question for you all

[cinderella_bella]

I was wondering if staying on disney means you get better service than off site resorts and if you get any additional perks with staying on site. Are the rooms generally larger. Do you get any freebies or anything. I know you get free parking at the mk and other parks. Anything else you can think off. We have never stayed on site because of cost so I was wondering if it is really worth the experience or not. Thank you all for you answers.

Tania

 

[Kermit]

It really depends on what your money is worth to you and how much you enjoy certain aspects of resorts. Personally, I love staying onsite and don't plan on ever staying offsite, but I can see how it may not be worth it to everyone.

The rooms are definitely not bigger when comparing similar-priced resorts. If you take just the rooms and what's in them, I'd compare All-Stars to lower priced chains (I guess, I've never really stayed in one). The moderates would be like Hampton Inns or something similar. The deluxes are more like Hilton or Hyatt rooms. As you can see, the prices are far higher than what they would be at any "regular" resort. I consider $120/night for a moderate a pretty good deal, but I wouldn't pay $120 for a Hampton Inn.

There are other benefits to staying onsite. For us, transportation is a huge factor. We drive there, but we park our car when we get there and rely on Disney for the rest of the trip. I'd much rather wait for an airconditioned bus under an awning with fans instead of crossing a busy parking lot to get in a hot car that's been in the sun all day. The ammenities at the resorts are also better. Many hotels have very few options for food, and what they have is often over priced (like room service). Disney resorts have a bigger variety of places to eat. There are also more recreational options.

Another good thing about Disney resorts is the theming. At other hotels, the theme is that you need a place to relax and sleep. Disney resorts are fanciful and make you feel like you're in another world.

 

[cinmell]

Once we stayed on site we've never stayed off site. Transportation is much better on site. Being able to take a bus, monorail or boat back to your hotel is much more convenient than having to drive off site. There are several hotels to choose from, different price ranges and different themes. As Kermit stated, there are lots of food options and several activities at the resorts. It's nice to be able to have a day off from the parks and still have lots to do without leaving your resort.

 

[Disneydenise]

Once you stay on site you will never want to go back to off site again. This is meant as a warning. I reallly don't know why it is but you will do whatever it takes to stay on site. Once 16 years ago we were very poor but I wanted to take my children while they were little and still would really believe so we loaded up the van and drove in driving (had to pull off the road) rain all thru the day and night 23 hours. With a car sick not patty trained 2 YO and a just potty trained 3 YO. We got to the Days Inn and went to check in. Remember 16 years ago there were not the tons of gorgeous hotels near DW. We were down on 192 near Old Towne(very cute shops) The hotel was old and in need of a face lift but the room was clean. It was a minisuite with a small kitchen. DS went to go check it out as I was getting the children out of the car and he was back in a flash with the proclaimation"We are getting up early and going to a character breakfast and we are getting into one of the hotels in that park or we are going home. " I thought he was just wacky because of no sleep. Well the next day we were up and in the Contemporary with the kids and after we finished breakfast we went from hotel to hotel with our sad story. We were able to get into the GF for 5 nights. We really were very poor but we weren't happy because the last time we were at DW we were on our Honeymoon and stayed at the Poly. He was determined to make sure his family had a great time. We ate all fast food but that would have happend anyway because Danny hated to sit still to eat. It took us 3 months to pay off the additional hotel charge but we have never stayed offsite again. it is a sickness and I am not sure there is a cure.

 

[jennymouse]

I loved that story Disneydenise!

My aunt & uncle used to live in Orlando because my uncle was an engineer with the company that built Epcot & MGM, so we'd always stay with them when we went to Orlando. (they got lots of company when they lived there.LOL)

We would go the park of the day around 10:00am and stay until 3 or 4 o'clock, then leave worn out with full intentions of returning later......we never once returned. The thought of driving, traffic, parking, tram to gate, etc. was just too much. Last year was the first time I have stayed onsite and it was wonderful. No big deal to take that bus back to the resort & swim for a couple hours in the heat of the day and return all refreshed and ready to go.

It's a real magical feeling staying onsite too. It's the difference of living in the magic instead of visiting it.

 

[bbogz]

We too began our WDW stays off site and were non the wiser until a special trip in '91 with DD and her girlfriend and her mom for graduation present. Girls week at the world. Since we were traveling without hubbies and sons, we felt a lot safer staying onsite. We were hooked. There is no way I would ever want to stay off site again.
Besides the benefit of being in the center of the magic and the transportation that has already been spoken of, I like the idea of being able to come back to our room in the middle of the day to freshen up and then zip over to another place later in the day. Also, I appreciate being able to have our packages delivered to the hotel rather than having to lug them around with us.
I just don't think you can go wrong staying on site.'

