On-site or Off-site?

[chriswilliam]

I'm locking up on this decision. Help me!

Family of 5 heading to Disney Sep 5 for 5 nights. My current reservations are for the Doubletree Guest Suites at Walt Disney World (close to the downtown Disney area)

I am considering reserving a family suite at the All Star Music Resort. Part of me wants to stay "on-site," but part of me says the $250-$300 additional cost really isn't worth it. We're planning on driving to the parks and I don't think we'd take advantage of the extra magic hours.

Any thoughts? Please help.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[tracys2cents]

The Doubletree gets good reviews and is almost as convenient to the parks as the All Stars. I've heard that if you are a "Hilton Honors" member you get free breakfast at this Doubletree so with a family of 5 you might want to check it out. Early September is off-season for the Doubletree so make sure you got a good deal....hopefully you found something that throws in breakfast already.

It is about a 15 min walk to Downtown Disney however.

 

[MO Disney cruiser]

We always stay off site. I'm with you. The extra $$$$ to me isn't worth it. Since you have a car you'll have much more freedom. Take the extra $$$ and buy souveniers or a couple of nicer dinners.

I don't know about you, but by the end of the day I just want to collapse. Don't care if it's Disney around me or not.

 

[maxiesmom]

How old are your children? If you have young ones and plan on taking afternoon breaks, I would spend the money and stay on-site. It is so easy to catch a bus back to the resort for a break. And to me, well worth the extra $$ for a happy, well rested child.

 

[chriswilliam]

11, 9 and 4. I do plan to take an afternoon break on most days. I have a AAA diamond parking pass, so I figured it would pretty easy to get to the vehicle.

 

[spiceycat]

if you aren't using DME (disney's magical express) or EMH - stay offsite.

however if you are staying at this
http://www.downtowndisneyhotels.com/Doubletree.html

you are considered to be onsite. just not applicable for EMH or DME.

but it gets excellent reviews.

 

[chriswilliam]

I think I am getting a good deal $109/night, free continental breakfast buffet

 

[spiceycat]

since you are too late for Disney free dinning - then just stay where you are....

now if you go again next year same time - come and ask for help much earlier - like 6 weeks ago.

if Disney still had the free dinning when I would go with it - but they don't. So stay where you are.

the suites Disney does not offer any discounts.

So if you decided next year to go with Disney I would go with 2 rooms (so you can apply discounts) - rather than the suites.

 

[maxiesmom]

I know it is a small thing, but how much gas will you use driving around? Don't get me wrong, I have had some great off-site vacations, but if the difference is $300 and you are spending $50 in gas...But then again you can eat a whole heck of alot cheaper off Disney property too! So apparently I am no help.

 

[deekaypee]

Stay where you are for this trip--that way you have something to look forward to on the next trip!

Kidding aside, I loved the DoubleTree near DTD (are you staying at the one considered part of the DTD hotels?). Spacious, clean, convenient to the amenities of DTD. Since you'll have your own car, transportation will be convenient.

Off-site in this case is really much closer to on-site than it appears to be at first. (Next best thing to being there, but cheaper!)

 

[FayeW]

Scrap DoubleTree, and book a 2 or 3 bdrm condo through skyauction! I just checked skyauction's Ready, Set,Go, and there are TONS of condos available for the entire month of Sept. For example, you could have a 2 bdrm unit, for check in any weekend in Sept at the following resorts: Cypress Pointe Grand Villas (awesome, we stayed there our first trip), Orbit One, Summer Bay, Polynesian Isles ( a Sunterra property), Silver Lake. You can actually get 3 bdrm units at Cypress Pointe, Celebration World Resorts, Grand Beach Club and Silver Lake for certain weeks in Sept.

If you've never used skyauction, it is easy-peasy! I've used it 3 times now, and I am so computer illiterate it isn't even funny! A week should cost you approx $260-$275 TOTAL, and right now, they have a special that they take $50 off your bid. You bid on an auction, and they add $210 to your price for admin, etc. Two of my bids were won for $52, and the last one was $61. The accomodations are great. Cypress Pointe, Orbit One, and Silver Lake all get very good reviews on this board, and you can check out tripadvisor.com for more reviews. They are also very, very close to WDW property. We had never been to Orlando before, and had absolutely NO trouble navigating to and from Cypress Pointe. I hear Orbit One and Silver Lake are even closer (albeit on the opposite side of the parks).

Have fun, what ever you decide!

 

[chriswilliam]

I made the decision... thanks for the input.

I went with the on-site family suite. It came down to.... beds. 4 beds vs. 3. Queen vs. full.