Will I hate this??

[Stefani P.]

When my kids were little, we went to Disney 3 times. Never stayed on property for financial reasons.
Fast forward to 2016. 16 and 21 yr old children. We stayed our first time on property and I said we would never stay off again. Another trip this year on property. Loved.
Now, one daughter now has a child, both are in long term relationships but I would LOVE all of us to go together next fall. Financially I don't think I can swing on property. I would be footing entire bill for the stay and my kids, who are adults but still young and not a lot of excess income, would pay for their tickets.
So...staying off property in a house would save me thousands.
Will the inconvenience of driving daily kill the magic?? Am I just spoiled now??
With a 1.5 yr old in tow it will stink having to drive back and forth instead of hopping on Disney bus back to resort if she needs a nap.
Thoughts??

 

[Tiggerlover91]

When my kids were little, we went to Disney 3 times. Never stayed on property for financial reasons.
Fast forward to 2016. 16 and 21 yr old children. We stayed our first time on property and I said we would never stay off again. Another trip this year on property. Loved.
Now, one daughter now has a child, both are in long term relationships but I would LOVE all of us to go together next fall. Financially I don't think I can swing on property. I would be footing entire bill for the stay and my kids, who are adults but still young and not a lot of excess income, would pay for their tickets.
So...staying off property in a house would save me thousands.
Will the inconvenience of driving daily kill the magic?? Am I just spoiled now??
With a 1.5 yr old in tow it will stink having to drive back and forth instead of hopping on Disney bus back to resort if she needs a nap.
Thoughts??

You really have to decide what works best for you financially. Even though I stay on resort, I still drive to the parks. I like the convenience of leaving when I want to and not having to depend on the buses. However, that is one of the best experiences about Disney, the transportation! I might do the buses on one of our days so my son can experience it!
If you're footing the whole bill on where to stay, and even the All-Stars seem out of reach, you may have to do the house you spoke of. Trip needs to be enjoyed by everyone, so maybe talk to your family and see! With a little one, naps are in important. However, don't forget the stroller! I've seen many little ones out cold sleeping in one at Disney! How many rooms would you need and for how long?

 

[Stefani P.]

You really have to decide what works best for you financially. Even though I stay on resort, I still drive to the parks. I like the convenience of leaving when I want to and not having to depend on the buses. However, that is one of the best experiences about Disney, the transportation! I might do the buses on one of our days so my son can experience it!
If you're footing the whole bill on where to stay, and even the All-Stars seem out of reach, you may have to do the house you spoke of. Trip needs to be enjoyed by everyone, so maybe talk to your family and see! With a little one, naps are in important. However, don't forget the stroller! I've seen many little ones out cold sleeping in one at Disney! How many rooms would you need and for how long?

With 5 adults and 1 child it would require at least 2 resort rooms. And I prefer AoA or moderates.
I could get a 3-4 bedroom house cheaper, by thousands.
I would love the perks of our own bedrooms, a kitchen with full fridge.
I think the convenience and magic of a Disney resort I will miss.

 

[QueenIsabella]

With one that little, I would think the conveniences of an off-site house would far outweigh those of on-site. You could always split up and have adults uber back later, if the little one tires out. You'll save a ton on food, as well as having room to spread out. Some of the rental houses even have playrooms with toddler toys. And they all have pools, which are likely to be a highlight for the child.

 

[Tiggerlover91]

With 5 adults and 1 child it would require at least 2 resort rooms. And I prefer AoA or moderates.
I could get a 3-4 bedroom house cheaper, by thousands.
I would love the perks of our own bedrooms, a kitchen with full fridge.
I think the convenience and magic of a Disney resort I will miss.

It sounds like you've got it all worked out. Please go with the house off resort. You can catch the Disney magic by other means for sure!

