The struggle is REAL

[WDWOswald]

1 bedroom at wyndham bonnet creek for 7 nights will cost $699 and will include 900 square feet of top notch accommodations on Disney property. Bonnet Creek features jacuzzi tubs, full kitchen and dining room and living room. Great pools, nice landscaping, and many other nice amenities. We will lose out on magic bands, early access FP+, free parking at the parks, room charging capabilities, extra magic hours, and the Disney theme, dining, and shopping.

Now for $807 we could stay at the POP Century resort in a standard room. Caribbbean Beach would be $1,157 for a standard room.

It's so hard to turn down the bonnet creek option, even though we are the biggest Disney geeks on the planet. It's only my wife and I. What would you do? We will be renting a car no matter what. Once you rent a car, you don't go back IMHO.

 

[tndisney5]

Well, we haven't rented a car or stayed off property since we were kids, BUT if you are definitely renting car I would do Bonnet Creek. You'll already have the car and the price diff is pretty large IMO. Save your $$.

 

[Shaden]

1 bedroom at wyndham bonnet creek for 7 nights will cost $699 and will include 900 square feet of top notch accommodations on Disney property. Bonnet Creek features jacuzzi tubs, full kitchen and dining room and living room. Great pools, nice landscaping, and many other nice amenities. We will lose out on magic bands, early access FP+, free parking at the parks, room charging capabilities, extra magic hours, and the Disney theme, dining, and shopping.

Now for $807 we could stay at the POP Century resort in a standard room. Caribbbean Beach would be $1,157 for a standard room.

It's so hard to turn down the bonnet creek option, even though we are the biggest Disney geeks on the planet. It's only my wife and I. What would you do? We will be renting a car no matter what. Once you rent a car, you don't go back IMHO.

What are your dates !?!?!? You might have access to Pre-FP+ Booking ... they are currently testing a limited number of offsite guests ffor pre-booking and will certainly roll it out to all offsite guests in the future.

 

[chocovrdmicears]

$108 difference between offsite and onsite? I would stay at POP. Parking alone will get you close to the difference.- (Unless you plan on spending a lot of time at your resort.) POP is fun, bright, has a great food court, and screams Disney...but I wouldn't say it is a *relaxing* place.

 

[DisneyFansInNYC]

I would stay in Disney. The price is not that different. We love the EMH and bet the FP+ would be worth it. The thought of not having to drive to the parks is a deal breaker for us.

 

[Mousemommy1]

$108 difference between offsite and onsite? I would stay at POP. Parking alone will get you close to the difference.- (Unless you plan on spending a lot of time at your resort.) POP is fun, bright, has a great food court, and screams Disney...but I wouldn't say it is a *relaxing* place.

I would stay in Disney. The price is not that different. We love the EMH and bet the FP+ would be worth it. The thought of not having to drive to the parks is a deal breaker for us.

100% agree!

 

[JACKie SPARROW]

$108 difference between offsite and onsite? I would stay at POP. Parking alone will get you close to the difference.- (Unless you plan on spending a lot of time at your resort.) POP is fun, bright, has a great food court, and screams Disney...but I wouldn't say it is a *relaxing* place.

Also, since you are in a 1 bedroon with a kitchen, do you plan on cooking any meals? How many? If you will not use the stove and plan to eat out for your meals, then stay at the POP, just more convenient.

We were in a similiar situation and have decided for my family of 5 to stay at WBC. I will cook a full breakfast each morning and plan on cooking 2 dinners & ordering Flippers Pizza one night. DH and I will also enjoy a dinner at Shulas so my kids will have an extra meal in the condo.

We will have a car and considering the nasty winter we've had in the midwest, I have absolutely no problem driving to the parks each day!

Good luck...sending some your way!

 

[MistressMerryweather]

I would never stay offsite unless it was a huge money difference. That's a really small difference. In fact, I would stay at the moderate, even.

We used to rent a car and would never go back to it, by choice. We are driving this trip and staying at Bonnet Creek/Pop century split stay.

 

[nugov2]

For me it isn't about just price, but space and luxury when I am on vacation. I wouldn't stay at a value if it was cheaper than BC, but they don't meet our needs. If it was one or two days...maybe, but a week no. Read the reviews on trip advisor of the values, the common theme is uncomfortable beds, loud and pools are not good. Those are all deal breakers for a week long vacation.

 

[Ofinn]

1 bedroom at wyndham bonnet creek for 7 nights will cost $699 and will include 900 square feet of top notch accommodations on Disney property. Bonnet Creek features jacuzzi tubs, full kitchen and dining room and living room. Great pools, nice landscaping, and many other nice amenities. We will lose out on magic bands, early access FP+, free parking at the parks, room charging capabilities, extra magic hours, and the Disney theme, dining, and shopping.

Now for $807 we could stay at the POP Century resort in a standard room. Caribbbean Beach would be $1,157 for a standard room.

It's so hard to turn down the bonnet creek option, even though we are the biggest Disney geeks on the planet. It's only my wife and I. What would you do? We will be renting a car no matter what. Once you rent a car, you don't go back IMHO.

I wouldn't stay at Pop if you paid me so I have to go with Bonnet Creek. If you stayed at Pop before and are ok with a sub-standard hotel rooms, and want to be onsite then I would go with that. I wouldn't give up luxury for fp+. I agree with you on the car rental. There is no going back to a Disney bus once you experience Disney with your own wheels.

