The debate of staying on site vs. off site

[Bete]

This is a tough choice. We have over 40 trips under our belt; we are Midwesterners.

Right now, we stay off site because we take our dog. Our dog can stay in the resort room and we go to the Disney park and come back for a break and then we go to the park again. I like this better than using a dog kennel. We are older and we don't need to be commando about our park hours. We have seen all there is to see at Disney through the years. We choose our favorites, now and we just don't need to do it all. We spend about 8 hours in the park per day. This is much less stressful for us and it really is a vacation, now.

We get a bigger space for much less staying off site and we like the extra room. We get two TVs, a kitchen and a living room. We get an included hot breakfast which we really enjoy. Usually breakfast holds us (we go back for seconds) and we have an early dinner wherever and we are satisfied. So, we are out of pocket for one meal a day at the most. Our resort offers an evening quick style meal three times a week and we are satisfied with that meal; so, there is a savings there, too. We do get some groceries, but it's more for snacks like nuts, popcorn and so forth.

If it wasn't for the dog I may not have tried being off site, but now I like it better. It can actually get too intense being in the Disney bubble. Although, I'm a diehard about DW most of the people who we are with are not on the same page that way. There was a time I would do a 14 hour day with extra magic hours and park hopping when we stayed onsite. Now, we don't even get the park hopper tickets. This is not because we are slowing down, but It's because we want to relax and enjoy one another on vacation, too.

Although, our off site resort has a bus shuttle I would probably not stay off site without a car. We stay pretty close to Disney when picking out a resort; so, the commute is manageable.

On the other side, you can probably accomplish more park hours being onsite. If you are truly going to use every aspect of being onsite then there is some value to it. If you are not going to be early risers or you are not going to close the park then it becomes less valuable. It's quite cost prohibitive to get bigger accommodations onsite. You may want to consider two standard Disney value resort rooms; because, you will get more space and four beds, two baths, and two TVs. This will still be more costly than staying offsite. If you will spend more time in the parks, then paying for a Disney resort room can be a better deal overall. You almost have to become religious about your park time to make it worthwhile.

I absolutely have come to dislike waiting for a Disney bus and then having to stand on the bus or wait for another bus. This becomes very tiring at night. If you use you car onsite then it becomes almost like staying offsite; so, why pay Disney prices.

We have stayed at all levels of resorts at Disney through the years including concierge. When we have stayed on the high end it was with a 40% discount for the Deluxe resort costs. Also, when we stay onsite we have done it with free dining offers. We have the luxury of flexible dates with our trips; so, I just won't pay full price for Disney onsite. If you can get a good deal then staying on property can be nice.

Finally, I like not feeling like a sardine and staying offsite has been better for us.

 

[Kimi313]

I vote for on-site also. Once you arrive you leave the driving to them which I love! And now with DD older and in college we are pressed for time so now we fly and I could not believe how nice ME was. I always thought I like having my car there but once we get to airport I feel pampered all the way.

Other pros are the Disney Bubble, no matter which hotel you stay at from Deluxe to Value they all make you feel special and will bend over backwards to make you happy, hotel theming, close to all the restaurants, and seriously we could spend a day just hanging out at the resort.

 

[DisneyBliss7]

We've done both and we love staying on property. You get that magical feel everyday all day! Love how we can get on a bus,boat, or monorail anytime we want Defiantly the way to go for our family
Not that staying off property is bad, it's not all. We stayed in a beautiful resort very close to Disney and had a great time

 

[disneymom06]

We tried off site last summer. WBC . I got a great deal, less than 100 a night for a two bedroom. It was nice but different. Everyone liked the space but at the end of the vacation, I asked what was the preference. On site won. Even when we discussed that vacations would be shorter and spaced further apart, and still on site won. All four children, ages 9-18.

I have to agree. It was different. I enjoy the feel of being onsite, the benefits, the helpful CMs, the atmosphere, the buses, the EMH. I am glad that I tried offsite because now I know what works for us. Each family is different.

 

[OklahomaTourist]

I've said it before on this debate, and I'll say it again, it comes down to what you, personally to consider "non-negotiable" items on what I call the "hassle factor" list. These are things that, if you just think about them superficially, don't seem like a big deal, but when you're in the park, hot, tired, maybe ready for a break, these items suddenly become much bigger. Only you can decide how much.

