onsite or offsite?

[momz]

We are considering going to WDW in January. We are planning on driving, so will have a car. We have stayed on property before and loved it, but I am interested in investigating off-site properties as well. My main concern is $$$$. If we stay onsite, it will be a value resort. So really I am looking for something off site that would be comparable price-wise. What are your thoughts? At this budget level, should I just stay onsite afterall? My secondary concern is getting that "disney feeling". Can it be done offsite?

 

[dgaston]

I always post that I believe the Disney Magic is the memories you create with your family. I do not believe it takes Mickey soap to make wonderful times with each other. Please look into Cypress Pointe at www.hotelkingdom.com and also www.windsorhillsrent.com You will find great places where you can spread out and truly enjoy your vacation for comparable prices to a value resort. Learn to visit Biglots and the Dollar Store if you feel you need to surprise your children with WDW items. You have to decide what the "Disney feeling" is for you.

Also you need to know that without an Annual Pass, you will pay $10 for parking each day.

 

[rosiep]

Join Mousesavers.com and think about the DTD hotels as an option. I have stayed on and off site and the truth is if I don't have the extra moolah, I just feel better with the savings staying offsite. I ALWAYS have a great time. The above poster is right...Disney soap does not a vacation make!

 

[Cdn Friends of Pooh]

I always post that I believe the Disney Magic is the memories you create with your family. I do not believe it takes Mickey soap to make wonderful times with each other.

We always say the same things as well when we read those "you can't experience Disney magic by staying offsite" threads. We go several times a year and stay both onsite and offsite and find little difference in the experience. Yes staying onsite gives you a few extra perks like EMH but you do pay more for them. When we're staying offsite we usually stay at the Comfort Suites Maingate East (less than 5 mins from WDW) and find it's a great way to save money. We'll spend about $80/night and get a free breakfast buffet as well as a clean, large room with coffee maker, fridge, and microwave.

 

[kilee]

We've stayed offsite more than onsite. I have always felt the Disney magic though no matter where we stayed. Of course my wallet feels that magic more so when we stay offsite.

Our favorite offsite place to date has been the Sheraton Safari. We got this through priceline a few years back at an incredible rate. It had all the amenities (aside from EMH) that our onsite hotel had. Only we paid 60% less. Also, the travel time was under 5 minutes to the parking lots of the parks and about 2 minutes to a DTD parking lot.

Like others have said you could always try a DTD hotel also.

 

[chef_mickey]

none of u probaly care but... I prefer staying on Disney propty because u know why everyone is there... TO HAVE FUN!!

DMom DDad DSis Me

 

[chef_mickey]

what pictures or story can u make out of smilies... here i go

picture



ok that was my picture it is hard... NOT! LOL

 

[tinaluis]

We've been to WDW many times and stayed onsite as well as offsite. We recently struggled with the same decision you are and decided to stay offsite. Here's our breakdown -- we need 2 rooms at POP (value resort) because there are 6 of us. We had a reservation during Free Dining at POP which came to just under $2,800 for 13 nights (including a 1 day park ticket we don't need but would save for a later date). We were able to get a 2 bedroom condo on Skyauction for 14 nights for $462 total. Even though our package at POP included meals, I don't think we're going to spend $2,300 on food for 14 nights. Plus the condo will have a washer/dryer, jacuzzi tub, full kitchen and enough space for all of us to spread out. It's the perfect fit for us. Good luck with your decision!

 

[isla bonita]

tinaluis

Are those the real hard numbers? That is incredable. Even with a rental car, aire fare and food you should still come out ahead.

 

[CoralCayTownhome]

If you are worried about staying off property - why not split your stay Spend the first part of your vacation off site - perhaps in a townhome/condo or villa and then the last few nights on property. That way you will get the best of both and your decision for your following visit will be a lot easier.

Just remember a lot of people never go back to hotels once they experience the private rental of a home - lots more value for money which leaves extra spending for WDW treats

Tracey

 

[dfarner]

I always post that I believe the Disney Magic is the memories you create with your family. I do not believe it takes Mickey soap to make wonderful times with each other.

We have stayed onsite for the last few yrs only because I have come across some really good DVC deals on Redweek. However, I am definitely not against staying offsite, actually considering it for our trip next year. We have had some of the best times OFFSITE. I remember one year we parked at MK and stayed all day. My husband swore up and down he would remember where we parked (I never can and I didn't write it down that time). Long story short, we came out after closing and got off the tram and he had NO idea where we parked. He acted cool about it, but I can remember laughing so hard I couldn't walk. I sat down under a lamp post and let him wander the lot for what seemed like an eternity. I laughed until I cried until he finally pulled up w/ the rental car.
One time we stayed at a really nasty Howard Johnson (our first trip down, had no idea about anywhere to stay) and I can remember my mom buying a pie at the Shoneys next door, walking into our room, tripping, and the pie going everywhere. My sister and I never laughed so hard together! That same trip our rental car got a flat AND I got hit in that lovely Howard Johnson's parking lot.
Okay, Okay enough of my walk down memory lane...My point is that memories are made anywhere!!
(Sorry for the long post)

 

[sympatico]

The magic for me is being able to go to the parks all day and come home to a nice big townhouse or pool home. I love the extra space, privacy and having my own pool . If you stay in the Formosa Gardens / Windsor Hills area you're close enough to leave the parks and come home for a rest and return later in the day.
Since you have a car already you would save lots. January is low season so you should get a condo / townhouse or pool home at a good price.
Try www.homeaway.com www.vrbo.com (Kissimmee area) www.windsorhillsrent.com www.fabvillas.com
Take a look at what's available. We usually rent directly from the owners. Subdivisions in the Formosa Gardens area include Emerald Island, Indian Creek, Formosa Gardens, Oak Island Cove, Sunset Lakes, Windsor Palms and Windsor Hills and a few more. Here's a couple of maps to show you where everything is:
http://www.thedibb.co.uk/villa/map.htm
http://www.orlando-maps.info/top_down_maps/kissimmee_top_down.htm
There's also lots of restaurants and fast food within 5 minutes on 192.

