Really no benefit to stay "on Property" anymore

[A Belle Among Beasts]

For us, and this being our first trip, on-site won out almost exclusively due to cost. Anything with semi-decent reviews was not that much cheaper than a value resort with the spring special. Once you add in $10-15/day for "resort" fees (um, Motel 6, you are not a resort! ) and then $14/day to park, you're down in the range of sketchy motels. Of course, I didn't look as hard as I could have once I realized a value resort was well within our budget. I wanted the full experience! Plus, at Disney, I feel confident that the rooms will be at least reasonably clean and there won't be pimps or drug dealers in the parking lot. We aren't staying over a Friday, so losing that EMH doesn't affect *us anyway. I can see how it would be frustrating to lose EMH you'd planned on, though.

 

[Mousemommy1]

We would never even consider staying off-site! It wouldn't feel like a real Disney Vacation to us. There are the obvious perks like Magical Express, dining plan, EMH, free transportation, etc. But even if all those went away, we still want to be in the middle of the Magic.

The total immersion and isolation from the "real world" is the best part of going to Disney If we had to leave it every night, it just wouldn't be the same. In fact, it wouldn't feel like it was worth it at all. I'd rather spend more, or stay less, and have a vacation that truly feels Magical.

100% agree.

 

[BeerMe]

Out of 47 trips - roughly half onsite and half offsite. 48 is over F&W for 3 weeks and is offsite in some fantastic condos.

There are pros and cons to each. It's all personal preference.

 

[ChloesDaddy]

One more from me...

Disney costumer service..
DH and I have stayed in many non-disney hotels and every time we do. We are disappointed..
I don't know what we are expecting, since we know its NOT disney.. But we are just spoiled I guess..

We never wear costumes on our trips, so it's not a big deal for us.

 

[mom2rtk]

I think there are an awful lot of people wondering if there will be less reason to stay onsite in the near future. But as of today, there are still enough benefits to warrant staying onsite.

They have said they are cutting back on discounts. And EMH certainly seems to be under assault. So I'm worried about where it's heading. But they have more than 30K rooms they need to keep full. And that part makes me feel like they will have to keep doing something to make it worthwhile.

 

[amberpi]

I can't believe no one has mentioned the MOST amazing perk of staying on property:

STACEY!!!!!!!!!!

Yummy, yummy,yummy!

I torture my poor dh with her, but I have to hear her say that and "pretzels und beer!"

 

[spidet1964]

EMH is still listed in the fall so I don't think the rumor it is going away is true.

 

[juliebug1997]

We contemplated staying off-site this time due to cost alone (in Sept., we have to pay for one month's cost of a very expensive breast cancer drug), but after I pointed out that we would need a rental car and pay all those additional fees associated with staying at some of the nearby hotels, and paying for our dining ahead of time, it just started to seem like staying off-site wasn't much of a savings. Plus, even though my chemo will be over when we get there, I still don't know how much I'll be able to take and being able to hop on a bus and go back to our room as opposed to waiting for a shuttle to come for its appointed time or to walk through the parking lots/wait for trams.

 

[PanamaMike]

I can't believe no one has mentioned the MOST amazing perk of staying on property:

STACEY!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry to tell you but Stacey is not exclusive to WDW hotels.

The current "Must Do" video was playing around the clock at my off-site hotel earlier this month and my 2008 stay at a Howard Johnson included the "Top 7 Must Sees" on the TV.

 

[Tekneek]

They are taking away all the perks of staying at a Disney hotel. It's not worth paying the extra $$$$. Stay off site, and extend your vacation.

There is a lot to that belief. You're not the only one feeling that way. Unfortunately, Disney is ok with this.

For me, I have to pretend that all is great because we have one more trip promised to one of our children and I don't want her feeling bad about it. That's just private conversation for Mom and Dad.

 

[Cadyrose]

Yummy, yummy,yummy!

I torture my poor dh with her, but I have to hear her say that and "pretzels und beer!"

Pretzels und beer is our favorite...have to have one in Germany every trip!

We really miss the triple whammy though! ;p It's a shame they had to cut it for new fantasyland clips...

It doesn't feel like Disney until you fall asleep exhausted to Stacy reruns! LOL!

 

[davedmaine]

I totally disagree. For price alone, it's worth staying onsite. I looked at the prices off-site and, unless you are willing to stay at a "nothing special" hotel, offsite seems waaaay more expensive for me for the average-sized family.

And I'm not sure what perks you mean? The EMH at MK? For most smart guests, that matters not at all since we avoid the parks that have EMH anyway. That and it will be replaced with the perk of FP+, which I'm pretty excited about.

Off-site is much less costly and you do get more 'room' for the money. We always stay onsite at deluxe resorts and the rooms themselves are very far from deluxe. We just know we're paying for the other benefits..

