We're offsite converts now!!!

[HunnyPots]

We just got back last night from our fourt trip to WDW and our first trip off disney property. All I can say is we'll never stay onsite again!
We rented a home in Indian Ridge through VRBO. It was so nice to have all that space and our own private pool! The best part was that we could drive to the parks in under ten minutes! Try that with a disney bus!
And all that for less than the cost of a room at one of the so-called value resorts! Yep, I'm hooked!

 

[Mrs Dazzle]

We know exactly what you mean

This will be our second trip staying in a villa rather than hotel - before that we had always stayed in hotels, often two nights Disney/two nights Universal then the rest of the time around the LBV area - we always stay down the southern gulf coast for the last week or so of our hols, too.

We really enjoyed going back to the villa mid-afternoon, spending a couple of hours relaxing in the pool/getting dinner then heading back out to maybe a park or just nosying around. It really was nice to go back later in the evening for another dip in the pool and bed, all in the privacy of your own home.

We are being joined by our friends this year and are staying in a villa plus a night midweek in Portofino. We start our trip flying into Miami with 4 nights down on Marco Island, then 9 nights in a villa in Indian Creek, then the last week down on Fort Myers Beach - can't wait

 

[K'smom]

Would you mind if I asked what VRBO number that was so I could poss ck it out for next year for us? I love VRBO and was thinking that we should do it for our next trip and the pool is a must!!
Thanks a bunch and I'm glad it worked out great for you. How were the crowds? When exactly were you there? We were there from May 1st-5th and had stayed at a VRBO in New Smyrna Beach a few days before to get some beach time before the Disney rush!
Julianne

 

[sympatico]

WELCOME TO THE DARK SIDE

Glad you had a good experience, we love staying this way.

 

[HunnyPots]

Would you mind if I asked what VRBO number that was so I could poss ck it out for next year for us? I love VRBO and was thinking that we should do it for our next trip and the pool is a must!!
Thanks a bunch and I'm glad it worked out great for you. How were the crowds? When exactly were you there? We were there from May 1st-5th and had stayed at a VRBO in New Smyrna Beach a few days before to get some beach time before the Disney rush!
Julianne

The house we rented is VRBO #5855. Owners were great to rent from. Good communication and the house was exactly as it is described. The management company was very professional and our check in/check out was a breeze.
We were there from 6/10-6/17. The crowds were not bad at all, except for Star Wars Weekend on Friday.

 

[jjjmranch]

Yeah, another convert!!! We loved Windsor Palms too. The kids loved their themed room and we loved the space! DH even talked about becoming a snowbird and getting a condo there! Woo Hoo!

Only 25 more years until retirement!

 

[*disgal*]

WELCOME TO THE DARK SIDE

 

[Zuzu03]

We LOVE renting a house. We first rented in Emerald Island then in Formosa Gardens and it was so cool to drive past the old Splendid China site. Spoooooky at night! We do both, stay onsite for that "magic" feel, then scoot out for our own house and pool. We're hooked too. We love this club!

 

[Jeff8372EMT]

We rented a house in the Emerald Isle on our last trip and plan on doing the same next year when we are there. The kids really enjoyed having a pool right out the back door and not having to share it with anyone. We(wife and I) enjoyed all the room we had to spread out and not have 6 people crammed into a single room.

 

[TotoToo]

Unless you are totally blinded by the alleged "magic" of Disney (lost long ago to the the greed of what is nothing but another Corporate revenue generation machine) anyone who tries off site at a decent place usually realizes the value is there vs on site. Bigger units, lower costs, better access to the attractions (including many Disney sites but many more off Disney sites and stores/restaurants) and the deck is heavily stacked in favor of off site stays. By all means try on site so you know the difference but if you're like most (and us) you'll find you enjoy off site far more and much less expensively than any on site stays. Plus as kids age the desire to "do Disney" seems to fade in favor of the much more active Universal or even Sea World vs slow ride, show based Disney. Had anyone told me that 30 years ago I would have said "impossible - Disney is it" but now I see we don't even care if we get there during a two week visit. And we definitely aren't interested in overpriced, undersized on site accommodations even if we do plan a day or two in Disney parks.

