Talk to me about staying off site...pros and cons

[Jadyreen1282]

With the two of us we can afford to stay on site. Staying off site for us just takes us out of vacation mode seeing gas stations, McDonalds, bus stops, people on the corners holding up signs, Walgreens, heavy traffic, blah blah....

 

[Shanti]

With the two of us we can afford to stay on site. Staying off site for us just takes us out of vacation mode seeing gas stations, McDonalds, bus stops, people on the corners holding up signs, Walgreens, heavy traffic, blah blah....

A lot of people avoid that by staying offsite on WDW property, at Disney Springs or Bonnet Creek, or at the Swan/Dolphin.

 

[SanderMC]

We have stayed both onsite and offsite. I have absolutely no issues with staying offsite.

When we do stay offsite, for me there are 3 cons:
1 - Not being able to book all ADRs at once.
2 - Not being able to book FP+ at 60 days and all at once.
3 - (and this for me is small) the convenience of sending packages back to the hotel.

I will admit that when I'm in the middle of booking ADRs and FP+ I am cursing the fact that I am offsite since I have to get up each day. For ADRs I have gotten everything I wanted. A few FP+ are much harder to obtain. FOP would be almost impossible as people staying onsite aren't seeing any availability until day 5-6 of their trip (I was looking right after it opened and forget it). The other 2 FP+ that I had a hard time getting were SDMT and FEA. Everything else I was able to get a FP+ for without issue. When we are staying offsite I make use of sending the packages up to the front of the park. The only time that doesn't work is Disney Springs. Sometimes that requires an extra trip to the car.

Pros:
1 - Saving money (which I spend other places). We spend less for a 4 bedroom 3 bath house than we do at a Value.
2 - Space! When I stay offsite I rent a house. I love having the space. During a rest day being able to spread out a bit without tripping over one another. Having a pool with no one else in it to relax in.
3 - Quiet. As I said I rent a house and it is so much more peaceful than staying in a hotel.
4 - Having a kitchen. I know there are some places on Disney property that have a kitchen but those are WAY out of our price range. We like having the ability of being able to throw together a hot breakfast or on rest days being able to put together a simple meal without having to go anywhere.

Neither Pro nor Con:
1 - EMH. We rarely pop hop. EMH parks tend to have larger crowds later in the day so we rarely take advantage of EMH when we do stay onsite.
2 - Being able to break mid day. We don't take breaks. We tried when my daughter was smaller and she wouldn't wind down to nap so we said screw it.
3 - Disney transportation. We rarely use it when we stay onsite. We'll use it to go to the MK since it bypasses the TTC but otherwise we drive anyways (we have an annual pass so it doesn't cost us anything to pay to park.)

I will say for my family when we stay on Disney property, I don't see being able to break in the middle of the day as a pro. When my daughter was 2 we stayed onsite. Attempting to take a break was a joke when it came to taking Disney transportation. By the time a bus came, and we would get on and get back to the hotel it was like 45 minutes later. We have had other family break in the middle of the day and for us it was quicker when we stayed offsite to go to the car and drive back to the house than it was taking Disney transportation.

 

[HopperFan]

alright...I know staying in the magic disney bubble is amazing and trust me I want to. We are already booked at port orleans and it's about 2000 for 7 days. I get a discount at a Disney springs hotel and it's 700 for the 7 days. Huge difference! We use uber so that's a added cost for transportation but it's minimal. Talk to me...who has stayed offsite?? Are there fast passes available 30 days out?

I go often, right now probably back at 50/50 because I've picked up some good rates at the values. I think you could get a better overall set of answers if you post this on the Orlando board where many stay both.

The only thing I lose by staying offsite is EMH and since I only do night and they offer them rarely, it might not be enough to spend the extra. I do have a car and AP so I drive to parks and park for free. Transportation will have to be factored for anyone that would lose Magical Express and/or transport to parks. I don't think the Disney Springs bus system is bad and wouldn't hesitate to tell folks to stay there. I would consider a mixture of uber and DS buses after you look over their schedule. The thing I like best about Disney buses is Magic Kingdom arrival and I can have drinks at events/dinner and get ride home. Other than that ... me driving to parks puts me in bed before some even get on a bus. Disney buses are "convenient" but they are not time efficient.

