Pros and Cons to staying off site

[Nena2007]

Last time we went to Disney we stayed at Pop. DH hated it. He kept saying that we would never stay at a place like that if it wasn't Disney, so why do it there. So this year we were thinking about Contemporary, and I just CAN'T stomach the cost. So we are talking about the benefits to possibly staying off site (though I'd rather stay on site at a Value place).

Any thoughts? What are the benefits and drawbacks? I know we will have to pay for parking, can't take advantage of the extra magic hours or dining plan. Anything else I should know before making our final decision?

Thanks!!!

 

[Dallas_Lady]

What was it that DH didn't like about Pop? Will you have a car? I have done offsite twice and really enjoy it, but wouldn't do it without a car.

There are some people who would have you think that onsite it the only way to enjoy Disney. I have done both and enjoyed both. We get a condo when we stay offsite and the extra space has become invaluable. Being able to do a load of laundry while the kids naps is great. I know there are people who say you shouldn't have to do laundry on vacation, but I'm a mom and laundry has to be done regardless of where we are. Not being in a cramped hotel room really makes it easy to relax after the stress of a busy day at Disney. And frankly, we got back and forth from our condo using the car faster that I could ever get to and from a Disney resort using the buses.

 

[Brian Noble]

It's pretty simple. The pro is: you get a lot more room/resort for your money. The con is: you don't get the Disney perks that go along with an onsite stay. I've said this elsewhere, but ultimately, when it comes to WDW lodging, there are three things you might want:

1: To be onsite.
2: To have a reasonable amount of space.
3: To spend a reasonable amount of money.

In general, you can have two of those three, but most people can't get all three at the same time. So, you have to decide which of these you are willing to live without, and which is most important to you. Over time, my family has found that the difference between onsite and offsite is pretty modest for us, but having space to spread out is important. Different families will weigh the facets differently.

It sounds like your husband also really wants more space. After that, it's just a matter of whether you spend the money to do it onsite, or not. It might be worth looking into renting a 1BR or 2BR villa from a DVC owner. Much more space, much more comfortable. And, while it is still pretty pricey, it might be worth it to you. On the other hand, you might also find that offsite isn't as horrible as you are imagining.

 

[jeff968]

We burned out of full-Disney-experience years ago and are now committed and satisified offsiters. I recommended statying with a high quality brand like Marriott or Hilton. The villa's are incredible and the resorts amazing. I could go on and on but the top 5 reasons for us are:

1) The villa space, so much more.
2) The value, not just the resort, we also fill our fridge so we do breakfast, lunch, snacks and drinks at the resort. We save tons of money.
3) The resorts, beautiful, so much to do if you choose to.
4) Orlando, lots more to see and do, great restaurants, outlet malls.
5) The sun, our main reason for traveling and just as nice at the Marriott as it is from Disney.

IMHO
Jeff

 

[Phil'sFrontier]

for the same price range as Pop Century you can stay at a two or three bedroom condo in the Lake Buena Vista area. We are doing that in Feb, and staying at WorldQuest. They also have free parking, so on days we don't go to the parks we aren't paying for our car to sit in the hotel parking lot. I am sure we will get pressured by time share salesmen but that doesn't bother me, I am thinking I will pretty much ignore them. If not I will just ask them to please leave me alone.

 

[momto2js]

We travel quite a bit and we have learned the hard way that if more then 2 nights we need more than a standard hotel room to be comfortable. We live about 7 hours from disney so by staying offsite we are able to go to the area more often because we don't spend more than $500 a week.

Space is the biggest deal for us. After a long day I can put the kids in a room and close the door. They sleep and I can pack for the next day, watch tv, and most of the time even flush the toilet without waking them.

For me the other HUGE advantage is food. I don't have to worry about ADRs months in advance, I have the option to pack lunches for the parks so we don't have to stand in the long CS lines and then hunt for a table.