 

[Grog]

WELCOME TO THE DARK SIDE

Glad you had a good experience, we love staying this way.

LOL I was thinking about posting the exact same thing when I saw the title to this thread.

Glad you enjoyed your trip. It's always nice to see more people who realize that staying offsite doesn't mean your trip is automatically ruined before it even gets started

 

[isla bonita]

Stayed on sight at Disney Beach club and it is a very nice hotel. Great pool if you have a personal nanny with each of your 3 children. If not is it way to much work.

We then stayed at Vistana resort again a very nice resort and again watching 3 children in a pool is tough.

We then stayed in a very nice villa and it was pure joy. Just my kids and people we know in the pool. Much more common area when you vacation with others. It just fits our vacation needs.

 

[tim17]

At last normal people!

Being a newbie on this board i was beginning to think everyone else was from another planet.

We love our trips to Orlando but don't have the money to and would not want to stay on-site. There's so much more to the area than just Disney (was i allowed to say that?).

 

[IDoDis]

We returned a couple of weeks ago from our first off-site stay at Windsor Hills and will do that again from now on. It was so nice for the kids to have their own rooms, especially with DS getting sick! Had we all been in one small value resort room for the 10 nights we were there, it would have been awful. When we got back I took him to the doctor and found out he had pneumonia. It was so much better for him to have his own room where he could rest.

 

[Grog]

Welcome to the DIS, tim17. There are a lot more of us out there than they realize. They try to keep us in the basement like some kind of crazy Uncle, but we won't be silenced

 

[Frothy]

Congratulations! It seems such a big step to take but once you're over that hurdle you'll never stay in a hotel again. I was nervous and anxious the first time we rented a home but once we got to the house, my fears melted away and we had a fabulous time. We've done it several times since, always with the same company, and it's always been wonderful.

 

[jackieleanne]

Villas are great especially when you have your own pool. I have stayed in villas the last 5 times i have been because as we was a family of 5 it was so difficult to get a hotel room for us, and when we did we had no space at all. I am now going for the ninth time taking my bf who has never been and are staying at LBV Marriott, we did look into villas but for the two of us it worked out to much and we got a great deal from virgin holidays on the Marriott. If i was to do Disney hotels it would be for my honeymoon and it would be in a deluxe resort i wouldn't do one of the all star resorts or moderate resorts because they are so overpriced. The deluxe are overpriced to but i would still love to do them just that once for the experience, only before we have kids though.

 

[bas71873]

Well you guys are making me feel a little better about our upcoming off site visit in February. For our very first trip to WDW this past Feb, we stayed on site and I personally loved the convenience. DH HATED it. He needs his space and likes to sleep in (which drives me batty). We are doing an off site condo in Feb and I'm a little sad, but dealing. We are only planning to do an MK and DHS day because we want to do Sea World & Universal so I hope I'll be happy....plus DD and I are taking a girls trip in October and staying on site (the transpo convenience to/from MCO and to/from parks convince DH that DD and I will be safe and can do Disney w/o him . So, I'll get my on-site fix and he'll be happy in February.

 

[Mrs Dazzle]

There are a lot more of us out there than they realize. They try to keep us in the basement like some kind of crazy Uncle, but we won't be silenced

True, nonetheless.

From over here in the UK, on the UK boards if you dare to say you don't just go to Florida for Disney, OMG . . . it can actually get quite surreal

 

[Brian Noble]

I can stay in a single hotel room with my kids for one night. Maybe two. After that, there is a real danger of violence.

I do stay onsite, but only when I can get at least a 1BR DVC thorugh a timeshare exchange. That's about the only option that provides a good value for me compared to the many wonderful non-Disney alternatives.