Offsite vs. Onsite and cost

[Shallow Pockets]

On our first 2 visits, we stayed on-site at Caribbean Beach. With 2 small children (3 and 6 then) we swore we would never go off-site. We loved our time at the resort, and I am sure you are weighing that as part of your decision. When your children are small, you think your family will always travel together and want to be together all the time.

Flash foreword to our 3rd trip last year. Parents and children (19, 15, and 6) have very different needs. For starters, sharing a room with 2 teens during shower and sleep time is not very fun. You get virtually no privacy. We got a conference rate at the Yacht Club, but it still made me (and them) wish I could have some private time without being on top of one another. We were glad we got to experience being that close to Epcot in a nice deluxe just once. We are now looking at 2 rooms minimum if we want to stay on-site, or pay $1000+ a night for a 2bed deluxe. Disney prices have gotten way out of hand since we started going, so now I am convinced an off-site stay is where we have to go.

I am now trying to plan our next trip out in my head. What would it be like to not be surrounded by the magic, as well as having to worry about transportation for 5 people who have very different schedules. But on the other hand, I think of what it would be like if everyone had their own bedroom and bathroom.

I guess imagine living for a week in just your master bed/bath with your entire family. Even if you are just sleeping and showering in your room, you still need to decompress after a day in the parks. Most value resorts and some moderate resorts only have 2 double beds. Great for kids, and not great for very tired (2) adults. We all were pretty burned out on our last trip after just a couple days of being on top of each other. That is not a feeling anyone wants after spending this much for a vacation.

So if it was my decision, I would stay on-site while you can. 5 minutes after you leave Disney, you will be planning a return trip in your head. Learn what you can from being on-site so you can enjoy everything Disney has to offer. When your children get older, you will want more room.

 

[Shallow Pockets]

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[spiceycat]

kept in mind the kids will be happy no matter where you stay.

would go with OKW - it is a DVC resort - you can rent a reservation from a DVC member or broker. a studio at OKW has 2 queen beds plus a kitchennette - so for those days when you don't want to go out to eat - you don't have too. although be carefully what you buy to cook - may sure you don't overbuy.

offsite with go with Wynhdan Bonnet Creek - it is between Disney property and you can generally find it for a good rate.

now if spending more money is something you can do - then might go with VWL - it is close to the MK - boat ride. you can rent a studio here too. this like all the other studios has queen bed and a double sleeper sofa.

now although I love and mean love BLT - it has the smallest studio of all and except for GFV it is the more expensive. although you can walk to the MK from BLT.

 

[Shallow Pockets]

kept in mind the kids will be happy no matter where you stay.

would go with OKW - it is a DVC resort - you can rent a reservation from a DVC member or broker. a studio at OKW has 2 queen beds plus a kitchennette - so for those days when you don't want to go out to eat - you don't have too. although be carefully what you buy to cook - may sure you don't overbuy.

offsite with go with Wynhdan Bonnet Creek - it is between Disney property and you can generally find it for a good rate.

now if spending more money is something you can do - then might go with VWL - it is close to the MK - boat ride. you can rent a studio here too. this like all the other studios has queen bed and a double sleeper sofa.

now although I love and mean love BLT - it has the smallest studio of all and except for GFV it is the more expensive. although you can walk to the MK from BLT.

Spiceycat,

Do you have some examples of how much those resort stays would cost us? I think minerva78 originally was talking about 6 nights with dining at POFQ, which I think would be far less than one of those DVC resorts. Hope I am wrong.

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

If it were me I'd stay on site. One less day is ok because you will do more each day. You also won't be washing towels, taking out trash, refilling supplies ie toilet paper, soap etc. wiping down the counters. Don't underestimate howich work is involved in keeping up. It is vacation. Stay onsite and have a great time. My family always gets several hotel rooms vs one large condo. Makes for a happier family for us.

 

[sersee05]

I'm staying offsite for the first time right now. I'm waiting in Line at test track..lol

Imo. Since its your first time...I might consider onsite so you can do the dining plan and experience disney. Onsite is fabulous just for the Disney bubble.

I think the ages if the kids absolutely do matter. Younger kids most likely will pass out after parking it all day. When they are older..they do want to spread out. They don't immediately go to bed when you get back.

We chose to stay offsite this time mostly because it was so expensive and we wanted more room. I am in a 5 bedroom home for waaaay cheaper than I could ever do at Disney . Each kid has their own room, bathroom and tv. Its wonderful. We can go back and Decompress.

