WDW resorts vs. Off property

[cinderella_bella]

I was wondering which is cheaper in the long run. Just a few points or questions first

if a fridge is important does dis resorts have these in room
do you find the transportation THAT great to the parks
are your tickets to the parks included


that said if you get a package a resort your tickets and a fridge in the room is it the same as pricing it all out seperately. We usually have a car too so we pay parking perday. Do dis resort guests get free parking? Thanks.

Tania

 

[ceecee]

You get your hoppers with a package deal, otherwise you can purchase them according to how many days you need. The refrigerators can cost around $10.00 per day. Parking is free at the resorts, I'm not sure about the parks, we always use Disney transportation and have been very pleased with it!

 

[karebear1]

Buying a package is always going to cost you more. If you purchase things seperately, you will save quite a bit of money. Surfing the DIs is a great way to collect the info you need to get the best deals you can. Frig's do cost $10.00, however, you can buy a styrofoam cooler for 5 bucks and fill it with ice everyday for free. It works great-

There is a huge difference in staying onsite and not staying onsite. I've done both- and believe me- t is worth the extra you may pay to stay onsite. You will LOVE being where the action is!

 

[disneysteve]

No matter how you look at it, it is virtually always cheaper to stay offsite. Plus you can get far more space for your money. Disney charges $10/day for a little cube fridge. For about the price of a Disney moderate, you can rent a 3 bedroom house offsite with a private screened-in pool, a full kitchen stocked with utensils/pots and pans/etc., 2 bathrooms, 2 or 3 TV's, a washer and dryer, garage, and loads of space. There is just no comparison between being stuck in a small hotel room (especially with kids) and having a spacious house or condo.

On the budget end, you can stay at a suite hotel for as little as $40/nite and have a spacious 1-bedroom suite with full kitchen and 2 tv's. There are many suite hotels in the area with something to fit every budget. Some even include breakfast which no Disney hotel does.

You do pay for parking if you are not a resort guest or an AP holder, but the $7/day is more than made up by the drastically lower hotel costs.

Disney transport (except for the monorail) is not that great. We much prefer to drive everywhere, even when we stay onsite. It is quicker and easier and we don't have to wait for buses or crowd in with other guests.

Personally, we see no advantage at all to staying onsite. The rooms are small, the hotels are crowded, the transportation doesn't appeal to us and the prices are ridiculous.

Steve

 

[Rikku]

While the allure of staying off-site is appealing from a financial standpoint...we have found that staying on Disney property brings our vacation experience to a whole new level.

It's all emersive...you go to sleep Disney...you wake up Disney...and it's like living in a storybook while you're there...and each resort brings a new story to be told. Combine that with the fact that Disney treats its on-site guests like royalty...and you have the exact reason as to why we pay the extra price to do so.

Not to mention that we only go every two to three years or so. I can imagine that those that are able to return more often than that could justify spending less...but when your trips are as spread out as ours are...we like to make the most of it to maximize the experience.

 

[disneysteve]

Rikku - Certainly some of us prefer on-site and some prefer off-site, and we all have our reasons why, but the original question was which is cheaper. Regardless of personal preference, I think most people would agree that off-site is cheaper. I've done both many times but from a strictly financial point of view, there is no comparison.

Steve

 

[tazdeb]

If its your first visit to Disney stay on site, except if its at the Allstars Resort. Every other hotel holds the magic in the resturants, theme pools etc...The Allstars tries but it's really just a Days Inn with a food court ,lousy location and giant decorations. Once you've been there a few times you will know where to find the magic offsite and will discover that many offsite places have magic of there own at considerble less cost......TAZ

 

[Janell Ebert]

We have done both and like on site with a rental car. We have stayed at All Stars 4 times and we like it. The decorations are cute and kids love them. I feel safe at Disney. I like to be able to travel back to the resort when the rest of my family wants to keep going. We have two teenagers and they have used the bus to get back or leave before the folks were ready to go. We have always managed to get a very cheap rate.

 

[diznee25]

Sorry this is so long! To answer your question, yes, staying off site is going to be cheaper. But sometimes you get alot for your money. (I have seen the All Stars Disney Resort discounted to $45 or $50 per night at certain times during the year.) Here is a list of perks that Disney offers to it's resort guests. These are the reasons we justify paying a little extra to stay on site:

Early Magic Hour (early entry). One park each day opens 1 hour earlier for Disney Resort guests-
Sunday - Magic Kingdom
Monday - Animal Kingdom
Tuesday - Disney-MGM Studios
Wednesday - Epcot
Thursday - Magic Kingdom
Friday - Animal Kingdom
Saturday - Disney-MGM Studios

Convenience - WDW resort guests don't have as far to travel to the parks as off-site guests. It's much easier to return to the hotel for an afternoon nap or a swim if you're staying in WDW, especially if you're staying at one of the resorts connected to the parks by monorail or boat.