Our "hotels" aren't overly themed but usually they have fun pools and my kids have a good time. We have some disposible income that we could use to stay onsite (and we might start when the boys are old enough to venture out on their own). But for us staying 3 miles away and saving 50% or more is worth it.

I do think that a car is required to the off site thing to work well. However, for my family a car would be required for an onsite stay too. Disney transit is too time consuming for us.

 

[ascwilson]

It looks like you've already given it a lot of thought. It is a toss up for us. We've done both and while I like the convenience of being on site in case our youngest needs a break, you can't beat the savings of staying off site in a condo or pool home.

If we go during free dining we stay onsite as we love to try new restaurants, but if Grandma goes with us, we stay at WH. I will say we've never stayed in the values as my husband absolutely refuses to just based on the room size alone. Even though the moderates are a lot bigger, it is a noticable size difference.

On site you may save money by not renting a car if you fly down, but you definitely need one for offsite. Offsite you do have to pay for parking, but can cook if you wish to, and can do laundry at your convenience.

The main reason I like onsite is my kids are almost 9 years apart and this way we can split up and one can take the youngest back for a rest, where when we stay off site, we all come and go together.

 

[Nena2007]

Thanks for all of the input everyone!! We will be driving from Texas, so we will have our car. We had our car last time as well and still drove to the parks everyday since we had a double stroller and lugging that and two kids into a bus seemed less than desirable.

My husband doesn't like the "motel" feel of Pop. I loved the disney theme of everything and felt like we were "at disney" even when we weren't in the park.

Could we swing paying for CR? Yes, but other parts of our vacation would have to sacrifice and that is something that I'm just not willing to do.

I hadn't really thought of bringing food into the park. I know that we will still do at least one table service a day, but that does leave us more money if we pack our luches. Do you just bring a cooler?

Last time we went we had 2 kids, this time we have three so space really would make a big difference.

Also, even though we were onsite last time with two little ones, we never went back to nap.

Any specific places that you all recommend to stay at that offer space, a good price and aren't too far from the park?

 

[olecow]

We wife and I stayed offsite once and HATED it. Space is not a very big deal for us because when we're at Disney, with or without kids, we hardly spend any time in our room. Also, we didn't have a car, so we were at the mercy of our hotel's "shuttle." I highly recommend having a car if you stay offsite. If not, be sure to check the shuttle schedule of your property and if they share shuttle service with other resorts. That can be a huge headache.

Our particular property had great daily rates, but it took us an hour to an hour and a half to get to and from the parks. On top of that we were dropped off in the Siberia of each park, at the farthest corner of the parking lot. At the end of each day we watched all of the onsite guests being picked up in their Disney buses every 10 to 15 minutes or so, while we waited and waited. No thanks.

With all of the options Disney has for on-site resorts I don't see us ever staying offsite again. If the POP wasn't to your husbands liking try a moderate resort, or a family suite at one of the All Star resorts.

 

[Darcy03231]

We've done both and like both. I've found recently that if only two of us are traveling we stay on-site in a value resort. More than 2 and we rent a vacation home in the area.

I found having a private pool home was invaluable when traveling with kids. Yes, we had to rent a car, but having all the extra room, private pool, full kitchen, washer & dryer and not having to wait for the buses at the end of the night was well worth it. I also found that we really didn't miss the extra magic hours or the dining plan. With staying off site we had way more dining options. Some nights we just grabbed pizza/subs on the way back to the house or stopped a the grocery store and bought a rottisserie chicken, pasta salad and tossed salad.

I also found we saved quite a bit of money because we ate breakfast in each day.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[Dallas_Lady]

We wife and I stayed offsite once and HATED it. Space is not a very big deal for us because when we're at Disney, with or without kids, we hardly spend any time in our room. Also, we didn't have a car, so we were at the mercy of our hotel's "shuttle." I highly recommend having a car if you stay offsite. If not, be sure to check the shuttle schedule of your property and if they share shuttle service with other resorts. That can be a huge headache.

