How Important Are The Resorts To You?

[The Mom]

As a single parent, I find staying onsite and using the bus system easier. I don't have to handle a tired, cranky child and driving at the same time. I guess if I had another adult there to deal with the kid while I drove, it wouldn't be a big deal. But trying to do it all by myself is just a recipe for disaster....

I'm not a single parent, but visited frequently with just my daughter from about 18 months on. Initially, I stayed with relatives. Then the increased traffic turned a 30 minute commute into an hour commute, so I started staying nearer, but still offsite. Then the increased traffic turned a 5 minute commute into a 15-20 minute one. Once Carribean Beach opened (the first value...yes, it was a value...resort) I started staying there. Until baby #2 came along, and I hit middle age.

Since then, it's been deluxe WDW resorts all the way.


BUT...If I were staying for almost a month, I too would want to stay offsite in a villa. I know it's sacrilege, but I sometimes need a break from the magic. :lookaroun

All of our UK friends should remember that it is very unusual for most of us to be able to take a 3 week vacation. When I was working, I was entitled to 3 weeks/year, but had to jump through hoops to get them all together. My husband gets 4 weeks, but again, there is no way he could take them all at once.

 

[rockydek]

Resorts

It depends on what you need:shrug: . Its less expensive off-site.
More convenient on site.

 

[d'Isigny]

The Resort is a big part of the trip. The day starts and ends with a walk to the food court (Port Orleans Riverside). I've stayed there enough times to consider it home...and in fact when we first arrive...I say to myself...i'm home...

 

[dolphinmom]

For those travelling with kids I think the choice of resorts depends on the age of the kids. The first time we went we stayed off-site and rented a car. Yes we had our our own house and pool which was nice. However, the 15 minute drive that was NEVER 15 minutes going to disney was a nightmare every day. Second, the private pool is pretty small.

when we decided to go to disney again we decided to stay on-site mostly due to the nightmare driving the last time. However, the choice of resort for us with teenagers was solely dependent on the size of the pool. My kids will be swimming a lot so we chose CSR. If our kids were much yonger we would have chosen a value resort because of the theming probably.

anyway, that is how i see it.:shrug:

dolphinmom

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

. However, the 15 minute drive that was NEVER 15 minutes going to disney was a nightmare every day.

dolphinmom

I have stayed in some beautiful homes but the last straw for me when our "Disney area villa" was wayyyyy past Haynes city. Most days was an hours drive at least thanks to roadworks etc.

It may have been the nicest home we ever had but it was the last time we stayed off site.

 

[The Mom]

I have stayed in some beautiful homes but the last straw for me when our "Disney area villa" was wayyyyy past Haynes city. Most days was an hours drive at least thanks to roadworks etc.

It may have been the nicest home we ever had but it was the last time we stayed off site.

Yeah, you have to read a lot into descriptions of travel time. 15 minutes to WDW means 15 minutes to the exit (add on another 5 - 20 minutes, depending upon park and traffic) at 3AM with no traffic or construction. And WDW "area" means within 50 miles...see the previous sentence. :lol:

The time estimates may also be from 20 years ago. I USED to be able to make it from my front door to the front door of any resort on site in exactly 2 &1/2 hours...doing the legal speed limit. Not anymore. Sometimes it takes me an hour to get from the Longwood exit to the first WDW exit.

 

[Wilt Dasney]

If you live out of easy driving range, I can see where flying down and staying on-site for the transportation benefits would be convenient.

Having done both, though, I don't see any way that waiting for a bus and then (depending on the crowds) possibly having to stand all the way back to your resort is more convenient than getting in your car and driving to your hotel. At the end of the day, I see using Disney transportation as more of a hassle than driving.

But different strokes and all that...

 

[crazydaveh]

We live 30 minutes from WDW and often stay at the resorts. If it's a big weekend with friends and or family in town, we stay there so we don't have to waste gas.

Last year, we stayed at Yacht Club for our one year anniversary and never went to a park. Did the couple spa thing and enjoyed dinner at California Grill.

The resorts are great during the Food and Wine Festival as well. Easier, safer, and cheaper to crash at a value than to chance a DUI on the way home.

 

[The Mom]

We live 30 minutes from WDW and often stay at the resorts. If it's a big weekend with friends and or family in town, we stay there so we don't have to waste gas.

Last year, we stayed at Yacht Club for our one year anniversary and never went to a park. Did the couple spa thing and enjoyed dinner at California Grill.

The resorts are great during the Food and Wine Festival as well. Easier, safer, and cheaper to crash at a value than to chance a DUI on the way home.

We always try to get an Epcot area resort if we're going to the F&W festival. I think we can almost always walk back to our room faster than we could make it to the parking lot, and we can both sample everything.

Same with the Adventurer's Club. I stay onsite, so I never have to worry about driving. I live far enough away that I would have to stay somewhere, so it might as well be onsite. PLUS, I HATE to drive.

 

[abug'saunt]

Our first trip in 2003 we stayed off site and rented a minivan. The whole tourist thing ya know. The room was horrible (tiles falling off the wall in the bathroom and mold on the ceiling). And the toll roads were shocking to us as we live in Idaho and don't have those here. :lol: We told ourselves that if we ever went back, we wanted to try on site. Christmas 2005 we spent 8 nights at the contemporary and 1 night at the all star music. Great experience. Plus, we used the Magical Express and meal plan and had no problems on getting around and ate like kings and queens :king: . It allowed us to do everything at a more comfortable pace. So when we began planning a trip for this May, we decided to try Port Orleans Riverside, use the magical express, and eat using the meal plan. So, on site is my vote.