Really no benefit to stay "on Property" anymore

[momof2n2]

We've done probably a dozen trips and not once stayed on site.

We drive our own vehicle from NY, rent a gorgeous 5-bedroom house for $110/night. Grab UCT tix and spread out six days at WDW over two weeks of FL sun and our own pool. (No one else's kids to contend with.) We eat like kings at and off WDW property and have relaxing and exciting vacations.

 

[lstylr]

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.

w h a t - $66/night for a one bedroom villa?? Where is this magical place???????

 

[mejo]

We went this past weekend and since it was a quick trip we decided to stay offsite, we hated it. You only feel the magic after you drove to the park and got in the gate. When we stay on site, the magic is there the entire time. We will never stay offsite again.

 

[tinkerpea]

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.

I have to respectfully disagree their is now no real slow time for Disney, the parks are full as are the resorts, DIsney has been telling us for a while now that they are going to be doing away with the free DDP and as much as I will be gutted I truelly believe its going to happen!

In the UK they have already opened up the next years prices and nothing has been mentioned about any discounts when it comes to the DDP, this yr we only got free QS at mod deluxe resorts so they have already lowered the plan from DDP to QS! only a matter of time before they don't offer it at all!

 

[BeerMe]

w h a t - $66/night for a one bedroom villa?? Where is this magical place???????

I actually can get 2BR condos thru the military for $42/night. In conjunction with RCI.

 

[FortForever]

We have always stayed on site and always will - regardless of EMH.

Love being engulfed by Disney magic 24/7 for the duration of our trips.

Sent from my SCH-S950C using DISBoards

 

[tinkerpea]

I actually can get 2BR condos thru the military for $42/night. In conjunction with RCI.

Wow this will be fab when moving to the states for our 3 yr posting in September we always stay on site but if we want to do Disney just for a few days and universal seaworld Etc for the rest this would be a great option

 

[jade1]

Stay off site, and extend your vacation.

This may work for some-but many of us can only get a week at a time from work. So A) we like to do it right B) Its already extended as far as possible

Further-if you do have as much time off as you want, where does this argument stop? Mods over Deluxe, Value over mods, DVC over cash, offsite over Value, camping over offsite, stay in your van every night, just stay home?

 

[ARAITHEL]

I've stayed both on and off site. The last 5 times I have been to WDW I have stayed on property. I booked a short 4 day, 3 night trip with my DD for April last week, I looked at the prospect of staying off property and decided that it was just easier for me to stay on property with ME and the DDP. I can prepay for everything, which I love. It puts my mind at ease that the only thing that I HAVE to pay for when I make it to WDW is the meager tips for Mousekeeping and our table service meals, etc.

I did struggle with the extra cost, but when you put in the fact that I'd have to navigate the rental car and pay to park at the parks, it all equals out to me NEVER staying off site unless I panned on going to other area attractions.

 

[parkhopping]

I see this as a matter of personal preference and priorities. 99% of the time I am there just for the day and come back to my own home at night. When I have stayed overnight, I have stayed both onsite and offsite. I find driving to the parks faster than using Disney transportation so that's not a perk I use, nor do I need DME. But it is just SO nice to wake up in the morning and be right there...and to know that I can be in my bed in 15 minutes or less upon leaving the park at night. I also enjoy the atmosphere of onsite resorts - the towel Mickey, old cartoons on the TV, Mickey soap...I like being immersed in the magic. Disney's theming is fantastic. So for those reasons, I definitely prefer onsite to off when possible. I also like being able to take advantage of EMH, especially morning. I can hit a park for 3 hours, do all my favorite attractions, and hop someplace else before the crowds roll in. With my passholder discount, I can typically get a value room for just a little more than an offsite hotel. It is totally worth it to me.

 

[melissarose]

i've stayed both on and off. and while i like EMH and think it will suck if they get rid of it completely, i still think for me it will be worth it to stay on site. it's just so easy, for me it's worth the extra money. magical express, disney transportation, dining plan, not to mention being immersed in disney 24/7. to me it's worth it, EMH or not.

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

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.

The all inclusive aspect of staying onsite can be really nice if your trip consists of just the Disney parks exclusively. However, the perceived benefits or perks makes this onsite vs. offsite debate neverending. It really comes down to what time of vacation you want, what amenities are needed, what parks you are visiting, and the budget which can vary from trip to trip. How "magical" each experience is over the other is purely subjective.

 

[Random Ninja]

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

STACEY!!!!!!!!!!

I have seen Stacey on at a few of the Good Neighbor and DTD hotels.

 

[ConvenientTruth]

This has been probably been said, but....

When the family and I do Disney, we want to DO Disney....I want to be completely immersed in the world. When I pass through that arch I know I am not leaving until I am headed home. It is escapism at its best...for me Disney is not in Florida or even in the USA, but some magical place where princesses live, Mice talk, where I can visit the the world of tomorrow and the frontier in the same day, where waffles are shaped like Mickey, buses and boats take you to a Zoo, a Studio, Castle, and a chance to visit multiple countries around the world. I want nothing to take that escape away....

