Why stay on property?

[Farro]

Annual Pass is around $300-$350.

What does that have to do with staying onsite? We only go to Disney every few years, certainly not buying annual passes...

 

[Farro]

The value hotels are cheaper at Universal. The deluxe are slightly less BUT you get the free express pass with those 3 hotels which is a huge benefit. You also get the extra hour or so in the parks.

Express pass sounds nice. Maybe Disney should work that into the deluxe's somehow...

If I ever do a Universal trip, I will definitely stay on-site.

 

[Disneylover99]

I don't know, is Universal really that much cheaper? It would cost more for my dates to stay at Royal Pacific than to stay at Gran Destino.

When I first started staying at the deluxe Universal hotels about 6 or 7 years ago, I found them to be pricier (for my dates) then the Disney deluxe resorts, but you did get express pass which added some worth.

Now I find the deluxe universal prices similar to a moderate or less expensive Disney deluxe hotel. Plus you get the express pass. I find the Universal resort prices have not skyrocketed like Disney’s resorts have in the past few years,

 

[DeutscherDon]

I agree with a lot of the people on this subject. This is a passionate question because if you’ve stayed in the Disney bubble there are Just experiences that you don’t have at the Hilton. Better prices, sure but better time we don’t think so. There is a secure feeling for my family, (no need to worry about those people loitering about the hotel), we know there are great places to eat, (over 200 restaurants for every type of appetite), Even just walking around on property can be magical In itself, (The boardwalk, ft. wilderness and the lodge area and the disney resorts make that happen. I do my due diligence and look for great deals on resorts, find the best possible deal for what we want to experience and book it. We met a family at the resort pool with two children, they come and stay at the resort without going to the parks just for the magic they get from their surroundings, the theme Of the hotel, the employees, disney Springs, just for that feeling you get that takes you back to your own childhood memories. We really enjoyed that explanation or reason to vacation in the bubble because it kind of explains some of what we feel about being there. Where else can you go where you feel like you a carefree child again?

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Location, location, location.

 

[Lashed34]

I agree with a lot of the people on this subject. This is a passionate question because if you’ve stayed in the Disney bubble there are Just experiences that you don’t have at the Hilton. Better prices, sure but better time we don’t think so. There is a secure feeling for my family, (no need to worry about those people loitering about the hotel), we know there are great places to eat, (over 200 restaurants for every type of appetite), Even just walking around on property can be magical In itself, (The boardwalk, ft. wilderness and the lodge area and the disney resorts make that happen. I do my due diligence and look for great deals on resorts, find the best possible deal for what we want to experience and book it. We met a family at the resort pool with two children, they come and stay at the resort without going to the parks just for the magic they get from their surroundings, the theme Of the hotel, the employees, disney Springs, just for that feeling you get that takes you back to your own childhood memories. We really enjoyed that explanation or reason to vacation in the bubble because it kind of explains some of what we feel about being there. Where else can you go where you feel like you a carefree child again?

Very true. Peace of mind in the Disney bubble is priceless.

 

[WorldOfPooh]

Location, location, location.

$, $, $

 

[WEDWDW]

We are and will always be "Bubble People".

Staying in a Disney Resort is as big a part of the experience as the Parks for us.

Staying at Pop Century now and walking out of the room and across the incredibly beautiful landscaped grounds and then hopping on a Gondola and flying over to Hollywood Studios is AMAZING!

Mickey LOVES us!lol

 

[Ricguz]

Why stay on property? It’s simple for me, it’s still the magic of Disney. Will I miss magical express, maybe, but I will just hire a limo and get back and forth. Do I need a car? No, I have done that before. The traffic on I-4 during the day, forget that. I will just get into my little dreamworld and enjoy what Disney has to offer, but after the pandemic and when everything is open with no restrictions!

 

[MudQueen22]

I have always stayed on site. We are value people, with the exception of the Fort Wilderness Campground.

We have decided that, since we do not spend much time at the resort, we would prefer to spend less on the room to be able to afford additional park days and the dining experiences. (YMMV)

With the cuts to services and ever-increasing WDW resort prices, I have started to price hotels (and campgrounds) in the area. How are some of you getting significantly lower rates for off-site hotels? It seems to me that they are nearly as much as the WDW resort value hotels when you add in the resort fee + parking fee. One reviewer noted that their family vehicle had been broken into at an off-site resort. I've never had that happen at WDW. (Not to say it never has, but it has me wondering if WDW has better security.)

To those of you staying off-site and keeping a tighter budget, how are you making it work?

 

[WorldOfPooh]

I have always stayed on site. We are value people, with the exception of the Fort Wilderness Campground.

We have decided that, since we do not spend much time at the resort, we would prefer to spend less on the room to be able to afford additional park days and the dining experiences. (YMMV)

With the cuts to services and ever-increasing WDW resort prices, I have started to price hotels (and campgrounds) in the area. How are some of you getting significantly lower rates for off-site hotels? It seems to me that they are nearly as much as the WDW resort value hotels when you add in the resort fee + parking fee. One reviewer noted that their family vehicle had been broken into at an off-site resort. I've never had that happen at WDW. (Not to say it never has, but it has me wondering if WDW has better security.)

To those of you staying off-site and keeping a tighter budget, how are you making it work?

Quality Inn at the Parks is around $60-$85. Free parking and 3 minutes from Animal Kingdom.

Rosen Lake Buena Vista is a 7 min drive from Disney Springs and has a security gate into their parking lot.
$50-$65 a night. free parking.

Those are normal time prices.

