What to do? On resort or not?

[Emagine]

My family is traveling to Florida for WDW in December. We did this in 2006 and loved it so much were headed back at Christmas time. But this time we have an offer to decide on.

My MIL bought a house and is moving to Florida this summer. She will be around 20 miles from the parks. We can either do the resort and dinner package like last time and have all the perks or we can save a ton and stay with her as the house sounds fairly roomy.

Saving money sounds good. But I want to make sure we can park hop, book character dinners, stay late, go early type stuff and if the parks close early ? Not to mention parking.

I am just trying to see which would fit us better as we loved the MGM lights for Christmas but those are after dark. Etc...

Can someone help me decide which works. TIA

 

[F1Julie]

I would stay on-site. It's just easier. You won't have to deal with parking and driving to and from the parks. Plus, it just adds to the magic and the vacation experience.

 

[Gillian]

For the dining package, make sure you review the changes and see if it's still worth it to your family.

During Christmas week it's easier to stay onsite from what I have heard, because of the crowds and EMH. That week I'd stay onsite. Any other week in December it won't make a difference.

Probably what we would do is a split stay - a couple of days at the house, a couple of days onsite for the late nights you have planned. I'd do the the on site first while you're fresh and then the more laid back days while you're staying in the house. 2-3 days onsite, break day at the house, then travel back to disney from the house to fill in what you missed, do a character meal, shop etc.

 

[bellebud]

I'd stay on-site. I think you'll feel like you're missing out on stuff if you have to leave every night. If it were your second trip of the year or you really couldn't afford it otherwise, only then I'd consider staying off site.

 

[Emagine]

Does anyone know how the hours and dining works if you stay off site? Can you do dining packages and is it cheaper? What time do they usually kick non-resort peeps out? I was told that we would have to leave early so we would miss the lights and shows at night. Is this really true?

 

[disneygal2007]

You have to stay on site to have a dining package.

 

[CDoobee]

No, you wouldn't be kicked out early. You would still be able to watch the evening parades, fireworks, etc. You wouldn't be able to participate in the EMH, though. EMH (extra magic hours) are for specific parks each day and it means that park either opens one hour early or stays open up to 3 hours late. This is for on-site guests, only.

 

[stacy6552]

Now I am the first one to say, "stay on site." But free lodging? How can you not? Plus this is Grandma's new house. How can you not stay with her your first time down there?

 

[wdwluver]

I would stay at MIL's free lodging vs. spending mega moola on hotel.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[dougsmom98]

Now I am the first one to say, "stay on site." But free lodging? How can you not? Plus this is Grandma's new house. How can you not stay with her your first time down there?

I totally agree with this.

 

[pjwelch]

Where to stay depends on your budget. I would take MIL place too.
All the firworks and shows occur during regular hours. Extra hours are either late at night or early a.m., but if you're willing to part with extra cash staying on certainly has it's benefits, but either way you can get to see the shows/firworks.

 

[mdoc]

You can't do the Disney Dining Plan unless you're staying on-site. However, if your MIL is going with you, she can get a DDE card as a Florida resident (you can get one if you have an annual pass) and you can get a 20% discount on meals. For my family that works out better than DDP anyway. I usually don't go to the EMH parks, so that perk of staying onsite doesn't much matter to me. On-site is more convenient, and you don't have to pay for parking if you drive to the parks, and you can take Disney transportation if you don't want to drive. Whether that's worth paying for a hotel or not is up to you. We've only stayed off-site once, and it was at a really nice offsite hotel (part of a convention DH was attending); I didn't notice any less "magic" and since we generally drive to the parks anyway and it was pretty close, it didn't make much of a difference. I don't know how long it will take to drive 20 miles or how much traffic there will be - that's definitely something to look into.

 

[maxiesmom]

I have stayed both on and off site. If your MILs house was closer, I would say go for it, but 20 miles is just too far away from Disney. You will have to spend all of that time going to the parks in the morning, and all of that time driving back from the parks, at night when you are exhausted. It sure wouldn't be convenient to take breaks during the day, like you can when you stay on property.

And don't forget you would have to pay for parking, and for gas. How big a car would you have to rent, and how much would you be paying just to drive to the parks and park there? Plus you would have to deal with the Orlando traffic, which can be crazy.

And wouldn't your MIL want you to spend some time with her? Even if she is ok with you using her house as a base, wouldn't she expect at least a little face time with you? You couldn't just run in and out without her feeling being hurt, even if she did offer.

To me, 20 miles is to far to be driving. It would take way too much time, and time is precious at Disney World.

 

[daisyduck123]

20 miles away? Way to far away IMO.

If it were my family, we'd go visit Grandma for 2 days & THEN go off to WDW & stay onsite.

 

[Princess Roo]

I'd probably do a combination...If spending 4 days in the park (for example) I'd stay the night before the 1st day at MILs, spend 3 nights on-property, and go back to MILs the last night (assuming that you'd be visiting her a little at at least one of the ends anyways).

Also, if you're going very early December, the parks are open shorter hours anyways. The fireworks were at 6PM, I think, at MK on the nights that didn't have MVMCP.

 

[Emagine]

What we have discussed is either on site or off with her. We would see my MIL no doubt but there is tension there as she is one of the old school ladies that kids are seen not heard. We visit her in Virginia always but it is always a relief to leave with a typical 2 yr old and an autistic 5 yr old. He will be 6 when we go.

I could swing it though and make it work for the $, DH actually is very torn. She would not go with us to the park, that would be too much for her to handle and it would freak her out. She is just a loner. His thought is travel down (we will drive) on a friday and arrive that day. Stay till we check in Sunday or Monday night into the resort. Leave the last park on friday to her house till Sunday.

I guess I need to do some more pricing

 

[blessedby3]

Depending on your actual dates, you could be spending PRIME amounts on your room. If you are actually there during their Holiday Season that is the most expensive time. I think I would have to entertain the thought of a split stay. I am normally a "stay only on site" person, but if I knew someone down in FL that I could stay with I would have to rethink that. We never do the meal plan either so that wouldnt matter to me. The thing that would bother me would be not having the EMH if staying off site.

 

[Emagine]

We always go around Dec 5th/7th week.

 

[brittsmum1998]

I would stay ON SITE. $$ be darned...I look at those parking lots and the traffic at park closing and think thank god I'm on a disney bus
Disney is expensive anyways I wouldn't want to "ruin" it by staying off site. JMHO

 

[JillPTFLA]

I thought that I would chime in with my opinion (for what it is worth!). I would be the first person to say stay off site for free but since you mentioned that there is tension with your MIL and that you are relieved to leave when you visit her, I would probably go for the hotel. You want to enjoy your vacation and going to Disney can overstimulate even the calmest kids so that may make things even more difficult.
Personally (and again, just my opinion!), I try never to stay with family when we travel, even if we are visiting them. We have had some insulted parties but in the end, it makes for a much more enjoyable trip for all involved!
Good luck with the planning!
Jill