On Site or Off-site for first time visitor

[dtum]

I think WBC is a good option. Still on property, but not really. They have buses (times they pickup are pretty far inbetween, but it's doable if you plan on being there all day). Last trip DD and her family stayed at ASMo and DS also was at ASMo. DH and I camped at FW in our camper and everyday we had everyone eating with us because the ASMo rooms are pretty much bare rooms---no nothing except a bed (and TV). This trip we are at WH and family decided to go to US. I would think for 8 days, there is going to be some time your family may just want to veg around the resort and from what I've read WBC has it all (mini golf, lazy river, heated pools, etc.) For our family we can't justify the Disney price any longer (and we were always onsite people). Check out this:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2114303

 

[TotoToo]

If it helps, my family loves to spend every minute at disney, so I doubt we would make it back for dinner or utilize the kitchen very much. We would probably be there only to sleep. We are going in Dec so not much use for the pools either. However, I have never done disney for 8 days (only dl for 3 days). We may get a bit more tired than I anticipate.

Can I get the good bad and ugly on staying onsite versus offsite?

If you don't plan on much time in/at whatever accommodations (on or off site) then why pay a big premium to get on site? All you need is a good place to stay and the lower cost - usually larger amount of space (and specifically the proper amount of private sleeping areas as that is your key reason to even be there) make far more sense.
We would go off site and get better value for the dollar without a doubt.

 

[dd50]

I think it would depend on the ages of your children. When my kids were small we always stayed off site and didn't feel like we were missing any thing. The last two years we stayed at Pop and it was a good decision for us because I have older teens plus my daughter and two grandchildren came. I liked that if the girls wanted to stay late they could and take the bus home. It was also good for my older daughter because my grandson usually needed a nap and we at times stayed at the park.

I do think that if I got a place to stay for $100 I would do it and not even think about staying on property.

You can always go look at some of the different Disney properties on your down time. We like to do that and some have good places to eat counter service that don't taste like counter service.

 

[Ed J]

I liked that if the girls wanted to stay late they could and take the bus home

Great point.

We travel in a large group and being able to split up makes the trip that much better. We usually stay off site and the older kids can drive the younger kids back to the resort if they want to stay out later.

We chose to stay off site on long trips as comparable digs on site would add 2 or 3k and I just don't see it as worth it. Besides we go to other attractions besides Disney while we are in town.

Short trip on site in a hotel room is OK, but I travel for work and 3 or more days in just a room with the gang does not a vacation make. There is no correct answer to this often debated question.

 

[Brian Noble]

People keep saying this, but then I look at the layout of a DVC 2 BR or watch a video tour and I just don't get it. I can understand it for someone who spends opening to close in the parks and just crashes in the unit at night, but DVC units look so cramped to me if you take breaks in the afternoon or days off as we do.

Might depend on the size of your party. We do take a good chunk off each day in the u unit, and find that most of the DVC 2BRs are adequate for the four of us. They would be tight for six. It would be impossible to imagine being at capacity (eight). The one exception is OKW: I think that would be fine for a party of six.

But, OKW excluded, the DVC units generally *are* smaller than a "normal" 2BR timeshare.

 

[Jedana]

Onsite for the first visit.
Once you've gone a couple times, and have the roads memorized you can stay off site.

 

[shalom]

Might depend on the size of your party. We do take a good chunk off each day in the u unit, and find that most of the DVC 2BRs are adequate for the four of us. They would be tight for six.

Currently I'm traveling with six, making a total of seven, and that includes two teenage boys who're rapidly approaching six foot.

Think I'll stick with off site until I get my entourage down to three (i.e., total of four including me ).

 

[crazelion]

What I like about staying offsite is:

Space: We are now family of five now. The room most have two TVs so we don't have to share. Okay it may need more TVs wee really don't like ti share at all.LOL

Restaurants - Don't get wrong WDW has some great restaurants. Mom and the kids just like plain American food. It does not make since go to fancy restaurants if everyone is order chicken fingers and fries. Everyone did like the House of Blues, Tex Rex, Rainforst Cafe and Planet Hollywood.

Did mention get free breakfast if stay at hotel that offer it. That saves one money for meal at least.

I can get free Marriott gift cards to pay for the hotel room making the hotel for free.

We like offisite if not going with my son boy scout troop.

 

[WAMUMOF4]

Currently I'm traveling with six, making a total of seven, and that includes two teenage boys who're rapidly approaching six foot.

Think I'll stick with off site until I get my entourage down to three (i.e., total of four including me ).

