Wanna Join My "Offsite Support Group"?

[FayeW]

I think we need a support group for those of us who choose to stay offsite. I'm tired of hearing about all the magic I'm missing not forcing my family to sleep in one room for 9 days. I'm tired of hearing about how much more convenient it will be to trudge, bleary eyed, to the foodcourt for my morning cup of coffee. I wonder if my children will ever get over the trauma of being driven in an airconditioned vehicle instead of standing on a crowded bus, or if they will ever forgive me for making them sleep alone in their own bedroom, and use their own bath, while I selfishly stay up watching TV for several more hours instead of lying quietly in the dark waiting for them to fall asleep. I wonder if anybody else truly understands that with all the money I save in accomodations, I can afford to eat at the restaurants I want to, and don't NEED a dining plan!

I've never stayed onsite, and can't imagine that I ever will as long as I'm travelling with my children. There are just too many beautiful timeshares, condos, and townhomes out there, and I am not willing to compromise on lesser accomodations to have Mickey shampoo. Who's with me?

 

[MN Dis Fans]

You can add me to your list! although my DW might have something to say about it. I know she would like to stay just once at Animal Kingdom Lodge. My arguement is that everyone sleeping in one hotel room is not a holiday!, but a test of wills but; what do I know?!

 

[Captain Hook Wannabe]

We are the one's thinking logically, not those who stay on property.

Two people sharing a jail cell have more square feet per person, then a family of four staying in a Disney hotel room. I don't care how nicely decorated the jail cell is, I want my own bedroom, a kitchen, and a washer and dryer. Timeshares and villas are the only way to go.

So since we're right, lets start our crusade to convert those poor souls who haven't seen the light.

 

[OhioGrumpyGirl]

I totally agree!!!!!! Plus what I pay for 10 nights off-site is what some people pay for 1 night on-site. I can't imagine spending that much of my hard earned vacation money on a room that we are in long enough to shower, change clothes, and sleep in!!!!!!!!

 

[mskani]

I laughed out loud when I read your post. I have been three times and all of the stays were offsite. Though I would love to stay at one of the deluxe hotels some day--at this point in time, travelling with two kids (three during the last trip to WDW) having my own bedroom, bathroom w/whirlpool tub, more than one TV and a washer/dryer in my villa is more important. Besides, if I wanted to ride the bus, I could drive to Chicago and get on the CTA.

 

[BonnieA]

I'll join. Been going to WDW for 30 years, never stayed onsite. At first it was because of the price but now it is because I just enjoy being offsite. Even when there are only 2 of us, I usually opt for a condo. Many more than 2 we go for a pool home. Private spaces, private moments, quiet surroundings and convenience. The drive to disney is part of my experience and I have many good memories associated with it. And after reading about some of the bad bus experiences, wait times, rude people who dare to sit while others stand, I'm glad I can get in my car, sit down and drive.

 

[DonnaLeah]

Not to mention enjoying room service and all of the amenities of a Disney Deluxe hotel at a Value price!!!

 

[kikakeko]

I have to agree myself even though this is our first family trip. I have been before and stayed onsite. yes that was more then 10 years ago but I can still remember the rooms being small.

I had first booked a onsite vacation with the meal plan and all the extras and then my dh decided that he should have a finger in the planning so we completly changed all of our plans and you know what? We are spending less then half of what we were going to spend onsite with a bigger room. That just means more spending money for us to play with. I am still very excited to go and I am still feeling the magic.

You are who makes the magic it is disney that adds the pixiedust.

 

[loveysbydesign]

Add us to your list! This is our 1st trip and we opted to stay offsite at Windsor Hills because it will save us a lot of money, but mainly because we need more space and more than 1 bathroom-LOL! With 2 kids, one being 3, we need an extra bathroom because whenever someone is in there my 3 y.o. dd "has to go!!!!" Plus the last 2 yrs. we've vacationed in OC, MD and had a place with 2 bathrooms and seperate bedrooms so we're used to it, we don't do well at all in a small room together, even if it is just for sleeping and eating snacks/breakfast. Plus with the $ we saved were going to do a cruise on RCCL for 5 days after our week at WDW! We're so excited as it is our 10 year Anniversary and we never had a honeymoon as the travel agency went bankrupt 2 weeks before we got married...our honeymoon was to be a trip to WDW and a cruise! Needless to say we booked this vacation ourselves...no travel agency!

