Will staying offsite ruin my WDW vacation?

[ktink]

I haven't ever dreamed of staying offsite. We've only been to WDW twice and we love it. The thing is when we go to the beach for vacations we are spoiled by condos and beach homes. I would love to stay deluxe at WDW but the prices are killing me.

We enjoy staying onsite and having ME pick us up at the airport and relying only on WDW transportation. I'm sure the cost and nicer accomodations would be worth it in the long run, but can you convince me on staying offsite? TIA

 

[pepperw23]

We have done both. Staying off site seems to lose some of the magic.

 

[isla bonita]

I haven't ever dreamed of staying offsite. We've only been to WDW twice and we love it. The thing is when we go to the beach for vacations we are spoiled by condos and beach homes. I would love to stay deluxe at WDW but the prices are killing me.

We enjoy staying onsite and having ME pick us up at the airport and relying only on WDW transportation. I'm sure the cost and nicer accomodations would be worth it in the long run, but can you convince me on staying offsite? TIA

Staying off site is not for every one. Try it once and decide for yourself. I have done both and will never again will we stay in one room again but that is how we enjoy our vacations. I could not justify spending our hard earned $$ on deluxe suites.

YOu can only decide after you have done both. We enjoy Disney but also many other things in the area.

 

[Pakey]

If I had to choose between staying onsite and having to scrimp and budget or staying offsite and not worrying about it, I would choose offsite.

A vacation should be carefree in every way.

 

[aurora23]

It won't ruin your vacation. My first time at Disney was off site as a child and I didn't know the difference. We also stayed off site one year during spring break because the Disney hotels were booked. The advantages of staying off site are that you are more open to trying non-Disney restauraunts for dinner, you do not have to rely on Disney Transport, and (for us at least) are more easily able to go over to Universal. If you are planning on doing things outside of Disney, renting a car and staying off site might in the end be a better deal.

Since I am an adult now and get to dictate my own vacations, I stay on site because I mainly participate in Disney activities (only occasionally venturing out to places like DC, Seaworld, or Universal), the convenience, and for that "extra Disney magic." We rarely use extra magic hours so that is not a deciding factor for us, but if it is for you than Disney or the Hilton are the way to go. It really depends on what type of vacation you are planning, but it will certainly not ruin your vacation.

 

[ktink]

We have done both. Staying off site seems to lose some of the magic.

That's what I was afraid of. I like the idea of having our own pool with the vacation homes but not sure if that would be worth it.

DH is normally all about saving money but he said to go for WL, he'd rather do that than stay offsite.

 

[wayneg]

Everyone is different, only you will know what you like. For us its offsite everytime, stayed onsite once it was small, overpriced, overcrowded and very very basic. even had to pay for internet access (we go for 50-60days a year so its a big cost) would never use Disney transport again, but would never use puplic transport at home.
Offsite, more relaxed, cheaper, free internet, larger rooms, freedom of a car(although we would have car onsite).
We love Disney parks(and cruises) but after the park we like to eat and sleep away from Disney. We might try moderate or luxury onsite one day but love offsite so doubt it.

 

[MisunderstoodLilo]

I say try it. You never know. I don't think it would ruin your vacation, but it would definatley give it a different feel.

There are so many goregous resorts in the area. I'm also a huge Marriott fan. I'd love to try one, but I can't bring myself to stay outside the Disney Bubble. I do go off property a lot to eat and stuff, but always come right back.

 

[4Seasons]

It will honestly only ruin it if you let yourself believe it will.

I book alot of clients to Disney, with about 80% offsite condos and 20% onsite properties.
The overall satisfaction rating I've experienced from my clients is higher when staying offsite, hands down.

It's not for everyone, but most people will be pleased (maybe even blown away.....especially for what you can get for less money!).

I say try it once and go into it with an open mind.....you may very well be pleasantly surprised!

 

[A&CsMom]

We enjoy staying offsite, but then again I've never stayed onsite. Maybe a good middle ground to try things out would be to do a split stay, half or a little over half of your vacation at WL and the other part offsite. Personally, offsite to us, because we have children, means a condo, townhome or home because it's all about everyone having their own room. We just decided to fly instead of drive in Feb., so we needed an extra night and have booked Pop Century. I'm sure we'll enjoy it for what it is, but could not handle it well for a week straight. We will be glad to get to our townhome for the rest of the week. I would say the best of both worlds would be to rent points from a DVC owner, which is something we are considering in the future.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

