Offsite Hotel Plan, thoughts?

[EMHDad]

Ive been planning my sept. disney trip. We are driving down. I have run the numbers and found that I can get a 1 bedroom suite at a hotel offsite a mile from the disney entrance. The suite has a kitchen, free wifi, and comes with a free hot breakfast buffet. This would cost me $75 a night. Comparably, the cabins in fort wilderness would run about $257 a might. I can stay offsite, and then just pay for a fw campsite for $53 a day on the days I go to the parks with my fam. Its like half of what I would pay to stay onsite for a comparable place, but I get free wifi and breakfast too. I also still get free parking, and the EMHs, as well as, the fort wilderness activities.

So, anyone else do this? How did it work for you. What do ppl think about this idea?

 

[Singinglizzie]

Well, not sure why you would want to switch to a campsite for $57 a night, if you can get a one bedroom for $75 + breakfast. I have stayed both on and off-site and you can have a good vacation with either approach. If you are happy with the one bedroom, just go with that.

 

[EMHDad]

let me clear that up. We would not stay at the campsite. We would buy the campsite to get the free park parking and EMHs on the days we def wanted it. (Not everyday, probably 2-3 of the 5 park days), and we would stay offsite. Basically, the campsite would sit unused, and the $53 campsite would save us $14 in parking, thus charging us $39 for the whole family to get the evening magic hours.

 

[Upatnoon]

I agree that staying offsite can be a better value, but I disagree that the extra magic hours are worth $39 for an extra 3 hours.

In fact, I avoid EMH parks because they seem to attract bigger crowds and longer lines.

With the money you save, you could spend another night in your hotel for a day of relaxing by the pool and a visit to the boardwalk or downtown disney. Or you could go use the money for a big upgrade on a meal. For example, eating at Boma at Animal Kingdom or a character meal.

 

[DVC California]

Judging by your chosen screen name, you must really like Extra Magic Hours.

If that benefit best fits your touring plan, combining the $75 offsite 1-bdrm and the $53 campsite sounds like a great deal. I've done stuff like that while in port off a cruise ship. Paid for a room I wasn't going to use just to use the resort's ameneties.

Another option instead of paying $128/nt, you could also stay at a value resort like Pop Century or All Stars for $89/nt.

You would only have 1 room and no wifi or free breakfast but with the extra $40 bucks, could pay that OOP. Also consider the possibility that free DDP may come around again and the savings increase.

HTH, Steve

 

[Brian Noble]

We skip the EMH's too---even when we are staying onsite. That will save you another few bucks, plus the hassle of checking in with FW with potentially multiple reservations.

I also agree with Steve that there might be some very attractive deals coming down the pike for September. Might want to wait until you see what is available.

 

[AJKMOM]

Just so you know, some campers get ticked off when they can't reserve a camp site, and then read that others are taking spaces that will be unused. Not me, DH's idea of roughing it is an Embassy Suites.

 

[EMHDad]

we were originally thinking about the value hotel, but the living situation just doesnt compare. Yes, we save 35 dollars but we would spend that if not more just for the family to eat breakfast each day and then we are stuck all together in a small room with no ability to cook which raises the cost. We wouldnt need the extra magic hours everyday but really just on our 2 magic kingdoms days, and I wouldnt pay the extra the extra $39 for just me but it would allow the whole family in. Even if Disney did offer the DDP i could just get it through the unused campsite. Anyway, thanks for the thoughts. I appreciate it.