 

[AllyinWonderland]

It depends on what is important to you. For me, I would stay at Pop for the extra $108, I like having free transportation to the parks and being dropped off right at the gate. EMH are something I take advantage of and with FP+ not being available for off site guests that is the final deciding factor for me. On vacation I don't like to cook and we spend minimal time at the resort. If you are planning to spend a lot of time at the resort and like to cook several meals, it may be worth it for you.

 

[Ofinn]

For me it isn't about just price, but space and luxury when I am on vacation. I wouldn't stay at a value if it was cheaper than BC, but they don't meet our needs. If it was one or two days...maybe, but a week no. Read the reviews on trip advisor of the values, the common theme is uncomfortable beds, loud and pools are not good. Those are all deal breakers for a week long vacation.

I'm glad to know to know people on trip advisor agreed with me because I got flamed on these boards for hating pop. I honestly think people get to wrapped up in the Disney bubble thing and lose their sensibilities on what a good hotel is.

 

[jperrot1]

I have heard that the bonnet creek is very nice. When you add the total cost of your trip (park tickets, travel, and meals, as well as resort) I think you'll find that the price difference is not that much. If you have never stayed at a value, I don't think this is the time for that since you're comparing the bonnet creek luxury, and a value is no luxury resort. I think you might be second guessing yourself during your vacation about what that luxury bonnet creek stay might have been.

If you guys vacation at WDW often, then I think I might go for the bonnet creek, in that case. Wow. i can't believe I just suggested this since we always stay on site and wouldn't think about staying off property. Well, we have stayed off property before, but haven't in many years.

 

[saradela]

you will lose out on magic bands, early access FP+, free parking at the parks, room charging capabilities, extra magic hours, and the Disney theme, dining, and shopping, for a room, that is far , and deal with traffic

Just the thought of me cooking when I am on vacations, no way......


But if you are going to stay in the bonnet creek room 80 % of your time, then maybe is worth it.

Anyway, you are going to Disneyworld !!!!!

 

[nugov2]

I'm glad to know to know people on trip advisor agreed with me because I got flamed on these boards for hating pop. I honestly think people get to wrapped up in the Disney bubble thing and lose their sensibilities on what a good hotel is.

I called values glorified motels once and got flamed, but you can put as much paint and giant characters on it as they want, but it is a motel(IMO) Doesn't mean it is bad, but that is what it is. I also don't get sleeping on a table by day/bed by night in the family suite...but I know different families have different needs/wants. Doesn't make it wrong, but I'd never give up comfort and space just to say I'm onsite and be just as far as the good off site locations. I also don't consider a bus a perk, but many do.

 

[nugov2]

you will lose out on magic bands, early access FP+, free parking at the parks, room charging capabilities, extra magic hours, and the Disney theme, dining, and shopping, for a room, that is far , and deal with traffic

Just the thought of me cooking when I am on vacations, no way......


But if you are going to stay in the bonnet creek room 80 % of your time, then maybe is worth it.

Anyway, you are going to Disneyworld !!!!!

A lot of people avoid EMH parks...I know we did, you can find an off site with Disney theme, book one night at pop, but don't use it and get access to FP+/MB(but it is already being rolled out off site, so you could cancel it does completely), we ate 98% of our meals on site at resorts and in parks. We planned our meals at resorts near our park of the day and valeted the car so we could just walk right in(at MK this is key) we were home faster than we could have even gotten on a bus to get back to our value(but public transportation is a con for me all the way around). We shopped a ton on site, we did activities at a ton of the resorts. I'm not sure the percentage we were at our house, but when we did get home at park close...we put kids to bed..in their own room, flipped on the tv, had a drink, swam in the pool all while they slept(of course we rented a house not a condo). In the morning when the first riser was up, the late risers could sleep without being disturbed and we didn't have to do it in the space the size of my dd's bedroom...so magic is in the eye of the beholder

 

[wendybeth75]

Another vote for onsite! $15 a day for parking is really going to add up. So will the extra gas to drive around. Maybe you could rent the car for half the trip and take advantage of DME and Disney transportation and put that extra money toward a resort? There is a car rental desk for Alamo at the Swan, or enterprise will pick you up, as will some of the Hertz ones. I think pre booking FP+ and EMH make it totally worth it.

 

[DSLRuser]

Having stayed at many disney resorts, and many off site resorts i can say this.

I would choose bonnet creek or marriott over and value resort like POP. if it were moderate resorts, then its tougher call. disney deluxe will always win out.

We always rely on disney busses and boats, even when not staying on property. Just drive to fantasia mini golf. park there. you are a 5 min walk to the swan / dolphin boat launch or bus stand. just like staying on proper, and no $15 parking fee.

 

[bumbershoot]

If you're going to use the amenities of BC, stay there. If you're not (no cooking, etc), stay at Pop. The difference between the two seems really minimal to me.

 

[kmb584]

For me it isn't about just price, but space and luxury when I am on vacation. I wouldn't stay at a value if it was cheaper than BC, but they don't meet our needs. If it was one or two days...maybe, but a week no. Read the reviews on trip advisor of the values, the common theme is uncomfortable beds, loud and pools are not good. Those are all deal breakers for a week long vacation.

I agree with this. When we go to WDW of course we like to be in the "Disney Bubble" but happily lodge off-site 50% of the time. I'm able to save thousands of dollars and instead of a tiny room with loud surroundings, I get 1000+ sq. ft, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a living room, full balcony. And it's nicer. We go, go, go in the parks so I like to relax when we're back at our resort.