Why stay on property when...

[mikesmom]

We have stayed offsite many times for the cost savings. One onsite trip ended that for us. It has nothing to do with the magic. For us it had to do with a vacation being a vacation. Offsite, we pretty much spent the whole day at Disney. anyone with us had to spend exactly the same hours whether short or long.

Several times we left the parks, intending to come back after a break - never happened. By the time you get to your car in the lot, manage to get off property and then deal with the Kissimmee or I-4 traffic ( complete with jams, construction, and heat) you are pretty much exhausted by the time you get to your offsite. We just never had the energy to reverse the process and go through all that again.

Onsite we get mid day breaks. If DH and I wanted a mid day break and DS (an older teen) was still raring to go, we let him go off on his own a bit and met back up later. If we wanted to hit the parks early and DS wanted to sleep in a bit, we let him.

the whole experience changed for us once we stayed onsite - never have stayed offsite again.

 

[ducklite]

These kind of posts confuse me. Why would you post a question about onsite vs. offsite on Disney Resorts and then get upset when people give their opinions on staying onsite? If you don't want an opinionated answer about a hot button topic, then don't ask.

I think he had an agenda. In his first post he gives a bunch of reasons to stay offsite and basically maligns those who "spend so much money staying onsite" then he comes back as if he was asking people to change his mind. I reread the OP, and there's no way he was looking for people to change his mind, he was berating people for not staying offsite. Something isn't right.

 

[chrismom2005]

i love this thread it reminds me of why i cant wait to stay onsite for the first time

 

[alldiz]

Sounds like someone has a house to rent
Kerri

 

[hsmamato2]

One of our main issues(dh and I ) at home is well.....driving! So in the past,we've done trips with and without rental cars,on and off property- but I have to say, i'd rather wait in line for a bus,and stay in my disney bubble, than have to 'discuss' with dh directions,getting lost,which crummy off site buffet is cheaper(he likes them-I don't) ,navigate crazy traffic(even in slow seasons)
staying on site gives us a ride to/from vacation,free transportation around the WDW world, we like the big pools, our kids enjoy hanging with other kids,etc.
No cars, no hassles, no ponderosa(yuck) for breakfast.....just don't tell my dh.....he doesn't know all the ......details.....
not to mention with a little homework, there are some good deals on property for all that peace of mind.....

 

[hsmamato2]

Disney is an experience like no other and the resorts are not simply a place to sleep, but an extension of the experience. To me, Disney is one of the few (if not the only place) where you can truly escape from the reality of daily life. Driving by tacky tourist shops, 7-11s, strip malls and Walmarts dimishes the vacation experience for me.

I agree 1000% !!!

 

[gwcollins71]

Three words...

toddler nap time

 

[hsmamato2]

No intervention necessary, me and my other "cult members" are very happy- thank you

Ohiodisneydad......I'm going out on a limb here,assuming you don't really mean to be obnoxious and insulting to people here....though that may be giving you too much credit....
See, the point is some people seem to like the whole'strip mall' type atmosphere of the Orlando/kissimmee area,some others of us don't. That's why it's worth more to us...not knocking anyone who wants to stay offsite,i've done it myself plenty of times,it's just not as much of a vacation that way for us. Face it, going to Disney isn't cheap,not b/c of hotel prices, you can get good bargains there, it's the park tix that break the bank!
so as long as we're going/paying anyway,we might as well do it well!

 

[TLSnell1981]

I think he had an agenda. In his first post he gives a bunch of reasons to stay offsite and basically maligns those who "spend so much money staying onsite" then he comes back as if he was asking people to change his mind. I reread the OP, and there's no way he was looking for people to change his mind, he was berating people for not staying offsite. Something isn't right.

Maybe his whole family wants to stay on property and he doesn't. He can't vent to them so he's blowing us out with both barrels. Poor guy!

 

[willis37862]

You guys crack me up! The only thing missing from the responses is being asked to buy a Watch Tower subscription - it sounds like a cult.

Yes, I've stayed on site and it's OK but my life would still have been complete with out it.

I guess I'll keep being the oddball who likes paying less and going more often. Let me know when the next intervention happens.

I was looking for some reasons to change my mind about staying onsite vs. offsite. Little did I know this was such touchy topic that would reduce people to childish remarks. Sorry I bothered.

WOW you are just a ray of sunshine aren't you ?!?!? I don't care where you stay but you asked a question and people took the time to answer you and then you start insulting them that's rude!!! I am glad you are staying off site it will mean less times I might run into you at Disney and ruin the magic.

 

[Brizite76]

The OP is just a troll... he needs to go back under his offsite bridge and stay there.

 

[daannzzz]

Going on a vacation and staying in a home is like staying at home. No matter if it is in Kissimee or Billings or Santa Fe. I like staying in a motel/hotel when I am on vacation. I don't want to go to WDW and then feel like I am staying with a relative in their home. I don't want a kitchen because I don't need to cook. My Aunt and Uncle and cousins geat a great deal on a home in Kissimee and they love it. My Mom was adamant about doing the same thing after she heard about it. She really wanted to save the money. We had stayed at Dixie Landings, The Wilderness Lodge and Yacht Club in the past and were planning on staying at the Animal Kingdom lodge but she wanted to try a home so I pulled the info up on the computer and started showing her the photos of the nice pool homes. After a while she said "I see what you mean" and we went with the AKL. MY sister says. "When I am on vacation I don't even want to see a kitchen"
There are many reasons for people to choose the kind of vacation they want to have and many reasons not to judge other people for what they choose. After all there are many, many, many people who go back to that same beach house year after year after year!!!!

