Planning when off site help and DTD hotel

[jm106]

X posted- I am not sure if this was the best board but since its about off site, figured you were knowledgeable.

SO I thought I had a handle on my desired ADRs and park plans but being off site is making it really hard(I would prefer onsite but not this trip.) We did off in '09 but kids were much younger and it was a terrible weather week so we all were ok with short days to get out of the rain. that said, I was very bored hanging in the villa (and that was a better place then we will be in this trip.)
Now, I am not sure how to plan- Kids will be just 6 and almost 9 (no stroller.)
-DO I plan a midday break back at resort like we normally do and enjoy(when on site?)
- Shorter days? skip RD or evenings?
- Go all day with ADR late afternoon?
I am just so unsure how the kids will handle it all day but with ADRs and FP+ I have to plan. I had a bad experience driving off site on '09 trip- took 3 hours one day so I have anxiety about it (on top of anxiety about the drive from NJ-FL.)

Wondering how also to plan meals. I really dont want to do a lot of cooking especially if we are not sure how the days will go. Any in site from those with kids who stayed off site?
We plan 4 or 5 days in WDW, one night being MNSSHP and 2 days at US/IOA
Thank you

ETA- We also have to stay off site our first night and last(we will drive and arrive a day early- add a day at the end.)
W ehave points for one night at Holiday inn/partner hotels of HI and several at Hilton/Partners. Any recommendations? Unfortunately, we will have to do 3 different check ins.

 

[Ametista]

Well 3 check ins is kind of a PITA unless you have a car with a trunk to hide your luggage. Then you can just pack up, go to a theme park, then in the pm check into your new place.

We always stay offsite and we always take a mid-day break. An example would be RD at MK, stay until 2:00, go to villa and eat, rest, swim, then go to DTD and spend the evening at Disneyquest with a break at Trex for dinner. Or the evening might be Seaworld. I don't know, maybe we have a collectively short attention span because we never last more than 5 or 6 hours at any one place. Or the am might be Typhoon Lagoon and the pm is MNSSHP.

I also pack healthy snacks and plan ahead with groupons and that sort of thing, so I don't waste my whole vacation cooking. Cicis pizza always has coupons online. Its not fancy but I don't cook on vacation. At the villa we always have milk/cereal/bagels and scrambled eggs for breakfast and there is always sandwich fixins. I am also on the email list for Sweet Tomatoes who send out regular coupons.

 

[jm106]

Thanks, I appreciate your help. Yes I know it will be a pain to move but the other choice is shorten the trip a few days and skip some things. Its a long long drive so I want to stay for as long as we can and the 2 hotels and Villa are free (which is why we are going off site and not skipping this year.) I will lock suit cases in my suv(no trunk.) We wont have much other then clothes so I am not all that concerned.
I like to do a park all day, swim then return. We never get bored in the parks . Plus for how much we pay for a days ticket, I wouldn't want to leave after a few hours and pay to go someplace else. That is just us and our budget though.
Thanks for the food tips. I am not sure what CiCi or Sweet tomatoes but I will look into it. Groupons for local places? I hadn't thought about that, still planning but guess cheaper. I worry that we wont want to leave the park and we put out cash for dining and have to leave to eat. This is just so different then we normally do, still trying to figure out what would work for us.

 

[gonnago]

I am in the same boat. This will be my first trip offsite and I too am having much anxiety over it. It will also be first time driving instead of flying. And I am going with my sons family so first time with any grandchildren it is their first trip.

It would be so much easier to fly and stay onsite but not in the budget,we have a 2 bed2 bath unit courtesy of DDIL's mothers timeshare at no cost to us(can't beat free accommodations) driving with 5 people is way cheaper than flying and renting a vehicle. We will have breakfast in the unit as well as some other meals,I don't like to cook on vacation either but DDIL doesn't seem mind. We have a couple of character adr's for lunches.

We plan on being at RD each day as the grandchildren as use to being up early,and taking afternoon breaks for naps and then back to park for evenings. I am use to opening and going to closing each day but this will be a more relaxed trip in that regard. I must also mention we will be there April 12-18 crowds are gonna be insane I have warned them of this fact,but unfortunately it is then or in the summer heat and humidity ( I cannot handle that due to health problems) because DDIL is a teacher.

I hope you are able to enjoy your trip and your anxiety level subsides. I just keep telling myself being at Disney anytime is better than being at home'

 

[jm106]

Good luck to you too. I hope crowds don't prove to be an issue for you.