Why should I stay onsite?

[Zeph79]

I see almost ZERO perks to staying on site as someone who drives down from Georgia. The only thing is that I get in 30 minutes earlier than everyone else? First of all....how are they even gonna regulate that? Have a "resort guest only" line? Even so, are they gonna open the parking lot gate 30 mins sooner for resort guests? It takes that "30 extra minutes" to get from the parking lot to the gate at MK easily.... its gonna take those 30 minutes just to scan the resort guests into the park. I don't need disney transportation since I'm driving. So I'm really considering dropping my resort booking and staying offsite. A fraction of the price and I don't get gouged for parking at the hotel. Am I missing something here?

 

[kylenne]

The only thing is that I get in 30 minutes earlier than everyone else? First of all....how are they even gonna regulate that?

The exact same way they handled morning EMH, your resort info is available by scanning your magic band (or now your magic mobile device of choice), or iirc room key in the case of Swolphin guests. Everyone who’s not eligible gets held at the tapstiles.

 

[StageTek]

I see almost ZERO perks to staying on site as someone who drives down from Georgia. The only thing is that I get in 30 minutes earlier than everyone else? First of all....how are they even gonna regulate that? Have a "resort guest only" line? Even so, are they gonna open the parking lot gate 30 mins sooner for resort guests? It takes that "30 extra minutes" to get from the parking lot to the gate at MK easily.... its gonna take those 30 minutes just to scan the resort guests into the park. I don't need disney transportation since I'm driving. So I'm really considering dropping my resort booking and staying offsite. A fraction of the price and I don't get gouged for parking at the hotel. Am I missing something here?

You aren't missing anything. Staying on site is not for you. Drop your resort and stay off site. You can get a much better hotel room for less.

 

[Klismania]

You aren't missing anything. Staying on site is not for you. Drop your resort and stay off site. You can get a much better hotel room for less.

Agreed. Zeph79 would be happier staying off site.

 

[Jennasis]

Have you ever been to Disney before? It's the same as EMH ever was, just with a shorter time.

 

[HopperFan]

For many there is no perk to staying on property. After about 150 onsite stays, we have been all offsite last few years. The only perk we really miss are EMH and they have dwindled.

BUT if someone is not going to have a car then I say stay on property. If they are a group who might split up, some retire early, some sleep late, only some need mid day breaks ... unless they have several cars I say stay on property.

AND for some there is a bubble they don't want to leave. I get it, we used to have that same feeling. Once we drove off to meet family for dinner and as soon as we left property the kids started to cry.

But as far as PERKS, most just don't hold up anymore. It is just personal preference for what works for you.

 

[JenBush]

They will scan room keys/magic bands when they start the 30 minute early entry, but honestly 30 extra minutes doesn’t really seem worth how much room prices have gone up recently. Stay offsite, put the extra money towards a dining experience, building a lightsaber, or some other fun thing

 

[ChanaC]

The only advantage I see these days is the location to the parks. If you're at the Contemporary it's nice to be just a 10 minute walk away to the Magic Kingdom. However, even that's not a huge advantage all of the time since any hotel that's close to one park is naturally really far away from the other parks. Like you still have a 15 minute drive from Contemporary to Animal Kingdom. And at that point, I guess you might as well stay anywhere in the general area. I'm looking at staying in Flamingo Crossings for a soon-ish trip and it's about a 15 minute drive to all of the parks, which isn't that different from some of the places on property. No matter what, you have to get in car or bus to get pretty much anywhere.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

With Magic Express and FP+ 60 day advantage gone, so are my days of staying onsite. I could book luxury accommodations elsewhere for the price of a WDW moderate and roll the savings into paying for Genie+ and 2 individual up charge rides per park. I’ve had 30 minutes of regular EMH eaten by one magic band not working and having to wait in the guest service line to enter. Certainly wouldn’t pay onsite prices for that benefit. And making onsite guests wake up early to book their first Genie wish is really salt in the wound. One of the best things about FP+ was getting to sleep in, spend the morning in the pool, then roll into a park in the afternoon knowing you at least had 3 FP+ already booked. Some of us so-called power planners actually do like to relax when on vacation. And I’m already feeling pity for parents of teenagers, attempting to wake their kids up for rope drop so they can maximize how many lightning passes they get for their $15. At least legacy paper fastpass was free. If you snoozed, you only lost time not money too.

 

[RoyandWalt]

We always stay at Reunion Resort, just 10-15 minutes away. 3 bed, 2 or 3 bath, full kitchen, washer and dryer, usually $1200 to $1500 for 7 nights, depending on the season.

 

[mousefan73]

The question is what Disney Resort are you comparing to Off-site. Some advantages due to location ( BC Walk to EP, CR walk to MK) and many do offer a uniqure theming experience. I love POR for the gardens and river walkways. WL is beatiful etc.. Many onsite resorts are much nicer than the Marriott Courtyard /Super 8 concrete blocks off I4.

Where the onsite value for me totally diminishes are the values


But honetsly unless you are NOT able to have a car IMO and are totally dependent on buses, I do wonder what is the point seriously of staying at the All Stars.. You get a cheap motel feeling with Zero ( I count 30 min early entrance a joke) benefits besides being in the disney bubble. Pop/AoA do offer some unique experiences, skyliner, some theming. but the rooms itself is nothing special and small.


For me we usually do split between value and Delux. This year we are doing split between PoP and then heading over to Portofino at US. This will most likely be our last year staying at any Disney value hotel. You are looking at 150 at least a night now.. with a great deal.. So let's say average almost 200 a night.. for that I can get a much nicer place off site.

in doing my math.. Staying off-site you need to calculate about 75-90 for rental, park parking fees. For us we rent a car for most days anyways as we like to go shopping, grocery etc.. And some parks we drive to. So by staying on-site we only save the theme park parking. Also many cheap motels/hotels have free parking so that 15 saved can go towards theme park parking.

