What would YOU do???

[hannah03]

I have never been to Disney, so here goes...We could stay off-site at the Days Inn (1 mile) from WDW for $32/night plus tax for 4 nights and plan on $100/day for me, DH, DS(11) and DD(2) for food(approx $460) and park at DTD(free). Or, we could stay on-site at the POP (as of now, unless a code comes out) at $99 per night(regular season rate) with the DINING PLAN(3 day hoppers)(approx $612). I know if we stay on-site we would get the EMH, which would be good for us, especially the NIGHT ones and the refillable mugs and souvies sent to our room. We don't plan on going back to the room during the day, unless we are really tired b/c DD will sleep in her stroller. So please help me DECIDE.

Forgot to add that we will be doing the FANTASMIC DINNER PACKAGE and I think that 2 of our TS meals would cover that?? Correct??
TIA

 

[cowtownmom]

On our first family trip, two years ago, we stayed off site. It was okay, but if you're really wanting to go all out and have the Disney magic the whole time, I'd say stay at POP. Each day, when we left the parks, we'd get back to the hotel and it was just a bit of a downer to leave "the magic". This time we are staying at POR and we can hardly wait! Just knowing we'll be on the property makes it more exciting planning for this trip.

Either way though - you'll have a good time!

 

[Desnik]

I would say to definately stay on-site. Big difference than staying at the Days Inn. But I'm kind of a resort snob so I would always pick on-site!LOL If you stay on-site, you get free parking at the parks, or use their transportation. In your case it would be bus from your resort. Like you said you could utilize the EMH. That way if you did need a break in the afternoon, you could go back later at night, or go early take a break and go back. You get the idea. Also, I would save money and not do the dining plan. Unless your family are big eaters and all eat app, main course and dessert at every meal, then it isn't worth it. You could also eat for less than $100 per day. We are a family of 4, DD 7yo, Ds 2yo. We average about $75 per day. Some days less, some more depending on what sit downs we do. We usually stick to 1 sit down a day, lunch because it is cheaper. We also eat breakfast in the room. We do a late lunch and for dinner counter service. We usually do 2 sit down dinners during our trip and those days the food budget is higher.
I am confused when you say park at DtD for free? The buses that are at DtD go to the resorts, not the parks.
So, to sum it up I say stay at POP, no dining plan, and sign up for the newsletter from www.mousesavers.com and you can get a discount on park passes.
So the budget would look like this:
POP: 4 nights w/tax $441.54($99 per night)
Tickets: 3day hoppers $621
Food: ($75 per day)(5 days) $375
Total: $1437.54
Now, you never know you may be lucky and get a code rate for POP and get a discount on tickets which would bring the price down. When are you going?
Good luck!

 

[Alicnwondrln]

when we went in 2003 with our ds6 who was then 4 it was our 1st family trup
my HD say the days inn rate and was like lets stay there
afte research evverywhere i found www.mousesavers.com
and that mary doesnt do days and so we didnt either
i have rarely seen good reviews and i didnt wanna chance it
i even sent in an email to her and GOT a response
so i would stay POP

 

[ceecee]

Staying onsite is great. But if you really don't plan on going back to the room.....maybe offsite would be okay if you want to save the $. I think you should be able to eat for less than $100.00 a day.

 

[jenr812]

I am slightly confused. If you stay on site, will you still be staying for 4 nights but just visiting the parks 3 days? Your dining plan would be for the # of nights you have reserved at the room, not the # of days of your park tix. Remember that your 2 yo is free for the dining plan (and can share your meals and eat off the buffets free) but that your 11 yo would be counted as an adult @ $35/night. So your dining plan cost for 4 nights would be $420 (3 nights $315). Your 3 day hoppers would be $660 (unless you get a discount somehow). Your hotel as Desnik quoted is about $442 rack rate. You already planned on budgeting about $100/day for food - the dining plan would be $105 with plenty of food for all of you to get your fill. So staying offsite would be approx $42/night with taxes and fees so you're looking at about $168, so about $280 more to stay onsite. Totally worth it IMHO But then again, we haven't even taken our first trip yet LOL

 

[EthansMom]

Personally, if I was really going to stay at the parks all day and my budget was tight, I would stay off-site, but would go with a nicer place that has a kitchen. Over on the Orlando Hotels Board (http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?forumid=15), Cypress Point gets rave reviews (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=799550) and many people have gotten some pretty decent rates through Hotel Kingdom.

I would pay for the parking at the parks for $8/day -- it isn't worth parking at DTD and taking a bus to a resort and then a bus to a park and then the reverse at night just to save $8.

I would pick up some groceries and cook breakfast at the hotel and pack sandwiches, soda, & chips for lunch or dinner a couple of days. I would not book the Fantasmic Dinner Package, but would go to the sit-down restaurant for lunch when prices are much lower and then just buy my kids an ice cream to pass the time waiting for Fantasmic to start. For dinners, I would eat counter service and/or packed sandwiches.

If budget isn't really such a concern, I would stay on-site. But, given the same pot of money, you could get more days of vacation by staying off-site.

Just my opinion...

 

[EeyoreJMH]

When I was a kid, my family would stay offsite on our WDW trips and it was ok. My DH, on the other hand, had always stayed onsite when he was a kid. Needless to say, for our 1st trip together to WDW, we stayed onsite and it was such a different experience! He took me to Port Orleans and I loved all the little touches-- the Mickey soaps, the Mickey wake-up calls, the hidden Disney icons in the rooms,the WDW TV channels, the bus (I still love the bus, weird, I know). We also like being able to take a break and just hop back to the resort for a nap and swim. We're DVC members now, but we still will stay at various non-DVC resorts for the fun of it (like POP). In fact, we stayed at the POP for part of our stay last October and loved it! I didn't see when you were planning on going, but in October, we had the POP for $66/night last year.

 

[rantnnravin]

have you considered AAA for a discount on the room portion of the MYW+Dining package?? The savings may be enough of a difference to sway you to stay on-site (there's nothing like it) and, if you choose to drive to the parks, there's a special preferred parking area for AAA ("diamond parking" or some-such)

don't forget that if you chose to park at DtD (the parking there is really for those visiting the shops/restaurants), the buses don't start running from the resorts until 10-10:30, then you would have to go back to a resort and take transport to whatever park, so you're looking at possibly 2hrs travel time to a park (placing you there closer 12p--which would negate the need for hoppers )

 

[wdw4pwe]

stay onsite ... it's the only way to experience Disney !!!!