1. Driving and parking at least once a day. If you want to take a mid-day break, make it twice. Doesn't sound like much, but if you're just a couple miles off property, its that much longer to and from the parks. Maybe that's a hassle for you, maybe it isn't.

2. Carrying in-park purchases. Off-site, you'll either have to a) carry the bags around all day, b) make a trip to the parking lot and deposit them, or c) have the bags held at the customer service desk at the entrance. On-site, you say "Deliver to resort X room Y," and you're done. Maybe that's a hassle for you, maybe it isn't.

3. Extra magic hours. Some like them and plan around them, some don't.

4. Dining plan. I have never used a dining plan (100% OOP for us as we eat off-site often), but if you want one, you have to stay on-site.

5. Park hopping. If you drive to Park A, but then hop over to Park B, at closing time you're going to have to allow for getting back to Park A just to get back to your car. Maybe that's a hassle for you, maybe it isn't.

6. Disney theming. You can go to the nicest off-site hotel in the Orlando area, and it'll be just that - a hotel. Some folks really like getting immersed in the Disney "bubble," some don't. There is, IMHO, an intangible about being "connected" to the broader Disney area staying on site, such as walking down to the pool and catching a "dive in" movie, or just yapping with a friendly CM about some Disney issue.

If any one or all of these add to your "hassle factor" list, then I'd stay on site. I, personally, strongly recommend people stay on-site. No question you pay a premium for it, but the Mrs. and I even contemplated a longer off-site stay, and opted for the shorter stay on-property.

Either way, do what's best for you. My vote: Stay on site. Everyone who does Disney ought to stay on-site at least once.

Have a Magical Indeterminate Time Period.

 

[rproctor]

Just a couple of quick counterpoints to some of the common pros of being on-site:

* If you're close enough, it is almost always faster to drive to a park than take a bus. (Monorail/walking is faster for relevant park/resort combinations, and of course parking may make hopping difficult.) You have to be a bit closer to break even driving to the MK due to the TTC transfer.

* Delivery to your "room" might be to your "gift shop" (which has limited hours compared to a park) and won't be that day. This limits the usefulness somewhat.

* The moderate and deluxe resorts are well-themed, but there isn't anything particularly "Disney" about them.

I don't think it is possible to overstate how small and expensive Disney resort rooms are (though it may still be worth it to you).

 

[JimGA]

Definately stay on site, more money less room but the Disney experience is 100% worth it. The resort are so nice and pleasant to see. If you want a bigger room, check out the 1 bedroom villas.

Being immursed into Disney is well worth the extra price you pay.

 

[disney-akj]

We have done both. Last year when we went, on-property was not in our family's budget so it was our first time staying off-property. For $960 we got 8 nights at Wyndham Bonnett Creek for 6 people. To stay anywhere on Disney Property, it was a minimum of $3000 for that many nights with a pin code from a mailer (for room-only). With WBC we had to drive under the WDW sign, there was shuttle available, and the resort was amazing. (We didn't need ME though because we drove and DDP is not a value for my family anymore because two of our children are now adult prices so that is not an on-site perk for us). My kids even accused me of lying when I told a Disney CM we were staying off property this trip because they didn't even realize I figured Disney off-property was better than no Disney at all.

In a few months we will be staying on property again. We are staying at the A of A because my kids are super excited to try out this resort. As a result our trip will only be 5 nights. It will be awesome there too I am sure. We will probably drive to the parks either way (except for maybe the MK) because we are not big fans of buses either way.

As a first trip, I would recommend staying on-property if it is in the budget. Otherwise I do believe that off-property vacations can be just as fun. We have found that we can enjoy both!! Would I always prefer on-site if money wasn't an object, yes. I like to travel to other places besides Disney though so sometimes not breaking the whole vacation budget is nice.

ETA: Space will never be a reason for us personally to stay off-site though because we barely spend any time in our room whether we are on property or off property.

 

[davedmaine]

Just understand that when you stay on-site you're paying a premium for location, convenience and the Disney 'experience.' The room itself will be nothing special. A $400 BC room is equal to about a $75 room off-property. When money was an issue, we always stayed off-site and always had a great time; I've never understood the people who say they wouldn't go to Disney unless they can stay on-site. We're now DVC members, so obviously we stay onsite, but there's nothing wrong with being off.

