened balcony, and three TV's

as opposed to one, standard-size hotel/motel room.

We also get a resort with seven pools, tennis courts, activity centers, onsite mini golf, and a host of activities for guests, which is much more than is offered by POP or any of the values.

We are giving up free transportation to the theme parks, which we would not use anyway. And large Disney icons decorating the resort.

We do not utilize the dining plan (as its another poor value for our family) so there's no loss there.

We can eat more cheaply (and just as well......in some cases better) at offsite restaurants, yielding a substantial savings.

And then there's the sanity savings. We have a wonderful, amazing, and well behaved teenager, but there's no way I want the three of us to be stuck in one small hotel room for a week and call it "vacation".

We are paying $120 per night (tax included) for our SVR stay (2 bedroom). A one bedroom villa at Saratoga Springs for the same time period is $452 per night. There's the value .

I agree with this, we stay offsite for the extra space. Our Windsor Hills condo has 3 bedrooms, a kitchen, washer dryer, etc for the same price as a tiny value resort room.

 

[Brian Noble]

not even a microwave or frig

To be fair, the Values did finally add dorm fridges recently.

 

[VeeHam]

We just got back from Disney with my parents and stayed at Port Orleans Riverside and had a great trip. My husband didn't go with us and hasn't been since he was 5. When we got back he said he would like for us to go next year. It will be me, him and our DD (6). He knows I'm a deal hunter so he said for me to find the best deal. We will be going in May 2014 so to get an idea of prices and things I started price comparing rates for this May.

I thought going offsite would be the way to go but now I just don't know. Here's what I found.

Blue Heron 1 bedroom - $728 for 8 nights plus a $50 cleaning fee, 6 day park hoppers and water park, and then $15/day to park at Disney - Grand total - $1945

All Star Resort on property - with the current promo they are offering discount on room and tickets I can get the 8 nights plus 6 day park hopper and water park for $2028. Without the promo it would be $2167.

I honestly thought that staying offsite would save me more but I guess since we aren't a large group and we don't have to rent multiple rooms or cram 5 people into one the savings just isn't adding up. I know I would save some money but I like the Disney bus service a lot in case we have to go back to the room or if DH wants to go back and we want to stay.

Am I missing something?

I could see how you could feel this way but as another person mentioned, you are not comparing apples to apples.

If you want to compare an equivalent hotel (motel) to one of the all stars you'd probably stay at a Motel 6 for the same square footage and room type. (Not decor obviously)

Example

Motel 6 on W. Irlo Bronson Hwy for May 11-19 (randomly picked) with tickets purchased from undercover tourist and 6 days of disney parking:
Room $227.36
Tickets $1079.85
Parking $84.00
Total $1391.21

If you instead wanted to compare an all star to let's say a 1 bedroom room like this one http://www.vrbo.com/315434 (randomly picked from vrbo) your cost would be something like this:
Room $533.36 (estimating a middle range for their prices)
Tickets $1079.85
Parking $84.00
Total $1697.21

With the one bedroom condo, you get a kitchen where you can prepare meals if that is important to you. I know some people (like me ) do not like to cook anything on vacation. But to save some $$$ I'm willing to throw together a few quick meals.
We've stayed on sight for all of our trips thus far and our next trip we'll be staying at a 3 bedroom condo in Reunion in October for $640 for 7 days. Good luck with your decisions. It's all on what you are looking for.

 

[Lily & Giny's Mom]

The cost all depends on the amenities you want. You can stay off property for way cheaper, but it all depends on what you want. We prefer to drive and not use bus system (we are APs, so we don't have to pay to park). We spend all our time at the parks, so the pool and other amenities don't really matter. I like to have a full kitchen for breakfasts and sometimes to cook a quick late dinner or for snacks. I also like to have a washing machine/dryer.

We are renting a 3 bedroom 3 bath townhouse in Crestwynd Bay for $75 a night this June. With 2 teenagers and a preteen we all need space, especially if we are together for a week. A few days we can handle in a suite type hotel room, but not for longer than that. When they were younger....10 years ago or so, we could do a regular hotel room and it was ok, but not anymore.

Disney can be very expensive or not so expensivey, it's just a matter of your personal preference and what you want and what you are willing to do without.

Can you advise as to how you booked for Crestwynd and how far it is from Universal?

 

[scrappinannie]

It really depends on where you place "value". While we could stay at POP for the same price as our upcoming vacation at Sheraton Vistana Resort, we get some major differences:

2 full bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, full kitchen, washer and dryer, screened balcony, and three TV's

as opposed to one, standard-size hotel/motel room.

We also get a resort with seven pools, tennis courts, activity centers, onsite mini golf, and a host of activities for guests, which is much more than is offered by POP or any of the values.

We are giving up free transportation to the theme parks, which we would not use anyway. And large Disney icons decorating the resort.

We do not utilize the dining plan (as its another poor value for our family) so there's no loss there.

We can eat more cheaply (and just as well......in some cases better) at offsite restaurants, yielding a substantial savings.

And then there's the sanity savings. We have a wonderful, amazing, and well behaved teenager, but there's no way I want the three of us to be stuck in one small hotel room for a week and call it "vacation".

We are paying $120 per night (tax included) for our SVR stay (2 bedroom). A one bedroom villa at Saratoga Springs for the same time period is $452 per night. There's the value .

^^This. Yes, you're saving a little bit by staying on property, but you're not comparing apples to apples. In order to get a closer and more accurate comparison you'd have to price out an off site value hotel to an on property value resort. Motel 6 vs. All Stars, if you will. Then compare your off site 1 bedroom "condo" to a similar 1 bedroom villa on property.

I love staying on Disney property and we try to use all the amenities we can so that it really "pays" to stay on site. We usually stay moderate (Caribbean Beach and POR), plan at least one resort day so we can enjoy the pools, activities and restaurants at the resort, use Disney transportation whenever possible and take advantage of EMH and package delivery to the room. We have never participated in any of the dining plans and since having kids we haven't park hopped in years.

That being said, we have also stayed off property twice and are about to do it again this year. We are now a family of 4, with 2 young kids. We do not travel lightly. So, we are staying in a 2 bedroom condo through my father-in-law's time share. We are paying NOTHING to stay for a week in that condo. We are welcoming the chance for the kids to have their own bedroom and for us to have a kitchen, even if we only use it handful of times for breakfast or snacks in the evening. Yes, we'll pay to fly to Orlando ($1000 for our family), to rent a small SUV ($400 a week), for a few groceries (maybe $100), but to have that space.....OH THE SPACE!

We hope to return to on site resorts at some point in the future, but as long as my father-in-law has this time share and is willing and able to loan it out to us for a week every other year or so, we'll be staying off site.

Everyone has their own ideas of "value" and what is important to their family. You have to do what is right for you. However you get to Disney, get to Disney!! And enjoy it.