Staying Off site guilt

[skw251520]

Happy Sunday everyone,

So my kids and I are taking a family trip in 2023 to Disney and I am trying to find in any way possiable to stay on Disney property. We are a family of 6 adults and two kids under 7 when we go. My family has found air bnb for about 2200 for 12 days. I know this probably the cheapest way to go but I am have always stayed on site and I am feeling guilty and sad that we probaby cant stay on site anybody else feel this way when they stay off site.

 

[DL1WDW2]

Tell us more about the time of year and if you are driving also to help with family budget.
To begin my best advice would be to be careful with your booking and only make a minimal refundable deposit.. So much can happen and so much to be cautious .
I hope you find a reasonable price and central location to take advantage of local tourist attractions.
For instance Gatorland is always popular whenever I drive past and keep thinking I should go. Plus I think they have a nighttime tour and everybody has flashlights!!!
Another suggestion to consider… H2O WaterPark located by Target and Margaritaville ( near Animal Kingdom) has been offering a great renewal AP rate at the end of their season good for the next season (2023) and their calendar season extends to Thanksgiving (weekends only once school starts… Currently they have Friday night dive in and wave pool, lazy River and 2 sided children’s themed area so lots of ways for parents to have a seat- I wish they offered a family pass for you.
The local WalMarts used to have a great display in store with all the local info, discount coupons, ticketing… Maybe Online now?

My daughter stayed at a location last holiday and it was very reasonable. I think it was called Tropical Palms and she found it online. at first I was worried because it was behind the Old Town Amusement Center in questionable area of Kissimmee…but the homes were gated and security monitored… It passed my test once I drove thru the gates!
And try entering some Contests on Mousesavers.com Plus lots of info for saving money!
Currently parking is free at Disney Springs and bus transport and SkyLiner and water transport… And today I was thinking about the one mistake Disney has made with the Park Pass and allowing after2 entry at different location. So basically you could buy 3 day tickets and use them for MK , HS, AK and then enter Epcot after 2 … keep that a secret!

 

[katyjeka]

We have traveled to WDW for close to thirty years and many of the trips have been offsite and for the most part every trip was a success. I understand wanting to be in the disney bubble but please do not feel like you won't have a great trip if your not at a disney hotel. I was going to suggest you look at Bonnet Creek as you drive under the disney sign to get to it and disney fireworks can be easily viewed. The pool area is as nice as any disney hotel(BC may be a little better if you like the sandy bottom) and the space versus the money is the biggest bargain around. You won't be able to take disney transportation or take advantage of early mornings however there is no guarantee they will still have as many benefits in a couple years. Keep in mind once you enter the parks know one cares where you are resting your head at night. Everything at disney is expensive and I would not try to stretch my budget or struggle to pay for a vacation. I think you will enjoy your trip more if you've chosen a trip that works for your families budget. I know several people who won't even consider staying onsite and they return year after year with much success!!! PLEASE don't feel guilty for taking your family on a vacation. You are among the lucky ones.

 

[martikus]

I prefer driving to parks anyways so I’d be fine with offsite as long close. Especially if it means a bigger space to spread out. Disney rooms are sooooo expensive. I’d make sure to find a place with a nice pool or resort pool but otherwise enjoy the savings and probably you’d have a kitchen for easy breakfasts and such.

 

[RamblingMad]

I had one bad experience staying off site. At the time we stayed off site, I had heard that Be Our Guest was a walk up with no reservations. However, I learned the day we walked up to the restaurant that only guests staying on property could make a reservation. Basically, unless you stayed on property, you weren't eating there. That really ticked off my significant other, and we haven't returned to WDW since. We now only go to DL and stay off site.

The other problem back then was getting good fastpasses.

I'd look over the perks and the cost and see if the perks are worth the extra cost now before thinking about staying on property. For example, there is no point in staying at a Deluxe resort if your kids can't stay up for the after hours.

 

[fla4fun]

The only caution I would have is to be careful booking any kind of privately owned vacation rental this far in advance. I have read some horror stories about people having their reservations cancelled close to arrival and no where else to go. As hot as the Florida real estate market has been recently, it could be sold to someone who either won’t honor your booking, or doesn’t want to rent to tourists at all. Make sure you have everything in writing in case you need to file a dispute with your credit card.

That being said, you don’t need to feel guilty about staying off property. The perks for onsite guests have been dwindling over the past few years until there are very few compelling reasons to stay on property other than you just want to. In most cases, you will get more value for your money staying in a non Disney resort, and you will have easy access to off property dining, which can be more budget friendly. My parents could not afford to stay on property for the first decade we visited. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I stayed on property for the first time. But those off property trips were great and I have a lot of happy memories from them. For a group as large as yours, staying off property makes good financial sense, and you should not feel bad about it at all.