I spent weeks on here myself trying to decide the same thing i couldnt justify the money on onsite and i also have 2 boys 6 feet tall but in the end we decided since this was our first trip to DW that we would stay onsite for the EMH and the fact that the boys can go to a different park or stay later than us and still get back to the resort safely.
We ended up booking 2 rooms at POP and are yet to stay We are at Nick resort for 2 days before DW to do Universal or Kennedy Space centre our kids just wanted to stay onsite we were offsite at DL last year and we just wasted to much time going back and forth and DH said we wil be staying onsite from now on.
2 rooms at POP works out to so much cheaper than any other option for our family of 6 it ended up costing us $400 less than a cabin at FW. Good luck and only you know your family best and will know what you will cope with best

 

[dtum]

I spent weeks on here myself trying to decide the same thing i couldnt justify the money on onsite and i also have 2 boys 6 feet tall but in the end we decided since this was our first trip to DW that we would stay onsite for the EMH and the fact that the boys can go to a different park or stay later than us and still get back to the resort safely.
We ended up booking 2 rooms at POP and are yet to stay We are at Nick resort for 2 days before DW to do Universal or Kennedy Space centre our kids just wanted to stay onsite we were offsite at DL last year and we just wasted to much time going back and forth and DH said we wil be staying onsite from now on.
2 rooms at POP works out to so much cheaper than any other option for our family of 6 it ended up costing us $400 less than a cabin at FW. Good luck and only you know your family best and will know what you will cope with best

Just one little thing about on site and off and the time it takes to go back and forth. We always figured 45-60 min. to go from resort to parks and back because of bus service. Most buses service more than one resort, if the bus is full we had to wait another 20 min. going to park- same going back to resort. So travel time may actually turn out less driving from a close off-site (like WH) rather than taking the buses to get around. JMHO.

 

[ToddyLu]

DH and I only go to Orlando for WDW....we do not go to Universal, or the beach. We do not really intend on ever doing that. We have been to the Florida Mall once many years ago on a rainy day. For us the best option is On site so we own DVC, best of both worlds. We do not have kids so it is easy for us to do this. I relax while waiting on the Disney bus and visit with other guests of possible. And I am sorry, but having girraffes and ankole cattle on the lawn is a very nice perk that I cannot get off site. That is just important for us. DVC works for us because we come to Disney on a nurse/fireman salary every year.

I hope that you have a wonderful time and it is the relaxing vacation you need. I hope you enjoy it so much that you will come back year after year like we do. No problem staying off site, just isn't vacation for us if we do.

 

[WAMUMOF4]

Just one little thing about on site and off and the time it takes to go back and forth. We always figured 45-60 min. to go from resort to parks and back because of bus service. Most buses service more than one resort, if the bus is full we had to wait another 20 min. going to park- same going back to resort. So travel time may actually turn out less driving from a close off-site (like WH) rather than taking the buses to get around. JMHO.

Thanks for that but we will drive each day, we will only use the buses for our 2 teenage DS to come back to the resort after us if they want to stay later than us or if they want to start the day at a different park to us.

 

[tinkerbell555]

We went to disney last oct and stayed one night at buena vista suites. We had two adults and 4 kids. It was nice. The free buffett breakfast was good. We got a good rate for 84$ However I would want more privacy for longer time. We got 2 rooms at pop for 7 days. We went during free dining I think our package was 3200. We drove down. It was nice not to have to drive to the parks and the kids loved the free food and the refillable mugs. We hope to do this again.

 

[BadgerGirl84]

I would not hesitate doing off-site for a first trip. Disney is very easy to navigate (well, the whole Lake Buena Vista area is easy to navigate), so don't let that scare you. I always stayed off-site as a kid, so it's just second nature to me. Some things I like:

1) Awesome deals! Check out MouseSavers or TravelZoo...you can stay at a much nicer hotel with nicer amenities if you stay off site.
2) Free Breakfast. When I stay off-site I always pick a hotel with a free breakfast. It's so nice and easy to just stop in the lobby, eat for 15 minutes at the buffet, and get on your way.
3) We like renting a car. We think it's fun to try out a new car and have total freedom in terms of where we go. Waiting for the bus does not really appeal to me. While Disney has awesome restaurants on-site, there are also TONS of awesome restaurants off-site. I have lots of favorites.
4) Free for me. I travel for work, so I have tons of Marriott Points. Free hotel stays for me. Even when these are all used up, I see myself scouting for off-site bargains rather than doing on-site.

That said, I'm staying at the Wilderness Lodge for the first two nights of my honeymoon this September. I've been dying to "try out" on-site resorts so I figured that my honeymoon would be a great opportunity. The sticker price shocked me, so after the 2 night trial we are staying at a Fairfield Inn.