How Important Are The Resorts To You?

[figgyfanatic]

I like to stay on the property whenever possible. Now that my kids are older, it is nice to have the bus system so that everyone can go where they want and meet up later at Downtown Disney for dinner. I feel more immersed in the magic if I don't have to leave the property for a week or more.

 

[OneLuckyMom]

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....

 

[justducky78]

We only stay on-property. It just wouldn't be worth it for us to fly all the way down to FL and stay off-site. We look forward to the resorts as much, if not more than the parks themselves, and spend a lot of time at them. Our trips are normally 8+ days and we spend our afternoons by the pool/beach, boating, at the spas, etc. We also eat the majority of our meals at the resort restaurants. I guess some people say they only sleep at the hotel (which I can't really relate to) so it doesn't make or break their vacation, but it's soooo worth it to us!

When we step through those doors at the WL or Yacht Club or wherever we happen to be staying, it's one of the best feelings in the world!

 

[isitingood]

I always stay at the resorts. I like to comeback in the afternoon to either take a nap or just lounge by the pool.

 

[GoofyMike29]

Important

Polynesian is by far my favorite hotel in the world. Nuff said.

 

[Tinkwings]

To me not staying at a disneyresort and visiting the world would be like a cupcake without frosting.....not that I wouldn't take any op to venture there given the choice but it completes the whole escape thing for us.:animwink:

 

[jooleejul]

I believe that you HAVE to stay on-site to truely experience the magic of it all. To explain that to people who have never done it is hard because you have to do it to really get it. And once you do, you'll never want to stay off-site. I don't even have kids - I'm 23 years old and recently out of college, and believe me that I'd love to save $....but staying at an offsite hotel is NOT the way to do it.

There's something about the Disney hotels that is just magical and an experience in itself. The hotel grounds are immaculate and elaborately detailed. There are often hidden mickeys in the resorts. The staff people conclude any phone call or conversation with "have a magical day". The mousekeeping will often leave you towel animals or be creative in some other way creating Disney or cute themes in the room. Their gift shops have all the Disney things you can imagine, which get you excited for the parks before you even go. The constantly running Disney channels show you rides and other inside Disney information. Not to mention Extra Magic Hours, the free bus transportation right to the door of the parks....it's just endless...
If you don't stay on-site at a Disney hotel, you're missing out on the magic.

Oh, in case you couldn't tell, on-site resorts are VERY important to me, lol

 

[dreamscometrue]

It's extremeley important to us. We quite simply won't stay off site. Although staying off site and playing at WDW would still be a great experience, we need the immersive experience that staying on site provides to truly feel as though we've had a WDW vacation.

 

[Escarabaja06]

I have been staying out of Disney property on spur of the moment trips. BUT IT ISNT THE SAME! I love riding the bus, squishing my Mickey Ears up against a person I don't know and listening to the driver's trivia questions and humor, it's great. It's all apart of the Disney Experience! I have only stayed in Value and all of the Moderate Resorts but soon to stay in a Deluxe and Home Away From Homes. I love watching the top 7 on the TV in the room, even though it doesnt change. I enjoy it so much! I love the rooms and the ambiance it leaves you and it makes you SOOO happy! I love it!

 

[maelstrom]

The resort that we choose for our trip is a very important decision for us. It sets the tone for the entire vacation. For us, it isn't just a place to shower, sleep, and stash our stuff. We like to take advantage of the ammenities offered. When we stay at the Contemporary, we spend HOURS out on the balcony just watching the World go by. My dad & I like to rent the watermice on Bay Lake and the Sassagoula River. We like to walk around the resort grounds. We spend a lot of time at our resort. We're trying the Animal Kingdom Lodge in May and I'm a little (a lot) apprehensive about it. I'm not thrilled about it and I'm not "feeling it" like I was when we booked it. I'm feeling the Contemporary and Polynesian and they're booked.

 

[Laura]

I'm definitely into the nice resorts. I avoid the value resorts at all costs. To me they are just chaotic and the rooms are so tiny I can't stand it.

I love being in close proximity to the Magic Kingdom so anything on the monorail or the Wilderness Lodge is ideal for me. And I always have to splurge for the nicer views too. Nothing beats waking up and looking out your balcony at Cinderella Castle!

The trips where I've stayed at a value resort I just felt so far away from everything and bored.

I'm also fond of staying off-site. Some may prefer to cram their family of 4 into a tiny room at a value resort rather than look into off-site options, but not me.

We own a time share and are able to exchange and stay at some of the fanciest most amazing resorts in the Orlando/Kissimmee area. For next December I traded and got a condo practically next door to Animal Kingdom lodge (I looked on google earth an it's like 100 yards away from being "on site"). Instead of being crammed into one room, we'll have a large 2 bedroom luxury condo with a full kitchen and dining room, living room, several tv's, jacuzzi, etc and I'm only paying $80 a night for maintenence fees. To me, that is a heck of a lot more magical and relaxing than a Disney value resort!

But to each his own....

 

[smk]

I will stay in any WDW resort, for me it is the icing on the cake. Going and staying off property just doesn't feel the same.

 

[bayoutinkbelle]

I've stayed off- and on-site. I prefer on-site for several reasons -- safety issues, convenience and being immersed in the magic.

I'll be staying at Pop for two weeks this summer and I can't wait. I prefer the value resorts because I can make my money go further. While I do use the pools and food court, I spend the majority of my time at the parks or at DD. I can't see the logic in spending more money than I have to; that cash can be better used for shopping! I don't know if Laura22 was trying to say that value resorts aren't nice, but I find Pop a wonderful place. If it wasn't for the values, I wouldn't make as many trips as I do. Being there is what counts!

