Why do you love staying offsite?

[ellen82]

I am planning a trip with my DH in a year or two. The Disney Resort thread had a question of why do you like staying onsite or offsite. Pretty much everyone loved staying onsite (surprise as its in the Disney Resort thread ) saying they loved the "bubble" of Disney.

So why do you love staying offsite? I am struggling because I know the benefits of onsite but I look to offsite and for the same price of a value (at times) I can get a much better hotel and it seems quieter.

So why do YOU love staying offisite??

 

[cammie810]

For us there are many reasons but the main one is financial!! There are seven of us that routinely go to WDW together....My parents, my husband and I and three teenagers. The past three times we have rented a 3 bedroom condo at Windsor Hills for about $100/night. This gives each adult couple and the children their own bedroom plus a living room and a full kitchen. We could not get two rooms at a value for that amount of money plus we would be cramped and have no privacy. Driving to any of the parks from Windsor Hills takes only a few minutes. Also, my teenagers eat like horses so being able to feed them breakfast and snacks from my own kitchen saves us a ton of cash. We usually eat a table service lunch in the parks and that alone costs us about $150. Now that said we live in Florida and drive to Orlando so we do not have to rent a car and we have annual passes so we dont have to pay for parking.

 

[kksmom92]

The number one reason we love staying offsite is because of the room! We can get a 4 bedroom house with a private pool for the same price as staying in the all star resorts. So when we've had a long day we can just go to our own room to relax and not be stepping all over the other person. Plus I love having a full kitchen and washer and dryer!

 

[JimMIA]

It's a money thing for us, too. We just get MUCH better value staying offsite.

We recently stayed at Wyndham Bonnet Creek for the first time...after about 10 trips staying at DVC resorts on our points. When I first booked the reservations, I had 2 nights at OKW on DVC points and the remaining 3 nights on our Wyndham points -- both in one-bedrooms for the three of us (DW, DD9, and myself).

Just for drill, I did a cost comparison between the two, factoring in both the purchase prices of the points and the annual maintenance fees. I won't bore you with the tedious detail, but the OKW 1 BR worked out to $189 per night...which is a pretty good price. Bonnet Creek actually cost us about $40 per night, but that was kind of a fluke -- the normal price would have been about $67 per night.

A couple of points on this comparison. The OKW 1 BR is MUCH larger than the WBC 1 BR. Also, OKW is the least expensive DVC resort in points costs, so other DVC stays would have been somewhat more (but still about the same as a regular hotel room in a Disney deluxe.)

The 1 BR at WBC was plenty big enough for us, and the resort itself has many more amenities than DVC resorts. We drive, and the drive times are the same for WBC and OKW -- but much quicker from WBC than any of the Disney "values" and most of the "mods."

[ETA: Although smaller than OKW, the WBC 1 BR is larger than any DVC 1 BR except OKW. And for future stays at WBC, we'll probably go to a two-bedroom for the extra space with only a small increase in cost.]

We LOVE staying onsite, but the value staying offsite is so much greater.

 

[tednvon]

Two words....Private bathroom!!!



Plus the other nice things people mentioned!!!

Ted

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

It really depends on your vacationing style--for a family of 2 (you and your DH), you're not going to see the same cost savings as my family of 6. Here are some rules of thumb:

Onsite is likely better if you:
- are a party of 4 or less
- are only doing WDW, no otehr theme parks/attractions
- don't drive to get to Orlando
- like Disney dining/plan to eat all meals in restaurants
- like the full Disney immersion experience
- do commando touring, so the room is just a place to sleep/bathe


Offsite is likely better if you:
- are a party of 5 or more
- plan to do things outside of WDW
- have or plan to rent a car
- don't mind preparing some simple meals and/or eating at offiste restaurants
- like to get away from 24/7 Disney theming, once in a while
- like to take a slower paced vacation, with some down time in your room

Note: Neither choice is bad, it's really up to your individual choices. I will say, outside this particular forum, you get a lot of people who are "onsite at all costs". There's nothing wrong with staying onsite, but it's not the right choice for everyone. We even owned DVC, but sold it when the kids said they liked the house rental more than DVC--go figure. Probably the best advice I can give you is, think about what you want from the vacation, and be open to the possibility of offsite.

 

[two*little*birds]

Personal space, each person has their own bedroom/bathroom, washer and dryer, privacy, less noise, and a break from everything Disney.

Plus the price itself allows us to stay for 2 weeks instead of 1.

 

[Planogirl]

We stayed onsite several times and it was fine but frankly we were ready to see more than just WDW. That included different resorts too. Now we have been staying at a few budget spots due to finances and therefore we're not exactly enjoying the resorts that much but even that is another reason to stay offsite. I guess that I personally don't get anything out of the Disney bubble that people mention. I also prefer to drive anyway.

