To stay with the family at the Ramada Eastgate for cheap or stay on property?

[goofy papa]

There are going to be 12 of my family members, including the 4 of us, going down in June. My sister works at a Ramada in Wisconsin and can get a rate of $25/nt. I will be bringing my 4 and 6 year olds down for the first time and want it to be special. I have always stayed on property and just love it. Can't be that disney flavor.

So, do I stay at the Ramada Eastgate, which I know nothing about, or stay at the All-Stars or Dolphin (since I am a teacher). Some of the reviews I have read about Ramada Eastgate are not flattering and I fear I be will disappointed by trying to save money.

This has been just driving me nuts for 6 months now. I feel stuck in neutral. Please help. Any feedback about the Ramada would be so helpful.

 

[cleo]

I have no experience at the Ramada, but I'm going to do you a huge favor and make the decision for you.

You're going to take the grandchildren and stay at the All Star Resorts. Not only will they be thrilled with the larger than life icons, but Mickey can wake them up in the morning with a phone call.

Wasn't that easy?!

 

[disneysteve]

I have also not stayed at the Ramada so can't comment specifically on that.

But if you search the boards you will find numerous threads debating the onsite vs. offsite issue. You need to decide what works for you. I think the main question in this case is do you want to be with the rest of the family? if you are all at the same hotel, you can all hang out together. If everyone but you is at Ramada, will you feel left out? Will there be other kids for yours to play with if you are at the Ramada with everyone else?

Next question - does the price matter? You certainly aren't getting AllStar for $25 - that will cost you more than 3 times as much, though still not particularly expensive.

What is special and magical is going to WDW!!! Where you sleep isn't what makes it special. What you see and do and the memories you make makes it special.

Steve

 

[butlers]

As a villa owner I have to say a property, esp with that amount of people, if you had two homes in the same location, not only do you have privacy but you can all get together around the pool for a good BBQ. but i would say that!!

 

[goofy papa]

Thanks for all the advice. When this trip started out, my wife and I thought it would be great for the kids if we invited their grandparents with. Grandma and Grandpa said they would stay anywheres with us, which ever hotel we choose. Money isn't that big of an issue, although the deluxes are out of our price range. Before we knew it, my older sister and her husband and invited their 2 grown-up children and spouses to join us. Well, then before you know it, they make reservations at the Ramada, not where I want to stay. My wife and I consider ourselves " disney snobs" and love staying on property. All of a sudden, the grandparents act like they want to save money and stay at Ramada. This is my kids first time down and I really don't want this trip dictated by my sister, who really just wanted to get away from work for awhile for the cheapest price. I feel like my dreams of a great first trip are fleeting. Should I pull away and go on our own or make everyone else happy and stay with them . I don't really want to stay at the Ramada.

 

[Lewisc]

My answer would be different if you were talking about staying at a DECENT offsite property: Vistana (or any other decent condo), a resort through PL, a suite hotel (Embassy Suites) or even a well reviewed off site hotel (Radisson deal for example) BUT since you're not BOOK A RESERVATION at Swan/Dolphin. Deluxe hotel, great location for a reasonable price.

Make a reservation for your family and the grandparents. The hotel you're looking is not that well rated, YOU'D BE VERY UNHAPPY.

 

[sln88]

I guess it depends on how you think your vacation will be: are you going to spend alot of time with your other family members, or will you all be going your own way?
If you are planning on doing alot together, I would try to stay in the same hotel. If there are other kids going along, your kids will have more fun playing with them in the pool than if you were by yourself. Part of the magic is who you are with, not where you are staying. You may find it more of a hassle to meet up with the rest of your family if you stay in different places. I find that we are at the parks so much that I am hardly in my room anyhow.
Maybe you could compromise, and find a decent offsite place for an amount that you can all be happy with. You can get great rates off site, even without that discount. I am staying at a 2 bedroom condo for $260 for a week. I have a couple of extra nights where I am paying $29 for the Comfort Inn Lake Buena Vista, and $43 for the Amerisuites(sleeps 6) at Calypso Cay. I just saw an ad for a 2 bedroom at the Vistana for $109.
I have never stayed at the Ramada, so I can't tell you if it is decent or not.
Your kids are young, and you still have plenty of time to experience some on site magic. Maybe take some of that $$ that you will save by staying off site and book some extra character meals??
You will have fun no matter what!!!!

 

[disneysteve]

Originally posted by goofy papa
I don't really want to stay at the Ramada.

That's your answer right there! No matter how the Ramada turns out to be, chances are you won't be happy because it isn't what you really want. Go with your gut and stay onsite. It won't matter to the kids where they stay, but it certainly sounds as if it will matter a lot to you.

If you are willing to consider offsite, then I would agree with sin88. There are plenty of offsite hotels, suites and rental properties that are very nice and very reasonably priced if cost is an issue for your sister. If you could all agree on a nicer offsite place, that might be a good compromise.

Have a great trip.

Steve

 

[ear_poppin]

Iv'e stayed at the Ramada Eastgate its " alright" but I would not put it higher than that especially as you, like me, have stayed in Disney Hotels. The placement of the hotel on the 192 at the crossroads with Ponciana is good. The rooms open to an internal corridor and the rooms are quite large compared to others I've stayed in. Thats it- really nothing else to say whereas If I was writing about a Disney hotel I could write a whole page!!.