Offsite has not been a lot of work at all. So I have to take out the trash..big deal. I can do laundry so I don't have to go home and do it all. Its great.

Food is expensive. We just spent $70 for lunch in epcot. $70!! I don't cook on vacation. We bought breakfast items that are easy. We can eat at any restaurant outside of the park though.

If your doing character meals ...I would totally do the dining plan.

Its a tough Decision..but everything is more expensive when they get older. Tickets cost more. They eat more.

I say go onsite...experience it. Go offsite next time. Then you can decide what you like better.

 

[Rosebud123]

It looks like DH will not be crushed if we don't go to Legoland, so I can take that expense out and just get 4 day Disney tickets.

After doing a bit more research, and getting a few quotes from VRBO, I think it is down to a 2 BR room at Wyndham Bonnet Creek for 7 days or Pop Century in a preferred room for 6 days, this time not doing the dining plan and paying for tickets and food separately. I was able to get these overall costs to within about $50 - $75 of one another, so they are practically the same price. I decided against AoA because I really prefer to be closer to the action and a lot of people seem to like Pop, I also like the theming. Or I could do POFQ for $228 more. I decided to drop the dining plan because I was having a hard time coming up with enough sit down TS meals I really wanted to do. I think I just want to make a few ADRs and research some cheaper QS and offsite options, regardless of whether I stay onsite or offsite.

I'm not sure in which way I am leaning. WBC looks SO nice, I just don't know if I want to give up being completely immersed in Disney because I think my girls would like that. But just getting that immersion experience may not be worth giving up nicer accommodations. It's going to be so hard to decide. Ugh. I probably will get some input from the resort boards too.

I would NEVER choose Pop over WBC. WBC is within the WDW gates and is 1000x nicer than Pop. Plus, 7 days is barely enough time to scratch the surface, never mind 6 days. WBC all the way!!!

 

[aubriee]

I would NEVER choose Pop over WBC. WBC is within the WDW gates and is 1000x nicer than Pop. Plus, 7 days is barely enough time to scratch the surface, never mind 6 days. WBC all the way!!!

I agree 100%. In fact we stayed at Wyndham Bonnet Creek for the first time this past May and fell in love with it. I went back in Sept for a solo trip and even though I don't care for the Values, considered staying at Pop to save money, since it was going to be just me in the room and I wouldn't need much space. However, after running the numbers and getting quotes, a one bedroom at Wyndham Bonnet Creek was going to be cheaper than a tiny room at Pop (even using my AP to get a discount for Pop). I didn't really need the extra space, but why would I pay more for a tiny value room, when I could get a fully equipped condo at a Deluxe resort like Bonnet Creek cheaper. I loved having the large fridge to put stuff in and having the microwave to heat up leftovers. I am not a big fan of cooking on vacation but did run by Publix my first day and bought a fried chicken, fried chicken rice, potato salad, and some boneless hot wings at their deli and then picked up some teriyaki marinated salmon steaks and a couple of bags of microwaveable vegetables to go with it. I also picked up a box of wine coolers, one 2L soda, a 1/2 gallon of juice, some ice cream, and a few pieces of fresh fruit. It made for some easy meals and snacks when I wanted them. I also loved the jacuzzi tub and having the nicer pools and two lazy rivers at BC. I automatically make my bed up every time I get out of it anyway (even at hotels), so no change there. Having a washer and dryer meant I could pack less clothes, so did carry on only, saving airline bag fees.

As I came in each night, I just dropped my clothes in the washer and washed them while I was taking my bath, then put them in the dryer when I went to bed. Not a big deal and I loved not having any dirty clothes all week. I was able to just hang my clothes up when I got home, with no big bag of dirty laundry to deal with. When I packed, I packed all neutral colored shorts (black, white, light denim, and kacki where each short would match each blouse), then I just mixed and matched. With just four pair of shorts and four tops I never wore the same outfit twice. I wouldn't have been able to do that if I hadn't had that washer/dryer so convenient to use every day. We are going back to Bonnet Creek in just a little less than two weeks and even though we will have to pack for both hot and cold weather, are hoping to do only carry on again, by packing all neutral colors that will mix and match (kacki shorts, kacki pants, black shorts, black pants, light denim shorts, stretch skinny denim pants, a couple of long sleeve shirts, four short sleeved blouses, a one hoodie, one sweat shirt, etc). We'll be covered for all weather with very few pieces of clothes that we can drop in the washer each day.