24hr magic - You are in the heart of the magic 24 hrs a day. All Disney resorts are themed, & offer the kind of service & magic only Disney can provide.

Guaranteed admission - On days when attendance is extremely heavy, the theme parks may be closed, but WDW resort guests are guaranteed admission.

Free parking - WDW resort guests don't have to pay to park in the theme park parking lots.

Unlimited pass - WDW resort guests are entitled to buy an ultimate hopper pass for the length of their stay, which is usually cheaper than the other passes.

Central Billing - “Put it on my card.” The Walt Disney World Resort identification card, which is used to charge food and merchandise, also has guests’ ticketing options encoded on the back. The resort ID card is issued upon check-in, and all purchases are charged to guests’ resort hotel accounts.

Complimentary Package delivery - Guests can purchase goods throughout WDW & ask for them to be delivered to their resort room, this saves carrying heavy packages around with you all day.

E-Ride nights - WDW resort guests who hold certain multi-day passes, can participate in the E-Ride night program.

Wake up calls from the mouse himself.

Convenient Transportation - Leave the car keys and parking hassles behind. At no additional charge, special boats, buses and monorails transport Disney resort guests directly to any area in the Vacation Kingdom, allowing guests more flexibility and convenience during their vacation.

Themed Resorts - It’s not just a room. In the same way that Disney’s theme parks offer an escape to a timeless land of enchantment, a walk down small-town Main Street or a peek at the future, Disney’s resort hotels offer a mix of adventures. Disney Imagineers have created detailed and themed environments that include the romance and beauty of Africa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge to the Victorian opulence of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.

Preferred Tee Times - Fore! Resort guests get preferred tee times at Disney’s six courses that total 99 holes of championship golf.


Diznee25

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

I too have stayed both on and off site as well as in Disney Villiage. If you want to compromise you can stay in the Villiage (Downtown Disney). I think they have some really good rates there and you can still use transportation. I was very hesitant to stay off site. However, once I did it and saw how much more I could get for my money I would never have it any other way. I can stay for two weeks in a beautiful two bedroom condo (Vistana Villiages). I can freeze water in the full size refridgerator and bring it to the park to save the 2.50 per bottle they charge. I can eat breakfast on my private terrace and I can watch one of three tvs, use the cd player or relax in my Jacuzzi. I can go on and on. There is no comparison between a hotel room and a huge two bedroom suite.

All for about 116. per night usually less! If I got the same amenities at Disney I would proabably be able to stay 5 days.

 

[disneysteve]

Like I said, everyone has their preference and their reasons. These are all good reasons, but just to give a different perspective...

Originally posted by diznee25
"Early Magic Hour (early entry). One park each day opens 1 hour earlier for Disney Resort guests-
Guaranteed admission - On days when attendance is extremely heavy, the theme parks may be closed, but WDW resort guests are guaranteed admission."
We only visit off season so neither of these things matter to us. The parks are never that crowded. We rarely wait more than 10 minutes for any attraction. Besides, if the park was so crowded that they had to close the gates, we probably wouldn't want to be there anyway.

"Convenience - WDW resort guests don't have as far to travel to the parks as off-site guests."
This is not necessarily true. Many offsite hotels on 192 or in LBV are actually closer to onsite locations than some Disney hotels are. We've stayed in Kissimmee and timed our drive to MGM at 7 minutes. A Disney hotel guest might wait longer than that just for a bus to come.

"24hr magic - You are in the heart of the magic 24 hrs a day.
Themed Resorts - It’s not just a room."
Since I'm asleep for 8 of those hours, I don't find it necessary to pay a premium for my room just to be in a hotel with a fancy lobby. Also, the 3 of us don't share a bedroom at home and we certainly don't find it magical to do so on vacation. Even at the premium Disney hotels, the rooms are pretty small. With our beds 2 feet apart, none of us sleep very well and forget about any intimacy with my wife. Off-site, DD gets her own room and we don't have to be in each other's faces 24/7.

"Free parking"
True. Offsite guests pay $7/day to park unless you have an AP. Personally, I think this is way more than made up for by the lower hotel rates offsite.