Its "alright" nothing more nothing less. Depends on what you want to spend. If you were two say young people who justed wanted to sleep and go= fair enough but with Grand children ? I would not go back cause the All Stars has so much more and I'm going twice next year ( both to All stars/Pop Century).

Denise

 

[crazelion]

For hotel reviews try travelocity.com , tripadvisor.com , and bidfortraveling.com . That should give enough information about Ramadas to decide where to stay at. But go with gut feeling it is usually right.

 

[Lisa P.]

It looks to me like the OP is bringing his own young children, not grandchildren. They are meeting his parents, an adult sister/BIL and adult niece(s)/nephew(s) w/spouses. There's no mention of other young children and this is the OP's children's first time to WDW.

It also looks like the adult sis invited her own grown kids (young couples) then sought to save money with the Ramada idea. And now the OP's parents (his children's grandparents) are agreeing with the Ramada idea in support of the OP's sister. Perhaps she is footing the bill for her grown kids or realizes they cannot afford more. I hope I'm reading this right. IF so...

Then I don't think your unsettled issues (6 months!) are about the hotel room at all! They are about control.

This trip was originally your idea. You and DW have had ideas and hopes about how you want it to proceed, as your children's first visit to WDW. Now the planning has been altered by other family members. And it's not all to your liking. So...

What will you do about sharing the decision-making for this trip?

Can you accept that others who travel with you (and pay their own ways) need to make choices that suit their budgets? If you plan to share a trip with extended family, expect that the shared decision-making will spill over into the rest of the trip as well.

Where will everyone eat? What can they afford? How much time will you all spend together? How many are early risers vs. night owls? Who enjoys leisurely meals vs. eating on the run, to make the next ride? Some people can roll with these things and others find it too tense. So discuss it all ahead of time.

What are your and your DW's TOP priorities for this trip?

If your priority is that your small family group will enjoy a special first trip to WDW and just share some part of that with their grandparents and relatives, then proceed accordingly. Explain that this is a very special trip for you and your children so you have a few "must do" aspects to plan for yourselves. Select your own vacation accommodations, notify the rest of the family of your plans and define for them when you would be available to meet up with them for some fun gatherings. Be clear in setting up the parameters/boundaries for your special first WDW trip with the kids.

OTOH, if your priority is that your extended family group will enjoy a special gathering time in a place that will offer many opportunities for great shared memories together, then proceed accordingly. Put aside the previous ideas of a totally Disney trip with the kids, for a future time when all the relatives won't be there. Get together soon with the relatives to share in the joint decision-making, where everyone has the chance to express their #1 "must do." Be very flexible, allowing for the many compromises that a group trip requires. Look forward to a shared time at WDW.

The bottom line is that, you can't have it both ways. Your decisions will affect them and theirs will affect you. You still need to make the choices that are best for your own family (DW and children). Remember that your children will watch andlearn from your wise decision-making, your boundary-setting and your gentleness/diplomacy with the other important adults in your life. HTH.

 

[KathyFP]

Originally posted by goofy papa
I don't really want to stay at the Ramada.

I have to agree with Steve. You anwsered your own question. Don't do something that you are going to regret or be resentful about.

I noticed that some said you can have Mickey wake up call. I thought that was only in the deluxe.

When we stated at AKL DD got Mickey wake up calls.

At POR we did not. Is there something you have to do. We are stay at CRS next trip and she would love the wake up call.

 

[goofy papa]

When my sister invited herself and the rest of the family (which was fine with me), I presented several options in several price categories. I conveyed to them that we would like to stay on property with my kids. She comes back with that she will ONLY stay at the Ramada and will not be looking to hook up with us that often. So I feel like I am free to either stay with them or stay on property without any fallout.

I haven't read many positive reviews about the Ramada. And I also know that the hotel won't make or break our vacation, but having stayed at POR, WL, Poly, Best Western inDTD, and Beach Club, I do believe that staying at a quality hotel can truly enhance your trip. After much research, I believe we are going against the family and staying at All-Star Movies. My wife loved the photos and our kids really love Toy Story. So I think I will make that reservation and still continue to worry whether or not I made the right decision.

I guess I am always trying to get the best deal possible and I don't want my cheapness to ruin our trip. I need to stop looking for the best place for the cheapest price....this attitude drives me crazy. Disney is a special place to me and I want my kids to get that same feeling.

Thanks for the advice everyone.

 

[zaxmom]

I just wanted to say that if this is your kids' first trip, they are going to be amazed/impressed/astounded/overwhelmed/happy no matter where you stay. The parks are going to have more than enough magic for your vacation. They are just not going to know what they are missing. They are going to love it and think you are the coolest dad on earth for taking them there. Things won't be that easy when they are 12! My kids are 5 and 3 and already expect every hotel we stay at to have a waterslide.

If you stay off site now, it leaves something to look forward to for your next visit. Which could be that much sooner with the money you will save! I would use the extra money for the Character meals, those moments seem to be the most special for my kids and it save waiting in line to see them at the parks. I also, think the novelty of the icons at the Allstars will be short lived. Think of all that they are seeing and doing every day at the parks. Good Chance they will fall asleep on the way back to the room, anyway.

What I am getting at, is your trip will not be any less special to your kids. Choose what will make you and your wife happiest. If it were me, I would take advantage of the $25 rate. You can split from the family for the day and meet up at the hotel for dinner plans. And maybe next time you go, you will have extra money to stay at a Deluxe.