But my question is what are the perks to staying on Disney resort grounds?
Perks of staying onsite:
"
Extra Magic Hours," which is an extra hour or more in one of the parks before they open in the morning or after they close in the evening. The disadvantage here is that you either have to get up earlier or stay later to make use of them; the people who use them most successfully seem to me to either just do the evening ones, just do the morning ones, or put a "non-park day" in between going one way and going the other.
The big advantage is that, since the only people there are people from the onsite resorts, EMH hours are not as crowded. Not always as empty as some people imagine, but most people are thrilled at the lack of crowds during EMH. Unfortunately, you can end up "paying" for the lower crowds during EMH with bigger crowds later -- a lot of onsite people think the EMH park is the park they "should" go to for the day, even if they don't plan to stay for the EMH, meaning it's often the most crowded park in the afternoon. Not as big a deal if you take a break mid day anyhow.
The onsite buses. They'll do the driving for you. Plus you don't have to wait to ride the monorail or boat back to the parking lot at the Magic Kingdom; the buses pick you up at the park.
Big downside is that the buses can be crowded, even off season (since there are fewer buses running). Another downside can be that the buses stop multiple places before dropping you off, which varies according to when you go (more likely off season than on), and where you're staying.
I'd rather drive, myself, even if staying onsite, and I would say that most of WDW the signage is great, but if you like the idea of letting someone else do the driving, the only offsite place I've seen that provides transportation options even
approaching Disney's is Bonnet Creek. Bonnet Creek's is pretty good, but there's a major hole in the early afternoon when a lot of people might like to come "home" to their resort for a midday break. Disney's buses run all day.
Disney Dining Plan I find the
DDP kind of limiting, myself (much prefer the SeaWorld version), however if you're a foodie it can be a great benefit, and you can only get it onsite.
You never leave "the magic." Great if you like a high energy experience; not so great if you get burned out from all the stimulation and just want to go somewhere quiet. Most Disney resorts are noisy -- not your room, necessarily, but the lobbies, restaurants, and many other public areas rarely get below a dull roar during the day. Some quiet pools really are quiet; other quiet pools, not so much. Some people find that stimulating; others find it exhausting.
If moderate resorts are in your budget, you might consider the Swan or Dolphin -- there are sometimes deals there that get the price down into the moderate range and you get many of the benefits of onsite. And I've heard they're great for honeymooners; bit more of a "grown up" vibe and great restaurants.
But the offsite houses with private pools are great, too. Finding a nice place to stay is important, and pretty easy if you ask around before going. But there are plenty of great offsite options, and they do tend to be cheaper. You can stay in a Bonnet Creek 2 BR for less than a moderate room, and get a full kitchen and lots more space.
Space is probably not as crucial on your honeymoon as when you've got kids/are otherwise traveling with a pack, though.