I finally convinced a friend who felt staying onsite was too expensive when traveling with a small niece and her dad who needed a wheelchair. We went down together a couple of years ago and I would not go unless staying onsite so she was "stuck". She's hooked now too.

Go for it. You'll love it.

 

[montessori]

Hi,
I think you are going to get the same answer to your question, over and over again. That is unless someone from the Budget Board pops in.
There ARE people out there who actually prefer to stay off-site. I think the deciding factors for them would be the size of the accomodations and the $$$! People with large families can rent a 2 bedroom condo in a very nice resort setting for a lot less than a regular hotel room in a Disney resort. Some families rent homes and enjoy their own pool. It is a plus to have your own kitchen, washer and dryer, and room to spread out and relax without being all over each other.
Some people simply won't pay the money Disney asks for their resorts. Or they like leaving Disney property at the end of the day. They enjoy dining at other restaurants and visiting other Orlando sites.
I can understand that point of view. It's great that there are accomodations of all kinds in the Disney area. There's something for everyone.
We prefer to stay on Disney property. Not too long ago we stayed at the gorgeous Gaylord Palms, VERY close to Disney property. I could not shake the feeling that we weren't "there" yet, that we had to get going so we would finally be at Disney World. When we stay at a Disney resort we know we are at Disney World every minute. There's just something about it that is hard to explain, and I've tried many times to explain it to "non-believers".

I hesitate to convince anyone to spend the extra money to stay at at Disney resort because there is a chance they might not experience the same feelings we do when we stay there. Just like I don't like going to Disney World with people who just "don't get it" and trying to make them feel the magic. Everyone is different and that's fine, they need to do their own thing.

For my husband and me, Disney World is indeed the happiest place on earth and that includes the Disney World resorts, especially the Boardwalk!

 

[Disneydenise]

You know the just don't get it thing is so true and you can't convince someone. I have been to DW 16 times and I come form a very close family. My sister and brother have never been even once. I have tried to get them to go as a family but they never want to and I am not going to convince them and then get them to my happy place and have them miserable. All of our children are way past the prime age to go now and I am sorry to say that we have never seen one of our nieces or newphews faces the first time they see the castle. On Friday my sister is having her 4th child and she has a 2 YO now I am hoping that her new husband will eventually want to do the once in a lifetime trip. I will be there unless I am dead. They will of of course stay on site.

 

[mikesmom]

We took several trips to Disney and stayed offsite. My budget when DS was small was extremely tight. When the budget got more flexible we just stayed in "nicer" offsite hotels. I didn't feel I could justify the Disney prices.

Now, fast forward to 3 years ago. DS was 16, I (mistakenly) thought he might not want to vacation with parents as he got holder. We scheduled accomodations onsite "just this once". The improvement to our vacation was not measurable! The ability to go back to the room mid-day (in that Florida heat) and return is not explainable until you can do it. As with Jennymouse, when we stayed offsite we always meant to return later, but never, ever did. You also don't feel that you have to lug all the stuff you might possible need for a days outing. No more pack mule for us.

Of course, our "just that once" stay was in a DVC 1 bdrm at the Boardwalk and ended up buying, but that's another story!

 

[ducklite]

I can't tell you how many people have posted that they tried offsite and then stayed onsite, and will never go back offsite. Or people who normallys tay onsite and stay offsite once, and swear never again.

I stay onsite because it's more relaxing. We can leave when we want without having to plan logistics comparable to moving a platoon. We can take a nap in teh afternoon, or swim in the pool, without having to spend a lot of time getting there and back. We know that the rooms will be clean and service great. We do'nt have to get into a hot car or figure out what time the bus will be there from the hotel. And when staying onsite you are able to just let all your worries go away...you become immersed in the magic.

Anne

 

[jennymouse]

Oh, and the ability to split a group up for convienance is there too. Maybe the whole family goes to the park in the am, the baby gets cranky and needs to leave the park....well, if you stay onsite, EVERYBODY doesn't have to leave. For example: Mom can take the bus back to the resort while Dad stays with the rest of the kids at the park.

 

[Gretchen]

Plan early, save your pennies, join the Disney Club, visit this site for advice/discount codea and stay on site. It is SO worth it.

Gret

 

[Happy Gal]

I think a big plus in staying onsite is that you are immersed in the Disney atmosphere, and you can use their free transportation to go from place to place. You can literally spend more than a week there, and still not see everything.

Have fun!

 

[Happy Gal]

I think a big plus in staying onsite is that you are immersed in the Disney atmosphere, and you can use their free transportation to go from place to place. You can literally spend more than a week there, and still not see everything.

Have fun!