 

[DonnaLeah]

You are who makes the magic it is disney that adds the pixiedust.

Well said, kikakeko!!!

 

[dynamodotcom]

Sign me up! We've been twice and stayed off-site. My girls have always had the time of their lives. We drive, so after one hotel night on the road they've always been thrilled to get into a condo with their own room, bathroom and tv!!! Its part of the fun.

As to how great Disney transportation is...well...from reading Trip Reports I've deduced that I'm already back at my "home away from home' enjoying a cold beverage while other Dis "guests" are still in transit. I laugh when I read people saying, Oh, you're 7 miles from the parks, oh, you'll spend all day driving. What? We try to get to the parks for opening or close to it, and usually its a very quiet drive, hardly a line to get in to parking, so these people who stay onsite I think, are just trying to justify their decisions...which they don't need to do...its their vacation, they should do as they please.

As for dining...dining out is one of my favourite things to do on vacation. I haven't cooked one lunch or dinner offsite even though I have the facilities, and who wants to waste time at breakfast in a hotel food court...its eaten on the run as we get ready...healthy, fast, inexpensive...doesn't slow us down. In the evenings we have plenty of vacation $ to dine wherever we like onsite, or can enjoy the many restaurants nearby us offsite that have become favourites, that we don't have back home. Staying offsite we get the best of both worlds!

 

[MiaSRN62]

I'm probably a little bit of an oddball here......BUT, I can totally understand the train of thought about offsite. First, let me say, I am both a DVC Member as well as the fact that I own Vistana offsite. We enjoy BOTH of our stays (on and off site) the same but differently. We stay often onsite and enjoy the bus transportation for it's convenience, though we admit, those packed busses going back to the resort at night are not quiet as magical. But many of our bus rides during the day have been terrific---we get CM drivers who crack jokes and get the whole bus singing disney songs or laughing. One time we had a bus driver who told us interesting, little known trivia about WDW and Walt.
We LOVE EMH----getting to the parks before the majority of guests arrive is a real perk. We've been able to walk on as many as 3-4 attractions in an hour before the park becomes packed, making Fast Pass very necessary. One time we really splurged on a Contemporary Tower Room and got a Magic Kingdom view----it really doesn't get any more magical than waking up, walking out on your balcony and seeing the Castle & hearing the WDW Railroad toot it's horn. But, this may not be for some..........

To add, we also love the room and amenities of staying offsite. For larger families, it's almost a no brainer. My kids have always loved our Vistana timeshare as well as the times we spend onsite. When they were little (and heck....just last year).....they went exploring around Vistana for turtles, frogs and we've even encountered a resident otter there. Got some great video of him early in the morning getting squirted off the fountain when the water got turned back on in the morning. Really do have to send that to America's Funniest Animal Videos one day.

But for the cost of offsite accomodations, getting a kitchen, 2 baths, 2 bedrooms,w/d, patio etc......can't be beat for the fraction of the cost of staying onsite. Honestly, we've been able to make many more trips to WDW because of our offsite timeshare and the money it saves us. So this is def a GOOD thing

And I hate to say it, but sometimes it really is nice to get away from disney property and it's hectic pace. But I'm one of those people who like both onsite and off.....so maybe I can join your group at 50% membership ? If you'll have me.......

I feel the magic is where and how one makes it.
That can be on disney property or 30 min away. Everyone is different and different things work for different people.

 

[minnie29uk]

I love offsite,so I baught offsite.I love the fact that Ican swim in my pool and sit in the jacuzzi and not worry if a 100 pairs of eyes are looking at me!!
Its great that the kids can switch the telly on in a different room and not wake me up straight away!
I travel on a budget,so its great to have a fully fitted kitchen to make alot more of our own meals and pack-ups.
Yes,I want to stay at AKL at some point,but at the moment jst cant afford that - and who knows I may be wishing I was in my own bed down the road!!!!!

Lynn

 

[momof2mouses]

Glad to see some fellow disers who love staying offsite. We are planning to go in Dec and stay at Windsor Hills. Budget is of utmost importance to us, as we are trying to pay down debt, so when I saw that we could stay for 7 nights at a fraction of the cost of staying onsite, I was delighted. We are getting at 3b2b condo with w/d, kitchen, seperate tv's and great heated pool with slide. We have never been to WDW, and I am sure we will feel all the magic we can handle. {don't want DDs to be tooooo overloaded}

 

[Robinrs]

I've done both and prefer offsite to onsite anyday. BUT I do prefer ONsite at Universal. The Front of the Line access is the big sell there. If Disney offered that I'd stay onsite everytime!