 

[PolynesianPixie]

Exactly!!!! I've stayed in houses before and it is simply NOT a vacation! If I wanted to cook, I would have just stayed home!

I am a hotel fanatic~particularly a Disney resort fanatic! The CMs know how to treat a guest whether you stay value or deluxe, the restaraunts are wonderful and the unending magic is why I keep coming back!

 

[minnie61650]

I think he had an agenda. In his first post he gives a bunch of reasons to stay offsite and basically maligns those who "spend so much money staying onsite" then he comes back as if he was asking people to change his mind. I reread the OP, and there's no way he was looking for people to change his mind, he was berating people for not staying offsite. Something isn't right.

I agree.

 

[kileybeth]

again, giving the OP the benefit of the doubt, maybe his opinions are just that, HIS opinions. My Dh and I have stayed onsite 3 times now (offsite at least 10+times) and while I am totally hooked HE is not so much.

For me (female) it boils down to convenience and service and something different then what I deal with day in day out at home. Some of those things would be kitchens & meals, laundry and chores such as picking up towels/wiping down counters in bathrooms and straightening bed linens, running countless errends and toting things/kids in and out of cars, and I could go on and on.

Whereas my DH, just doesn't really do that stuff daily and for him it is just not as big a deal to have that kind of service (well maybe it is, but he gets that from me on a regular basis!) . Also, as a SAHM, staying on site is a huge deal for us money wise. I saved for nearly a year to be able to stay on site. My DH would rather decide once he has cash in pocket to take a trip and then pay and go and even better if it is a good deal financially. Not sure I am making any sense but in my mind it makes a differnce whose point of view you are looking at the debate through?

That said, we are heading back to FL hopefully in January but it will be a combined visiting family/other FL things/ and maybe a Disney day or two. It in no way compares in my mind to the 7nite/8day ME, POLY, Free DDP trip we had in September. Just like comparing apples/oranges. Which is how I see this debate every time I read it. Apples and Oranges, really no comparison but 2 nice fruits!

 

[NMW]

We would never stay off-site. We like being "in" Disney the entire time. We don't rent a car or ever plan to. We like using Disney transportaiton. We love the Deluxe dining plan and all of the Disney resturants.

I have frineds that stayed off-site 4 years ago and refuses to go back to Disney even though her kids want to. All of the reasons she gives for not wanting to go back ALL have to do with staying off-site. They HATED waiting in traffic, walking to their car. Having to drive all the way back to their hotel to swim in the afternoon. They also went in June and I'm sure it was very crowded.

I keep telling them that if they went again and stayed onsite at either an Epcot resort or a monorail one, it would be a totally different trip.

 

[LMO429]

Im a New Yorker and for me staying on site at WDW is about all the added convenience and amenities. It similiar to the reason why we live in Manhattan in a one bedroom apartment as opposed to living in NJ in a huge home for the same money with pay in rent once month. in one simple word convenience. We can walk to work in under 15 minutes instead of sitting in traffic for hours each way. Similar to the way if we stay at the Beach Club Villas we can walk to EPCOT.

someone mentioned having a nice dinner at signature restaurants and drinking and not having to worry about driving back your their hotel. It the same in manhattan restaurants are all within walking distance and you dont have to worry if you had one too many drinks and having to drive anywhere you just take a cab.

i guess it all comes down to a matter of your own personal choice.

 

[Rylee]

BTW...

It obvious to me that, you, (the OP) is seeking or content with a different type of vacation experience than those (including myself) who desire to stay on Disney property.

IMO, you are vacationing in Orlando, and visiting WDW. I am vacationing at Walt Disney World. For those who feel the magic, it is a totally different experience. WDW is a destination, all on it's own, and if it is my sole purpose for the trip, that's where I stay. If it weren't for WDW, I probably wouldn't have any desire to travel to Orlando. When we visit non-Disney parks, we stay oceanfront, and take day trips to the other parks.

My mother lives in Tampa, but when traveling to WDW, we always stay on-site.

 

[libinatorsmom]

Well our choice is 100% to stay ON SITE... and we are so excited that we cant wait the next 165 days until our vacation to WDW... now to us... this is all about vacation... I dont want to have to do the dishes or go to the grocery store... etc... I dont want to have to worry about cooking food... Driving and parking... I want to go and relax with my family... and have a REAL VACATION!!! To be in WDW from the moment we get off the plane until the moment we get back on... total release... total vacation... WE are going to be staying Dulx and making the scarfices finacially is worth every cent.... WE want to have the opportunity to try all the food we can (we have the dulx dining plan) - We want to be able to spend a day at the hotel and enjoy all the special things they offer....

Everyone has there own ideas of a vacation... this is our 1st family vaction ever... and actually the 1st vacation my husband and I have gone on... EVER... and we are making the most of it... everyone has there own ideas... you have years... we have ours... you asked WHY people gave you reason WHY there is no need to bash each other over thier opinions and suggestions...

 

[Missy1961]

Don't feed the troll.