I will never stay off site. It is Disney or nothing.

epcotisbest

epcotisbest

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I actually laugh out loud when I read this. As a stockholder, I love this kind of mentality and loyalty.
As a customer, we stay onsite once per year and offsite once or twice per year. We have stayed at some incredible offsite properties and have never considered any of them a 1/2 WDW vacation. If anything, to us those trips are a WDW vacation plus more. I suppose it is a matter of prospective.
Ritz Carlton Grande Lakes, JW Marriott, Hyatt Grand Cypress, Omni Championsgate, Mariott Cypress Harbour, Hilton Grand Vacaton Club, Floridays and many more make us extremely happy that we got over the idea of having to stay onsite to enjoy the trip, and every one of these are much more affordable than Disney deluxe resorts.
Yes, we still stay onsite too, but are just as satisfied, much more satisfied at some of these, than at most Disney resorts.
We very much enjoy Disney resorts and will eventually work our way around to staying at all of them at WDW. Wilderness Lodge is probably our favorite, especially before they wiped out Hidden Springs pool, but the replacement for it might be even better.
Beach Club and Stormalong Bay are wonderful.
POR we love. BLT and AKL too. Heck, we like Ft. Wilderness even though it is the most expensive campground we have ever been to.
That being said, we will continue to seek out other Orlando area resorts as well.
What is the reason for some people ruling out offsite, without ever even considering alternatives?
 
21stamps

21stamps

Well-Known Member
epcotisbest said:
I actually laugh out loud when I read this. As a stockholder, I love this kind of mentality and loyalty.
As a customer, we stay onsite once per year and offsite once or twice per year. We have stayed at some incredible offsite properties and have never considered any of them a 1/2 WDW vacation. If anything, to us those trips are a WDW vacation plus more. I suppose it is a matter of prospective.
Ritz Carlton Grande Lakes, JW Marriott, Hyatt Grand Cypress, Omni Championsgate, Mariott Cypress Harbour, Hilton Grand Vacaton Club, Floridays and many more make us extremely happy that we got over the idea of having to stay onsite to enjoy the trip, and every one of these are much more affordable than Disney deluxe resorts.
Yes, we still stay onsite too, but are just as satisfied, much more satisfied at some of these, than at most Disney resorts.
We very much enjoy Disney resorts and will eventually work our way around to staying at all of them at WDW. Wilderness Lodge is probably our favorite, especially before they wiped out Hidden Springs pool, but the replacement for it might be even better.
Beach Club and Stormalong Bay are wonderful.
POR we love. BLT and AKL too. Heck, we like Ft. Wilderness even though it is the most expensive campground we have ever been too.
That being said, we will continue to seek out other Orlando area resorts as well.
What is the reason for some ruling out offsite, without ever even considering alternatives?
Click to expand...
1. Transportation.
2. Convenience.
3. See Number 1 & 2.
4. "Total" Disney Feel.
5. See Numbers 1 & 2 again ;)

If I was doing a total Orlando experience in 1 week then I would stay off site. If I had a family of 5 or larger, I would definitely stay off site at a condo or house.

Also depends on how you travel, when I do Disney it's one portion- totally Disney, same with Universal. Then the rest of the vacation is for other destinations. The exception to that rule is Halloween Horror Nights- I did always add 1 day at Disney during that time-not staying onsite.

I think onsite/offsite is definitely a different experience, but again, I think it depends on the travel party and their activities planned. Definitely no "wrong way" to do a WDW vacay!
 
deeevo

deeevo

Well-Known Member
I stayed off property when I was young dumb broke with no kids. Now that I can afford it I stay in the bubble because I am a Disney geek and I want my kids to experience Disney the best way possible and that is staying on site. Once I drive past the WDW signs all my stress is gone. I pull in to my resort and park the car and leave it for 3, 4, 5 or 7 days and I don't drive. I don't worry about anything. You just can't get that from an offsite hotel no matter how nice they are. Its about the experience not about how much more you get for your money.
 
rob0519

rob0519

Well-Known Member
We've tried off site, but we have a special needs adult son unfortunately, equates going to the parks with staying on site. Honestly, since MK is his favorite park, staying at the monorail resort makes it easier for him with either the launch or monorail options. At the CR we can even use a wheelchair to walk him back at the end of the day.

I would love to try some of the other resorts you mentioned. Maybe someday.
 
epcotisbest

epcotisbest

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
rob0519 said:
We've tried off site, but we have a special needs adult son unfortunately, equates going to the parks with staying on site. Honestly, since MK is his favorite park, staying at the monorail resort makes it easier for him with either the launch or monorail options. At the CR we can even use a wheelchair to walk him back at the end of the day.

