stay on site or off site

[Deweyme]

so we are finally going to take the plunge. i have looked at both options. I have found a great place on vrbo for pennies ($500 for the week)! the condo is 5 miles from Disney. am i doing the right thing? how much is daily parking. my boys will be 6 and 9 when we go in late March 2009. i am just starting to plan the trip but my initial thought is to get up each day and get to the park when they open and then get back to the pool in the afternoon. maybe flip flop it a couple of days and go at night.

am i crazy? why do so many people think you can save money staying onsite?

 

[mel&me]

You have to work out all the little things. Parking $12 a day. If you go for 6 days the $72. I assume you are getting a rental car if you are asking about parking. When on site you don't need one

 

[mel&me]

Most of the time it is less expensive to stay off site, But when at Disney, there is just a whole different feel when you stay onsite. Also with the way the economy is, Disney has some really good deals. That is until the end of year, I don't think much is out yet for deals on stays after January.

 

[The Hendies]

Actually, the first 6 times we went we stayed off site. First at Days Inn on Irlo Bronson Blvd (one bedroom suite with kitchenette), then the next 5 trips we stayed at a condo we purchased. We stayed for the first time in Feb. 08 at POP. If you are on a budget, staying off site will definitely be cheaper. Stop at a grocery store and pick up your own breakfast foods and snacks to bring into the park. Either way, Have a Magical Vacation!!

 

[Babsydoodle]

For the convenience and all the perks, nobody does it better than Disney! When you add in parking, driving, gas, time involved, location and the total Disney feeling you get when staying on property, the minimal dollar amount difference is worth staying on property. Whatever you choose HAVE A MAGICAL VACATION!

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

We stayed off property once, and had a great vacation. We have been on property all the other times and had a truly magical vacation. The feeling of Disney follows you when you stay on property. There is nothing like it. We too go on a budget, but we love the values ad wouldn't stay anywhere else. The busses are great (we drive to Florida but never move the car all week.) It is just well, magical. However, like I said, if you choose to stay off property you will still have a great trip.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

You can definitely save more money by staying off-site. We've done it.

You just have to get up early, eat a quick breakfast and get to the parks before they are open to maximize your time in them since you won't be able to use any EMH.

Watch out for morning Extra Magic Hours - since you'd be staying off-site you don't want to be at a park with any Extra Magic Hours so you can avoid some of the crowds.

30 days before you go, go to touringplans.com website and look at the crowd calendars and best days to go to each park to plan around the worst of the crowds. It'll still be busy in March but you'll be in the less crowded parks. If you want to see this info sooner, you can subscribe to that website and see it. It also has touring plans which I've always thought work great.

Oh and to the disboards!

 

[themudd4]

This is one of those questions that no matter how you answer it...it may be wrong. Every family is different!!!
Yes it is normally cheaper to stay offsite, even after you consider paying for parking
...BUT then again...
If you go with a Value resort duriing the value season then you can go rather cheap. Then keep in mind that you don't have to drive your self anywhere, you dont have to pay for parking, etc...that might be cheaper.
You also need to consider food options. If you are staying in a condo offsite you will be able to plan some of your meals there, but on site you may opt for the dinning plan. And during certain times of year this has been offered for free.
Personally, while I would love to it to be less out of my pocket to stay onsite...for my family that is the only way we go. It is an entirely different feel being in Disney 24/7. I love I dont have to worry about much of anything, and we often make the Dinning plan work for us (although never free).
Also, if you have a Disney Visa, or AAA you may be able to save a little staying onsite.
I am sure I didn't help answer your question, but it sounds like you did get a good deal offsite. Hope you have fun planning and know that your kids are going to love it where ever you stay.
Were actucally getting a pirate room at CBR that my DS who will be 9 when we go is going to LOVE. He is the main reason we are going to get the DDP this year. For $10 he eats well!!! And he is growing like a weed right now and eating everything in sight!

 

[Rylee]

so we are finally going to take the plunge. i have looked at both options. I have found a great place on vrbo for pennies ($500 for the week)! the condo is 5 miles from Disney. am i doing the right thing? how much is daily parking. my boys will be 6 and 9 when we go in late March 2009. i am just starting to plan the trip but my initial thought is to get up each day and get to the park when they open and then get back to the pool in the afternoon. maybe flip flop it a couple of days and go at night.

am i crazy? why do so many people think you can save money staying onsite?

I think most people will agree you can usually save some money by staying off-site. However, since it can be a different type of experience/vacation when staying on-site, you have to decide if the difference in cost is worth the different type of experience.

Staying on-site, offers the following...

• Disney's Magical Express, a free shuttle to and from the airport, if flying.
• Free transportaion around the "World," no need to rent a car, no parking fees, no direction and traffic stress. Also provides easy return to the resort for afternoon breaks, or the option of spliting up with ease, if somone isn't feeling well, or wants to sleep in late, etc.
• Extra Magic Hours - Each day one of the parks opens an hour earlier or remains open 3 hours later, for guest staying at a Disney Resort.
• The option of booking a package, including tickets and dining.
• Being surrounded in Disney magic. A feeling of leaving the real world behind for the length of your stay.