 

[CTH3]

If you stay on site you will be 100% immersed in the Disney bubble, which we really like.

Yes. For us, this is the entire reason for going. Staying off site (which we did in years past) is just a vacation to Florida which includes daily trips to a nearby theme park. Nice enough, but just another vacation trip.

Staying on site enables a unique, immersive experience that is unlike any other vacation we have ever taken. Which is why we keep going back.

It costs more, but we no longer bother to go to Walt Disney World unless we can afford to stay on site.

 

[lovegrumpy]

We have done both and have no issues staying off site. My boys would rather stay on site but some times the budget won't let us. You gotta do what is best for you and your family.

 

[ForMyBoys]

I like staying offsite. But after reading tons and tons of posts I'm realizing that our family doesn't value what a lot of people seem to value. Here are some examples

1. We HATE waiting for transportation, we like getting from point A to point B the quickest, and I actually enjoy driving, I don't find it to be a chore. So on-site or off we would rent a car because I find that to be the most convienient. That means the magical express isn't of much use for us.
2. I don't like the idea of the DDP. I like buying what I want when I want it, not worrying about whether a place will take my credits or how many credits we have left, ya da ya da.
3. We don't hit disney parks every day. I like taking a few days out of our vacation to relax. Watch a movie with the kids, BBQ up some food, lay by the pool. For this reason we rent a house with a pool.
4. Theming is nice but you can see all the theming you want, it doesn't mean you have to stay in that hotel, in a tiny room, just to see theming.

I've priced staying at Disney and our off-site house w/ rental car and honestly we could stay in values with DDP for the same price as off site house with rental car and buying groceries. BUT I prefer that my kids have separate bedrooms and I love having our own pool and hot tub. That we can get the kids to bed at a decent hour and my dh and I can still watch a movie or hit the hot tub while the kids are in bed.

We are all different, that is why there are so many options.

 

[nonsmom]

I've said it before on this debate, and I'll say it again, it comes down to what you, personally to consider "non-negotiable" items on what I call the "hassle factor" list. These are things that, if you just think about them superficially, don't seem like a big deal, but when you're in the park, hot, tired, maybe ready for a break, these items suddenly become much bigger. Only you can decide how much.

1. Driving and parking at least once a day. If you want to take a mid-day break, make it twice. Doesn't sound like much, but if you're just a couple miles off property, its that much longer to and from the parks. Maybe that's a hassle for you, maybe it isn't.

2. Carrying in-park purchases. Off-site, you'll either have to a) carry the bags around all day, b) make a trip to the parking lot and deposit them, or c) have the bags held at the customer service desk at the entrance. On-site, you say "Deliver to resort X room Y," and you're done. Maybe that's a hassle for you, maybe it isn't.

3. Extra magic hours. Some like them and plan around them, some don't.

4. Dining plan. I have never used a dining plan (100% OOP for us as we eat off-site often), but if you want one, you have to stay on-site.

5. Park hopping. If you drive to Park A, but then hop over to Park B, at closing time you're going to have to allow for getting back to Park A just to get back to your car. Maybe that's a hassle for you, maybe it isn't.

6. Disney theming. You can go to the nicest off-site hotel in the Orlando area, and it'll be just that - a hotel. Some folks really like getting immersed in the Disney "bubble," some don't. There is, IMHO, an intangible about being "connected" to the broader Disney area staying on site, such as walking down to the pool and catching a "dive in" movie, or just yapping with a friendly CM about some Disney issue.

If any one or all of these add to your "hassle factor" list, then I'd stay on site. I, personally, strongly recommend people stay on-site. No question you pay a premium for it, but the Mrs. and I even contemplated a longer off-site stay, and opted for the shorter stay on-property.

Either way, do what's best for you. My vote: Stay on site. Everyone who does Disney ought to stay on-site at least once.

Have a Magical Indeterminate Time Period.

I agree, very well stated. I have been going almost every year since I was a child. I always dreamed of staying on property (of course t the time there was only MK with Poly & CR). I finally got the opportunity to stay on property in 2001 & ever since have not looked back. I have no desire to have to deal with renting a car and the long drive late at night. Yes, the buses can be crowded, but so is the monorail or boat when you leave MK after fire works & try to get to the parking lot. I just feel that since I have been staying on property, it makes the whole experience that much better.