 

[isla bonita]

For me nothing is better then good food, good fun and good $ex.

When there is space for every one this is a good thing.

I live for our vacations together.

 

[spiceycat]

. We were able to get a 2 bedroom condo on Skyauction for 14 nights for $462 total.

please say how?

the condo on skyauction I have seem are all for 7 nights not 14.

so I would end up paying the fee twice. with the fee at $295 these days this is not the bargin it was.

so please say how you got this?

 

[tinaluis]

please say how?

the condo on skyauction I have seem are all for 7 nights not 14.

so I would end up paying the fee twice. with the fee at $295 these days this is not the bargin it was.

so please say how you got this?

Pat,
It's a new one on SkyAuction (or new to me) called the Steak & Stay special - fees are only $195 +$20 + amount of bid (in my case it was $26) and you only pay the $20 Processing Fee 1x if you choose more than one certificate. I chose 2 (because I wanted 2 weeks) so my totals were $52 for the bid ($26x2), $390 Taxes/Service Charge ($195x2) and a $20 Processing Fee. You also get two $50 certificates per auction good at several steakhouses, one of which is in Orlando on I-Drive. We probably won't use the certificates, but the fees on these are much lower than the Ready, Set, Go. Only thing is you have to choose from www.getawayweeks.com which has less inventory than the Ready, Set, Go auctions. BTW it was the first time I'd seen it come up and I WAY overbid -- after my auction, I watched several auctions close for $5, $3 and even $1 so I could have gotten the weeks for even less, but I was just glad to have it done. Search "Auctions Closing Soon" and look for titles like Land & Seafood Special, Central U.S. Room & Board Special, Surf & Turf Special, etc.

isla bonita/deb,
Yep, those are the hard numbers -- well, $2,759.00 to be exact. When we visited WDW last year during Free Dining we had a great time, but everyone agreed it was too much food and we actually felt wasteful (and we hate to waste food). We're also not fancy eaters -- we have 3 kids (soon to be 4) so we don't really go out to eat very often. Olive Garden or Red Lobster are about as fancy as we get. So, while we enjoyed the fancier restaurants at WDW, it's not something we HAVE to have on every trip. And I'm looking forward to spending time at US/IOA (we have APs) which we didn't get to do last trip because everything was structured around where our next ADR was.

 

[Minnie]

We just returned from our trip and before we went this was a big question for us - would we miss Mickey or WDW?

And the answer for us was yes. We missed the WDW theming and its not just the soap but the entire - relax and let them take care of you - that we missed. We just didn't get the same - wow - feeling we got at WDW.

BUT - and this is a big BUT - you mention that it will be at a value if you stay on site. For that reason alone I'd have to say give off-site a try. To me the value resorts are nothing more than a very large, very crowded Super 8 (flame suit on).

We stayed in WH in a 3bed/3bath townhouse that had a splash pool. For money alone we couldn't have touched what we had at WDW for anything but double to triple the amount of money we paid. So definitely consider your off-site options. If you want the direct website for the townhouse we stayed in PM me and I'll send it to you.

Good luck!

 

[disneydance]

We just recently stayed onsite for our very first time and our so happy we did it we loved the EMH perk and loved having cast members around 24/7 we have decided we will never stay off site again we stayed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge which is a deluxe resort but would take a value resort anyday we loved all the perks and the friendliness that every cast member had we are going back in 15 months and looking foward to this trip this was my only second visit to WDW and kids first but we have been to Disneyland 2 times with the kids and maybe 20 time as a couple we had always stayed offsite and will never again so I say onsite but all in alll this is your decision so choose for yourself

 

[momz]

thank you for sharing your experiences. You've me given much to think about and consider when making our decison. I've looked at some of the places recommended and when compared to staying at a value resort....off site looks like the way to go. but it's early yet, so i will continue lurking here to see what more i can learn. love the dis...

 

[Cruz91]

We have our 4th trip scheduled for October. All four off-site. The previous three were AMAZING, and I don't feel cheated for never having stayed on-site. We paid, hold on to your seats, a whopping $75 per night for our 3 BR, 2BA condo at WH. That's right, less than the listed rate for a Disney value, but with all that room to spread out AND a full kitchen. And I challenge anyone staying at a value on-site to use Disney transportation and beat me to any park.

You know what they say about opinions - and that's mine...

Have a GREAT trip!

 

[Princess_Michelle]

We are staying off site for the first time in October! I found a whole bunch of condos on the Florida Sun Vacation Homes site. We chose the "Treasure Cay" 3 BR/2 B condo in Windsor Hills. It's only 1.5 miles from WDW. Not only was it only $109 a night, but we got a 15% discount for staying more than 7 nights!! They had some for $99 a night and there were some 2 BR's for $89 a night. We picked ours b/c it is right next to the pool. I did this when I noticed that Disney was charging about $111 a night for an itsy-bitsy room at All Star Movies!! After our last stay at the Pop last year, I really don't want to stay at a Value Resort again, so I'm really excited about this year. I say try off site