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Growing up we always stayed offsite in a cheap hotel.
In 2006 I got my first taste of onsite and loved it. Stayed onsite 13 more times after that and then in April 2017 stayed offsite in a house and while it was ok I didn't feel like I was in the bubble and the drive there sucked because I was worrying about getting to RD on time and the way back sucked because it was late and we were tired.
I've stayed onsite another 3 times soon to be 4.
If I needed to stay offsite again I would and I would enjoy myself but there's nothing quite like onsite.
Perhaps the kids could help out just a little more than tickets if you feel that staying onsite would be better for you.

 

[dmband]

With one that little, I would think the conveniences of an off-site house would far outweigh those of on-site. You could always split up and have adults uber back later, if the little one tires out. You'll save a ton on food, as well as having room to spread out. Some of the rental houses even have playrooms with toddler toys. And they all have pools, which are likely to be a highlight for the child.

With all due respect I 100% disagree on the conveniences
I feel the ease of Disney transportation would be well worth it. In particular if you forget something the child will need.
The cost difference will be much less when factoring in rental car, parking, Uber's for when splitting up.
Plus for me, I don't want to clean a house rental on vacation so having housekeeping is worth something too

 

[Stefani P.]

With one that little, I would think the conveniences of an off-site house would far outweigh those of on-site. You could always split up and have adults uber back later, if the little one tires out. You'll save a ton on food, as well as having room to spread out. Some of the rental houses even have playrooms with toddler toys. And they all have pools, which are likely to be a highlight for the child.

You are right!! I shouldn't second guess things, just go and enjoy!

 

[Stefani P.]

With all due respect I 100% disagree on the conveniences
I feel the ease of Disney transportation would be well worth it. In particular if you forget something the child will need.
The cost difference will be much less when factoring in rental car, parking, Uber's for when splitting up.
Plus for me, I don't want to clean a house rental on vacation so having housekeeping is worth something too

I thought of the extra costs. We will drive there, so no car rental but definitely parking costs and some Ubers to factor in!!
The homes I have looked vs 2 rooms at a value/moderate resort (no more than $300 per night per room) would save me nearly $2500 for 6 nights . Add in the savings of not flying and financially it is a big win.
But...i do worry about the loss of hopping on a bus to resort and the wonderful Disney feel at most resorts !

 

[Beth33]

I think that you're the only one who can really answer that question. For some people, it would be a deal breaker. For others, it wouldn't be a big deal. I've heard people say that that prefer staying offsite, as they can really spread out and have a private space of their own, they can enjoy the use of a full kitchen, they feel more free to eat at a variety of restaurants and do side trips, etc. I know that when my kids were babies it made a *world* of difference for them to have their own space for sleeping. I enjoyed our vacations when they had their own room. I endured the vacations when we were all in the same hotel room and no one really slept. (We still enjoyed parts of the latter, but the sleep struggles really took away from otherwise fun trips.) If I was trying to cut back on the cost of a WDW vacation, especially with a baby, I'd definitely consider staying offsite.

Let's look at what you lose when you stay offsite. You lose 30 days of FP booking time, so you may not be able to get high demand FP like FOP and SDD. You won't be able to do EMH. You won't be able to use the Disney transportation to get to the parks and back to the room. You gain a lot, though: money, privacy, a kitchen, and transportation that you don't have to wait at a bus/train stop for. (Well, except at MK, where you have to get to the TTC.) There is a lot to be said for the upside of offsite.

If you do stay offsite, I think it'd be great to embrace the trip for what it is. Enjoy the fact that you have a quiet non-Disney space that you can retreat to and recharge. Watch people sweating at bus stops for 30 minutes and appreciate your air conditioned car. Relish the way you can leave your stuff around the house without worrying about housekeeping coming by. If you think you'd spend the trip feeling like you're missing out, it's not worth it, you know? Even offsite, a trip to WDW costs a pretty penny!