Our particular property had great daily rates, but it took us an hour to an hour and a half to get to and from the parks. On top of that we were dropped off in the Siberia of each park, at the farthest corner of the parking lot. At the end of each day we watched all of the onsite guests being picked up in their Disney buses every 10 to 15 minutes or so, while we waited and waited. No thanks.

With all of the options Disney has for on-site resorts I don't see us ever staying offsite again. If the POP wasn't to your husbands liking try a moderate resort, or a family suite at one of the All Star resorts.

Sounds like you didn't do your research before going. We have stayed offsite and had the exact opposite experience. Though, as many here have said, don't stay offsite without a car or it will be miserable.

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

I agree that there are pros and cons to both and it has a lot to do with your vacationing style, the length of your trip, your family's needs, and your budget. For our trip this past August, we went back and forth for a long time about whether to rent a condo offsite or stay onsite. Since it was our first family WDW trip and we don't plan on being back until 2013 or 2014, we really wanted to have an all inclusive vacation and experience staying at a WDW resort since they are trumpeted as being a big part of the WDW vacation experience. Reasonably priced resort options that can accommodate our family of six are few and far between at WDW. Honestly, even with free dining or the kids stay/play free promotion and traveling during value season, the only onsite options that were within a comfortable price range for us were two value resort rooms or the value resort family suite. Since we didn't want to deal with the possibility of not getting connecting rooms and liked the idea of having a living room area and kitchenette, we went with the family suite. We thought that the WDW value resort (All Star Music) was clean and very family friendly and we liked the family suite well enough, but now that we have had the onsite experience, we are strongly looking into staying offsite in a condo or townhouse for our next WDW trip because of the incredible value and our vacationing style and needs as a family. I've read so many great things about Windsor Hills and Bonnett Creek on these boards, so those are the two offsite resorts we are looking into for a condo rental. The only thing that concerns me is having to incur the expense of renting a minivan for a week, but we will have to really do our research for great deals. Since you will be driving from Texas and will have your own vehicle, then that will make staying offsite an even more practical option for your family. I know if we stay offsite we won't be in the Disney "bubble" (not necessarily a bad thing ), won't be able to have the dining plan, take advantage of EMH, or have the atmosphere and festivities of the WDW resorts; but looking back at our recent trip, I think staying in a condo or vacation house offsite will suit our vacationing style better. The dining plan was nice in many ways, but having to wait in long lines and balance trays or wait to be seated and order at a restaurant for every meal got old after a couple days, especially with four young children in tow. We think it would be a lot easier for us to enjoy breakfast at our condo/house, pack lunch for the parks on most days, and enjoy dinner back at the condo/house in the evening and plan to have take out or a dining reservation only a couple times. I don't think we will miss EMH because we didn't take advantage of it at all on our past trip; and as far as the atmosphere and activities at the WDW resorts goes, at the end of a long, busy day at the parks all we really wanted to do was relax and unwind as a family and didn't always feel like packing everyone up to go to the resort pool or arcade or care about participating in a dance or hula hoop contest. Sorry if I've made my post too long, but what I am trying to say is that it really boils down to what you are looking for in your experience and what your vacationing style is. It certainly isn't always about the final cost although that is certainly a big factor. Some people on these boards will give you the impression that staying offsite is not a complete WDW experience and that it is all Disney or nothing which is a very interesting perspective to me. The magic is what you make it and we get plenty of theming and Disney magic in the parks, not necessarily just at a WDW resort.

 

[KEVD]

To build on the above post, here's the view from a career off-siter. The two main reasons we stay off site are: cost/value and extra space:

1) cost/value
Even though a rental car adds another $500 - $600 to a 7 night off site stay, it's still more cost effective than staying on site with no car rental. Here are the comparisons between 7 nights in a standard room on WDW property and 7 nights at the lovely 2 BR 2 Bath, full kitchen off site condo that we booked June (including a high estimate of $600 for the week for car rental).
Offsite condo + car rental is:
-Only about $200 more than staying in a standard room at a WDW value resort.
-About $1500 LESS than staying in a standard room at a moderate.
-About $2700 LESS than staying in a standard room at a deluxe.
To me that's a "no brainer" right there. Plus you can save more $$$ by having the option to prepare meals in the condo.

