Trying to be mature & convince myself that I can stay off site...

[Shellyred8]

For me, there are pro's and con's to both, most of which have already been addressed. One of my "pro's" to staying off-site is that I like breakfast in the morning. I'm perfectly happy with getting a hot breakfast sandwich at McD's or Wendy's or something like that, and being off-site means I can fairly easily do that. I know you can get some of these things on-site, but the cost is much less expensive off-site. If I have to listen to my DH complain about the $4.99 Orange Juice at the WDW restaurants one more time...LOL!!!

One of my big "con's", as some others have mentioned too, is the driving. When we stay off-site, we are usually pretty close to WDW property, so the drive really isn't that long. But I just don't want to have to deal with it when I'm at WDW. I've spent too many years getting spoiled by letting WDW do the driving for me.

 

[kathy884]

I missed the OP's last post; they have tried it. Based on that, I'd recommend some other "resort-style" development nearest the WDW borders. Examples would include any of the Marriott Palms just to the East of Epcot, or Silver Lake just down the road from AK/AKL.

OP if you do end up doing offsite, I kind of agree with Brian Nobel from post #21, that I think you'd be happiest in one of the great offsite timeshare properties that have that resort feel as you said you really liked WBC, but didn't care for the townhouse. Brian could tell you more, but the ones he is recommending might be ones with easy drives to the parks. If you are staying for a week (Fri - Fri, Sat-Sat, Sun-Sun), owner timeshare rentals are usually a good deal. We've done a lot of these from sites like Redweek.com and TUG2.net classifed ads section.

We really like that resort feel on vacation and when we stay in Orlando do the offsite timeshares. They are a lot like WBC. There are so many really nice ones. We stayed in a lovely upscale house once with a little private pool (community pool and tennis courts too, but you had to drive to those) -- freebie house for us DH's company had rented for the year employees could use. For me, I just really liked the resort feel of the timeshare properties better and would opt for those over a home community on my own dime. If I don't stay in a timeshare in Orlando (a timeshare is always my choice for a week long stay), I usually stay at a suite hotel with kitchen (My go to is usually the Marriott Residence Inn SeaWorld, but I usually visit SeaWorld as well as the Disney parks). The suite hotel is kind of nice because breakfast is included and I like their dinner offerings you can order at the bar for an easy chill in evening.

The downside is that you need to figure out your own transportation to the parks (rental car, uber, infrequent limited offsite shuttle, whatever), and you don't get to do rope drop (1/2 hour early entry for onsite visitors only). Not driving in Orlando sounds heavenly, and I like rope drop. You can't as an offsite visitor now just pick a park that doesn't have extra magic hours and still do that. I have to admit that I missed that on my offsite visit in March.

Anyway, I feel your pain. I want it all and for a good price (And that's not one of the options ). I like the way Brian in post #21 lists compromises too.

 

[aggiedog]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned is the ILL perks for staying onsite. If you really want to ride the big ticket rides, like ROTR, you will quite likely not get an ILL if you aren't staying in the park.

Does that factor in when the cost is so different? Probably not, but I just wanted to point it out.

We stayed offsite for the first time ever last week. I liked having the extra room, and with our group of 6, were able to UberXL everywhere for less than half of what it would have cost to rent a car. It did make "zipping back to the room" a lot harder, but given the way the G+/ILL's are working now, the days of having down time to relax mid day seem to be over.

 

[kathy884]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned is the ILL perks for staying onsite. If you really want to ride the big ticket rides, like ROTR, you will quite likely not get an ILL if you aren't staying in the park.

Very true. In our offsite trip in March (busy spring break week), the dollar cost LL rides were sold out at park opening, the first offsite visitors could try. Since that trip, on these boards some people have said others are released later, but we only tried at the initial availability time. That meant those in our party either skipped those super popular rides or stood in the long standby lines for those.

Do note that with the FP+ system we could never get those rides with that at the 30 day mark as offsite visitors either. Some say they would try refresh though out the day and get them same day (We didn't know that trick though or ever try that. Again, just like in March we either skipped those rides or stood in a long stand by line.)

 

[MICKIMINI]

We just checked out this morning from an 8 night Marriott's Grande Vista 2 BR. It was just okay. A little tattered around the edges. Housekeeping walked in on DH this morning (in his underwear) in the second bathroom.

This is the first time we stayed *offsite* in at least a decade and International Drive is a nightmare, I4 looked like a parking lot while going on the overpass. We booked through Interval International Getaways (DVC) and paid cash for a one night add on. Total about $700, but we won't do it again. It is not worth proximity to the parks.

We recently added on at WBC and checked in this afternoon. Much, much nicer than Grande Vista and *on property* (sort of) enough so that we are almost across the street from our OKW fav (1996)!