 

[Dallas_Lady]

First off, I wouldn't stay offsite just to get a regular hotel room, I could get that onsite and have all the perks associated with it. And I most certainly would not rely on offsite shuttles. If I am offsite, I have to have a car.

We stay offsite in a Windsor Hills condo. WDW is such a busy and intense vacation that having a place like home to rest and recharge is wonderful. Seperate bedrooms and bathrooms makes the vacation much more smooth and less hectic. I don't really cook while on vacation, but it's nice to have a kitchen for prepping snacks and freezing water bottles. And having a washer and dryer to do some mid-week laundry is great. I hate taking home suitcases full of dirty clothes.

The only onsite things that I truly miss are having the KTTW card for charging things back to the room, and having a food court onsite for getting a quick meal when we're by the pool or a snack at the end of the day.

And it doesn't hurt that 7 nights in a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom condo costs what 5 nights in a tiny value resort room would.

 

[bankr63]

Pretty much everyone loved staying onsite saying they loved the "bubble" of Disney.

Because we love all things Disney, but we find living it 24*7 a little cloying. The "bubble" doesn't work for us. But then we like visiting the "evil empire" and other attractions too...

I enjoy some Disney dining, but find much of it aimed at serving the masses as quickly as possible. Not as nice as some of the really fantastic restaurants out on Sand Lake Rd. Not as cheap as eating healthy meals prepared yourself and packing park lunches and drinks.

We have a lot more space for a lot less money. I keep getting PINs from Disney and even when I compare the discounted cost of DVC sized 2BR to our similarly sized Sheraton Vistana 2BR And yes, I am including the cost of vehicle rental (usually an SUV, but I look hard for a deal) and the parking.

 

[MamaLema]

I saw your thread on the resorts board, but I was too afraid to answer there

We are a family of 6 and we can find accomodations at a great price offsite and I can't say the same thing about onsite.

We tried booking 2 sit down restaurants at WDW during our 2 week stay in August. Both don't have a single opening the entire day. I would go nuts trying to make ADRs 180 days in advance for each night of our vacation.

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

First off, I wouldn't stay offsite just to get a regular hotel room, I could get that onsite and have all the perks associated with it. And I most certainly would not rely on offsite shuttles. If I am offsite, I have to have a car.

We stay offsite in a Windsor Hills condo. WDW is such a busy and intense vacation that having a place like home to rest and recharge is wonderful. Seperate bedrooms and bathrooms makes the vacation much more smooth and less hectic. I don't really cook while on vacation, but it's nice to have a kitchen for prepping snacks and freezing water bottles. And having a washer and dryer to do some mid-week laundry is great. I hate taking home suitcases full of dirty clothes.

The only onsite things that I truly miss are having the KTTW card for charging things back to the room, and having a food court onsite for getting a quick meal when we're by the pool or a snack at the end of the day.

And it doesn't hurt that 7 nights in a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom condo costs what 5 nights in a tiny value resort room would.

Rumor has it that Windsor Hills now has a little snack bar in the clubhouse, by the pool. I think I've seen you mention before that you would like this particular amenity--I guess they listened! I believe they have hotdogs/hamburgers, snacks, drinks, etc.

 

[iamadisneynut]

We have 5 kids, so to stay onsite would be super pricey, so we rent a 4 bedroom home, get lots of space and our own pool, plus have a couple of "down" days where the kids don't have to be getting up early and getting to bed late. Works out really well for us! I still love all the Disney stuff, we do the Character meals, and really get into the Disney spirit when we're there, but staying onsite with all 7 of us is just not really feasible if we want to have breathing space!! (and money to eat...lol!)

 

[kidd_freeper]

I've won two trips to WDW. We stayed at the AKL and the Poly. Outstanding views in each case. And a unique experience. Would have cost $400 a night if I was paying.

However, when I'm paying for it, we stay offsite. We can get a beautifully decorated 3BR/2BA condo with a full kitchen and a poolside view for $99/nite (plus $14 for parking at the parks), tax included. The 10 minute drive to any park is quicker than Disney transportation.

Nothing on Disney property even come close. I once paid to stay at ASM. Tiny room, no kitchen for twice the price.

Better facilities for a smaller price is why we stay offsite. But if someone else is paying for one of the luxury resorts, I'll stay on-site.

 

[saysay]

My MIL comes with us and we need another bathroom for her.

We save $$ by going to a 2bd condo at Wyndham Bonnet Creek vs 2 rooms at Disney or a Disney resort suite. Its great to be able to spread out.

We aren't big eaters, so the dining plan would be too much food for us. We can also save by eating our own breakfasts and bringing own snacks...much healthier also.

My husband likes to drive, he doesn't want to be at the mercy of a bus or boat.

Just works for us!

I am sure the disney resorts are super nice but its just not worth the premium you have to pay for us.

I have only stayed at the Swan and Wyndham, loved both!