I am not sure how much of a premium you pay to stay on property. after you add up the cost of a car rental, insurance, gas, and parking plus all of the time lost in the parks. We don't spend much time in the room. We basically just sleep & shower there.

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

BTW, if you post this question on the Orlando Hotels and Attractions forum you would likely get an overwhelming response about the benefits of staying offsite. Just in case you want to hear from both sides of the spectrum.

I was also going to recommend visiting that particular forum so you can get feedback from those who have/are planning to stay offsite. Since this is the Disney resorts forum, you are going to read a lot more posts in favor of staying onsite.

 

[MinnieLovesMickey12]

We have stayed on site and off site. When it is just DH and I we usually stay off site. But when we take the kids we like to stay on site in a family suite at All Star Music.

The family suite has a separate bedroom and living room. It is pricey compared to what you would call a regular hotel room that is just one big room. But we like the kids to be able to enjoy the on site activities and the pool and ping pong table.

The room DH and I are staying in on our next trip in 2 weeks also has a living room, kitchen and separate bedroom at the Quality SUites Lake Buena Vista for just $71 a night. They have 2 bedroom suites for $140 a night and you get a free hot breakfast included.

On our November trip we will be renting DVC points and staying at OKW.

If you rent DVC points you can stay in a 1 or 2 bedroom villa. But the villas require much more points than staying in a studio that is just one room with 2 beds.

The studio we will get in November is just 64 points for the week stay but a 1 bedroom is something like 175 points. SO almost triple the cost to stay in a 1 bedroom. Not really worth the big jump in price to us.

But I do want to stay at OKW at least once. I love the on site restaurant Olivia's.

If you are on a tight budget or just need a much bigger space to spread out you can rent vacation rental homes through VRBO or Villa Direct just a few miles from Disney for around $100 a night (4 bedroom, swimming pool and game room)

One of the benefits to staying on site that I don't care anything about is the free transportation. They will take you back and forth to and from the airport and then you can catch Disney buses to get you back and forth from the parks. We always rent a car and drive ourselves but if you prefer not to have to drive yourself around on vacation staying on site helps in that dept.

You can also get free parking at the parks for staying on site and you can take advantage of extra magic hours in the parks.

I usually do not go to the parks with EMH even when I do stay on site. We may have done EMH once or twice on our very first trip but the EMH park does get more crowded on that day so now we usually avoid the EMH park.

 

[Junebugwv]

When our children (5) were younger we always stayed off site. It fit our lifestyle because we absolutely wanted 3 bedrooms, a full kitchen and laundry. We always rented a car, didn't go to the parks on weekends and ate dinners off site. Never considered staying onsite until we just had 2 kids. Since then we have stayed at every category, plus villas and Shades of Green.

The kids that go with us are older teens and can use the transportation onsite to go anywhere . I enjoy being immersed in the Disney atmosphere. When I go with grandkids, we stay at WBC or Windsor Hills. Last fall we blended 3 grand kids, DS15, our daughter (while her husband was deployed), DH and I in a 2BR at SSR for a week followed by 2 cabins at Ft Wilderness for a week. Honestly, the 2 BR seemed cramped, but it was fun to use the pools and take the boat to DTD.

 

[SkywayGuy]

When our children (5) were younger we always stayed off site. It fit our lifestyle because we absolutely wanted 3 bedrooms, a full kitchen and laundry. We always rented a car, didn't go to the parks on weekends and ate dinners off site. Never considered staying onsite until we just had 2 kids. Since then we have stayed at every category, plus villas and Shades of Green.

The kids that go with us are older teens and can use the transportation onsite to go anywhere . I enjoy being immersed in the Disney atmosphere. When I go with grandkids, we stay at WBC or Windsor Hills. Last fall we blended 3 grand kids, DS15, our daughter (while her husband was deployed), DH and I in a 2BR at SSR for a week followed by 2 cabins at Ft Wilderness for a week. Honestly, the 2 BR seemed cramped, but it was fun to use the pools and take the boat to DTD.

Yeah, we've done both too. I think the bigger your party the more sense it makes to stay off property, for cost and amenities, as long as you have enough seats in your car.