On site or Off site???

[Tomandtammy]

Do you prefer staying on site? Or Off site???
Which hotels do you prefer? And why??

[]

Tammy

 

[pat fan]

I vote on site because with the ALLStars,it's almost as cheap as staying at a nice off site hotel.For that little bit more money,you get EE,busses,cool pools,extremely nice people to deal with(CM's) and that extra dose of Disney Magic all day!

 

[dizneenut]

I voted off site because it fits our budget better, and because we have too many people for the resorts....too expensive to buy 2 rooms!!

<font face="Comic Sans MS"><img width"200" src="http://www.wdwinfo.com/sites/techca/tigger3.jpg"></img>

<font color="blue">first family vacation--WDW--July 2001</font>

 

[momuv2]

I vote off-site because I like the benefits of having a 2 BR, 2 Bath, jacuzzi. Great Pools at the motel. A washer and dryer in our room, so when our 1 year old gets food all over her, I dont have to spend my time going to a laundermat. I also like the full kitchen,,, but only for the refriderator. I do not cook while I am on vacation. But I like having cold drinks. I also like the microwave for bottles. Oh, well, I like to be pampered and have it all

 

[Trekker]

Cause I want the magic 24 hours a day.

<FONT color=darkblue size=2>Feb 1995 - Caribbean Beach</FONT>
<FONT color=cadetblue size=2>Feb 1997 - Port Orleans</FONT>
<FONT color=darkred size=2>Nov 1997 - Offsite</FONT>
<FONT color=darkgoldenrod size=2>Feb 2000 - Dixie Landings</FONT>
<FONT color=orangered size=2>Nov 2001 - Contemporary </FONT>

 

[Bete]

Off-site all the way because for the same money you will get a better place off-site. If you use priceline you can get a 4-star off-site at a better rate then the cheapest on-site resort. Noone will convince me that the All-Star is better then the Marriot Orlando World Center or Wyndham even with the Disney perks.

I rather gain my ambiance by going to a better restaurant, etc. for the money saved off-site. If money is not an object by all means have your cake and eat it too.

Finally, I'm sorry but many of us go to other places then Disney on our vacation in Orlando. I don't like resort hopping; so, staying off-site is fine by me. Also, I believe it makes a difference if you go with children or not. With child there may be some points for staying on-site. Also, I believe by staying on-site you get sucked in to spending more money doing extra activities, etc.

This debate will continue forever. I think the best part is just going to the parks, not where you are staying.

 

[ZerasPride]

I vote for onsite for several reasons. First, we don't like to rent a car so we use Tiffany Towncar service to take us back and forth from the airport and use Disney transportation while onsite for the parks. We also enjoy Universal/IOA and stay at the Portofino (onsite) and we use Tiffany to transport us to the Portofino after our Disney stays. No hassle and wonderful pampering service by Tiffany.

Second, we like to take advantage of e-ride nights and early entry days, especially in the summer when it is very hot. Not to mention, to us, you can't beat returning to your resort during the heat of the day for a rest and swim then returning to the parks.

Finally, we love onsite because of the affordability of the SwanDolphin resorts. Now instead of paying $300 per night for a regular room at the Grand Floridian or Beach Club (which are very nice by the way) we can pay the same amount of money and stay in a 2 room suite!

Onsite may not be for everyone but my family would never consider anything else. I don't know about any special intangible "magic" felt at the Disney resorts but I do love the convenience, flexibility and now affordability with the SwanDolphin. Of course all this is just my humble opinon!

Lisa

CBR - 10/98
BC - 10/98
BC - 6/00
GF - 9/00
Dolphin - 6/01

 

[Daisimae]

Actually, I could pick both. I prefer off-site for when we are visiting other parks, then switch to an on-site moderate resort for the days when we are touring the parks. It is much easier to navigate getting in and out and going to breaks when you are on-site.