2) Extra space
We love having that extra space to "stretch out" and relax after a long day at the parks. Also, with the kids having their own bedroom, it also allows for some needed relaxation/decompression time after the kids are in bed.

Another pro is the convenience and flexibility of having a vehicle as opposed to relying on Disney transpo. To me, the last thing we want to deal with at the end of a long, hot day at the parks is to wait in line for a crowded bus!


The cons of staying off site for me are:
-Not being able to take advantage of EMH (Early Magic Hours) and having to revolve our park plans around avoiding the busier EMH mornings.
-Not having the option of the DDP (Disney Dining Plan)
-Offsite requires more planning, more effort

 

[KEVD]

Any specific places that you all recommend to stay at that offer space, a good price and aren't too far from the park?

Sheraton Vistana (Lake Buena Vista), Wyndham Bonnet Creek, Windsor Hills, Grand Beach. The first two are more expensive than the second two.

 

[olecow]

Sounds like you didn't do your research before going. We have stayed offsite and had the exact opposite experience. Though, as many here have said, don't stay offsite without a car or it will be miserable.

No, we did not plan as well as we should have, which is why I said to have a car if you're staying offsite. Ultimately, where you stay is a personal decision and there are no right or wrong answers but for my family, we don't go to Disney to save money, we save money so we can go to Disney. When I get there I want to dive into all things Disney and not come up for air until we leave for the trip home. Others disagree. All I know is we'll never stay offsite again. Whatever decision you make, I hope you're happy with it.

 

[MinnieForMe]

Sheraton Vistana (Lake Buena Vista), Wyndham Bonnet Creek, Windsor Hills, Grand Beach. The first two are more expensive than the second two.

We highly recommend the Sheraton Vistana. Love it! And, NEVER pay more than $250.00 (Our minivan last year for Easter week was $360.00) for a rental car for a week. Go to the transportation board here at the DIS and take the time to use codes. My parents 7 day compact car rental (Easter week) was only $160.00.

The pros as we see it are:
1. financial savings
2. space
3. Not being surrounded by Disney 24/7 (not that I don't love Disney) but I prefer my Florida vacation to a Disney only vacation.

 

[jeff968]

Any specific places that you all recommend to stay at that offer space, a good price and aren't too far from the park?

Our favorites are Marriott's Cypress harbor and the new Hilton (HGVC) Parc Soliel. We were just at the PS last week and are heading there again in February. Like I said, go with a known brand to ensure quality (Marriott, Hilton, Sheraton). Lot's of rentals on eBay.

 

[Nena2007]

I really appreciate everyones input and suggestions. After the number crunching its hard to beat staying offsite. Its about a $2300 difference if we stay at Windsor Hills (still want to check out the others, though they were really nice!). For that price I can take my daughter to Bippty Bopity, enjoy the extra money to spend on souvineres and pay for Mickey's Christmas Party. Sounds good to me!! Again, thanks everyone for your input!!

 

[brucerob62]

pros...MONEY MONEY MONEY...cons none...if you stay at Bonnet Creek..its onsite..without disney prices..and has shuttle to all the parks for free....just have to rent a car..still way cheaper..than on site and way more space..and bonnet creek is not expensive at all..i paid $400 for a 2 bd for 5 nites..$80 a nite..fireworks view 14th floor so cool

 

[CSI007]

pros...MONEY MONEY MONEY...cons none...if you stay at Bonnet Creek..its onsite..without disney prices..and has shuttle to all the parks for free....just have to rent a car..still way cheaper..than on site and way more space..and bonnet creek is not expensive at all..i paid $400 for a 2 bd for 5 nites..$80 a nite..fireworks view 14th floor so cool

Where in Bonnet Creek did you stay for that price?

All the locations I checked were a few hundred a night.