The great on site vs. off property debate

[sschro3]

Where do you stay and why?
DH and I stayed off property back in 93. We had a great time...forgot where we parked at MK. Glad we didn't have kids then. On our other 2 trips we stayed on property and loved it. My husbnd refuses to even entertain the idea of staying off property. I just keep thinking of the great rates at some hotels and the idea of a 2 room suite for the 5 of us (6 if grandma comes again). Would appreciate any and all opinions on the matter.
Thanks Sharon

 

[CrazyChik]

We stayed off-site once in 2000 as a family of 5. We had two hotel rooms between us. It was the worst accomidation and we have never stayed off-site since. It was really inconvienient and we couldn't use the pool because it wa filthy. Maybe it was just our hotel but we find staying on site a lot more convienent and magical.

 

[Disney Crazy Debbie]

I have stayed off site and many years ago lived near WDW to make it easily accessible for day trips and the magic just isn't the same as staying on property. The convenience of not driving and not worrying about it for a whole week or whatever, plus the flexibility of being able to leave for awhile and go back to your room is just immeasurable (especially if you have really young children).

 

[Bru'sCrew]

Due to everything being booked last Christmas. We stayed offsite in a two-bedroom suite,(5 of us) while we were there we had a great time. The room wasn't up to Disney standards though, kind of dirty, having a rental car even went pretty well. But as we left and when we got home I just kept feeling like we had missed out on something... Our trip next Feb. will be on site.

 

[the john]

http://www.allearsnet.com/acc/onoff.htm

 

[Sweedee]

There is no amount of money (well, almost no amount) that would lure me to staying offsite. The reason I go to Orlando IS to go to WDW. I am sure not gonna stay somewhere else!

 

[ukwildcat]

I've said this before, but for me part of the magic is staying in the hotels. And to that extent, we really only consider YC and BC, and possible POR. We may be deluxe resort snobs, but we just know what we like. And YC/BC is really easy with an infant.

 

[magiroux]

We stay off-site. We stay in two or three bedroom timeshares on RCI exchanges. Our expenses have never ran over $450/week for lodging. I remember staying two extra nights after my timeshare week check out. We stayed at the Boardwalk Garden Suites and ONE night lodging there cost more than my two bedroom, full kitchen, three bathroom, laundry in the unit at the HGVC for the full week. This is a top notch Gold Crown Resort, not a Motel 6. It is very economical for us and since we can usually, with a little work, find pretty cheap airfares we can do WDW pretty cheap. That means we can do WDW more often.

This on-site/off-site debate always comes down to the same thing. It really is a matter of personal preference and what fits for your family.

Some families can't do without the Disney Magic 24/7. For me, I like a break from it.

Some like Disney Transportaion. Me, I like having my own car (even when I do stay on-site, I have to have my own car) so I can just get there. I think it takes more time to get to most on-site resorts via bus from the parks than it does to just hop in your car and go off-site.

Some can live with staying in a hotel room with kids where, when it's nap time, you must be quiet. Me, I'd rather just shut the bedroom door and make all the noise I want both when returning for rests and getting ready in the morning.

Every other year is a Disney Vacation year for us. We buy AP's so we don't pay to park.

I could go on and on, but you get the idea. Don't get me wrong...I would love to be able to stay on-site at DVC every time we go, but for us, it is just too darn expensive for what you get. No matter how nice the room is, if you don't like hotel rooms it is not going to be a pleasant experience.

Just wanted to add for people that can live with staying off-site, Orlando is sooooooooo overbuilt it really works to our advantage. The competition keeps the off-site rates down.

 

[spiceycat]

I stay offsite too - well I do both.... stay onsite with my DVC or get one of the great bargins that you can find....

my offsite are RCI exchanges, II exchanges (even get DVC once in a while), plus I also use skyauction and getaway with II and Last minute with RCI.

you can find some good bargins with offsite.

 

[Reese]

DH and I are having the same debate. We stayed onsite for our first trip last year and he loved it. I found it a bit overwhelming, but I was also seven months pregnant at the time.

Right now I'm trying to talk him into staying onsite for the first four nights and than renting a house for a week. That way we can still relax a little instead of feeling like we had to go go go since the kids never ran out of energy.

He likes the magical express and not having to drive. Also the no cooking, no cleaning thing appeals to him, even though I do all the cooking .

I like the idea of having a swimming pool in the backyard and being able to cook a meal that consists of more than fries and nuggets, the usual childrens fare at Disney.

 

[hannah's dad]

We found in March that staying on-site POR allowed for us to get totally immersed in the Disney experience, which is what we wanted. It was like nothing else existed. It also helped to be able to return to the room for mid day breaks, with our 3 and 1 year olds. We never had any problems with Disney transportation.