We've done both and prefer offsite. There's nothing magical about all 4 of us crammed into 1 room with 1 bathroom and 1 tv. It's not about saving money at all, we just want the extra space. I think this is the case for many offsiters. I especially like having my coffee in pj's while the kids sleep.
We've done pool homes and condos too and both are fine for us. I like having a full-size fridge/freezer, coffee maker and washer/dryer so we can pack ultra-light. You don't have to cook or do laundry but it's there if you want it. I like dh and I having our own bedroom with a king size bed, our own tv and Jacuzzi. Many pool homes have big screen tvs and the garages are converted into game rooms with billiards, air hockey, etc. It's nice downtime for kids that doesn't involve waiting in a line and gives adults time to relax.
We wouldn't want to stay late or arrive earlier at the parks so EMH isn't appealing to us. Also resort delivery for packages was actually in yet another gift shop to pick up so our ds's pleaded for more stuff again. I don't see the perk there when anyone can have packages delivered to the park exit and it's just as convenient. (Onsite at Universal hotels get delivery right into the room.)
We still rented a car when we stayed onsite so we could do SW, US and Gatorland. Also I enjoy the freedom of having a car to just hop in and go.
Also many people go extremely low budget when they 1st try offsite, then say,"ugh, that was awful. I'll never stay offsite again. I'll stick with the Poly." duh. Stick with the "comfort level" you're used to. kwim?
Also if you are part of a larger group that likes to split up, it may be easier to stay onsite such as grandparents not wanting to spend all day in parks while you and your kids do or teens that want more freedom. Driving from a house means everyone leaves and returns at the same time if you only have 1 car. Our kids are little so it works for us.
If you know you wouldn't be happy without Disney magic 24/7 then keep staying onsite.

 

[UrsulasShadow]

I am absolutely shocked that my recent offsite vacation was every bit as magical as my onsite vacations. I discovered that I really don't mind driving at all, even tho my villa was about 20 minutes away. I discovered that bringing my Garmin along made everything so much easier. I realized that I do a lot of avoidance of the EMH park anyway (part of my touring strategy), so my touring plans went unchanged.

I did miss some aspects of staying onsite. I missed the 24/7 theming a little. I missed the total immersion aspect. But I've done onsite several times, and it's nice to try a little something different once in a while.

I did discover, though, that there was a downside to my staying offsite...I'm now visualizing living here year-round...

 

[ohiodad]

We have stayed onsite and offsite, and perfer offsite. More room, less money, and we can get to the parks faster then people who stay onsite. Our resort was one exit from the first disney entrance. We timed it one morning and from our parking lot to epcot parking lot was 8 minutes, you'll probably wait longer than that for a bus. Also agree with other posts about the room, we get a two bedroom timeshare room thats 1200 sq ft. Being able to watch tv or get something to eat or drink without waking up the kids is great. Also breakfast in the room, or something to eat in the car is faster and less expensive than onsite.

 

[stepnut]

I only know offsite. But from what I read about staying onsite, I don't think I would ever do it. People talk about the magic, but I don't think there's enough magic in the universe that would help me put up with waiting for buses, being on crowded buses, being in a single tiny hotel room (and paying more than for a 3 br condo), having to hoof it to a food court for my morning coffee (which means I'd need to be clothed!), paying a LOT more money, eating out EVERY meal, or eating some meals over the sink of the tiny hotel room, hearing screaming kids through thin hotel walls, and dealing with generally crowded hotel settings.

Having the option of the DDP wouldn't benefit our family at all...just our personal family circumstances because of food issues and bird-like diets. We're not foodies.

Likewise, having the benefit of the EMH doesn't appeal to me. I'm not keeping my kids up till midnight. And with the touring plans I've used, we have no problem seeing what I want when the park opens up at normal times. Plus, EMH seems to make for HUGE crowds!

I love Disney, but being able to leave it behind at the end of my day is not a bad thing for us. I like the uncrowded pool at the condo, the freedom of having our own car (which doesn't cost a lot!), the luxury to make my own Starbucks with my own Burger half and half in the morning, the peace of clsoing the door on a separate bedroom AND bathroom for the kiddos, room to sprawl in a living room and balcony, and of course the money savings...those are so worth it to me! Because we are not foodies, my kids are happy with oatmeal for breakfast and grilled chicken with buttered pasta for dinner. I am no Becky-Home-Ecky, but even I can do that for them on days when we're not shmoozing with Mickey.

We sure can afford the nicer, more roomier, more luxurious places onsite, even the highest priced ones...but why would I, if I can meet my own luxury and convenience needs (stated above) at less than half the cost???

 

[Disneycrew5]

I haven't ever dreamed of staying offsite. We've only been to WDW twice and we love it. The thing is when we go to the beach for vacations we are spoiled by condos and beach homes. I would love to stay deluxe at WDW but the prices are killing me.

We enjoy staying onsite and having ME pick us up at the airport and relying only on WDW transportation. I'm sure the cost and nicer accomodations would be worth it in the long run, but can you convince me on staying offsite? TIA

Going to the ocean and having a condo has really changed our feelings about staying on property as well. We have stayed on property at AKL and CS. Last year we went back to off-site accomadations....our place was brand new, 3 bedrooms, 3 baths and more for only 119.00 a night. We have a townhouse booked for March. One room is way too small for our family of 5. I prefer a condo because of the space. My kids had their own rooms, we had a master suite with our own bathroom. There was a laundry room and so much more... The cost is unbeatable! I didn't feel like we lost any of the magic. We even put the kids stuffed animals in the window and decorated our door, just like we did a CS. I am also not a fan of Disney transportation. We waited 15-20 minutes for transportation at AKL. Our condo was only 2 minutes away. I would stay off-site, but you have to do what will make you happy. Good luck with your decision!

