Did you Miss the DISNEY love and perks from a Villa?

ScarletBegonias

ScarletBegonias

Well-Known Member
I'm glad I found this thread. After two years of staying on site, at first I was a little upset about staying off site next April for our trip. However, we will saving nearly $2,000 by staying off site. When I started thinking about what I'm actually getting a Disney resort (convenience is all I could come up with) I realized that saving that much money was way better than food courts, tiny rooms, crowded pools, and long bus waits.

It's going to be a little different, but I think we will like it. I've done off site before but it was when I was a kid so I didn't have a choice, and I don't really remember it.
 
TamaraQT

TamaraQT

Member
Mouse_Trap said:
Nope....not at all.

To be honest a Florida vacation for me is so much more than Disney.
Sure, Disney is a major component, and a very important one at that.

But a vacation without the freedom to eat where I want, shop where I want and go to Universal and Seaworlld etc isn't really a vacation at all.
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This is EXACTLY how I see it. I go on vacation to Orlando, not to Disney. So Disney gets some of my vacation but not all. I am not in love with the "bubble". There is so much more to do and see. And the BEST part is, putting the kids to bed and enjoying a vacation time for grown ups. Having a living room to watch TV. Having a full kitchen to make snacks and drinks to enjoy on the balcony. Then lets not forget MOST condo resorts have Jacuzzi tubs in the MASTER BEDROOM. I cant do a cramped hotel/motel room for more than 3 nights. A room with 2 beds and 1 bathroom is NOT my idea of relaxation. Of course its a matter of personal preference, and this lady needs her space!!

.
 
DonaldDuckQuackers

DonaldDuckQuackers

Member
Never stayed on-site before mostly because as the poster above said we like the options a villa provides more like late night swimming after long days out, not being confined to just a hotel room for peace & quiet/chill, access to a kitchen for drink & snacks etc

For me I also find the villas look & feel very American which is something I love about staying off-site too and the very American views you get driving everywhere, the first time I went we stayed in Calabay Parc on Highway 27 then last time we went we stayed further down at Tuscan Hills and I distinctly remember the first day (we didn't leave the Airport until 11pm the day we landed so it was dark so didn't see much until the next day) and both me & my brother said at the exact same time it felt like we'd stepped into Grand Theft Auto it looked so American (up to that point we'd both only been to New York and that looks very different) and I genuinely believe had we stayed on-site we'd have missed that authentic feel.
 
Jedi-Joe

Jedi-Joe

New Member
When I was a kid (and being in Florida) we always drove down and back on the same day. There were only the CR and Poly plus FW to stay at since only MK existed back in the 70's. Due to never staying on property when I took my sons to Disney, we stayed on property (mostly at value resorts with FL resident discounts) I kind of wished that I would have looked into one of the many vacation homes nearby to rent out for at least one of our trips down. As a teen and young adult I have also done the day trip as well as stay with a friends relative in Orlando.

I will say that if you have an RV/Trailer that staying in one at FW is great way to stay on property and still have the amenities of the RV/Trailer and it is usually even cheaper that a value resort (assuming you like camping)

Of course it all comes down to your preferences, how much your willing to pay, and what your trying to accomplish. If you are taking a vacation in Orlando and want to visit more than just Disney then staying off site might be more for you, if you are doing just a Disney vacation then staying on site has more merit.

Advantages of staying on property is: free parking at resort even on checkout day, (used to get free parking at parks also) use of transportation (bus, water taxi, monorail) can use magic bands as room key/ park ticket/ fast pass / payment and use of Extra Magic Hours at select parks on select days. (one hour in AM or up to 3 hours in PM) The properties/rooms are generally kept up to higher standards than some properties off site

Disadvantages: Higher cost per night compared to same sized villa/hotel/motel room off property, rooms are generally smaller than off properties of the same tier, more crowded since there are many more rooms on property than similar properties off site, no free breakfast, (only applies to value / moderate where similar hotels off site offer complimentary breakfast)
 
Rutt

Rutt

Well-Known Member
Stayed offsite at WH for the first time ever. I did miss the Disney bubble but my goodness the savings, the space, the freedoms the villa afforded us were amazing. Actually contemplating doing windsor hills again when we go back in 2018.
 
