Worth it to stay on property with small kids?

[Ktreat627]

We have kids 9, 9, 7, 5, 3, 1. We are staying the bulk of our trip at Disney World. I am considering doing the first night only on property at one of the Universal hotels and going that next day to the two parks. We will need two rooms. There is no way we will take advantage of the extra hour in the morning. We are just not going to get out the door that quickly. So would it be worth it to stay somewhere with the 'fast pass' included? I know I could purchase that option separately for the older kids. For my kids under say 48 inches is the 'fast pass' option going to do anything for us?

 

[macraven]

It is worth to stay on site when you have littles

You are closer to the hotel and can return within 15 minutes for some of them

Littles need a change of clothes, or a nap, or to get out of the heat, etc

If you stay off site you would deal with getting the car from city walk to return back to your hotel
Then make the drive back again to the parking garage

I see staying onsite as convenient when you have 6 kids and half of them are still littles
Sometimes it is better to see the extra cost for the convenience and saving time rather than saving money

If all your kids were older and did not need naps/breaks in the day and you were stroller free, offsite hotel would make sense

Littles and even 5 yo needs breaks in a long day

 

[damo]

The other great thing with express pass and the littles is that they get fixated on a ride and can ride it over and over and over again.

 

[bchbetha]

Even more worth it with small kids due to proximity!

 

[bumbershoot]

Express pass works for Barney! Less time in that line the better, IMO.

 

[kohlby]

When are you going? That will play a huge part if you need express. Either way, it's really nice being onsite at the end of the day when the kids are tired. Mid-day breaks never worked for my family but other people can't go without. Being onsite makes it easier to split up after dinner too if you aren't mid-day breakers. My eldest would sometime go back out with my husband when I stayed with the younger two when they were little.