What are your tips for staying OFFSITE?

[Mom2Ben02]

We just found out we are expecting baby #3. I am thrilled, but freaking out about spending so much money in January. We are currently booked 8 days at CBR. I am thinking abt staying offsite instead, and doing a air/hotel combo. Help!!

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

Congratulations!!!!!​

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

For staying offsite:

• Decide how you will get from the airport to your hotel. Will you rent a car or will you take a shuttle? Or maybe you'll take a limo service?
• Make a meal budget. Will the resort have a free breakfast buffet or maybe just coffee and donuts? Will you make any meals in your resort room (if it has a kitchenette)?
• How will you get groceries? Walk to nearby grocer? Take a cab? Courtesy stop w/airport limo? Grocery delivery service like Garden Grocer?
• How will you get to the parks? If by rental car, factor in the parking fees. If by resort shuttle bus, is there a fee? If by taxi, how much does it average?
• Where will you buy tickets? Disney is not the cheapest source but you will want someone who is reliable and not one of those shacks by the side of the road.

If you haven't looked at the 4/3 deal for Disney in January, take a look at the price. You might find that the cost of staying onsite is not so bad when you factor in the ground transportation costs of staying offsite.

If you still find that staying offsite is more affordable, make sure that the cancellation policy of the agency you're dealing with is acceptable to you. Check the reviews of the resort you've chosen by looking it up on TripAdvisor.com. Ask about it on the Orlando Hotels & Attractions Board before you book it.

Final word of advice: Pray for a PIN!

Good luck with your decision.

 

[babybaja2]

we are staying offsite for our up coming trip, found a 2 bed/bath condo with washer/dryer for $40 a night, and plan on eating breakfast at the condo and packing most of our lunches, eating out for about half of our dinners.. even with renting a car and paying parking, we still are coming out ahead.. and I love the freedom of having my own wheels to run around!

I get the whole "stay on-site for the disney magic, etc.." but we spend so little time in the room (sleep, shower, eat and go!) and as far as the EMH, well, we tend to avoid those parks on those days!

 

[crusoe2]

Here's some more info to consider on going the condo route. We've stayed in a condo at Windsor Hills for our last couple of trips. Even after adding in the parking fee at the parks we came in at just under a $100 a night for accommodations. The 4/3 deal was being offered at the time and the condo was still cheaper than onsite (unless we'd gone w/a room at a value and that just would not have been comfy for us). We saved lots more money by making full use of the kitchen in the condo. Not only did we cook most of our own meals, we were able to stock the kitchen with snack items to take to the parks with us. We bought a case of bottled water at Walmart and packed a backpack cooler w/water, fruit, cheese, crackers or chips, and the single-serve powdered lemonade packets. We rarely bought snacks in the park and it was so nice to be able to just stop anywhere and eat when we were ready. Another thing that was nice was being able to wash clothes anytime we needed without having to pay extra for it or haul the clothes to a laundry room. Since we were there during some really hot weather and had to change into fresh clothes a lot this really made a difference for us. During cooler weather it might not be that big a deal.

The downside for us was that we didn't get as much time in the parks as we normally do but that had more to do with taking the time to grocery shop, cook, clean the kitchen, and do laundry. The drive to and from the parks was not bad at all.

 

[MinnieTexan]

We just found out we are expecting baby #3. I am thrilled, but freaking out about spending so much money in January. We are currently booked 8 days at CBR. I am thinking abt staying offsite instead, and doing a air/hotel combo. Help!!

Congratulations!!!!

 

[SandrA9810]

Cutting a day off and going for the 4/3 deal might be worth it too.

My aunt stays in a really nice condo off 192, by the cracker barrel on the west end. She's stayed there for 2 years now, and is going back for a third trip. I don't know how she found it, but she got a great deal of 79$ a night, and they've honored that price every year now. But we don't do Disney while she's here, because my sister comes with her 6 kids and it's just WAY too much to handle.


Just remember parking is up to 14$.

 

[HeatherC]

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[horseshowmom]

Personally, I love Wyndham Bonnet Creek. You can request a fireworks view (not guaranteed). We watched the fireworks from MK and Epcot every night from our balcony. Great view of the area too. You actually have to drive onto Disney property to get to it, but it's in a great location for offsite restaurants and shopping.

I got a 2Br/2Ba off ebay for about $90 a night, and that was checking in on Christmas Day (probably the most expensive week available). You can also check with vacationupgrades.com (Ken Price). Lots of people on the Dis have used him and been very pleased.