 

[NancyIL]

My family of 5 stayed offsite the first two times we visited WDW for more than a day trip. However, we stayed in inexpensive hotels (Comfort Suites, Hampton Inn), and they were fine. Then in 1999 my kids and I drove to FL and stayed the first 2 nights at the Comfort Inn Lake Buena Vista and the next 2 nights at All Star Movies - our first onsite stay. I was never so glad to park the car at the resort and LEAVE it there! Since 2000 I've been staying at the Dolphin or Swan most of the time. A couple of years ago I stayed offsite one night because the S/D was booked, and I really hated having to drive back to the hotel when the parks closed. I am now spoiled by the location of the Epcot resorts, and I don't want to have to leave WDW property until I go home.

 

[TotoToo]

Done both multiple times and, overall, off site wins by a mile. The only "magic" lost is the long waits for transportation (on THEIR schedules), the smaller and far less equipped rooms (vs 2, 3 or more bed/baths w/full kitchens) and feeling trapped doing all Disney all the time (far too much of an otherwise good thing). Actually we've found we prefer to do very little Disney now while other "outside" activities/parks get our attention.

Just be sure to pick an off site location that is set up for easy access, that has things you can walk to - not require driving to - and that has a good quality rating. Given those items at a minimum your off site experience will be better than on site by a wide margin. Plus it is helpful if at least one family member/guest has an annual pass to save on parking as well. But not required.

 

[rosiep]

What about a Downtown Disney Hotel? The Doubletree offers suites if you need more room...technically it's onsite but it is not Disney owned and therefore a little cheaper. It has fairly good transportation and I think it's nice to spend the whole vacation never leaving Disney property. While I haven't stayed at the Doubletree, I have stayed at the Royal Plaza and at the Grosvenor..both were decent hotels and I enjoyed my stays. I would not turn my nose up at a vacation spent this way.
However, it does lack some of the "magical" feel that staying in a Disney Resort has and in all honesty, after two DTD hotel stays, I am ready to stay "on-site" again. My upcoming trip is for the CSR resort.
If you do decide on a DTD hotel..be sure to sign up at Mousesavers.com for some really great discounts.
Best to you-remember that your vacation will be all that you make it and that "magic" can happen wherever you go!

 

[crusoe2]

We were in the same situation on our last trip - we had not been to Disney for a few years and had been going to the beach and the mountains instead, staying in houses and condos. It does spoil you, no doubt. But I've always loved the onsite atmosphere at Disney so last year when we finally got to go back, we stayed onsite at CBR. I have to say, after staying in houses and condos, the magic was totally lacking for us. There are only 4 of us but my kids don't do well sharing a bed so we ended up getting an air mattress which was totally in the way. We had a fridge in the room but it wasn't large enough to hold all that we brought so we had to use a cooler anyway. We were constantly side-stepping each other and getting ready to go each day was a major hassle. I had to do laundry midway through the week and somehow lost my DD's favorite princess nightgown, we came back from the park one day to find the door to our room standing open (apparently the housekeeper left it that way), the main pool was too cold and way too rowdy for my DD - an older boy went diving into the water and nearly landed on top of her. And the bus transportation was awful - there were usually plenty of buses for the EMH parks of the day but the buses for the other parks were few and far between. I actually used the phone at the bus stop one day to call and complain - we had been waiting about 30 minutes for a bus to Epcot and there were others who had been there waiting longer than we had. As best we could figure, it had been about 45 minutes since an Epcot bus had been through. We started driving ourselves after that and liked it much better. We only used EMH once that week and said never again - way too crowded. Bottom line - staying onsite just doesn't work for us anymore.

But even after all that, I still get nostalgic for the onsite atmosphere and have moments when it is tempting to try it again so I understand your misgivings about staying offsite and missing the magic. What I do is just keep reminding myself of all the good points of staying offsite - I think about how nice and relaxing it will be to sit by my own private pool or on the screened-in balcony of my condo and enjoy an early morning cup of coffee in my pjs or an evening glass of wine with a favorite CD playing in the background. I love that I'll be able to throw a load of clothes in the wash and leave it if I want instead of having to wait nearby and then carry the clothes back to the room. I keep reminding myself that driving ourselves to the parks was not only quicker and more comfortable, it was more fun - we could cut up and talk freely about where we had been or where we were going, enjoy a snack on the way, let my DD take out toys to play with, etc. In short, psych yourself up about staying offsite. And once you start looking at all the great offsite options it probably won't be too difficult to get excited about staying in some of them.

 

[Princess_Michelle]

Sure, I'll try and convince you Here is my OnSite VS. Off-site Trip Report.
We have always stayed on-site before, but I doubt we'll do it more than once or twice in the future.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1611826