As far as safety goes, I know bad things can happen no matter where you stay. But I feel safer on property and peace of mind is good for something. Convenience is parking my car at the resort and not using it again until it's time to go home. I do plan to go off-site for several things (Universal, Discovery Cove/Seaworld), but I'll take a taxi -- especially after someone vandalized my car ($1,500 damage, thank you very much) in one of the Universal parking garages last summer.

 

[Laura]

I]I don't know if Laura22 was trying to say that value resorts aren't nice, but I find Pop a wonderful place. If it wasn't for the values, I wouldn't make as many trips as I do. Being there is what counts!

They're fine, maybe for a family of 2 or 3. But from experience, squeezing 4 into one of those itty bitty rooms is just too claustrophobic for me. And like I said, I'm paying less per night to stay in a top of the line 2 bedroom condo around the corner, so to me that is a lot more "magical".

 

[Kristamouse]

How important is staying onsite for us? DH and I are 27 and have DS3 and DD 2 I am a STAHM so we don't have much to spend on WDW. So we only stay onsight for free dining.... actually it's the only time we will go now. I would love to have a suite so the kids could be in another room but it is not in our budget. I would love to spend a week at the
Poly but again out of the questions for us now. ASMu and POP are great and feel like GF to us, yes they are small but we travel during value season so I don't think $89, is over priced. If it was 200+ during peak season they I think that room would feel a lot smaller We have stayed off site and it was so bad I wouldn't let the kids on the floor or the beds until we had new sheets. So I guess a clean, cheap, close, safe hotel is fine with us but free dining make onsight even better.
BTW we drive to the parks, even if we are on sight. I hate relying on the bus schedule and stroller (we have a double) issues with our kids. I don't even use that perk.
THE BEST WAY TO BE AT DISNEY IS TO JUST BE THERE!! :wave:

 

[LoriMistress]

I think it depends on your budget and how long you're planning to stay. DH and I would love to stay at a moderate or even a deluxe resort but we just cannot simply afford it. But, since we're going around December and be at WDW for ten days, we're going to check out other resorts and see all the Christmas decorations.

 

[wdwmomof3]

I think it is important to choose a resort that fits your wants and needs & budget. For me, where we stay depends on how many people are going with us and how long we will be there. There is a lot to think about.

With five in our family, and on our last trip my daughter brought her best friend making it six, we had more options now that they have built the suites at the value resorts. We still decided to get two rooms instead because I got a discount, but my thinking is go for comfort. I don't want to be piled up in a hotel room. It's nice to be able to put the kids in one room and the parents in another. With two bathrooms, more beds and two tv's, things go a lot smoother. Getting ready with teenage girls is crazy so it helps to have more space.

 

[Mikester71]

Staying in a Disney resort it an integral part of a trip to WDW. It keeps you in the Magic.
Even at night, when you go back to your room, you are still inside the world of Disney.

Same is true, to some degree, in using Disney transportation instead of driving your own car. You stay inside the Magic.

Disney resorts as part of a WDW trip- Yes !!

:king:

Agree 100% with this post!

 

[wdwmomof3]

I love staying at the Disney Resorts. I can't see me going and staying off site, however, I know several people who do and love it. Personally, once I am there, I don't even want to leave to eat outside of the Resort. That is another reason I love the dining plan.:lol:

 

[Rob562]

For us Brits 21 nights in there would cost £3617 for the accomodation alone thats $6909 you lot must get paid well cuz added to £2000 ($3820) worth of flights things are stacking up a bit and we still havent got any food into us let alone any tickets for the Magic.
I'm sure you will all tell me about the cheaper ways of doing it but none of you all go on annual trips there costing $15000 a year.

Well, I guess this *does* point out one major difference between the "typical" American vacation and those of our friends from across the pond. The majority of American vacations are for one week, sometimes a few days more if you are able to play with the dates to include the weekends or a holiday. A week (Sat-to-Sat) at the Polynesian in Value season is $1480. If you can afford that level of hotel, that's not a VASTLY unreasonable amount for a week-long stay. Compare that to your typical British vacation of 2-3 weeks, add in the immense cost of plane fares, and you can see where the problem lies.

Personally, I will try my best to ALWAYS stay on-site. I can't afford the Deluxes, but I'm quite content to stay at the Values or the Moderates.

In 2005, my friend and I were doing a "cheap" trip down. We already had Annual Passes, so we didn't have to worry about admission costs. My parents had a timeshare week banked in the RCI network that was "use-it-or-lose-it", so they gave it to me. We traded into a condo at Orange Lake Country Club, which is just west of WDW. (The new Western Beltway actually runs through the OLCC property)

The condo was nice, and it was convenient to have all the extra space and full kitchen, washer & dryer, patio, etc but it just wasn't the *same* as staying on-site. It took me the better part of the week to figure out just what it was... Even though we were close to the WDW property (including the shortcut in through Sherbeth Road), we still had to drive a distance down Route 192 to get there. Though it was brief, it was still a jarring return to the "real world" for those few minutes in the morning and evening. It took away from the overall vibe of the trip. It made it seem like we were driving to just another amusement park, and not being on VACATION at Disney World.

Even a friend who's only gone to WDW a couple times with us, and has ONLY stayed on-site has told me (without any prompting from me) that staying at the Disney hotel was relaxing and kept the magic going 24/7. That it was an integral part of the WDW "experience".

A bunch of friends and I are taking a road trip next month out to Cedar Point in Ohio for our first visit. We'll be staying at one of their on-site cabins (similar to the Fort Wilderness cabins). It will be interesting to see if we can get a similar "on vacation" feel from that as we do staying on-site at WDW.

-Rob
(wow, that turned into a long post....)