I have MB I can use but they are not necessary, the only FP+ that will be issue is FEA, 7DMT and Pandora ... but all have been gotten with diligence. If they are priorities just plan around it. I never have issues with ADRs and I don't get the Dining Plan anymore as I can't make it a value, I don't care about charging to room when I have a CC I carry (and last few trips ON Disney property we never charged to room), I can buy things and have packages sent to front gate where I pick up on way out ............. honestly the perks broken down are quite minimal.

You are correct ... I definitely wasn't clear about the on-site part. At Bonnet Creek, although you are on Disney property, you definitely don't get the perks of EMH and 60 day booking window and magic bands. You do get a condo with separate bedrooms and bathrooms, a washer and dryer, a kitchen, dining table and some living space.

Not to be a pain but you are not on Disney property. The Bonnet Creek property is next to Disney property and the long road to take to the "hotels" comes out on Disney property. Only saying because so many that read these boards look at things literally and there are always those who think that WBC will get some of the advantages of say Swan & Dolphin or there are Disney buses or a better non-Disney bus system like Disney Springs. The resorts on the BC property are independents and run their own amenity programs/buses. Trying to avoid confusion to any readers unfamiliar.

That said, love Bonnet Creek and would stay there every time if I could.

Personally, I would rather not go than stay offsite. I want to be in the bubble. We go for the resort as much as we go for the parks. I like being able to walk to the parks, or take the bus, the theming, the pools, the ease of charging to our room, package delivery, EMH, just everything about being in Disney, 24 hours a day. We stay mostly deluxe, but we also love Pop, CSR, and camping at FW. $1300 is a big savings, but if I wanted to save money I would go with a value. I don't think they feel any more "motel" than the moderates since none of them have interior hallways.

But many, like us, while we appreciate the extra touches in Disney hotel designs ............. we go for the parks, the events and spend virtually no time in our room other than sleeping and showering. It really depends on what each group plans to do with their time and what they want for their money. But again, Disney hotel rooms do not hold up to comparably priced rooms offsite, so if the actual room is important offsite might again be better. This is where each vacation plans and expectations come into play.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

The biggest con for us is the lack of bus transportation.

Some people hate the bus. We love the convenience. We have to transport my scooter. It would be a pain to have to do that with our car.

Arrive at hotel, unload, assemble. Leave assembled to charge. In the morning, disassemble, load into car. Arrive at park, unload, assemble. Leave park, disassemble, load into car. Arrive back at hotel, unload, assemble. Charge overnight. In the morning repeat the above steps. Every. Single. Day. Ugh. This is suppose to be vacation.

That doesn't touch on things like charging to the room, packages sent to the room, 60day fastpass and trip length ADR.

We also have purchased DVC, because we want to be onsite.

 

[Tigerlily125]

I honestly don't think you can go wrong either way. The times we stayed off-site, we stayed in a room with a kitchenette, so enjoyed being able to prepare some quick meals for breakfast/dinner in our room, and pack lunches to bring to the parks. This helped to save money on food at the parks. We also rented a car and enjoyed the convenience of not having to wait for Disney buses during crowded times. We were still able to get most of the Fast Passes we wanted 30 days out.
When we stay on-site, we prefer to splurge for one of the Epcot or monorail resorts as we feel the main benefit of staying on property is the proximity/transportation. GL with your decision!

 

[Shellyb84]

But many, like us, while we appreciate the extra touches in Disney hotel designs ............. we go for the parks, the events and spend virtually no time in our room other than sleeping and showering. It really depends on what each group plans to do with their time and what they want for their money. But again, Disney hotel rooms do not hold up to comparably priced rooms offsite, so if the actual room is important offsite might again be better. This is where each vacation plans and expectations come into play.