 

[zipuzee]

We stayed off site one time and I'll never do it again. We were trying to save money, got a "Great" rate at a suites hotel (a major chain). When we check in, they add all these service charges for the safe and the pots and goodness knows what and brought the cost up to what it would have been for a value resort. Having the extra space did no good as we weren't there much. Also, It wasn't very clean. The tub was pretty gross actually, and I'm not a clean freak. Then there was the bug problem; some type of little ant. Nope, it'll be on site for us, forever more.

 

[princessbride6205]

I guess I sort of agree with everyone who has posted! I was going to say that the only way to stay offsite is if you find a great timeshare to rent for a week or two. Or, if you are looking at staying Deluxe - if you are willing to spend in that price range, you can find some amazing hotels in the WDW area.
But I know for us, a big part of the magic is being able to continue that at our resort. Good luck deciding!

 

[SandraVB79]

I stayed off site two weeks ago.

It was a last-minute, unbudgetted WDW-trip (my first one), and it was just me. I got quotes at WDW.com (dates were not flexible, as I had to go to the US for work), and by being there by myself, it was just too expensive to stay onsite.

Was the offsite hotel that good? Not really, I should have gone with the first idea and gone to a chain hotel, where you have a minimum standard you can expect. was it that bad? No, not really, especially not for this extra last-minute thing.

As I posted on another thread, I go a LOT on vacation, and in that case, you just have to make choices. there is NO way I can do everything deluxe. So, whenever I do a city trip in Europe, I stay at deluxe hotels, since that always includes those great deluxe breakfast buffets (as opposed to the US - hotel systems are just completely different).

Of course, if you WDW vacation is your ONLY vacation during a whole year, and you're going to stay with many people in one room (as opposed to just old me), that completely changes the situation.

I am not ashamed at all to say I stayed offsite. After all, staying offsite and hugging Mickey is still better than not going at all!

 

[susan1]

hi
it is a matter of personal preference, i hated staying on site, felt totally smothered by it all. quite happy to stay in the quality inn, where we have stayed for al,our orlando holidays for the last 10 years

 

[Jrabbit910]

Hi Sharon,
I have stayed both on and off site before and I cant stress to you enough every time I stayed off property I thought to myself, why didnt I stay on property?!?!?! It is just so much more convenient to stay on then off. If your going to rent a car, you will have to pay for parking at all the parks. I know that there are signs every where for the parks but you might get lost driving around which will take valuable time off your stay.
I understand about the money cost, if its that big of a difference I would consider it but not if its much. I would just thing its a completely different and better experience staying on the grounds.
Whatever you choose, I am sure you will have a great time, but listen to your husband...on this one!!

 

[JustKryssi]

Off site? Look in my signature...never again! The quality of the off site properties near WDW are not to my standards.

I'd rather save up for one great deluxe vaca than have a bunch of so-so stays. Gotta have my magic.

 

[PA Princess]

We stayed off site our very fist two trips and we had a great time, however we have now stayed onsite for like 8 trips and I have a hard time imagining staying offsite now. We have taken each of our children to Disney for their 5th birthday (other trips as well, but always on a 5th birthday). Number 4 was born December 20, so that means for her 5th in 4 years we will be in Disney at the holidays. We think we will probably do 5 days on site including her birthday and then jump to a home for a week to celebrate the holidays with extended family. I like the idea of having a relaxing vacation with the whole family in a pool home, but I know we would not be happy to just do that.

 

[TravelinGal]

Here's my opinion.

On-site for 2 adults (or 1 adult and a child who doesn't need naps) - off site for more and/or with children.

By off site, I mean a rental home though, not another hotel.

Either way we rent a car. Don't like the Disney transportation system.

The order of my stays is:

Off site (Days Inn, I think - School Music Department Trip way back in 1984)
Grand Floridian
Contemporary
Polynesian (and then Disney cruise)
3 bedroom pool home in Orange Tree (with another couple and their baby)
Port Orleans FQ - 2 rooms with 18 yr old step sons - wanted the meal plan on this trip
Contemporary
POFQ - just DH and me
Grand Floridian
Boardwalk
6 bedroom pool home in Emerald Island
Will be staying at a moderate on site in October (Tour Guide Mike meet)

 

[jimmiej]

I'm not going if I can't stay at a Disney hotel. I've stayed off-site twice. The main reasons I stay on-site:

-I prefer to let Disney do the driving; I tend to make wrong turns & then get frustrated!

-Disney magic 24/7

-The Disney hotels are a vacation unto themselves with all the theming, great pools, & other things to do.

-Disney hotels are generally cleaner & CMs are generally more helpful & friendly.

-ME saves me $$$ (which I can spend on a WDW deluxe!).