"Unlimited pass - WDW resort guests are entitled to buy an ultimate hopper pass for the length of their stay, which is usually cheaper than the other passes."
Again, true. Offsite guests don't have this option.

"Central Billing - “Put it on my card.”
This is kind of neat, but ultimately not really different from using a credit card.

"Complimentary Package delivery"
True, though any guest can have packages delivered to the front gate of the park and pick them up on your way out so you don't have to carry them around all day.

"E-Ride nights - WDW resort guests who hold certain multi-day passes, can participate in the E-Ride night program."
I've never done this and don't know the details, but isn't this something you have to pay extra for? Honestly not sure about this.

"Wake up calls from the mouse himself."
I have a daughter - who needs a wake-up call? LOL

"Convenient Transportation"
To us, convenience is coming and going when and where we want, not having to wait for a bus, being in the comfort of our own vehicle, and having the safety of seat belts and air bags. Disney does an absolutely phenomenal job of moving people around the property, but the system isn't perfect. Just one example - you can't get from one hotel to another directly (except for monorail resorts). If you are staying at CBR and having dinner at AKL, it could easily take you an hour to make that trip with Disney buses.

"Disney Imagineers have created detailed and themed environments that include the romance and beauty of Africa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge to the Victorian opulence of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa."
Just because you stay offsite doesn't mean you can't enjoy what the Disney hotels have to offer. We always visit several onsite hotels, eat in their restaurants, shop in their stores, etc.

"Preferred Tee Times - Fore! Resort guests get preferred tee times"
Nice perk for Disney guests. We don't golf so this one doesn't matter to us but I can certainly see it mattering for some.

The great thing about going to WDW is there are accomodations to fit everyone's taste and everyone's budget.

Steve

 

[Reflection]

Originally posted by diznee25
.... Convenience - WDW resort guests don't have as far to travel to the parks as off-site guests. It's much easier to return to the hotel for an afternoon nap or a swim if you're staying in WDW, especially if you're staying at one of the resorts connected to the parks by monorail or boat. Diznee25

I don't believe this to be true. Many offsite accomodations are much closer to Disney parks than onsite hotels/motels. For example, from HIFS to MGM or EPCOT is a matter of a very few minutes. I've spent longer waiting for a bus to the Magic Kingdom when staying at the Boardwalk Villas than it took to drive from HIFS to the Magic Kingdom.

.... Unlimited pass - WDW resort guests are entitled to buy an ultimate hopper pass for the length of their stay, which is usually cheaper than the other passes.

Again, this depends on the length of your stay and what you plan to do. For stays of 8 days or longer, an Annual Pass is a better value than the ultimate park hopper (UPH). If Downtown Disney, Pleasure Island, Disney Quest, for example, are of little or no interest, then a UPH may not be such a great deal since you are paying for access to activities you will not use. Is a UPH convenient? Absolutely, but convenience and economy at WDW do not go hand-in-hand.

.....Complimentary Package delivery - Guests can purchase goods throughout WDW & ask for them to be delivered to their resort room, this saves carrying heavy packages around with you all day.

Any guest can have a package delivered to a special location at the front of the park and pick up said package on their way out. Thus, no one has to lug heavy packages around a theme park all day, unless they choose to do so. However, given the hordes of stuff I've seen people schlep around WDW parks, what is a heavy package or two?

....Convenient Transportation - Leave the car keys and parking hassles behind. At no additional charge, special boats, buses and monorails transport Disney resort guests directly to any area in the Vacation Kingdom, allowing guests more flexibility and convenience during their vacation.

With the exception of travel to the Magic Kingdom, because you are dropped off at the gate instead of at the Ticket Transportation Center, I don't find Disney transportation all that convenient. I always rent a car, but my views about Disney transportation, admittedly, are colored by the fact that I use public transportation (commuter bus and subway) to commute to work. Waiting on buses is the last thing I want to do while on vacation. I want the flexibility to go where I want to go when I want to go. Also, a car makes travel between resorts much easier and efficient. Lastly, any guest with multiday tickets also has access to monorail, ferries, boats, etc. These transportation modes are not limited to resort guests.


I have stayed onsite and offsite and enjoy both. There are certain tangible benefits (e-nights, early entry, guaranteed park admission, etc.) to staying onsite, as well as intangible benefits (constant immersion in Disney, the oft-claimed 'Disney magic"). I am more concerned with the tangible benefits than the intangible--I've given up trying to figure out what the 'stay-at-Disney-it-is-more-magical' means, but it is all ultimately, is it not, personal preference. To address the question originally asked--in terms of dollar value, off-site accomodation generally provide more space at a much better price than onsite.