Totally agree. If we were park open to close people it may make a difference. But we leave around 1PM, spend the afternoon at the resort, eat a TS dinner, and maybe return for evening EMH. Even if we didn't care about being in the bubble, transportation alone would make that more of a hassle for our vacation style.

 

[elaine amj]

I looked into staying offsite last trip as I was with a group of 8 and the economics of an offsite villa made more sense. However, I managed to snag onsite with free dining and that tipped the scale and made the price comparable to offsite. Plus, with a big groiup, we were able to split up whenever we wanted using Disney transportation. This turned out to be a huge blessing. A couple of us could take the little one back to the room for bedtime while the rest kept going. (and who took the little one could change depending on interests and what was happening). My DD and I could go to an early morning EMH by ourselves and then meet the rest of the group later at a different park. My DS14 could skip a couple of rides he had no interest in doing and bus back to the room by himself.

Disney transportation takes a lot of time. But the flexibility it provided our group of varying ages and interests made a massive difference to us and I was extremely happy we chose to stay onsite.

 

[Average Joes]

I was always scared about staying off-site. Borrowed a car last February at AKL for a week. Drove off property a few times and the drive was easy. Staying off-site no longer concerns me. I usually rent a timeshare at a Deluxe but would consider off-site if funds demand it. We have stayed at POR a couple times and we liked it a lot. However, I would not spend about $900 more with transportation costs to stay there vs off site. Plus any savings eating in your kitchen. That POR price is more than renting a timeshare at some of the Deluxes. Of course there are cons with the timeshare route.

 

[Funinthesun5]

We are a family of 5, which greatly limits our affordable onsite options. Our cheapest onsite option is CBR, which is still a standard hotel room, but with an extra pull down bed. Standard hotel rooms with 3 kids are not enjoyable for us. We are trying Windsor Hills for our next trip. We booked a 3 bed, 3 bath townhome for half the price of CBR which is pretty magical IMO! We drive, so magical express is not important and even with the parking fee, we still come out way ahead. Hoping I like it, I just can't justify paying onsite costs when you are spending the majority of your vacation in the parks away from your hotel.

My family of 5 stayed in a 3bed, 3 bath town home in Windsor Hills two years ago and LOVED it! Our sons (two adults, one preteen) loved having room to relax at the end of long days spent at the parks and the 3 bathrooms are a wonderful thing. Our unit had a private splash pool and front door parking. Driving to the parks was quick and easy. They also have a resort style pool and other features that we did not take advantage of. I think you'll be very happy with your choice! It was our second vacation to WDW (we stayed at Shades of Green the 1st time in 2005, which was very nice too) and we also spend the majority of our vacation in the parks.

 

[Funinthesun5]

I say try the Disney Springs option that will save you money and you're ok with the options available to you. There are lots of ways to experience Disney Magic without being tied onsite. Have a wonderful time!

 

[Shellyred8]

As a few others have mentioned, just make sure you factor in all of the extra costs you might have by staying off-site. Resort fees are the one thing that took me by surprise when I was looking at the Disney Springs resort area and Swan/Dolphin. Most are $15-20 a night. That will add up fast for a week-long trip. That being said, I really enjoyed my stay at one of the Disney Springs resorts. I loved being able to walk over to Disney Springs to grab a quick bite to eat (Earl, you are my favorite!!).

We have done both on and off site. Off-site is great for the budget. But I have discovered over the years that when I'm on vacation for a WDW-only vacation, I want to be in the bubble so I can disconnect from the rest of the world. When we stay off-site, we might do WDW for a couple of days, but we usually use those trips to check out other parts of the Orlando area or take day trips to the beach.

Have a great trip!!!

 

[bobbie68]

Hi you should check out the "Orlando Hotels and Attractions" forum. There are many threads about people staying off site very informative. Good luck!

 

[married2mm]

I will probably be repeating statements previously made-but here I go anyway

I love, love, love being onsite.
The pure joy of morning emh is unbeatable.
We have a hire car -therefore free parking is a bonus.
And if fd is available-it's a done deal.

my idea of offsite is not a like for like as some may describe.
I want/need space-bedrooms,bathrooms,laundry facilities,privacy,kitchen,living area etc..
I would not go offsite to another hotel room..