 

[Dallas_Lady]

Rumor has it that Windsor Hills now has a little snack bar in the clubhouse, by the pool. I think I've seen you mention before that you would like this particular amenity--I guess they listened! I believe they have hotdogs/hamburgers, snacks, drinks, etc.

That would be nice! I guess I'll find out this weekend! I really liked being able to grab a quick lunch (or a nice grown-up beverage ) on our pool days and missed being able to do that at Windsor Hills. The pool at WH is really nice, love the zero entry with the little ones.

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

I was reading the post similar to this one on the Disney Resorts board and was humored by the replies that staying onsite keeps you in the Disney "bubble", or staying offsite is "not the same", or by staying onsite you are "immersed in the magic" or away from the "real world". I know everyone has their preferences, but some of the replies seem a little humorous to me. I would probably be flamed to ashes if I posted this over in that thread. I think there are so many options and reasons behind choosing different options that there is a sense of pressure to validate our choices. But I could never understand why the whole onsite/offsite thing is such a big deal; and it especially humors me when there is an implication that staying offsite is "less" of a Disney vacation than staying onsite. I think just by being in Orlando in the vicinity of the WDW area you are in a Disney "bubble" as there are Disney related signs and memorabilia everywhere, JMHO.

 

[littlestar]

My husband absolutely hates Disney resort TV stations. We actually downsized our DVC ownership over it because he never wants to stay onsite because of the poor TV. We don't stay in the parks 24/7 anymore. We have an annual pass and will pop into a park for an hour or two and then leave. Hubby wants to relax in the evening in the room and watch a movie channel, history channel, sci fi channel, etc. and can't. Disney resorts are more geared for the one-time parks focused visitor than a repeat guest in that regard.

Also, our family complains that when they stay onsite at Disney they HATE paying $10.00 a day for internet access - something they get for free in most offsite condo's/hotels. So that's a big negative now days.

And finally, price. You can get a LOT offsite as far as value, space, and fun amenities like slides, themed pools, various activities, etc. Value is a big deal in an economy like we have now days with the price of gas and food rising and the job market still in the tank.

 

[jcvalenti]

I'm lazy today, so I'll just copy my post from the other thread ...

"Since 2004, we have made 4 "extended family" trips down to Disney with my father, sisters and their kids ... between 14 and 18 of us with hangers on. We have always stayed offsite at rental homes, and absolutely love that option. It works great for us. With 10 kids 10 and under, none of us want to be trapped in a hotel room all night with a bunch of screaming kids.

At a rental home in a nearby (5 minute drive) gated community, a couple families can split a 2500 - 3500 square foot house with 6 bedrooms, a large kitchen and dining room, game room, private pool and 4 bathrooms for about $60 - 80 per night for each family. I figure that's about a $350 savings per night over a decent (and much smaller) suite on property. Since we're staying between 11 and 15 days on an average trip, that's nearly $4000 savings each trip. Even with $400 spent on a rental car, that's a hell of a bargain. Factor in the savings on being able to stock your own snacks and drinks for the trip, and it's substantial.

In addition to the cost savings, we also enjoy that arrangement more. It's nice to get away from the parks from time to time, especially since we always get stuck having to go in July. Retreating to a private home with the young ones is a nice break, and helps ratchet down the overstimulation. Plus it's nice being able to wrap up the day with an adult swim and some adult beverages by the pool while the little ones are sleeping.

As far as those people who believe access to the bus systems is a "plus", I just don't get that. I walk out the door of the airport, grab a car in 5 minutes, and am walking through the gates of a park an hour later. It's never taken me more than 15 minutes to get anywhere in the parks from the houses we rent, and I'd much rather spend that 15 minutes in a quiet, air conditioned car than a crowded, sweaty, stinky bus. That's just my opinion of course, and to each their own."​

I'm glad to see so many others enjoy staying offsite as much as we do. I was beginning to think I was alone in the world.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

We stayed at Pop for our first trip with our kids in 2006. We found the room to be awfully small for the four of us and the double beds were barely workable. The bathroom area was small and I had to rig up a cheap shower curtain for privacy when I was changing. Our boys were 8 and 11 at the time. We're going back in 2013 when the boys will be 18 and almost 15. There's no way we could do a room with two beds and only one TV! We'll also be bringing my sister on our next trip and she tends to spend a long time in the bathroom in the mornings. A 2-bedroom villa onsite, even with renting points, would cost a small fortune that we're not willing to pay.

I've been researching offsite options and can't believe what we can get for under $150 a night. I have plenty of time to make a decision, but I'm leaning toward Windsor Hills, Worldquest, Floridays and Blue Heron. I love the idea of packing for half of the trip and tossing clothes in the washer every night. After spending hours in the Pop laundry room one hot, crowded night, I'm looking forward to my own washer and dryer! I also like that everyone can have their own TV and most places have free internet. We don't like the buses and would rent a car anyway so I don't consider it an added expense. I'm enjoying doing the research right now and can't wait to start booking our offsite trip!