 

[katj]

also it depends on the age of your kids, if you think they'd need to have a nap in the middle of the day, or that the whole family needs a rest, then staying on site makes it that much easier. if you stay offsite, therefore less expensively, you get more room, good for older children who want a bit more of their own space.

onsite you get the Disney magic all day, but to some families that extra bit of magic when they come home and just want to go to sleep may be unnecessary. personally i go with those people who have recommended staying in rental villas, that's what we're doing this year and im looking forward to the freedom of it.

depends if you want magic, or money!

 

[ncbyrne]

Since you posted your question on the BUDGET board, I am assuming that saving $ is important to you. There is no question that staying offsite is much less expensive. I love staying onsite, but if we did that exclusively, we'd have to shorten our trips to meet our budget. What we do is split it up. The longest we ever stayed was 16 days....8 days off-off site, 4 at Grosvenor on Hotel Blvd, and 4 at the then Dixie Landings. Our next trip next year will be only 11 days. Still haven't made ressies yet, but will do the same thing - 4-4-3. Even if we were only going for a week, I'd still split it up to save money. And we LOVE resort hopping...it adds much to the vacation.

 

[ilovefh]

We like to stay onsite whenever possible for all the reasons listed above! #1 is so we do not have to drive anywhere....and it's just 900 times more magical for us onsite! We have taken trips and stayed offsite (Comfort Inn LBV $28/night) and we will continue to do so if we cannot afford onsite. If money is the issue and it is either stay offsite or not go....stay offsite! But if you can swing staying onsite I'd go for it!!

This past yr we have done Comfort Inn LBV in Sept, AS Movies in May, and CBR for this coming Xmas and New Years...and hopefully a trip in the fall sometime as well (Maybe a disney cruise). Still working the #'s on it! Depends on how profitable the summer is!! We prefer onsite, but as you can see, Sept. was a last minute trip (decided at noon to go and left at 5 pm) and we could not even afford ASMo. But being at CILBV was better than nothing!!

 

[vhoffman]

I'm not sure if this post belongs under this thread but it seemed the best fit.

The discussion of Disney Resorts vs offsite properties often mentions the "magic" which is lacking in an off-site hotel. We stayed at the Polynesian last time, but this time opt for the Courtyard DTD, mainly due to the price difference (which is magic for me!) However, we have two six-year olds, and I do see the concern about something lacking. Here's some of my ideas to create our own "magic"

I bought my children Disney sleepers--a Cinderella gown with robe and slippers (not glass!) and Buzz Lightyear PJ's and light-up slippers. They will be a surprise when we arrive.

I went to a discount party store and bought a set of 6 each plastic cups Buzz Lightyear and Cinderella, to use in the bathroom. I also found a great buy at Mousesavers for a child's bathroom accessory bag with toothbrush, holder, and soap dish,in, you guessed it, Buzz Lightyear and Cinderella theme. also, last visit to WDW I stocked up on Mickey Mouse soap and shampoo which I'll use in the bathroom on this trip. Also stocked up on BL and Cindy paper plates and napkins for our "continential breakfast" breakfast bars, etc. brought from home and juice and milk I plan to buy with our grocery stop.

I found some Disney character pillow cases on sale at Wal Mart--not BL and Cindy, but Disney none-the-less. I plan to ask for extra pillows for them.

I noticed some hotels give kids a gift bag upon check-in, so I thought, why not make my own? I got some Disney bags from our local Disney store, and am still in the process of filling them. So far, Disney coloring books and crayons, small pinball games, matchbox cars, etc.

Well, it won't con my kids into thinking they're at the Polynesian, but I think the "magic" element will be there. I was considering contacting the hotel gift shop to see if I could order some sort of plush toy and have it delivered to the room before we arrive so its there to surprise them, but the logistics might not work out, and the cost of such toys could equal one night's stay! Maybe if I find a good sale on disney plush I'll buy them before lesving home and somehow surprise the kids with them upon arrival. Oh, and they have their own luggage--roll-around suitcases in BL and Cindy themes. I think they won't feel anything's missing! Just wanted to share a few ideas--anyone have any more suggestions? Thanks!

 

[MrsPete]

I'll add my vote for on-site.

Yes, the rooms are more expensive, but if you look for codes you can do all right. Recently we paid $139/night for a room at the Wilderness Lodge. The room was small, but the resort was absolutely wonderful! There's no way you'd find that magic off site.