Off-site offers...

• Lower cost accommodations, and/or more space for less money.
• Many dining options.

For a Disney vacation, we prefer to stay on-site. We have stayed in the Orlando area, to see and do other things and visit relatives, but we can't wait to check-in at our Disney resort.

Either way, you'll have a great time... you're going to Disney!

*If interested in other ways to save money and to watch for discount offers, check this site and also the mousesavers site.

 

[princess&her4princes]

We've found that when we've booked our trips that the Value resorts actually are cheaper than staying off site, parking, renting cars, etal. Check out the "off sesaon" rates there, you may do okay for yourself!! Have fun planning!!

 

[themudd4]

*If interested in other ways to save money and to watch for discount offers, check this site and also the mousesavers site.

Oh, and also there is a Budget board right here on the Dis with lots of money saving ideas!

 

[pepe of ohio]

I think most people will agree you can usually save some money by staying off-site. However, since it can be a different type of experience/vacation when staying on-site, you have to decide if the difference in cost is worth the different type of experience.

Staying on-site, offers the following...

• Disney's Magical Express, a free shuttle to and from the airport, if flying.
• Free transportaion around the "World," no need to rent a car, no parking fees, no direction and traffic stress. Also provides easy return to the resort for afternoon breaks, or the option of spliting up with ease, if somone isn't feeling well, or wants to sleep in late, etc.
• Extra Magic Hours - Each day one of the parks opens an hour earlier or remains open 3 hours later, for guest staying at a Disney Resort.
• The option of booking a package, including tickets and dining.
• Being surrounded in Disney magic. A feeling of leaving the real world behind for the length of your stay.

Off-site offers...

• Lower cost accommodations, and/or more space for less money.
• Many dining options.

For a Disney vacation, we prefer to stay on-site. We have stayed in the Orlando area, to see and do other things and visit relatives, but we can't wait to check-in at our Disney resort.

Either way, you'll have a great time... you're going to Disney!

*If interested in other ways to save money and to watch for discount offers, check this site and also the mousesavers site.

But we agree with this post. We've logged 41 trips to WDW and have stayed on property every single time. We enjoy not needing a car, figuring out how to get to this and that, like the EMH's both evening and morning and the convenience of returning to your resort for an afternoon break is priceless. We do picnic pool noons every day, few drinks, chill in the room before heading out to a park, plus all the resorts offer different meals, entertainment and sights. Driving is and arpund Orlando can be nuts and I rather pay alittle more and sray in Disney's cocoon. We do the grocery stop, all moderates and deluxes have fridges and we load up on sandwich fixings and we feel Disney meals are huge and wife and I share one meal alot. We come from Ohio, long train ride down and for our hard earned dollar we rather be immersed in the magic for alittle more money the 24/7 of our stay.

 

[Chelley00]

We stay offsite. For the money we save being offsite, we can stay 2-3 days longer on our vacation. And not being crammed into a hotel room, but spread out in a 4 bedroom house with a private pool and hot tub is a vacation to me, and worth missing on EMH. We have a magical vacation, have a short drive to the parks (often less than onsiters spend on busses) and no one in our family feels shorted because we didn't stay in a Disney hotel

 

[Disney Crazy Debbie]

You have to decide what is right for you. The cost and convenience of staying on site is one of things that makes planning a Disney vacation so easy. I drive to airport and then I don't drive again, worry about traffic, getting lost or anything. I just get off at MCO, catch the ME, they drop me and my luggage off (and put it in my room) and my vacation starts immediately. THen there is always the pleasure of returning to your room for a quick dip and then going back to the park in the evening.

 

[M & M's Mom]

You have to decide what is right for you. The cost and convenience of staying on site is one of things that makes planning a Disney vacation so easy. I drive to airport and then I don't drive again, worry about traffic, getting lost or anything. I just get off at MCO, catch the ME, they drop me and my luggage off (and put it in my room) and my vacation starts immediately. THen there is always the pleasure of returning to your room for a quick dip and then going back to the park in the evening.

We've rented houses in the past, but have stayed onsite for our last 3 trips & I agree that both have their positives. Having an entire house/condo to yourselves does give you a nice break from the sometimes hectic pace of the world...especially with really young kids. But it's also great to have all the extras that come along with staying onsite...and not having to deal with a traffic-filled drive into WDW.

It all comes down to what you're looking for in your accomodations & what's best for your family on that particular trip. Have a wonderful trip

 

[Jrabbit910]

hi...as the pp's have said, its a debate that will always have two different opinions..planning a disney vacation is wonderful no matter where u stay.. thats what i thought until I stayed offsite for the first time in a long time in May. If this is your first trip u really wont know what that feeling is until you experience it. I personally love the feeling of being immersed with disney 24/7.. from the time I get off the plane and not having to worry about a thing because disney practically does it all, its worth it.
If you cant find a deal by staying on site and the budget for staying off is much better then book for your budget.