Our first trips to Orlando were offsite and fantastic..
I honestly did not know Disney even had onsite hotels
Our first few stays onsite were one nighters in values purely for the emh fun.

I actually thought we'd taken a step down switching to onsite for a full vacation compared to the offsite accommodation we'd stayed in-but once in the bubble changed my mind.
Adored the 2 bed villa at okw & the following year booked 2 bed at ssr.
Thought there was no going back - however Disney had different ideas with their prices!!

I have never spent more than a couple of nights in a hotel room-
We have since booked onsite & offsite overlapping previously to have the best of both worlds.
Alternatively-began with onsite then switched to offsite.

If money were no object I'd stay onsite for the whole vacation in at least a 1 bed villa-
Unfortunately it's not-so above is our compromise.

I dont believe the idea of going back for a break etc is an issue if you're in the Disney vicinity.
I've not tried to book headline FP's at 30 days so can't comment on those potential issues.

 

[MisplacedUnderwear]

I know experiences vary wildly, but for me it's the CMs that matter most. There's just no match for Disney hospitality. I've stayed at two different Disney Springs hotels and found that both of them had awful transportation to parks. The timing of buses and lack of information was bad, but the worst part was drivers expecting tips from passengers for every ride. One time was the only person on an otherwise empty bus and the driver actually positioned himself in the way of the door so I couldn't get off his bus without tipping. I've seen less intimidating shakedowns in developing countries.

The other particularly egregious example was on a night that I believed might be my last night at Magic Kindom for many years to come (It was about 5 years before I'd get to go back, but I had believed it might be much longer) and I had enjoyed a wonderful night in the park. Everything had been so magical and, due to a last-minute operations decision, the park even stayed open for an extra couple of hours and I got to ride so many attractions and have so many lovely interactions with both guests and CMs. I was positively glowing when I got back to the hotel and, on my way through the lobby, stopped at the little front-desk-adjacent sundries store to grab a Perrier. I cheerily greeted the front desk person/cashier and she laboriously put down her book and kinda rolled her eyes at me. I pressed on and asked her if she was having a good evening as she was ringing up my drink and running my card. She audibly sighed and said "here's your receipt. I'm reading." and picked her book back up. I guess you can find an objectively awful employee anywhere, anytime, but it was super upsetting to have my "final" disney world trip tainted that way. That memory is at the forefront of my thoughts every time a book a trip because I know I will be moving to the other coast soon so any trip could end up being the last one for a very long time. For me, CMs make all the difference and I'm not going to risk a lifetime of memories on some faux-value hotel chain just to save a few bucks.

Again, I assume that experience is extremely unusual and it's probably extremely unlikely that you'll run into something similar...but it's a possibility that I believe doesn't exist at a real Disney hotel so that's where I choose to stay. It sounds like OP has already chosen that off-site is a particularly great value this time. I'm not hoping to change anyone's mind with this post or make them feel bad for their choice, but I do hope it explains why some people like me feel so very strongly about Disney hotels when it might seem like we're wasting money from the perspective of some folks. I hope everyone has a magical trip with whatever accommodations they choose!

 

[kydisneyfans]

As we were younger, we stayed offsite for pure economic reasons. We spent the day at Disney, went back to the resort, chilled out, and slept. It was the only way we could afford the trip. We liked the space, but it doesn't matter when your eyes are closed.

As our jobs started to pay more and our finances improved, we did some onsite stays at value resorts, then moved up to POFQ. We loved the convenience, the buses, the escape from the real world. We found the cost difference wasn't much as we were spending on fuel and paying to park onsite. Disney counter service wasn't too far off in cost from the Olive Garden's and Logan's we were eating at anyway.

My wife dreamed at staying at Animal Kingdom, but the $350 tab wasn't happening. We researched renting points and got 5 nights for just over $200 a night. We left with the thought that we want to do this every time we went to Disney. I researched DVC resales, and bought AK at about 60% under Disney's direct sale price.