I hope you have a great trip!

 

[CapeCodTenor]

I think you will enjoy your trip more if you've chosen a trip that works for your families budget. I know several people who won't even consider staying onsite and they return year after year with much success!!!

This is important. Disney has gotten expensive, and if you can save while heading down there then why not? The perks of staying onsite are diminishing, so now's the time to start looking. Besides, with this train thing happen, those Disney Springs hotels will become popular.

I prefer driving to parks anyways so I’d be fine with offsite as long close. Especially if it means a bigger space to spread out. Disney rooms are sooooo expensive. I’d make sure to find a place with a nice pool or resort pool but otherwise enjoy the savings and probably you’d have a kitchen for easy breakfasts and such.

Yep. And....ok, I should qualify this by saying the last time I was down at Disney World was (coughs) 20 years ago, I know, too long, and I worked for the Mouse, so discounts galore! Now? Too expensive. I know moderates are out for me. The Mrs. and I have decided to stay on property with our DD the first time we go down as a family so we can experience the Disney bubble. After? We'll stay off-site I think. Actually, I'm really considering staying off-site the first time we go. If I can find a great deal, then why not? Again, I've not been down in years, but I've heard that perks for staying on-site are diminishing. I could be wrong on that, but that's what I've got from the reading and Tube of You watching I've done.

The perks for onsite guests have been dwindling over the past few years until there are very few compelling reasons to stay on property other than you just want to. In most cases, you will get more value for your money staying in a non Disney resort, and you will have easy access to off property dining, which can be more budget friendly. My parents could not afford to stay on property for the first decade we visited. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I stayed on property for the first time. But those off property trips were great and I have a lot of happy memories from them. For a group as large as yours, staying off property makes good financial sense, and you should not feel bad about it at all.

So much to highlight in this post, but I've hit on some of it in my post above. Again, I've not gone down in 20 years, so I've some of that feeling of what it's like staying on-site. However, if you really want to visit Disney World but can't afford the shebang, then you have to re-work it.


This just happened, but the wife just showed up and asked what I was doing. I mentioned it what I was doing, and considering, and she's all for staying off-site. So I'm going to seriously look into it.

 

[Upatnoon]

Happy Sunday everyone,

So my kids and I are taking a family trip in 2023 to Disney and I am trying to find in any way possiable to stay on Disney property. We are a family of 6 adults and two kids under 7 when we go. My family has found air bnb for about 2200 for 12 days. I know this probably the cheapest way to go but I am have always stayed on site and I am feeling guilty and sad that we probaby cant stay on site anybody else feel this way when they stay off site.

You can camp at Fort Wilderness for around the same price if you don't mind sleeping in a tent.

The time you spend with your family is priceless, enjoy it wherever it is. There are great, fun accommodations offsite. For a big family, renting a house is the smart way to go and can make for a much more enjoyable vacation than trying to squeeze into a Disney resort or blowing your budget.

 

[DefnotDLav]

Happy Sunday everyone,

So my kids and I are taking a family trip in 2023 to Disney and I am trying to find in any way possiable to stay on Disney property. We are a family of 6 adults and two kids under 7 when we go. My family has found air bnb for about 2200 for 12 days. I know this probably the cheapest way to go but I am have always stayed on site and I am feeling guilty and sad that we probaby cant stay on site anybody else feel this way when they stay off site.

I get this completely.

First time we stayed off site it I was worried that it would feel "less magical".

But when you realize that the real magic is in the parks and you look at your bank account afterwards you get a better experience IMO.

Especially if you put that "savings" to work and do more sit downs than you would normally or add in a special package or two.

 

[dreamtripper]

Happy Sunday everyone,

So my kids and I are taking a family trip in 2023 to Disney and I am trying to find in any way possiable to stay on Disney property. We are a family of 6 adults and two kids under 7 when we go. My family has found air bnb for about 2200 for 12 days. I know this probably the cheapest way to go but I am have always stayed on site and I am feeling guilty and sad that we probaby cant stay on site anybody else feel this way when they stay off site.

Never feel guilty, especially this year with a lot of amenities taken away. However I do PREFER to stay on property.

 

[Heather07438]

So basically you could buy 3 day tickets and use them for MK , HS, AK and then enter Epcot after 2 … keep that a secret!

That’s our secret too
We plan doing MK AK HS twice each with 6 day hopper. Will hop to Epcot days we decide to take a midday pool/nap break.

That gives us more park hours on our trip plus makes taking breaks easier so we have the energy to use the best of those extra hours. Midday will be the hottest & most crowded, so I’d rather give that up than pleasant weather mornings at the early open parks.