BigRedDad

BigRedDad

Well-Known Member
I know I posted earlier. We are in our planning stages again for Summer 2017. Because my daughter is moving from regular school calendar to an On 9 weeks/off 3 weeks calendar, we only have a 2 week window for vacation. After that, she is in school and gets into her soccer schedule which is fairly brutal. I know discounts for on-site resorts are not out, but the most they will be is limited at best. The cheapest Value resort will still be about $140 a night after tax. That is 2 double beds, 1 bath, cramped space. I was spoiled on our last two trips of getting a 1BR DVC rental for $1,200 each for a 7-night stay.

I am getting some traction on finding DVC rentals, but they are pushing $1,400 for a week. That's not too bad. However, I am getting Wyndham Bonnet Creek quotes for a 2BR unit with 2 baths, 3 beds, and tons of space for $1,000. I am leaning at staying offsite and stay longer. Going this route, I can get Annual Passes for the same price as on-site with 10 day tickets.
 
awoogala

awoogala

Well-Known Member
I have mostly stayed onsite. We have a short window of maybe up to 7 days, tops, due to Husband's work schedule. He is excessively stressed, so we've always loved just getting on a plane, and never having to drive anywhere or really think, the whole time. We can have cocktails whenever, it's a short stroll or monorail back to the hotel, etc. (Usually Contemporary)

But having stayed at riverside and a few others, if I was not on the monorail, I wouldn't bother anymore. Some of those hotels are FARTHER than offsite places, they weren't as nice, and the darn pools close so early these days!
We got to stay at Bonnet at the Hilton a year ago. Better pool, better amenities, better bars and food-and CLOSER to the parks than some of the moderates and values. Easy lyft every day- still saved some $, we even got bumped to a fireworks view.
I do like my hotels rather than rented houses, personally- I want the full experience of hotel living- made beds, toiletries, garbage taken out. I absolutely don't want to cook at Disney, personally! (but a fridge for some breakfast items is great!).
This is a family of 4- if I had a bigger group, things could change.
 
Club Cooloholic

Club Cooloholic

Well-Known Member
I'm a proponent of split stays. Have done on property split stays as well as off/on property split stays. You can save money and get a taste of Disneyworld, or if you never stayed off property give it a try for 2 nights.
 
Disstevefan1

Disstevefan1

Well-Known Member
Tuvalu said:
No it’s not. It is located on a parcel that Disney does not own.

However the resort is adjacent to Caribbean Beach and very close to Disney Springs.
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what I mean is you drive under the Disney sign, on to Disney property and bonnet is "inside" property. I know they own their own parcel but it's surrounded on three sides with Disney property, so I think of it as only technically off site.
 
Tuvalu

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Disstevefan1 said:
what I mean is you drive under the Disney sign, on to Disney property and bonnet is "inside" property. I know they own their own parcel but it's surrounded on three sides with Disney property, so I think of it as only technically off site.
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But it is possible to get there without driving under the Disney arch. 😉
 
NickMaio

NickMaio

Well-Known Member
BigRedDad said:
I stayed offsite a month ago at WBC. The ONLY thing I missed was the additional $1,000 on my credit card (and I did not miss that one bit). WBC is literally 5 minutes if you hit all lights to DHS and Boardwalk. AoA and Pop Century are even closer. If you "need" that Disney magic while at WBC, just run over to one of those resorts or head to DTD about 10-15 minutes with construction traffic.

We tend to avoid EMH anyway. That is the only thing you lose being a resort guest, well FPs also. If you are an AP holder, you can get them 30 days out. We had no issue getting the FPs we wanted.

For me, I got a 2BR Deluxe at WBC for $500 for 7-nights. During the cheapest season at WDW, the Values are easily more than that. You won't regret WBC.
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What is WBC?
 
NickMaio

NickMaio

Well-Known Member
missdallasamy said:
I know there is more more and less money than a Disney Resort, but did you also miss that Disney love? Have wanted to stay at WBC so many times....
I think I would miss the food court areas the most.
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Nope and nope......
Love cooking for ourselves.....going out is fun. But gets old fast.
WDW transportation is spotty at the best of times.
 

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