Bete
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 14, 1999
- Messages
- 6,498
After being on property over 30 times, we now do offsite. To get equivalent accomodations (2 bedrooms, 2 baths, living room, and kitchen) would be too much for our pocketbook onsite. Our needs dictate more room and accomodations, now. We love having a nice hot breakfast in the morning before we get to the park that's included with our offsite stay.
This does not mean we have given up on doing onsite, our needs now dictate offsite. I would consider onsite even now for a free dining offer and staying at a value (bare bones), but it would still depend on our touring plan for the time. Others in my family would prefer offsite all the time, now.
Dining is much more expensive onsite then offsite. I can still dine at the parks even if I'm offsite, but I won't be able to get a dining plan. If you want to take in character meals day after day and you like to eat more then a dining plan is a good thing and you need to be onsite to get one.
We have gotten to the point in life where doing the extra magic hours just don't thrill us. I don't want to get up that early for the early times and I don't want to be in the parks that late; so, those extra magic hours just don't thrill us. Also, I don't plan on doing a 12 or more hour day at the parks, now. In our case we don't have to do it all and we are satisfied with a slower pace that way and a more relaxed plan at Disney, now. We utilize fastpass, we don't backtrack in the parks too much, and we time the shows; so, we see what we want to see that way.
Depending where you stay off site and the time of day it has been reported here on threads that the commute can be better from offsite. You have to get in line at Disney to catch transportation (and that's both ways) and then there are intervals for transportation services (like 20 minutes a part except for rush times) and the fact that you may have to stand on the transportion is not for us. Believe me; this can get ridiculous at times. I feel better in my car away from everyone during peak times. There's a tendency to overdo with doing Disney and many get crabby at the end of the day going back to the resorts with Disney transportation; they are just too tired. I don't want to deal with other peoples issues. I believe the parking fee is around $15/day if you commute on your own; so, on a cost level that has to be factored in.
Most shuttle services offsite are a hassle. They drop you off at Epcot or the transportaion center and you still have to catch Disney transportation to get to the other parks. It's not so easy doing this if you have a stroller or if you are older. We have our own car; so, this is not an issue for us.
If you are a big Disney fan then being onsite is probably more magical especially for kids. You are immersed from beginning to end with everything Disney. The other side of this is that your child may get super charged up with over stimulation with everything Disney and that can lead to problems sleeping and so forth.
We have stayed on all levels of Disney resorts and I vote value resorts all the way. I just can't justify paying more. If the idea is to be on property then the value level gets you that perk. You can always visit the other resorts for a meal or whatever. For us the savings gets us another trip or it gets us more souvenirs or better restaurants to eat at and so forth.
As you can see there are no for sure answers either way. If you have never stayed on site then give it a shot, but be careful about the pocketbook with going deluxe.
This does not mean we have given up on doing onsite, our needs now dictate offsite. I would consider onsite even now for a free dining offer and staying at a value (bare bones), but it would still depend on our touring plan for the time. Others in my family would prefer offsite all the time, now.
Dining is much more expensive onsite then offsite. I can still dine at the parks even if I'm offsite, but I won't be able to get a dining plan. If you want to take in character meals day after day and you like to eat more then a dining plan is a good thing and you need to be onsite to get one.
We have gotten to the point in life where doing the extra magic hours just don't thrill us. I don't want to get up that early for the early times and I don't want to be in the parks that late; so, those extra magic hours just don't thrill us. Also, I don't plan on doing a 12 or more hour day at the parks, now. In our case we don't have to do it all and we are satisfied with a slower pace that way and a more relaxed plan at Disney, now. We utilize fastpass, we don't backtrack in the parks too much, and we time the shows; so, we see what we want to see that way.
Depending where you stay off site and the time of day it has been reported here on threads that the commute can be better from offsite. You have to get in line at Disney to catch transportation (and that's both ways) and then there are intervals for transportation services (like 20 minutes a part except for rush times) and the fact that you may have to stand on the transportion is not for us. Believe me; this can get ridiculous at times. I feel better in my car away from everyone during peak times. There's a tendency to overdo with doing Disney and many get crabby at the end of the day going back to the resorts with Disney transportation; they are just too tired. I don't want to deal with other peoples issues. I believe the parking fee is around $15/day if you commute on your own; so, on a cost level that has to be factored in.
Most shuttle services offsite are a hassle. They drop you off at Epcot or the transportaion center and you still have to catch Disney transportation to get to the other parks. It's not so easy doing this if you have a stroller or if you are older. We have our own car; so, this is not an issue for us.
If you are a big Disney fan then being onsite is probably more magical especially for kids. You are immersed from beginning to end with everything Disney. The other side of this is that your child may get super charged up with over stimulation with everything Disney and that can lead to problems sleeping and so forth.
We have stayed on all levels of Disney resorts and I vote value resorts all the way. I just can't justify paying more. If the idea is to be on property then the value level gets you that perk. You can always visit the other resorts for a meal or whatever. For us the savings gets us another trip or it gets us more souvenirs or better restaurants to eat at and so forth.
As you can see there are no for sure answers either way. If you have never stayed on site then give it a shot, but be careful about the pocketbook with going deluxe.
which is really expensive! I love being on property, but with our family size we are trying "offsite" on our October trip. We are staying at Bonnet Creek in a 2BR for $119 per night. We just couldnt beat that price and will have lots more room.