The hotels are closer to the parks. I think many of the hotels are downright deceptive about the commute time to the parks. The "Maingate" area seems to cover a really large area -- though the name seems to imply that you could just walk over to the "main gate." Many other hotels advertise that they're "just two miles" from Disney. What part of Disney? They're preying on people who don't understand just how big Disney is. As for driving your own car vs. Disney transportation, don't forget to add in the time you spent walking to the parking lot, searching for a parking space, and finding your car after your day at the parks. That puts a big dent in the "convenience" of driving your own car.

Then there's the extra time at the parks: Early entry and E-ticket nights. Especially during peak times, these are wonderful!

When we were planning our last trip, I briefly considered off-site hotel because they were dirt cheap. My husband quickly told me to forget it. He reminded me that we can afford to do Disney the way we want to, and I should stick with what we know we'll love: on site.

 

[disneysteve]

MrsPete - Clearly, you've done what all of us need to do. Figure out your personal preferences and values for travel accomodations. What is important to you? Is it cost, space, location, theme, etc? If onsite is what satisfies you best, go and enjoy. Just to give another perspective, I added our thoughts on the same comments you made. Our preferences differ quite a bit from yours which is why we choose to stay offsite. There is no "right" answer for everyone. That's what's great about the WDW area - there is something to fit every taste and every budget.

Originally posted by MrsPete
"Recently we paid $139/night for a room at the Wilderness Lodge. The room was small, but the resort was absolutely wonderful! There's no way you'd find that magic off site. "

I agree that there is nothing offsite to compare with the luxury Disney hotels but we value space and price over theming. That's just our personal preference. We just booked a 3-bedroom 2-bath condo for November for $90/nite. 4 of us will stay there quite comfortably. Onsite, we would need 2 rooms and still not have nearly as much space or a kitchen or washer and dryer.

"The hotels are closer to the parks. Many other hotels advertise that they're "just two miles" from Disney. What part of Disney? They're preying on people who don't understand just how big Disney is."

We feel the same is true for some Disney hotels. Disney property is huge. MK is 2-1/2 miles from EPCOT! It is quite possible to stay offsite and be closer to certain points onsite than if you stayed in a Disney hotel. We've timed our drive from offsite to MGM entrance at 7 minutes. Onsite, you may wait longer than that just for a bus to come.

"As for driving your own car vs. Disney transportation, don't forget to add in the time you spent walking to the parking lot, searching for a parking space, and finding your car after your day at the parks. That puts a big dent in the "convenience" of driving your own car. "

I don't know if you've ever driven to the parks but you don't search for a space. They have uniformed CM's directing you to the spaces - very efficient. As for the time it takes to get to the car, I figure that is balanced by the time onsite guests spend waiting for a bus.

"Then there's the extra time at the parks: Early entry and E-ticket nights. Especially during peak times, these are wonderful! "

We only visit offseason so these perks don't matter to us but I've read enough comments on the boards to know that they can make a big difference when the parks are crowded.

As I've said many times, it really comes down to personal preferences. We don't all want the same things when we travel. There are many factors to consider and Disney, and the surrounding area, offers something for everyone.

Steve

 

[lindabacker]

If you really want to save money, stay offsite. We stay at Days
Suites Maingate Oldtown. We have a one bedroom 3 room suite that sleeps 6 for $40.00 a night. It is a five minutes drive to Disney parks and it is clean and in my price range. I can make my own magic without paying extra for it. I have stayed at the
Allstars and the poly and GF onsite, now that I have kids, I need to be on a budget and have more rom.

 

[Debbie]

Off-site is usually cheaper, but then you do "give up" things like package delivery to the hotel. Remember though, anyone can have package delivery to the front of the park for pick-up as you leave.

You do have to pay for parking (unless you have an AP), but it is once a day and transfers to the next park if you do 2 or 3 in a day. I just add that $7.00 to my room rate to get a "true" cost. Oh, and my kids count the tram ride in as their official welcome to the park.

For closeness, we loved Holiday Inn Family Suites. Even a trip back for naps was quick, easy, and in the comfort of our own car.

We go in the summer, and we avoid the EE if at all possible, since except for MK Fantasyland rides, fast pass does us just fine. E-night, I do like and staying at the Courtyard will allow us this perk.

As for the magic-just being at Disney gives us the magic. And being on vacation with family is the true magic, imho.

For the OP, you do need to list your pros for both onsite and off. Then prioritize and make your decision. Disneysteve has given you a really good rundown of things to consider. Believe me, whatever you decide, you will have a great time!