IMO a mod is a better choice than a bigger offsite accommodation because of the traffic. It took at least 30 minutes to even get to the property and getting *home* some nights worse.

Next year is my 50th year, so I've stayed most everywhere LOL!

 

[kevtlas]

There are many off site resorts of varying amenities. In my opinion, each can have advantages and disadvantages, price being the most obvious pro. Whenever I decide to stay off site, I weigh the pros and cons, but it ultimately comes down to what am I willing to ”go without” of I don’t stay on site. For us, the convenience of transportation and short travel time from the resort to the parks are usually the things we miss most, but resort availability can also help is choose. During our last visit, we were planning to spend most park time at Epcot and DHS, so when we finally were able to lock in our dates and the only on site availability left was Copper Creek, we chose to stay off site instead figuring driving from a nearby hotel would take the same amount of time as the Disney transportation to get to Epcot/DHS.

 

[fireflyer]

But I think we'll be miserable if we do. There are soooo many lovely properties off site but we really love to be in the middle of the action. Please convince me that it's worth the $ now to stay on-site. The prices have gone through the roof…

BUT, all this said, I know I am probably going to break down & end up doing it...
Please tell me your thoughts, ideas, etc.
Help! I'm driving myself & the fam crazy trying to figure this out!

Not sure if the OP is still considering things, but readers are still posting to this thread so I thought I’d chime in.
I was struggling with this hotel choice too. I mean, really struggling. A lot of it had to do with me not being able to compartmentalize all the recent changes to park benefits at different hotels. I made a list of all the current benefits at the different categories of on- & offsite hotels: https://www.disboards.com/threads/chart-to-compare-perks.3902517
I realize it’s in list form, although some people are verbal and a list suits their comprehension style. I think it would be far more helpful in a chart and am working on creating that.

Once you see what perks are currently available for each category — a visual comparison—it makes your decision much easier.

 

[fireflyer]

P.S thanks to many of you for the mentions of WBC. Never stayed there, but sounds wonderful. I’ve marked it down on my short-list for our 2024 visit. I think 2023 will be the last vacation we need the early-entry/early-ride-booking benefits,… so in 2024 we can have a whole NEW Disney adventure — with room service and bigger space!!!!

 

[GreatLakes]

I used to only stay onsite, then moved to about 50/50, but now we are 100% non-Disney. We only stay at Marriott properties so will stay at Swan/Dolphin/Dolphin Reserve but that is it. We have started doing only a few park days and then heading off property to do other things around Orlando so we leave the bubble anyway.

 

[leebee]

I just booked a rental home for a week in January 2024. Four bedrooms, 3 baths, full LR/DR/kitchen, washer/dryer, pool w/hot tub bot $1621 including taxes and fees. It's in one of the developments off 192, west of Sherbeth Rd, so we'll miss the worst of the traffic going to/from the parks. With the cost of 4 days of parking at Disney and renting a minivan (and I know the price will come down on this), it's $2200 for the week. It'd be $2700 to cram the 5 of us (DH/me, DD30/SIL30, 7yoGS) into a suite at ASMu, or $3800 if we had one suite and one room at ASMu (so we have some living room space). This price includes RT airport transportation on Sunshine Flyer. The $1600 we'll save staying off-site will buy a LOT of meals, plus think of the extra space and having our own pool! We need to be offsite due to the boy's attention issues (onsite is TOO stimulating all the time), but when you look at the costs... Heck, that $1600 would buy park tickets for the 3 of them!

 

[Genie+]

I just booked a rental home for a week in January 2024. Four bedrooms, 3 baths, full LR/DR/kitchen, washer/dryer, pool w/hot tub bot $1621 including taxes and fees. It's in one of the developments off 192, west of Sherbeth Rd, so we'll miss the worst of the traffic going to/from the parks. With the cost of 4 days of parking at Disney and renting a minivan (and I know the price will come down on this), it's $2200 for the week. It'd be $2700 to cram the 5 of us (DH/me, DD30/SIL30, 7yoGS) into a suite at ASMu, or $3800 if we had one suite and one room at ASMu (so we have some living room space). This price includes RT airport transportation on Sunshine Flyer. The $1600 we'll save staying off-site will buy a LOT of meals, plus think of the extra space and having our own pool! We need to be offsite due to the boy's attention issues (onsite is TOO stimulating all the time), but when you look at the costs... Heck, that $1600 would buy park tickets for the 3 of them!

A big house to share sounds wonderful!

Onsite can be pretty good for January though.

7 nights for OKW studio in Jan is wide open and rentals at $17 per point here on DIS. One studio is $1,326 for 7 nights, 2 studios is $2,652. Comes with 4 queen beds, 2 bathrooms, 2 kitchenettes, no need for car. Not bad.

