Vacation budget advice needed-Longer trip offsite vs. shorter trip onsite

[Iheoma]

Hi everyone,

I don't know if this is the place to post this but here goes. I was talking to dh yesterday when he told me that he really didn't care to stay onsite. I have never stayed onsite, despite probably going to WDW at least 7 times since I was a kid so that was my motivation for booking CBR along with the idea he really wanted it too. After looking at our budget I realize that we could stay for about 4 days longer if we stayed off-site at a nice hotel (up to $110 per night) and rent a car for the rack rate I had to book CBR at for now (until hopefully a code comes out). Staying in a value resort onsite is not an option for us. DH also said ( I guess he had a desire to bear his soul yesterday) that he really felt that he would be trapped at WDW without a rental car (which would not be in our budget if we stay onsite). So has anyone else been in this type of dilemma? I am not so attached to staying on-site after numerous issues with reservations and rude CMs so far dealing with WDW. But I know I'l always wonder about the "magic" of staying on-site. What have other people done in this situation? Sorry this is so long
Iheoma

 

[buzz2400]

I would stay offsite and stay longer. There is so much to do there. We have stayed on site before and hated it each time. The only real benefit is early entry on some of the days but then only a few rides are open. They also state the benefit of having Disney transportation, which we also disliked very much. It seems that when you stay on site, you have to stand in long lines even at the hotel, to get on and off bus, food court, check in. then you also have long walks from the bus/parking lot to your hotel room.

 

[ncbyrne]

We split the trip between different hotels and try to incorporate a few days onsite. Our upcoming trip (May 2-12) will include 3 nights at the Dolphin. We have also stayed at CBR and DL (now POR), combining them with several days at offsite hotels. Switching hotels is half the fun for us. Makes for an interesting vacation as we search for hotels with different amenities and stay within our budget.

 

[Letsbgoofy]

I got the Dolphin for $90/night at Hotwire.com (end of June). If that rate is available for your dates, you would have the hotel for under $110/night and be onsite.

 

[tink2dw]

I have your answer!! Stay at HIFS it is 1 mile from the WDW gates,but even less to International Drive. They have great Kidsuites!!

Here is the link
http://www.hifamilysuites.com/

 

[xlstacey]

I am finally able to get online here at WDW ... yahoo!! We are staying at Old Key West Resort, but just ate breakfast at the Holiday Inn Family Suites (Club Car) ... and wish that I had booked that place instead of the Renaissance Resort at Sea World where we stayed b4 OKW ... because is sooooo kid friendly .. WOW!! My girls ages, 12, 10 and 7 fell in love w/this place and with the free meals for kids 12 and under, I don't think any place can beat these offsite kidsuites. Hind site is always 20/20. Check out the link above, it is very cool! I love Disney and Florida!

 

[Lollipop Mom]

I would say stay longer and off site if your budget allows. If a great code comes out, you can always change your mind, right? There is SO much to do and see that having a longer trip would make it easier. You wouldn't feel so rushed. It takes longer to get back to an offsite resort for a mid-day break but that wouldn't be much of an issue with 4 extra days, right?

The one thing to keep in mind if you decide to stay longer and offsite is to remember to budget extra for more meals out and other expenses for the 4 extra days and for parking. You only pay for parking once a day even if you park hop or leave and come back but that is an extra $7 a day.

Hope you have a great trip!!!

 

[Iheoma]

Hi everyone,

Thanks so much for the input. I am looking now for a hotel offsite. With a 2 year old daughter, I don't really want to move to different hotels in the middle of the trip. When waying the possibility of a 6 day versus a 10 day trip I know that I would rather be in Florida longer. DH and I planned this trip kind of spur of the moment after having moved to a new home and having made some big christmas purchases over the past three months. We don't believe in doing vacations on credit cards so we do have to budget for this trip. I think that we'll stay on-site when we do a cruise - maybe next year For now I'm totally excited that it feels like I'm planning a completely different trip- I'm not as stressed about making PS and WDW transportation now. The next big task will be to get my money back for WDTC with minimal aggrevation thank goodness we haven't enter the 45 day period yet.

Iheoma

 

[Gillian]

I think both have advantages. Last visit we stayed offsite at a condo in Windsor Palms, a very short ride from WDW. It's a nice place and should be within your budget.

Because you have a 2 year old, I will tell you the biggest problem we had staying off site when my son was 30 months old. Almost every day we left the parks in the early afternoon to go back to our condo for a nap &/or swim. Without fail, DS would fall asleep in the car, no matter what we did. Several times he woke up when we moved him and would not go back to sleep! He didn't wake up when I carried him, but at 7 months pregnant, I didn't want that job!

This is not a problem for us at home. DS did not fall asleep on the busses during our previous trip (24 months), probably because they were like an attraction to him!

With little ones it is wonderful to have extra room, so if you can a place with a balcony or a second bedroom for your offsite budget, I'd go for that. Even with the sleeping problem.

 

[pilgrimage]

You might want to investigate biddingfortravel.com. They can advise on priceline bids.

 

[yecats]

I would encourage you to look into renting a condo (possibly from Skyauction), renting a home or bidding on Priceline (someone already mentioned biddingfortravel.com). I have bid on Priceline for a resort in the Disney vicinity and ended up with both the Wyndham and Hilton in DTD. I left my reviews in the review section of biddingfortravel.com. Although I love Disney and certainly the resorts, I also choose to have a longer vacation by saving that money that I would've spent on a Disney hotel. My past 3 vacations to Disney have been 8-10 days with 2 out of 3 offsite (the one onsite in Nov. was due to the Fairytale package).

 

[renessa]

When I stayed at CBR in July of 2002 with a code we had it for $89 a night. Maybe a code will come out...allowing you to stay onsite and within your budget!!!


I love WDW transportation. My DH and I both drive 30 miles each way to work (in seperate directions). When I am on vacation I don't want to drive or get directions or pump gas....we didn't have long waits for busses to arrive. We stayed in Jamacia, which is the first stop (getting on the bus) and the first stop (getting off the bus). It was wonderful...infact, DH wants a bus or monorail to stop outside our door and take him to work each day!!!