Last year, we did the MK and tried doing the 9pm Hoop-Dee-Doo while staying at an off-site hotel and getting back to it (Wellesley Inn), thru Mears was awful! Will never try that again! We were on-site a couple of days later and had no problems.



Daisimae
Proud Survivor of the Space Mountain Morning-Mini Marathon and Splash Mountain Rapid Rampage
____________________
'73-Offsite
'86-Offsite
'87-Offsite
'89-CBR
'90-CBR
'91-CBR
'92-PO
'94-PO
'00-PO/3-day Wonder
'01-PO
'02 - Magic 7 day/PO
2003-Family Reunion-Probably at Safari Logde

 

[Lisa P.]

We prefer onsite for short stays of just a few days or times when you won't have a car or visits where the group may need to split up (baby's naps, someone who tires easily or is ill or even teens seeking independence on the trip).

Being onsite allows for the theme atmosphere all the time. On a short stay, that's desirable. On a longer stay (a week or more), we become more conscious of the illusion, the expense and the whole Disney machine, as well as the 5 of us getting more irritable from less sleep and less privacy.

So on longer stays (over a week), we prefer offsite. We always have a car and we choose our resort carefully. If we could afford DVC's (low-key) OKW 2-BR villas for our stays, that would suit us well. Since we cannot (without using our entire year's vacation budget in a single trip), offsite timeshares are definitely best for us. We've also been doing more besides Disney these days (both in Orlando and elsewhere). Luxury villas with jacuzzi, washer-dryer, kitchen, separate BR's & baths... fun resort amenities and a price that easily suits our budget... can't get better than that!

 

[Amy23]

We have done both, and we prefer on-site. The convenience is the best reason. I absolutely hated driving into the Magic Kingdom parking lot, going to the nearest tram stop, travel to the monorail or the boat and finally you are there. Then the exact opposite to come back. It seemed like it took forever. The parking lots at Epcot and MGM were much better. I just prefer the boat, bus, or monorail rides from the resorts much better.

Amy

August 1994 Off-site
July 1998 Port Orleans
July/August 2000 Dolphin, Poly, Yacht Club
June/July 2001 Swan

 

[dianeschlicht]

Not sure what you meant by saying DVC would cost a whole years vacation budget. We bought into DVC because it saved us so much. We were spending thousands of dollars each time we took a trip to WDW. We bought into DVC, and now spend so much less because it is basically prepaid vacations! We have owned at DVC for 4+ years and have taken 8 DVC trips. We figure we more than paid for it in savings for those 8 trips, and we got deluxe 2 BR accommodations in the process.

As far as comparing off and on site vacations. I don't think there is any comparison! We stayed off site 5 times before trying on site. We too thought we couldn't afford on site, but the experience is so different as to not seem like the same vacation! I guess I like the imersion in everything Disney.

Disneydiane

 

[robinb]

I prefer to be onsite, but sometimes stay offsite because of $$. I like being in the 'magic' 24/7, I like the bus system, I like the food courts in the value and moderate resorts. I usually split up my stay between onsite and offsite to balance the costs.


-- Robin

 

[Robin1116]

Having stayed way too many times to count off-site and then finally on-site I have to go with on-site!

We have had a car all of the times we have gone to Orlando. Due to airport limos being about the same price as us renting an economy car.

This makes for great off-site (of course) and for great on-site stays with little trips to Downtown Disney and to Animal Kingdom and off property to Wal-Mart, Goodings and such.

Overall it is just worth it! To be so close to the parks and to not have to worry about transportation is wonderful!

I just think it is so much more magical when you don't have to "rush" to the parks or deal with the huge crowds. I do have to admit there is no difference once you get inside. But it is nice to know that you can escape and go back to your hotel if the crowds get to be too much!

If I had to stay off site I would not complain, and after all of the off-site hotels I would probably know where to stay!

However given the choice I feel it is defenatly worth it to stay on property. To be able to stay in the land is very magical!

Robin Longley

 

[noel]

Fortunately I've been able to afford staying onsite during each of my vacations and have no plans of ever staying offsite. If however we could only afford to go by staying offsite, then we'd give staying offsite a shot.

