On-site or Off-site, that is my question...

DisneyGuess

DIS Veteran
Joined
Apr 17, 2007
So, this is my new dilemma! We are definately going down next Feb. 2011. The 11th-18th actually.
Now, we are a big family. It's 6 of us total but one will be under 2 so he doesn't count as far as number of people in room as far as Disney is concerned. We would have to stay moderate (POR) or 2 rooms at a value. Or we could rent a house off-site that has 3-4 bedrooms.

Keeping in mind that one of the kids will still be under 2, so naps will hopefully still be an issue, hehe.....which would you do?

If you would choose to stay off-site, do you know of any thet rent Fri-Fri & not Sat-Sat? That's a big problem I've found with the home rentals. Found a great deal, on a 4 bedroom for $650 but....Sat-Sat dates, ugh!
 
If you can do it staying on-site has so many advantage. You would be able to get into the parks early, you would have the Disney transportation and you could make your dining reservations all at once instead of having to call every day to make them one at a time. Also with a small one that may still nap you would save so much time in your day just going back to a Disney hotel instead of having to go to the parking lot, load the car, drive back to the hotel and then repeat the whole process to come back to the parks. If you can do moderate or value that would be the way I would go.
 
I would stay on-site if you could! With DME, and Bus Transportation, and Package Delivery, and not having to worry about transportation between the parks and where you're staying (especially nice if you have a young one)....

PLUS you'll be in DISney Magic! :lmao:
 
Definately stay onsite!! I know it will cost slightly more but you have so many advantages especially with little ones and going back to your rooms for nap times.
 


If it were my family, I'd stay onsite. For years and years, we stayed offsite and had a great time UNTIL we stayed onsite. I loved not having to drive from our offsite hotel to the parks. I absolutely hated parking, getting on a tram and then going to the park, especially when our son was younger.

When you stay onsite, you can let Disney do all of the driving for you. You won't have the cost of gas or parking which I think is now about $13 per day per car. Oh, and in the dead heat of the day, riding in an air conditioned bus and not a steaming hot car is the best!
 
I would definately try to stay in a resort on site. There are so many additional perks to staying there. Plus you truly get to have the COMPLETE Disney experience:cool1:
 
You could also look at the All Star Movies Family Suites or Ft. Wilderness cabins.

We prefer to stay onsite. We looked offsite, but with the current promotions, onsite costs less than offsite. You'll have to do a cost comparison, but I took everything into account--parking, tickets, dining, everything.
 


Honestly, I would stay on-site.
One of you could take you little one back to the room for a nap while the other stays in the parks with the older children. That time savings alone will be well worth the extra expense.
Not to mention, being able to take advantage of Disney transportation and Extra Magic Hours...I think it would make your trip MUCH more enjoyable and relaxing for all of you. :)
 
You could also look at the All Star Movies Family Suites or Ft. Wilderness cabins.

We prefer to stay onsite. We looked offsite, but with the current promotions, onsite costs less than offsite. You'll have to do a cost comparison, but I took everything into account--parking, tickets, dining, everything.

One of the cabins or ASMu suites would be my choice. The cabins give the kitchen that will help with breakfasts and any other quick meals you want to have there. There is an evening campfire and movie as well. With the cabins, if you have a car, you will park right near your cabin. ASMu has daily pool activites and movie, too. I just always prefer staying onsite and one of these is most likely what I would do given the number of children involved. Parking is $14/day if not staying onsite.
 
So, this is my new dilemma! We are definately going down next Feb. 2011. The 11th-18th actually.
Now, we are a big family. It's 6 of us total but one will be under 2 so he doesn't count as far as number of people in room as far as Disney is concerned. We would have to stay moderate (POR) or 2 rooms at a value. Or we could rent a house off-site that has 3-4 bedrooms.

Keeping in mind that one of the kids will still be under 2, so naps will hopefully still be an issue, hehe.....which would you do?

If you would choose to stay off-site, do you know of any thet rent Fri-Fri & not Sat-Sat? That's a big problem I've found with the home rentals. Found a great deal, on a 4 bedroom for $650 but....Sat-Sat dates, ugh!


We're no strangers to the challenges of accomidating a large family due to size or finance. We've not rented off site as we contemplated but saw less benefits by doing so. My opinion is that offsite based on the logisitcs on may cause issues.

Take into consideration the on site benefits: free parking as you may still want to drive to the parks, bus transportation available if their is a meltdown thus not affecting the rest of the families day or evening at the parks.

I have three daughters 12, 10, 10, and have much experience in the "Disney" meltdown mode.

Quicker to the room for the 2 year old for that much needed nap hehe...the better. Our older children at the time were able to take in extra hours with one parent which was a benefit.