 

[AngiTN]

They are taking away all the perks of staying at a Disney hotel. It's not worth paying the extra $$$$. Stay off site, and extend your vacation.

Your opinion. I do not happen to even remotely agree with it.

 

[lstylr]

I'm usually at WDW for the day but sometimes I take weekend trips and I will never go back to staying off property. I used to in college because that was all I could afford, but now, even if it's only a Value resort, I have to stay on property.

There are just so many advantages for me.. being in the "Disney Bubble," having nice, friendly CMs everywhere you go, being able to get blasted at Epcot and not have to drive back to the hotel, shuttles that come more than once every hour and drive you up right to the front gates, amazing on-site restaurants (even the quick service ones.. the cafeterias at the Values are so much better than the continental breakfasts at most other hotels!)... plus many more things I'm probably forgetting!

 

[tinkerpea]

We get the free Dining Plan and receive around £2000 worth of food for the five of us over a ten night stay. We love meals out and Disney is a pretty good value way to do it when free dining is offered- such a treat! We'd never pay for it, but yes, free dining is free. We don't pay a fortune for our room and still get it. It's a huge perk. We wouldn't go to WDW without it probably.

We love EMHs so are sad to see them being cut. You feel like a VIP getting let into a 'closed' park!

The ambiance of Disney resorts is amazing and another reason we stay onsite. I don't think we'd ever go to Disney and stay offsite.

We don't really use Disney transportation- we rent a car as it is apparently quicker although I have never compared it. Is the transport even that great when you have to get to another resort for an ADR? It seems like kind of hassle to me. Never tried it though so shall try it out next trip.

Meg~ Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

Well that's the problem, free DDP isn't going to happen for much longer so that will be one HUGE perk that goes!
We always stay on property too, but my DH started a thread bout this yesterday although his was more along the lines of is Disney getting greedy due to huge price increases!

 

[TheDisney411]

They are taking away all the perks of staying at a Disney hotel. It's not worth paying the extra $$$$. Stay off site, and extend your vacation.

As long as they have Free Disney Dining promos we will continue to stay on site. We have our favorite WDW restaurants and that is part of the whole magical vacation for us. Free dining discounts make it cheaper for our large family to stay on site. If they ever totally discontinued free dining, which I don't see happening anytime soon, we could stay off property cheaper.

 

[ricosuave]

I'm usually at WDW for the day but sometimes I take weekend trips and I will never go back to staying off property. I used to in college because that was all I could afford, but now, even if it's only a Value resort, I have to stay on property.

There are just so many advantages for me.. being in the "Disney Bubble," having nice, friendly CMs everywhere you go, being able to get blasted at Epcot and not have to drive back to the hotel, shuttles that come more than once every hour and drive you up right to the front gates, amazing on-site restaurants (even the quick service ones.. the cafeterias at the Values are so much better than the continental breakfasts at most other hotels!)... plus many more things I'm probably forgetting!

I completely agree with this! We tried offsite last time we went and it really didn't save much. It was soooooo convenient with the busses dropping off at the main gate. We love to be surrounded by 24/7 Disney!

 

[apagano]

The closest I ever came to staying onside was at the Buena Vista Palace years ago when it first opened. The Disney Transport is a great perk, but ultimately I always stay offsite because of the cost. Right now I'm paying $66 per night for a 1-bedroom villa just outside Disney property. It's still a good 50 bucks less per night than I would have spent at a Disney Value Resort even after you account for parking costs. We get more space and, more importantly, our child can sleep in a different room. Someday money will be no object and we can stay on site. For now, though, budget trumps all.

 

[tinkerpea]

I like just the simple perk of knowing everything is paid for in advance, my food, room, park tickets, parking. I like not having to worry about hidden fees and taxes like happens most of the time when checking in to a property offsite.

EMH are okay but how many of us really stayed the full 3 hours after the park closed? That's probably on of the many reasons they were cut back to 2.

We did lol!
It wasn't just about doing rides for us it was about the ambiance of being their in the dark!
We used to walk around and chill while it was busy and then run around for the last hour or so doing all the rides as it was much quieter!!

I'm so gutted about the cutting down of EMH as ours boys are just old enough now that our next trip would have been based around them,

I.e water park or sun bathing till early afternoon then back to room for a nap heading out to dinner at 7 then EmH till late guted

 

[TheDisney411]

Well that's the problem, free DDP isn't going to happen for much longer so that will be one HUGE perk that goes!!

For the last 9 years, Free dining has made Disney millions upon millions of dollars and continues to fill the resorts and parks during previously slow or empty weeks. If Disney ever did discontinue those free dining weeks the parks attendance and resort occupancy rates would plummet. Those marketing geniuses at Disney know this, so they aren't going to completely discontinue Free Dining anytime soon.