I go to Orlando because I like ORLANDO. I have lots of friends there and love going exploring the town. I feel like a prisoner onsite and I know they prefer it that way. The so called "magic" is a way to make you believe that you have to spend every dime THERE. Not! I run screaming at the thought that some place tells me where to go and what to spend my money on.

Besides you can have ANYTHING you want offsite. You can choose between a hotel room, a suite, a condo, a townhome, a pool home, a bed and breakfast... the possibilities are endless. I've done most of the different ways and enjoy all of them. My only thing is I prefer privacy, space and a room for my son, my travel partner. You can get these onsite but for a premium price, which I cannot easily afford OR justify the expense. I live in Georgia and feel the less I spend the more times we can go!

So, yes, not only can I be a member of your support group, I can be a COUSELOR to those who need support!!!

 

[melomouse]

LOL! You can sign me up in full support of your off-site decisions. While I do love the onsite experience, Disney has probably priced me and my family right out of that option for the time being. Our first pool villa stay was this past fall and there is no denying the $ savings, the space to spread out and the privacy and relaxed pace. We also managed to try MORE onsite restaurants than we had in the past, because I wasn't shelling out big bucks to stuff us into 340 sq. feet.

I got the realization that Disney WANTS its guests out of those cramped rooms and off spending their money.DUH! Took me long enough - alas - when I bought into the "onsite magic only" in the past, I really bought it hook, line and sinker. Some people love the total fantasy and immersion and spending and whatever Disney says about their properties. Indeed, it IS magical - but my bank account is not!

That said - if I were only going for a very short hop - which I have never done - all our stays have been about 7/8 days - I might not be inclined to want to rent the car and lose park time travelling. I'd likely want to be at a monorail, resort, too. Like that will happen anytime soon! NOT!

The pool villa came to $78/night and we had a bedroom to spare. Hard to figure how it's better to stay onsite. Magic and pixiedust dwell within. When I have to pay exorbiatnt prices to make that happen, something has gone terribly wrong in my life and my guess is I had better divert some of those vacation funds to therapy!

I'm also a widowed Mom of 2, one of whom has Asperger's.. but that's another thread.....
melomouse

 

[djkeenan]

You know you can count us in. We had our best vacation ever in January. For us the magic included:
...Kids in the heated pool while parents made breakfast.
...Being so close to the parks that we could come home for an afternoon break (kids in the pool again).
...Beautiful sunsets reflected in the pond behind the house (while the kids were in the pool).
...A full size washer and dryer for all those bathing suits and pool towels.
...A BIG, 6 bedroom home where we had plenty of space to RELAX.
...Sharing all the fun of a WDW vacation with my sisters and their families. We paid for the home for less than we would have spent on just one hotel room.
...Saving enough on meals that we can take a vacation to Maine in June!

 

[FayeW]

And I hate to say it, but sometimes it really is nice to get away from disney property and it's hectic pace. But I'm one of those people who like both onsite and off.....so maybe I can join your group at 50% membership ? If you'll have me.......

Of course you can join, as long as "get" the whole staying offsite thing, we're happy to have you!

However, I may have to adjust your membership dues a little, but I think one complimentary week long stay in your DVC resort should just about cover it! (Hey, I have nothing against DVC except the price!)

 

[tinkerdorabelle]

We're staying offsite this time bc we're bringing our small dog but for families bringing more than 1 child I never know how they manage for a week in 1 small room, no space, no fridge, when they have gorgeous, I mean gorgeous vacation homes and suite hotels. I do really like the onsight properties but we stayed at Windsor Palms one year when we went down with family and WOW was that a gorgeous place, had our own pool, fridge, and is typically much less. Windsor Palms was also less than 5 minutes to Disneyworld.

 

[MiaSRN62]

Of course you can join, as long as "get" the whole staying offsite thing, we're happy to have you!

Thank you....thank you
I do totally "get" the offsite thing. I know when we first stayed at Vistana we absolutely loved it. I'll have to think long and hard about comp'ing the week in my DVC digs though That's a hard one to give up !