Where should we stay?--Updated (decision made) pg2

[nuts4wdw]

OK, I've racked my brain and I don't know where to stay. My choices are:
-Offsite at Windsor Hills 3bedroom, 3bath townhouse with splash pool, rental car, and a daily allotment of $100 for food.
-Onsite at Pop Century, no rental car (using magical express), and the dining plan.
Both come to the same price. It will be my family including me, dh, ds 6, ds4, and ds 1 in pack and play. I have never done the dining plan, so I really want to try it, but the thought of all of us in a little room . One day I decide to do the other and then switch the next. Our flights arrive in Orlando at 11pm and depart at 6am (yuck), so I don't know if that is another consideration I should worry about. I have to decide by Thurs. So, which would you do and why?
Thanks, Riali

 

[lynninpa]

I voted for staying onsite. Of course this is only our humble opinion, yet we could not imagine NOT staying on property. Staying at a Disney resort is part of the magic for us!

 

[belle&beast]

My vote is for onsite! The dining plan is great and the convenience of being onsite is well worth the extra cost for a smaller room IMO.

 

[nuts4wdw]

OK, more information on us. We don't spend very much time back at the room, we spend all day at the parks. We usually eat 4-6 sit down dinners and the rest counter service. We commando it! We eat breakfast in the room. We will be in the parks for 7 days. My husband, ds 4, and I are all big eaters. Our other son is not a big eater and is content with chicken nuggets 24/7. Our ds 1 is not a fan of a playpen to sleep, so I worry about the small room. Last trip he was so sleepy when we returned to the condo, though, I had no trouble getting him to sleep. We will be going the first week in May. Thanks for your opinions, so far, I'm going to print them off and talk with hubby tonight.

PS how was it doing the buses with little ones or should I spluge and get a car?

 

[Mrs. T-i-double-g-er]

With the little ones, you will need down time in the middle of the day. I would stay onsite. I know you don't think you will do this, but trust me. Even if you head back for a swim, the kids will need a break.

 

[LaraK]

I also agree on-site....part of the magic of Disney is being themed every moment of the day.

 

[tacomaranch]

When leaving before 8 am from the resort, ME will bring you to the airport but you must check in your bags. Learn from my mistakes, never again!

 

[lynninpa]

OK, more information on us. We don't spend very much time back at the room, we spend all day at the parks. We usually eat 4-6 sit down dinners and the rest counter service. We commando it! We eat breakfast in the room. We will be in the parks for 7 days. My husband, ds 4, and I are all big eaters. Our other son is not a big eater and is content with chicken nuggets 24/7. Our ds 1 is not a fan of a playpen to sleep, so I worry about the small room. Last trip he was so sleepy when we returned to the condo, though, I had no trouble getting him to sleep. We will be going the first week in May. Thanks for your opinions, so far, I'm going to print them off and talk with hubby tonight.

PS how was it doing the buses with little ones or should I spluge and get a car?

I posted above, voting for staying onsite. After reading this "additional info" about you guys, I definitely would stay onsite! Being "big eaters," the Dining Plan is perfect for you guys as it has been for us! As far as getting a child to sleep in a pack-n-play? I don't know about your family, but me and my family could soundly sleep in the bathtub after a day at the parks!

 

[Kahana-ri]

There's nothing like staying onsite at the resorts. It's so Disney!

 

[Hannathy]

I agree with the kids being able to sleep anywhere, When my kids were little they were asleep almost every night before we even got back to the room. My DD can be sleepwalked without waking up thank goodness. Other nights they would collapse right on top of the bed and I would just pull their shoes off! Learned to only bring one set of pj's 'cause 1/2 the time they never got in them. Could you put your oldest in with your DH and sleep in the other bed with the 4yr old and youngest?

I would only stay off site if it was minutes away, if it was more than 15 I'd stay at Disney. Plus the meal plan is fun!

 

[KariC]

If you're planning on staying onsite, I don't think that you would want to rent a car (we don't). You would need to bring the car seat for your one year old. And probably a booster for your 4 year old, maybe the 6 year old also. Now, if you're already bringing them for on the plane (not the boosters, many airlines won't allow them and you have to check them), get a car if you think you'll need it. You won't need any of the car seats/booster seats for disney's transportation. We think the ME and onsite transportation is great....truthfully it's probably our son's favorite part of the trip!

