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

[missdallasamy]

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.

 

[HRHPrincessAriel]

I'm not following the question

 

[missdallasamy]

being OFFSITE, do you find you miss being ONSITE, I guess is what I mean.

 

[kimberlymautz]

Yes unfortunately. I've stayed both onsite and offsite before and there's definitely perks to both, but I love staying on property. Staying offsite is nice because it's easy to avoid excessive noise, more privacy, and definitely less expensive. Staying onsite is nice because of the transportation and Disney feel. Depends what you're looking for though.

 

[missdallasamy]

I love onsite, too. Love the buses, love hitting the food areas when we get back, if just to grab a snack.
I also love saving money, too. A lot of the offiste hotels charge a surcharge, which sometimes makes it more $$$ than a value. lol

 

[BigRedDad]

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.

 

[John C. Shepherd]

I have stayed on both. I agree with another poster you will miss somethings but i don't miss the extra cash i have to spend.

I agree you should experience onsite once in your lifetime but for a villa be prepared to spend some cash.

 

[ItlngrlBella]

We've done WDW all kinds of ways - Yatcht Club, Contemporary Resort, All-Star Resorts (twice), a condo in Kissimmee, Shades of Green (twice) and this last time we rented a house in Clermont.

The house was my favorite. It was $950 for a full week. We went with friends in the off season and it was $450/week (our share) for a 4 bedroom (2 master bedrooms), 4 baths, pool table and air hockey games in the garage, giant outdoor grill and the BEST part - a screened in private pool with whirlpool.

For the $ we could not beat the amenities. There is nothing better than relaxing in the hot tub under the stars after a day at the parks.

The only bad part was paying the parking fee everyday and dealing with the parking lot in general.

Actually, we are putting as much as we can into our 401K so we can retire and be snowbirds in a house like that. The plan would be to purchase it, rent it out weekly to families most of the year and live in it mid-Jan. to April. It's only 30 years away... *sigh*

 

[Mouse_Trap]

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.

 

[bebert]

We've done WDW all kinds of ways - Yatcht Club, Contemporary Resort, All-Star Resorts (twice), a condo in Kissimmee, Shades of Green (twice) and this last time we rented a house in Clermont.

The house was my favorite. It was $950 for a full week. We went with friends in the off season and it was $450/week (our share) for a 4 bedroom (2 master bedrooms), 4 baths, pool table and air hockey games in the garage, giant outdoor grill and the BEST part - a screened in private pool with whirlpool.

For the $ we could not beat the amenities. There is nothing better than relaxing in the hot tub under the stars after a day at the parks.

The only bad part was paying the parking fee everyday and dealing with the parking lot in general.

Actually, we are putting as much as we can into our 401K so we can retire and be snowbirds in a house like that. The plan would be to purchase it, rent it out weekly to families most of the year and live in it mid-Jan. to April. It's only 30 years away... *sigh*

I need to show this to my wife. I am always willing to stay offsite but, sometimes being onsite with children under 8 is easier and more efficient. Did you find the commute to the parks was a hassle or did you just plan ahead. That would be her biggest complaint, transit time and then time in the parking lots.

 

[ItlngrlBella]

I need to show this to my wife. I am always willing to stay offsite but, sometimes being onsite with children under 8 is easier and more efficient. Did you find the commute to the parks was a hassle or did you just plan ahead. That would be her biggest complaint, transit time and then time in the parking lots.

@bebert : Transit time from Clermont was 10 minute tops and the kids love seeing all of the crazy tourist stores that are shaped like giant mermaids, lighthouses, Orange World, etc. Traffic wasn't bad since we went mid-January.

A couple minutes to get in the parking fee gate at WDW and then parking was the only "inconvenience" but if the kids were tired, they had trams to take you to your parking area - It felt faster getting in the car and going than waiting for buses and connections.

We did 1 park per day and parked there or the Transportation Center.

The fact we had our own hot tub/pool at night we could relax in after the kids were in bed was the best part of the trip too - for the cost we couldn't beat the amenities.

Here is the house we rented. If you or your wife has any questions, please message me. The owners live in New Jersey and I dealt with her directly (Qian) - we love this house and plan to rent it again in a year or two.

http://www.vacationhomerentals.com/...on-rental-villa-proID-57306.html#emailafriend

 

[bebert]

@bebert : Transit time from Clermont was 10 minute tops and the kids love seeing all of the crazy tourist stores that are shaped like giant mermaids, lighthouses, Orange World, etc. Traffic wasn't bad since we went mid-January.

A couple minutes to get in the parking fee gate at WDW and then parking was the only "inconvenience" but if the kids were tired, they had trams to take you to your parking area - It felt faster getting in the car and going than waiting for buses and connections.

We did 1 park per day and parked there or the Transportation Center.

The fact we had our own hot tub/pool at night we could relax in after the kids were in bed was the best part of the trip too - for the cost we couldn't beat the amenities.

Here is the house we rented. If you or your wife has any questions, please message me. The owners live in New Jersey and I dealt with her directly (Qian) - we love this house and plan to rent it again in a year or two.

http://www.vacationhomerentals.com/...on-rental-villa-proID-57306.html#emailafriend

This is great information, thank you.

 

[Figgy1]

We rented a condo in Emerald Isle for $99 a night last trip in June. Because it was soooo much less expensive we spent almost 2 full weeks there. Let me think 14 days, 10 in the parks, 2DTD, 2 checking out the malls and what not or maybe one week on property....... Didn't miss the bubble one bit!

 

[John C. Shepherd]

also since you pay for parking one time and keep receipt so you can get in again makes it the best.

 

[ml123_9]

This is some great info. But what is WBC?

 

[Nemo14]

This is some great info. But what is WBC?

I believe it is the Wyndham Bonnet Creek resort.

 

[BiffyClyro]

Not at all. The Disney perks aren't really worth it at all (except maybe parking) with the quality you can get from an offsite place. Plus, the drive under the Disney arches makes all that more exciting.

Disney resorts are a rip off and we've got a cheaper lovely condo for the same price of not cheaper than a moderate Disney resort.

We stayed at a Disney hotel the first visit and I personally couldn't see why everyone raved about them so much.

 

[Figgy1]

Not at all. The Disney perks aren't really worth it at all (except maybe parking) with the quality you can get from an offsite place. Plus, the drive under the Disney arches makes all that more exciting.

Disney resorts are a rip off and we've got a cheaper lovely condo for the same price of not cheaper than a moderate Disney resort.

We stayed at a Disney hotel the first visit and I personally couldn't see why everyone raved about them so much.

The condo we have booked for our trip this year is than than a value per night

 

[BiffyClyro]

The condo we have booked for our trip this year is than than a value per night

Says it all.

I think a lot of it is psychological for some people too... The disney resorts don't partcularly have a Disney feel unless you're at the pop century and it's plasted everywhere or you're paying ridicuous money a night for a view of the fireworks.

 

[Herah]

We rented a house for the first time because we had an unwieldy party (us, 3 kids, one grandpa and the other grandma) and would have needed multiple rooms - a four-bedroom house, 5 minutes from Animal Kingdom, with full kitchen and *private pool* was much less money. We keep it up because we love the private pool and the privacy in general, and because we stay for 2 weeks and I can't imagine being crammed into a hotel room for 2 weeks. A little housekeeping and grocery shopping is well worth it.