 

[PDXmouse]

Doesn’t this apply to any of the WDW resorts or are there some which could hold all 7 of you? I’m staying at Swan this December for a very reasonable rate by WDW standards (less than $300 a night). Can’t beat this for the location. I would think with 7 adults you are looking at needing two rooms for any onsite hotels (not including DVC 2br units, of course).

I think this depends on the dates. I’ve been stalking the Swan/SR area for 6 months and $400+ per night is the norm for our travel dates (which includes July 4th.) I think holidays, crowds, and conferences make a big difference in price at the Swolphin.

 

[kathy884]

I'm trying to wrap my head around the high cost of Disney hotels.

We are going January 2023- 10 days (4 at UO and 6 at WDW)
2 adults and two older teens....we need 2 bathrooms and privacy (so two rooms)

Endless Summer/ POP for stay = $3650 (two rooms at each site)
We are renting a car - so we have to pay for parking $15 x 10 = $150
Total $3800

Offsite 3 bedroom/ 2 bath condo at Windsor Hills (we've stayed there before and loved the place) = $1397.62 for 10 nights
Parking = $258 at parks
Total $1655.62

Difference of $2144.38
Essentially for For bus transportation and 30 minutes of early entrance and the "bubble" Oh and the luxury of individuals leaving the park at will

I just can't see how $2000 is worth it
I'm not that wealthy
And at the condo we get washer/dryer and kitchen plus lots of space to spread out
The drive is about 15 minutes. The buses at WDW take about that much time too
The savings on food and beverage is really a lot (morning coffee $1 pot in condo vs $12+ in the park)

Am I missing something? Or is there a cheaper way to do the hotels at disney that I don't see?

No. You are not missing anything if you have a personality like mine. Onsite you really wouldn't need to rent a car, so I might include that cost as part of the offsite and not the onsite. A car is super nice though if you are doing things other than just Disney in Orlando.

I also when I have been onsite as an adult (my bean counter personality) just hate paying Disney prices even at the food court for all meals and feel trapped in the Disney bubble instead of feeling some Disney magic. One trip I was onsite four nights and then offsite seven nights. It was a relief for me to get offsite actually, and I felt so free. And if you really dislike the driving on short trips where I have stayed offsite I have sometimes done ubers instead of renting a car.

If you are old enough (18 or older) our offsite group has the luxury to leave the park at will with an uber (even if the minivan is still at the park parking lot for the diehards). We had several do that multiple days on on last trip when we stayed offsite.

I do admit that I hate not getting to do rope drop, but the premium for onsite Disney is too much for me to stay onsite for that. (I am actually staying onsite for Disneyland Paris in September for three nights, but it's just two people and I feel like I got a killer deal. It looks like unlike WDW they have an offseason based on the prices I am paying compared to summer.)

 

[maxiesmom]

I think this depends on the dates. I’ve been stalking the Swan/SR area for 6 months and $400+ per night is the norm.

The rates change a lot. I originally had Dolphin booked for an October trip. My sister (also going) saw the Swan for cheaper, and grabbed it. Now after another price reduction we are paying less than $1000 for 4 nights.

 

[georgina]

The rates change a lot. I originally had Dolphin booked for an October trip. My sister (also going) saw the Swan for cheaper, and grabbed it. Now after another price reduction we are paying less than $1000 for 4 nights.

Yep. I recently got a king room at the Swan (AAA rate) for Sept 4 (Labor Day) for $162 (plus fees is $227)

 

[leebee]

A big house to share sounds wonderful!

Onsite can be pretty good for January though.

7 nights for OKW studio in Jan is wide open and rentals at $17 per point here on DIS. One studio is $1,326 for 7 nights, 2 studios is $2,652. Comes with 4 queen beds, 2 bathrooms, 2 kitchenettes, no need for car. Not bad.

If it were just DH and me traveling, I'd jump on this! However, there are mitigating circumstances that make offsite a better choice, including needing to be able to cancel without penalty at the last moment. This won't be our typical Disney trip, but it's also the chance to accompany a child on his first trip to Disney World, which is pretty special all on its own!

 

[Genie+]

If it were just DH and me traveling, I'd jump on this! However, there are mitigating circumstances that make offsite a better choice, including needing to be able to cancel without penalty at the last moment. This won't be our typical Disney trip, but it's also the chance to accompany a child on his first trip to Disney World, which is pretty special all on its own!

That sounds like a superbly fantastic trip! Very special to share a first trip with the little one

 

[SCWildcat04]

I have a trip of 7 coming up in December and for the first time I'm staying off site. The savings was just too much to pass up as I found a 5 bedroom 3 bath going for 1450 for 5 days compared to 4700 I think it was to stay on-site.