I would love to try some of the other resorts you mentioned. Maybe someday.
Click to expand...
In that situation, that makes you a hero in my book. Others before self. Can't think of a more valid reason.
 
LadyBelle

LadyBelle

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
I stayed off site when I was young. Mainly because we were with a tour group and they didn't have that many resorts available at the price my parents could afford. Now that I can afford to go (not as much as I like), I prefer to go for the accessibility of everything and not having to worry about driving.
 
CAPTAIN HOOK

CAPTAIN HOOK

Well-Known Member
We've stayed offsite a couple of times - the main reason was cost.

On one trip there were 5 of us and we needed 3 bedrooms - a rental villa was easily the best option.

Another trip, as a family of 4, a villa came in slightly cheaper than Disney (even when you factor in petrol and parking). The worst part of it is the daily drive into and from the parks - especially when you're tired after a long day "doing" Disney
 
ScottKC

ScottKC

Active Member
I've done onsite, a mix of onsite and off, and offsite and by far I prefer onsite. I love passing under those arches and leaving the real world behind. From a practical point of view I like the ease of an onsite parking pass that gets you to all of the hotels. But hey sometimes a situation presents itself and any stay is better than no stay in my opinion!
 
disneyfirstLJ

disneyfirstLJ

Well-Known Member
I have only stayed onsite as I have only been going for three years, once per year. I do not feel comfortable driving in strange places so the transportation is my number one reason that I stay onsite. I really do like the Disney bubble atmosphere as well. I would try offsite if I could get over my driving concerns.
 
bethymouse

bethymouse

Well-Known Member
Disney transportation, as most have said is the main reason. We tried off site at Embassy Suites. The breakfast was phenomenal ( there was a guy who made omelets for FREE). The lobby was also pretty. But don't get me started on the free "shuttle"! The place where the shuttle drops you off is ridiculously far away, and it was just an old tour bus. It ended up costing just about as much with the places we chose to eat at off site. As many have mentioned, it's just that "Disney bubble" feel you get once you're on property!:D
 
ScottKC

ScottKC

Active Member
bethymouse said:
But don't get me started on the free "shuttle"!
Click to expand...

It's the worst after a LONG day in the parks to watch 10 Disney Transport busses go by while you wait with tons of people for that one bus an hour "shuttle" back to your offsite hotel. One place we stayed made you schedule your ride on the shuttle, basically pick your departure times from their list. The last ride back to the hotel was before park closing! So we just paid to park, it was worth it to stay til we wanted to.
 
Figgy1

Figgy1

Premium Member
I may be the weirdo here but having done both I like off site at a villa better. We have 2 older children one special needs and one with food allergies so a kitchen is a big plus, not to mention everybody having their own bedroom and bath. We drive so transportation is not a factor. Cost even with gas and parking we save big time even as opposed to a value. We go for at least 12 days so space and money are a big factor. That being said we are doing 3 nights at SOG this trip to take advantage of a few days of EMH to knock off a bit of our must do list and still have lots of time for relaxation
 
Jeff456

Jeff456

Well-Known Member
We have done offsite and you just don't feel quite so immersed in Disney, it's difficult to explain! Transport isn't an issue we rent a car anyway but it is nice being so close, not having to pay to park every day (I know that this pales in comparison to the cost of staying onsite) and when we do go elsewhere offsite I appreciate coming back to WDW. The whole thing is pretty expensive from the UK anyway and it's only really feasible to do a trip once every couple of years at the most (and coming more often would probably lead me to appreciate it less) so the extra money I feel is well spent!
 
Mandy M.

Mandy M.

Member
I agree with all the on-siters! We "save" money by not having to rent a car and using 95% Disney transport and 5% cabs, if needed, after a late or before an early dining reservation at another Disney Resort/Hotel. Not having to drive, find parking, remember parking, the bubble, quality of resorts, dining options, on property benefits, (dining plan, EMHs, earlier FP+ and earlier dining reservations) are all things I look forward to and having a bigger room to sleep in is not going to replace all that.
 
margybear

margybear

Member
I think for me it's the same as a lot of people- going with my family, some of us could be at Disney all day! But my dad had a hip replacement and still can't walk too far, and he gets tired. For him to get a monorail or bus back to the hotel would be a LOT easier for him. That being said, we love the villa/holiday homes because for a fraction of the cost, everyone gets their own bedroom. And sometimes after a long day, you don't want to pile into your tiny room like sardines- even if you are in WDW!
 

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