POR and for a moderate it has a great pool and a great slide for kids. We've also stayed at All Star Movies and had connecting rooms. It worked out pretty well with 7. I'd choose POR.

One last suggestion. Be sure to look at the on site restraunts to see if their is a particular restraunt you may want to take the family too. I've saw this as recent as Christmas 2009 many, many being turned away on standby. The reason for this is reservations can now be booked on line.

I just made ours for August of 2010 and to be honest their was limited availabilty which is worse yet for large families.

Goodluck with your decision!!!
 
We're no strangers to the challenges of accomidating a large family due to size or finance. We've not rented off site as we contemplated but saw less benefits by doing so. My opinion is that offsite based on the logisitcs on may cause issues.

Take into consideration the on site benefits: free parking as you may still want to drive to the parks, bus transportation available if their is a meltdown thus not affecting the rest of the families day or evening at the parks.

I have three daughters 12, 10, 10, and have much experience in the "Disney" meltdown mode.

Quicker to the room for the 2 year old for that much needed nap hehe...the better. Our older children at the time were able to take in extra hours with one parent which was a benefit.

POR and for a moderate it has a great pool and a great slide for kids. We've also stayed at All Star Movies and had connecting rooms. It worked out pretty well with 7. I'd choose POR.

One last suggestion. Be sure to look at the on site restraunts to see if their is a particular restraunt you may want to take the family too. I've saw this as recent as Christmas 2009 many, many being turned away on standby. The reason for this is reservations can now be booked on line.

I just made ours for August of 2010 and to be honest their was limited availabilty which is worse yet for large families.

Goodluck with your decision!!!

Would you recommend POR over 2 rooms at a value? This is what I was thinking so just wanted to get your opinion. I know there's a dining calculator on one of the websites that will tell me when we can start making dining ressies. I definately think we'll be staying onsite. Even if there's a bigger savings off-site, the travel to & from & the parking fees would eat that up anyway, hehe. That is how I will explain it to the DH.
Now, here's to hoping for a good code/deal for Feb. 2011!!
 
Thank you all for the opinons & advice. I presented it all to DH & he agrees, on-site is probably the better way to go! So, yay!! My 1st full trip to DW staying on-site the entire stay, I'm so excited!!!!!
So..now to decide, family suite at ASMu, 2 rooms at ASMo or a trundle room at POR..... I so hope they do a good deal for next Feb.
 
We've done both, and we prefer on-site, hands down.

Not to sound cheesy, but when you're at Disney World, you kind of leave reality and are submersed into a kind of fantasy, magical state of being. Disney does a fantastic job of making everything magical. When you have to leave the property to go back to an off-site hotel, you lose that. The touristy areas around Disney World can be hectic, and the traffic is annoying. It's just nice not to have to deal with that while you're on vacation.

We've done the Disney's Magical Express from the airport the last two times, so we didn't even have to rent a car. It's a magical experience as soon as you get off the plane.

Have fun!!!
 
I wish we could use DME but, unfortunately, we'll be flying into the Orlando/Sanford airport since it is a much cheaper fare for us. :( But, I still think, even with renting a car & parking it for the majority of the week, on-site is going to be wonderful for us.
DH is convinced! :lmao::thumbsup2
Now to pick our hotel!:lovestruc:love::cloud9::rolleyes1:dance3:
 
I wish we could use DME but, unfortunately, we'll be flying into the Orlando/Sanford airport since it is a much cheaper fare for us. :( But, I still think, even with renting a car & parking it for the majority of the week, on-site is going to be wonderful for us.
DH is convinced! :lmao::thumbsup2
Now to pick our hotel!:lovestruc:love::cloud9::rolleyes1:dance3:

I hear ya! Allegiant Air recently started flying from our city to Orlando/Sanford, and it is much, much cheaper than flying into Orlando International. This option wasn't available to us the last two times we went, so next time we fly, I don't know what we'll do. Orlando/Sanford is a lovely little airport. I flew into it in August (didn't make it to DW that trip), and it was very nice.
 
I hear ya! Allegiant Air recently started flying from our city to Orlando/Sanford, and it is much, much cheaper than flying into Orlando International. This option wasn't available to us the last two times we went, so next time we fly, I don't know what we'll do. Orlando/Sanford is a lovely little airport. I flew into it in August (didn't make it to DW that trip), and it was very nice.

I'm looking forward to trying them. They are so much cheaper, especially for a family as large as ours. & the fact that they have some kind of deal with Alamo & we can add a mini-van rental for less than $300 for the week makes it even better!
This is our Christmas present for the family this year! I've already started planning things to wrap under the tree to tell the kids, hehe! I think, since it's a Christmas gift, that's just another reason it should be totally magical & staying on-site! Plus, DS12 will turn 13 on the 12th & DS1 will turn 2 on the 17th.
 

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