If you are really worried about not enjoying the trip if you don't stay onsite, there are several ways to try to save money on lodging. Have you looked into renting DVC points? It's riskier than renting a room through Disney, but worth considering. (Note: It's a big learning curve and important to really understand how it works and how to avoid being scammed. On the upside, you may be able to stay at a deluxe for less than a moderate, depending on where you're looking. AKL, OKW, and SSR tend to be the least expensive. If you want to learn more, I'd start here and here.) Have you checked out the deals available through Magical Vacations Travel? Because of the way that they get their rooms from Disney, they tend to have some of the best deals on rooms.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[Stefani P.]

I think that you're the only one who can really answer that question. For some people, it would be a deal breaker. For others, it wouldn't be a big deal. I've heard people say that that prefer staying offsite, as they can really spread out and have a private space of their own, they can enjoy the use of a full kitchen, they feel more free to eat at a variety of restaurants and do side trips, etc. I know that when my kids were babies it made a *world* of difference for them to have their own space for sleeping. I enjoyed our vacations when they had their own room. I endured the vacations when we were all in the same hotel room and no one really slept. (We still enjoyed parts of the latter, but the sleep struggles really took away from otherwise fun trips.) If I was trying to cut back on the cost of a WDW vacation, especially with a baby, I'd definitely consider staying offsite.

Let's look at what you lose when you stay offsite. You lose 30 days of FP booking time, so you may not be able to get high demand FP like FOP and SDD. You won't be able to do EMH. You won't be able to use the Disney transportation to get to the parks and back to the room. You gain a lot, though: money, privacy, a kitchen, and transportation that you don't have to wait at a bus/train stop for. (Well, except at MK, where you have to get to the TTC.) There is a lot to be said for the upside of offsite.

If you do stay offsite, I think it'd be great to embrace the trip for what it is. Enjoy the fact that you have a quiet non-Disney space that you can retreat to and recharge. Watch people sweating at bus stops for 30 minutes and appreciate your air conditioned car. Relish the way you can leave your stuff around the house without worrying about housekeeping coming by. If you think you'd spend the trip feeling like you're missing out, it's not worth it, you know? Even offsite, a trip to WDW costs a pretty penny!

If you are really worried about not enjoying the trip if you don't stay onsite, there are several ways to try to save money on lodging. Have you looked into renting DVC points? It's riskier than renting a room through Disney, but worth considering. (Note: It's a big learning curve and important to really understand how it works and how to avoid being scammed. On the upside, you may be able to stay at a deluxe for less than a moderate, depending on where you're looking. AKL, OKW, and SSR tend to be the least expensive. If you want to learn more, I'd start here and here.) Have you checked out the deals available through Magical Vacations Travel? Because of the way that they get their rooms from Disney, they tend to have some of the best deals on rooms.

Good luck with your decision!

Thank you for all of these tips!! I really appreciate it.

 

[stace1214]

Although I much prefer onsite, we took a large family trip a few years ago when my children were 4 and 1.5 and stayed off site. It was every bit as magical and fun as our onsite trips. We stayed at Bonnet Creek and it was so easy to drive. We went back each day for naps which made our evenings so much better. It was stressful with a big group at times, but the downtime at the hotel really helped. Having a kitchen and bigger space let us keep things "sort of normal" for the kids and everyone slept so much better not being crammed into a small hotel room.

 

[Klayfish]

Yes, this is very much a personal decision. For our family, it truly would be a total deal breaker to stay on property. We would never want to do it. In fact, we even tried to stay on property one night...for free. We had bonus points and booked a room at the Dolphin. We wound up packing up and going back to our rental house. We love the convenience of having a 3 or 4 bedroom house and all the things that come with it. Everyone gets their own bedroom, a full kitchen, 3 bathrooms, a family room to relax in, in house laundry, etc... I can't imagine being confined to a little hotel room for a week or more. It's fabulous to come back to our rental after a long day in the parks and be able to spread out and relax. The kids can go into their own rooms and have space/privacy. DW and I can sit on the couch and relax and watch TV. It's spectacular.