'95 Lodge/Contemporary
'96 Lodge/AS Music
'99 Caribbean (March)
'99 Dolphin Concierge(Dec)
'00 AS Sports & Lodge
'01 AS Movies & Poly

 

[MJames41]

I will never again stay offsite when I am visiting Disney if I have a choice. No one can convince me that the Marriot Orlando World Conference Center is better than an All-Star resort when it comes to a Disney vacation. Preference is Deluxe hotels (of course - especially monorail resorts), but Moderates or Value will do just fine. The only when I would stay offsite, would be if I was to be going elsewhere, then I think I would go with the suggestion of onsite for Disney and offsite for days when going to Universal or elsewhere

JamesM

 

[Lisa P.]

Diane, we owned DVC points and sold them. A week in a DVC 2-BR (family of 5, all over age 10) when we like to visit WDW is nearly 300 points. The purchase price and annual out-of-pocket (maint) fees would be $20,000+ & $920+.

By contrast, our offsite timeshare exchanges to resorts like Vistana or Cypress Pointe or a Marriott cost us an average purchase price and annual out-of-pocket (maint + exchange) fees of ~$2,000 & $400. No need for a mortgage at those prices.

If you add up what we'd pay in DVC mortgage payments + maint fees and compare that with $400, you can see that it's considerably more with DVC, just as it is with any onsite arrangement. With what we save, we are able to afford another timeshare week at a Gold Crown resort on the beach or elsewhere every year, better restaurants and several camping weekends in our comfy pop-up through the year. Our annual vacation budget simply goes further without DVC.

Also, after a few days onsite (and with so many Disney trips behind us, both onsite and offsite), sometimes the "Disney magic" starts to look more like the "Disney money machine," especially to my DH. When we stay offsite, we all seem to appreciate the Disney difference a little more. To each their own.

 

[robinb]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Also, after a few days onsite (and with so many Disney trips behind us, both onsite and offsite), sometimes the "Disney magic" starts to look more like the "Disney money machine," especially to my DH.[/quote]

I'm really starting to get annoyed at the Big 3-Fingered Mouse Hand in my pocket. I know that for people who go once in a while it's not bad, but we've gone 4 times in 18 months. Each time we go we eat off-site more and more trying to stem the money from flowing from our wallets into Disney's coffers. BTW, we are DVC members and it's still working for us. The only problem is that my DH refuses to stay in Studios anymore and insists on a 1 BR every time. So much for point stretching .


-- Robin

 

[rosemont]

We've just returned from our third trip and I'm more convinced than ever that every question should be asked in the timeframe of when you're going. We stayed at All Stars for 3 nights and Hyatt Orlando for 4 nights. The Hyatt definitely had more amenities - whirlpool, hairdryer, shower cap, in room coffee,ironing board;but although it did have a gated entrance, I did not feel the level of security that I feel at the disney properties. My husband and I noted though, that many other off site hotels did not have gated entrances. We feel that feeling of security is a nice plus. EE didn't benefit us, because we stayed out late. We DID do e-ride one night and love that perc. But with most parks closing early this time of year, we never end up returning to our hotel for a mid afternoon break. And even though we were on Disney property, we drove everywhere. Hate those buses!
And this time we hit the BELZ What savings!

 

[jerrycool]

i don't think i could stomach disney food each and every meal.......basically overpriced slop.....give me olive garden any time......

 

[sarahawk]

We just got back from two weeks in Fla. We rented a house in Clermont which is about 15-20 minutes to Disney. We loved it, for $130.00-$140.00 per night we had 4 bedrooms (one was a bunk room) a beutifully decorated house with full kitchen,washer and dryer, a private heated pool and hot tub, and garage. We spent 3 days in the Disney parks, 2 at Seaworld, went to Titusville one day to watch the shuttle and the rest of the time we were in the pool come rain or shine. We loved the privacy too. This is what we prefer