Right now, COVID prices you can get Embassy Suites I drive for $64, Hilton Garden Inn for $53 during weekdays.

*Cars have been broken into at the Disney Resorts as well. I do feel it is more secure but they still do get broken into.

 

[DVCSunDevil]

$, $, $

This is exactly what we have been saying on this thread. For some, it only comes down to $. They can't see past the dollars and cents. And that's fine. To each his own. But for others, the added money is worth it because it is buying something: location, convenience, magic. Of course staying on property is more expensive...why wouldn't it be? A house on the beach in Malibu is more expensive than a house inland in Malibu. Some people will only fixate on the price of the house and ask "why live on the beach when you can live inland for less money? You can just drive to the beach and save by living a few miles away from the beach". Those people don't understand how anyone would see benefits that justify the price to live on the beach. Again, we are all different. Many of us would rather pay a little more to stay on property at WDW and stay immersed in the WDW experience than commute to WDW from an offsite hotel.

 

[WorldOfPooh]

This is exactly what we have been saying on this thread. For some, it only comes down to $. They can't see past the dollars and cents. And that's fine. To each his own. But for others, the added money is worth it because it is buying something: location, convenience, magic. Of course staying on property is more expensive...why wouldn't it be? A house on the beach in Malibu is more expensive than a house inland in Malibu. Some people will only fixate on the price of the house and ask "why live on the beach when you can live inland for less money? You can just drive to the beach and save by living a few miles away from the beach". Those people don't understand how anyone would see benefits that justify the price to live on the beach. Again, we are all different. Many of us would rather pay a little more to stay on property at WDW and stay immersed in the WDW experience than commute to WDW from an offsite hotel.

It's not even about paying more. Some people just have less money.

 

[MudQueen22]

Quality Inn at the Parks is around $60-$85. Free parking and 3 minutes from Animal Kingdom.

Rosen Lake Buena Vista is a 7 min drive from Disney Springs and has a security gate into their parking lot.
$50-$65 a night. free parking.

Those are normal time prices.

Right now, COVID prices you can get Embassy Suites I drive for $64, Hilton Garden Inn for $53 during weekdays.

*Cars have been broken into at the Disney Resorts as well. I do feel it is more secure but they still do get broken into.

Thank you! That is so helpful! Yes, that is significantly less than resort prices.

 

[Mazz519]

Unfortunately it doesn't seem worth it to stay onsite anymore.... Being a DVC owner this is upsetting... I personally will always stay on site, but there seems to be fewer and fewer reasons too. Plus they just keep raising prices and taking away stuff.... Parks don't even mean much to us anymore... Sad

 

[Blondie58]

We are happy to have three trips planned while ME is still running. (That is if they bring AP back!! Otherwise, we will cancel one trip and maybe even shorten days of others.) After ME cancellation we may reassess onsite resort stays. A car rental for a week would almost be covered by the cost of transportation from MCO to WDW. No parking charges off-site. Concierge services off-site are half the price of Disney. A car and staying off property would also promote visiting other points of interest outside the Disney bubble. We were ready to buy additional DVC points so instead of split stays resort/DVC we could be all DVC, now we have put this purchase on hold. All the changes may dilute the value of DVC. All the changes may impact our frequent trips south to WDW. For sure no AP would be our last straw. No ME is bad enough. I realize others may not miss or be concerned but that was a perk we loved. Extra Magic Hours mean nothing to us but I appreciate that others loved this.

 

[WorldOfPooh]

Thank you! That is so helpful! Yes, that is significantly less than resort prices.

My preference is the Lake Buena Vista area. Easy car drive or you can use the $2 lynx bus ($16 for a week pass) which goes to Disney Springs and Disney Transportation Center around 40 times a day.

The Homewood suites there is around $67-$75 right now with free breakfast and parking.
Rosen Inn is around $55 (but no longer a Choice member hotel).
The Embassy Suites in Lake Buena Vista does have a $20 resort fee (which just means a bus that goes to Disney twice a day) The Embassy Suites on I drive have no resort fee but there is a $13 or so fee for parking.


I've found the Hilton brand hotels are signifcantly cheaper during COVID than what they are usually priced at while the Choice Hotels (Comfort, Quality, Clarion) are only slightly cheaper (since they were cheap to begin with)

 

[DVCSunDevil]

It's not even about paying more. Some people just have less money.

Yes, I know that. Using my example, I don't have near enough money to buy a house on the beach in Malibu. But I completely understand why people would buy the house on the beach. I get that many people don't have the money to stay onsite, but for those people to condemn those that do stay onsite just seems argumentative, disingenuous, and hypocritical. I mean, if it's just a question of money, then those who couldn't afford to stay onsite would do so if they had the money. So then why make is sound like those who choose to stay on site are suckers for doing so?

 

[rotlex]

I agree that you are losing perks every year for staying on property. But, at least for us, these are still the most important reasons we do and will for now:
- Never leaving the Disney bubble.
- The resorts are unique and themed. Great pools, lobby's and restaurants, not to mention transportation via Monorail, boat or bus.
- Location, location, location.
- Location, bubble, location, bubble

Honestly, we priced up this years trip at one or two of the Disney Springs area hotels. They start in the $150-170 range, but buy the time you add taxes, resort fees, parking fees etc., you may as well just stay at a Disney moderate.

 

[SaintsManiac]

There are alot of places that have free parking. The Homewood Suites properties at Sea World and Lake Buena Vista. Quality in at the Parks on West Irlo. Hampton Inn and Hilton Garden Inns., etc, etc.

I have no desire to stay at any of those.