 

[In Luv with Disney]

Such a tough question, because I normally stay off site since I have timeshare minutes away from DTD. However, I'd say STAY ONSITE!!!!!!!

Like you even said, you don't spend much time at the resort. So all you would need it for is to SLEEP. Pop Century will be a little tight for you, but it should meet your needs just fine. Plus, you won't have to rent a car, you can come and go as you please, you won't have to pay $10 for parking every day, YOU CAN UTILIZE THE DINING PLAN, which is worth WELL over $100 a day for all of you if you use it to the fullest!

So in the end, I'd STAY ONSITE. However, you will NOT lose any of the magic if you stay OFFSITE, either. We often do and we love those vacations, too.

P.S. We are staying at POP for the first time in August to utilize the FREE DINING promotion! And we normally stay OFF SITE in a HUGE 2 bedroom villa. It will be SO worth it!

GOOD LUCK DECIDING!!!!

 

[jeni1072]

We had the same choice to make- could have stayed in a 3 bedroom condo for about the same price as PC. In the end we decided Mickey Mouse waffles for breakfast, wake up calls from Mickey, etc etc ETC was the way to go!

 

[Not so Dumbo]

I'm going agaist the grain here I'd stay at Windsor Hills in a heart beat. We rented a 2 bedroom condo there for our last trip and it was great to have the kids in their own rooms. They loved it too. They had their own t.v. and bunkbeds That way nobody bothered anyone else when getting up, having temper tantrums, ect. or having different bedtime schedules. Windsor Hills isn't that far away from the parks either and having your own transportation and not relying on a bus is priceless. You can come and go as you please and not have to be on anyone else's schedule. IMHO, there's noway I would stay in a oneroom hotel room with my kids for a week. I've done it on other trips and it about drove me absolutely NUTS

 

[abaldacci]

I would stay onsite a lot less hassle to me.

 

[thunderbird1]

Definitely on site, definitely no car, and you'll LOVE the DDP.

On site: There's nothing quite like Disney magic 24/7. Your kids will love POP, and you'll get a kick out of it, too. You can stay at a regular hotel or rental property anywhere, but the resorts of WDW truly are unique.

No rental car: For us, part of the magic is not having to find your way around, except around the parks, for the duration of the trip. No car rental hassle, no fumbling with maps or toll road change, no trying to remember where you parked the car. Disney transportation really is wonderful. Slow, sometimes; crowded, sometimes; but WAY better than driving around the World.

If you do 6 TS meals over 7 days, you're going to have to really scrimp to come in at $100 per day (only ordering the cheapest items on the menus, skipping appetizers and dessert, cooking several meals at the condo, and probably skipping the character dining*). But you'll eat like kings on the DDP.

*2A/2C at Chef Mickey's for dinner + 6.5% tax + 18% tip = $102.09--for one meal

 

[rie'smom]

I voted for offsite. Even if you're not in the room that much,it's great at the end of the day to have the peace and quiet that a townhome can bring. We joined DVC but if we hadn't our choices had become: a WDW suite,2 adjoining rooms at WDW,or an offsite pool house. IMO,it's just too hard at then end of a long day with everybody worn out to squeeze into one small room

 

[nuts4wdw]

Well, a decision has been made! We are staying at Windsor Hills!!! My mother decided to join us for a few day, that made up our minds. We are excited and know that my dh and I will be back down to WDW in Feb. 08 doing a 10th anniversary trip and can do the dining then. We now get to relax and spread out in our 3 bed, 3bath townhouse with a splash pool for a nice long vacation. Thanks, for all of you input, all 3 boards came up with around 75% for onsite and 25% offsite.
Riali

 

[Not so Dumbo]

Well, a decision has been made! We are staying at Windsor Hills!!! My mother decided to join us for a few day, that made up our minds. We are excited and know that my dh and I will be back down to WDW in Feb. 08 doing a 10th anniversary trip and can do the dining then. We now get to relax and spread out in our 3 bed, 3bath townhouse with a splash pool for a nice long vacation. Thanks, for all of you input, all 3 boards came up with around 75% for onsite and 25% offsite.
Riali

Enjoy! If you haven't stayed there before........you'll love it. I think my kids would have rather played on big waterslides all day then go to the parks.