 

[raven69david]

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.

I totally disagree. We don't stay on-site for perks or other things that we think we SHOULD be entitled to, but rather we stay there for the safety and experience that on-site hotels provide us. Just got back less than 24 hours ago and am totally exhausted from the trip - and I love it!

 

[MyTwoPrincesses]

I have never used EMH. We can't get up early enough for AM EMH and with little kids, we have no interest in late night EMH. But staying on property is TOTALLY worth the $$$.

First of all, the off-site hotels I'd want to stay at aren't really that much cheaper than WDW. I actually booked the Doubletree in DTD with a Mousesavers deal for May and it definitely was lower cost, I think about $850 including tax compared to the $1500 for AoA. However, if I did Doubletree, the shuttle isn't NEARLY as good as WDW shuttles. I'd have to rent a car (at least $300 for the week for a car big enough to fit my family) and I'd have to worry about carseats, I'd have to pay for parking at WDW ($14 x 6), I'd lose out on the Magical Express luggage service and I'd have to haul my 3 kids and all the luggage to pick up the rental car. Not to mention, after a long day at the park, I'd have to remember where I parked that rental car and sit in a HOT rental car with the kids. I'd eat on-site just as much because, lets face it, I'm usually in the parks at meal times. And really, the food at WDW isn't THAT much more expensive than regular restaurants. I don't really eat at cheap restaurants at home. And that's just practical stuff. I like the Disney bubble, the Disney customer service. I like that the hotels are themed and not generic hotels. Oh, and that Doubletree? It may be cheaper, but the rooms only have one bathroom. There isn't a real door between the bedroom and the sofa. And I have to pay an extra $10 a day for a bed for my toddler. Once you add that all together, the cost difference narrows quite a bit and suddenly staying on-site isn't THAT much of a premium.

 

[WEDWDW]

It's all wham!

Scratchy scratchy!

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!

I wonder if Stacey realizes what an "icon" she has become!

It just wouldn't seem right to do a WDW trip without good,old Channel 18 playing on Resort TV all week!

 

[CarolineB]

I have never used EMH. We can't get up early enough for AM EMH and with little kids, we have no interest in late night EMH. But staying on property is TOTALLY worth the $$$.

First of all, the off-site hotels I'd want to stay at aren't really that much cheaper than WDW. I actually booked the Doubletree in DTD with a Mousesavers deal for May and it definitely was lower cost, I think about $850 including tax compared to the $1500 for AoA. However, if I did Doubletree, the shuttle isn't NEARLY as good as WDW shuttles. I'd have to rent a car (at least $300 for the week for a car big enough to fit my family) and I'd have to worry about carseats, I'd have to pay for parking at WDW ($14 x 6), I'd lose out on the Magical Express luggage service and I'd have to haul my 3 kids and all the luggage to pick up the rental car. Not to mention, after a long day at the park, I'd have to remember where I parked that rental car and sit in a HOT rental car with the kids. I'd eat on-site just as much because, lets face it, I'm usually in the parks at meal times. And really, the food at WDW isn't THAT much more expensive than regular restaurants. I don't really eat at cheap restaurants at home. And that's just practical stuff. I like the Disney bubble, the Disney customer service. I like that the hotels are themed and not generic hotels. Oh, and that Doubletree? It may be cheaper, but the rooms only have one bathroom. There isn't a real door between the bedroom and the sofa. And I have to pay an extra $10 a day for a bed for my toddler. Once you add that all together, the cost difference narrows quite a bit and suddenly staying on-site isn't THAT much of a premium.

Interesting cost comparison. I've been to AoA and have seen some of the pool and playground areas -- they're so cute and colorful. I think that you made the right choice for your vacation even if did spend a few extra bucks. There are a lot of intangibles that you can't put a price tag on when you stay on site at a Disney hotel.

 

[Srbright]

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

STACEY!!!!!!!!!!

I'm a perk!

 

[DVC Mary]

As a DVC member who's a teacher & can only travel usually in the summer, these types of cutbacks make me furious. When we bought in at Disney the summer months were much longer. When they shortened them but added the EMH I was find w/ that, but they keep decreasing them. It's hot & for my fair skinned family downright dangerous. We sweat off the sunscreen: sweatproof sunscreen doesn't work. We rely on the late night EMH. We take a nap in the afternoon to get out of the sun.

I'm especially angry b/c I specifically bought place tickets a couple weeks ago to fly out on Fri afternoon, so we could get in the Late EMH at MK. My eldest son is ticked off. I could be saving a night of DVC points.

I love DVC, but I can honestly say to friends the perks of staying on property are declining.

Early EMH isn't all that great. It's really hard to make it to rope drop if relying on WDW transportation. Especially if you're trying to make it to MK & you're staying at AKL or the Boardwalk resorts.

Disney you've let me down!