Now we have the best of both worlds. We have the space to spread out, and the convenience of onsite. It was the best purchase we've ever made.

I see benefits of both onsite and offsite stays. As we get older, driving to International Drive, Old Town, etc just isn't something I'm interested in doing anymore. I want to get there, have fun, chill poolside, and enjoy my stay without doing the daily driving I do at home.

 

[robinb]

alright...I know staying in the magic disney bubble is amazing and trust me I want to. We are already booked at port orleans and it's about 2000 for 7 days. I get a discount at a Disney springs hotel and it's 700 for the 7 days. Huge difference! We use uber so that's a added cost for transportation but it's minimal. Talk to me...who has stayed offsite?? Are there fast passes available 30 days out?

I have stayed onsite and offsite. There is a lot to be said for both.

I like onsite because:

(1) I will occasionally use the buses. This is especially true if I'm there with my teen daughter. The bus system makes it easier for her to get around.
(2) I like the theming and the "Disney bubble" feel.
(3) I like being able to book my FPs at 60 days.

I like offsite because:

(1) It's a LOT cheaper. Even when you add transportation.
(2) I don't stay at hotels. Instead I stay in timeshares or condos. My last timeshare was $222 for the whole week and I had a 1 bedroom with twice as much room as a Disney resort (plus a full kitchen and laundry).
(3) I can still get just about everything I want re: FPs at 30 days.

 

[powellrj]

We have stayed in both. We stayed on-site last year and DH said never again. He likes staying in condos and pool homes for the extra room, parking at the front door, washer and dryers so we can pack lighter, a refrigerator so we can stock-up on drinks to have at our own private pool.

I use a scooter and we also always have a car weather we drive our own or rent one there. I have my own scooter and dh can have it broken down or rebuilt in under a minute.

 

[Nancyg56]

The biggest con for us is the lack of bus transportation.

Some people hate the bus. We love the convenience. We have to transport my scooter. It would be a pain to have to do that with our car.

Arrive at hotel, unload, assemble. Leave assembled to charge. In the morning, disassemble, load into car. Arrive at park, unload, assemble. Leave park, disassemble, load into car. Arrive back at hotel, unload, assemble. Charge overnight. In the morning repeat the above steps. Every. Single. Day. Ugh. This is suppose to be vacation.

That doesn't touch on things like charging to the room, packages sent to the room, 60day fastpass and trip length ADR.

.

This is us minus the scooter. We do not mind the bus, and for me it is actually part of my vacation. Every minute on a bus that I would spend driving myself is a present.

I know that many find benefits to an offsite stay, and cost is among those benefits, but once I factor in a vehicle and time lost in traffic (I know us, I mean "LOST"), I'm sold on onsite.

We are planning a December 2018 trip with my niece and her new wife who has never been. She decided try to save money by pricing offsite options, and GASP! Camping! No.
My DH intervened and told them pick out any resort you want, Auntie will booking the room and you will just show up. No offsite. No AirBNB. No tent in FW. (I had told them if they really wanted the camping experience that could do so, and I would just book their room a few days after, and they could visit me at the resort. I am not camping unless we rented an RV, but it turned out is was not the experience, but the cost.

I think vacations differ for everyone, and there is more to consider than just cost. You get more room offsite, and will probably shop and dine at less expensive or more diverse shops and restaurants. You can have more privacy and you do get to escape Disney. If this is important you should choose lodging offist.

If you choose offsite based solely on cost, you need to make sure you add in the costs that are associated with that decision. A vehicle, fuel, parking, and traffic time.

There is no wrong way, just different expectations.

 

[ThistleMae]

One other pro...since most have been mentioned already...for staying offsite would be getting your car at the end of the night. No long bus lines to get back to your resort. The shuttles come really quickly, we had hardly any wait, that being said, there are way more pro's to staying onsite. And if you want to add to the magic of your vacation, there is no other way to go.