We also very much prefer to have our own car. Having to rely on a WDW bus would be a disaster. We like to go where we want, when we want. Having a car allows us to do that. Plus, no waiting at a bus stop and cramming into a bus with others.

But that's just how we see it. Plenty of people swear by onsite, and that's what works for them. If you're willing to try off site, go for it. If you don't like it, at least you can say you tried.

 

[dmband]

I thought of the extra costs. We will drive there, so no car rental but definitely parking costs and some Ubers to factor in!!
The homes I have looked vs 2 rooms at a value/moderate resort (no more than $300 per night per room) would save me nearly $2500 for 6 nights . Add in the savings of not flying and financially it is a big win.
But...i do worry about the loss of hopping on a bus to resort and the wonderful Disney feel at most resorts !

For that much money, I change my option and say stay off site because then you will know for sure the next time around and could put that money toward going back.

Heck you could always look into doing a split stay, stay a few days off site then finish the last couple on. That would really give you a feel between the two and see if you miss the magic as much as you think you might

 

[mjmgsssp]

Maybe renting dvc points would be an option.

 

[lambdabeta]

For a $2500 savings I think you should definitely stay offsite. The bus system at Disney is not always a convenience. Most of the time it is not more trouble than you going back to your car or taking an Uber to your offsite house if it is only a 15 min drive from Disney. Which most of these rentals are. You definitely would also save money on dining. Disney dining is way over priced. So add that to the $2500 you would be saving and it adds up. The hotel rooms are losing their Disney theming IMHO. So you won't be missing anything there. Even if you had to rent a car, pay for parking, Uber and pay someone to clean the house before you leave you would still be saving over $1500 than staying onsite.

I really don't think you will miss the Disney "magic" by staying offsite. IMHO the magic is in the parks anyway. I hope you enjoy your vacation!

 

[mjkacmom]

I have teens and young adults (15, 15, 17, 20 and 22), My three oldest are in relationships of over one year, I would be surprised if any of them were still with the same SO’s in a year (dd22 has had four relationships of over a year, one over two years). It could end up with just 4 of you, in which case onsite would be easier (and you are family, so it wouldn’t be weird, whereas I think couples should always have their own rooms IMHO).

 

[Michelle James]

When my kids were little, we went to Disney 3 times. Never stayed on property for financial reasons.
Fast forward to 2016. 16 and 21 yr old children. We stayed our first time on property and I said we would never stay off again. Another trip this year on property. Loved.
Now, one daughter now has a child, both are in long term relationships but I would LOVE all of us to go together next fall. Financially I don't think I can swing on property. I would be footing entire bill for the stay and my kids, who are adults but still young and not a lot of excess income, would pay for their tickets.
So...staying off property in a house would save me thousands.
Will the inconvenience of driving daily kill the magic?? Am I just spoiled now??
With a 1.5 yr old in tow it will stink having to drive back and forth instead of hopping on Disney bus back to resort if she needs a nap.
Thoughts??

If itsi 5 adults and a child under 3 yrs old, as another poster suggested (ie: you, children, their partners and grandchild), you might want to check out renting DVC points. You might find it comparable in price, especially when you factor in the costs of rental car/Uber, parking, etc. Smaller DVC units often list 5 as capacity but a child under 3 in a crib doesn't count.

 

[Stefani P.]

For that much money, I change my option and say stay off site because then you will know for sure the next time around and could put that money toward going back.

Heck you could always look into doing a split stay, stay a few days off site then finish the last couple on. That would really give you a feel between the two and see if you miss the magic as much as you think you might

I like the split stay idea!

 

[tinkerjo]

I can’t believe nobody has suggested Ft Wilderness!!! We did a cheaper version of vacation last winter and took down tents. Best Disney trip ever!!!! You can have 3 tents (or rent a camper/tents) and have a great time!!!! We will be doing this more often. You also get free parking if camping. Just an option to stay in the magic 24/7