Back in the day it was actually cheaper staying onsite at the values if you added in DME savings, and lack of rental savings. not anymore.

IF we come back again ( cant believe I wrote that). We will most likely for cost savings. Stay offsite and slum it for 3 nights, rent a car, shop etc.., drop car off, then check into a Delux and used the 100s we saved towards those nights.. Not sure if others think this way, but I would be curious to see of the average on-site guest time decreases vs other years. Expecially with Genie etc.. maybe families decide to spent more for shorter on-site trips and go elsewhere. I loved having a theme park break days, while on-site, to relax, swim and shop. Now IF we come back we need to do experiences in blocks.. so maybe land at MCO , rental to cheap hotel, relax,, shop, Disney Springs, due AK/HS days as those for me are better with a car. and then check in for a couple nights on-site for skyliner and MK/EP.

 

[MMSM]

We love Poly and will be going a couple days next April. Then we move off site where 4 nights gets me 3 bedrooms for the same price as one night at the Poly. For me, it was always the 60 days advance selection on fast pass that made me feel unique. There literally is no benefit to staying on site unless you love the resort for the resort itself. I agree with previous poster. Why would anyone pay the rates for the value rooms (again much better off site) if there are no benefits? There are plenty of off site places w Disney themed rooms.

 

[Nabas]

With the new Genie system unveiled, onsite Guests have the “privilege” of purchasing their tier 1 attractions at 7 am. Offsite Guests cannot purchase these until the park opens.

This means that, for example, if you are unable to get a Rise of the Resistance Boarding Group at 7 am, you and your family of 4 will have the “privilege” of paying perhaps $96 (I.e. $24 per person) to buy a Boarding Group. (Official price has not yet been announced - $24 is what several have speculated for ROTR.)

 

[igrsod]

Honestly, gone are the days of magic and perks for staying onsite. My kids used to love coming back to the room to find their toys in funny scenarios and towel art... GONE.
We used to love taking ME coming off the plane, no need to grab luggage... watch the Disney show with Stacy and Gus on the bus and get excited to arrive... GONE.
EMH, that were plentiful and useful... GONE.
Planning FP 60 days in advance so that we didn't feel the need to go Commando/ get up at the crack of dawn if we didn't want to.... GONE.
Swimming at the pool late into the evening... GONE.

There's probably more... but you get the idea. I'm really disheartened at the trend I'm seeing under the current leadership. I feel like when the imagineering story continues episodes including this era... it's going to be dark.

 

[MMSM]

Honestly, gone are the days of magic and perks for staying onsite. My kids used to love coming back to the room to find their toys in funny scenarios and towel art... GONE.
We used to love taking ME coming off the plane, no need to grab luggage... watch the Disney show with Stacy and Gus on the bus and get excited to arrive... GONE.
EMH, that were plentiful and useful... GONE.
Planning FP 60 days in advance so that we didn't feel the need to go Commando/ get up at the crack of dawn if we didn't want to.... GONE.
Swimming at the pool late into the evening... GONE.

There's probably more... but you get the idea. I'm really disheartened at the trend I'm seeing under the current leadership. I feel like when the imagineering story continues episodes including this era... it's going to be dark.

Why can’t you swim late in evening? Did they change rules about pools?

 

[igrsod]

Why can’t you swim late in evening? Did they change rules about pools?

Most pools are fenced in and locked... very early I might add. Last time we stayed at Beach Club... we could never get to use the pool as were at the parks til close and the pool closed before parks closed.

 

[skywaywaver]

We love Poly and will be going a couple days next April. Then we move off site where 4 nights gets me 3 bedrooms for the same price as one night at the Poly. For me, it was always the 60 days advance selection on fast pass that made me feel unique. There literally is no benefit to staying on site unless you love the resort for the resort itself. I agree with previous poster. Why would anyone pay the rates for the value rooms (again much better off site) if there are no benefits? There are plenty of off site places w Disney themed rooms.

The last trip we had, we were totally off-site. We have reservations for next August for All Star Music family suite...2 parents and 3 kids. We were going to tack on 2 nights at Poly (maybe club) and I was hoping to upgrade to Old Key West or Saratoga Springs, depending on our finances and available discounts for cash stays. Now, I really can't justify cramming all of us into 2 rooms without a full kitchen when I can get a full house off-site for about the same. I know, we'll all be crammed into 1 room at Poly, but that's our splurge and only for 2 nights. Meanwhile, we're also planning on a night at Royal Pacific to do 2 days at Universal. Again, tight quarters but I get the Express Unlimited.
So, I get it. I don't begrudge anyone for staying on site, as I'm sure we will in the future, but not for now.

 

[Disneyfan754321]

When Disney was our big trip that we saved and saved for my kids loved ASM for the theaming.. it really made our trip that much better coming back to a room with Buzz lightyear right outside our door. Now that we go all the time it's not as a big deal.
When we stay off site and pay parking at the hotel and parking at the parks each day adds to the expense. If you are flying in the one trip cost to and from the airport is still way cheaper than renting a car.

 

[Romans]

Unless we can get a really good DVC rental deal we stay offsite since we drive down. Save so much money and I honestly feel like we get where we want to go sooner since the busses the last few times we used them were always late.

Lately we have been staying at the hotels on Flamingo Crossings its right outside of the welcome to disney sign and they have all been nice stays and only a 10-15min drive to each park. I would check them out.

 

[JM_97]

Yeah I've been going back and forth between Coronado and Swan/Dolphin for a while