 

[kathy884]

Happy Sunday everyone,

So my kids and I are taking a family trip in 2023 to Disney and I am trying to find in any way possiable to stay on Disney property. We are a family of 6 adults and two kids under 7 when we go. My family has found air bnb for about 2200 for 12 days. I know this probably the cheapest way to go but I am have always stayed on site and I am feeling guilty and sad that we probaby cant stay on site anybody else feel this way when they stay off site.

I've looked at staying onsite many times, but it is just soooo expensive for what you get. Usually we just stay onsite if one of us has a work seminar on Disney property and our company is paying (We've had a few work seminars at the Contemporary over the years, and I have to say I really love Disney Deluxe, but only do it when someone else is paying. Deluxe in just out of the question for our vacation budget.). Honestly, we have done fine however we do it and for us it's usually on offsite condo - often one of the nice timeshare condo rentals.)

Once we were overflow at Port Orleans for four nights for a conference and then a week at an offsite condo which I liked so much more and was way less expensive.

Last trip when I was doing a hotel, I gave DS who thought he wanted to stay onsite a few choices in our price range, and he ended up picking the Marriott Residence Inn SeaWorld instead of a Disney value (I was willing to do POP or All Star or Disney Springs hotel and those were choices he considered on top of two offsite places I had him took at.). He liked the look and amenities of the Marriott Residence Inn best, and it was even the least expensive of the bunch.. Even DS when push comes to shove for the budget agrees with offsite for the value for the dollar. That's what finally got rid of all my guilt on never staying onsite, as I gave DS the choice, and he went offsite too.

 

[mom85wd]

And today I was thinking about the one mistake Disney has made with the Park Pass and allowing after2 entry at different location. So basically you could buy 3 day tickets and use them for MK , HS, AK and then enter Epcot after 2 … keep that a secret!

I'm not sure if I'm reading this correctly but you need a park hopper to be able to attend a 2nd park in the same day.

 

[Brian Noble]

I am have always stayed on site and I am feeling guilty and sad that we probaby cant stay on site

We've had many (many!) WDW vacations. Most have been onsite, but quite a few have been elsewhere. The trips have much more in common than there are differences. You'll have a grand time either way. Plus, given the composition of your party, you are likely to be staying in a more comfortable space for much less money than you could do onsite.

Who knows? You might decide that offsite has its advantages! I know I think so.

 

[Karin1984]

I can understand being sad, but what makes you feel guilty?

 

[Disneyfan754321]

The first time is the hardest, everything is going to be amazing!
Not a lot of perks now days... missing the buses take a bus from the ttc instead of the ferry or monorail lol

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

With a group your size, I'd feel sad about staying in Disney's tiny, cramped hotel rooms.

We stayed onsite our first trip (2009) because we bought into the rhetoric that it was the only way to have a "magical" stay. We stayed offsite our second trip (2012), and haven't been back onsite since [for reference, we are getting ready to leave on Orlando Vacation #23 in less than 3 weeks]. We fell in love with offsite and have no desire to stay at a Disney property again.

Offsite gives us more room, and more comfort. It gives us more private sleeping quarters, which means we are more rested. Our offsite resort has more amenities than Disney properties. I'd happily pay more money for our offsite villa, but oddly enough, the only thing we don't get "more" of by staying offsite is poorer. We get more and spend less....which means more money in the budget for extra fun on our vacation.

I suspect that many folks, especially on these boards, who hype up the "magic" of staying onsite have not experienced an offsite stay. You've received lots of good feedback on this thread, from many posters who have personally had both experiences. Offsite has many, MANY benefits....not the least of which is a potentially massive savings. The best trips are the ones on which you make incredible memories with the people you love. When you all stretch out in your big comfy beds in the private bedrooms offered by your airbnb after a long day at the parks, I suspect you will not regret your decision.

 

[helenm29]

I get you! in the 30 years we've been going we've always stayed on site! this time we are not and it's sad because this time we can't afford to stay on site!! Disney prices are really high this year and with the Pandemic & losing my job it just can't happen....(BE NICE please)
The place you all are staying sounds really nice! don't feel sad or guilty....you are certainly saving some $ for other fun things to do with your family. Who knows, you might enjoy it more? whatever you decide, have a fantastic trip and HAVE FUN!

 

[hsmamato2]

I don't have a current Orlando trip planned, but I'm looking forward to trying some offsite places on my next visit...

 

[randumb0]

With a party that size I'd rather stay offsite. You get more privacy and can make some of your meals. Plus you don't have to feel like you're always in the Disney bubble. There's more to the area than just Disney.