On or OFF Property - Which would you pick?

[disney4life2008]

Which would you prefer for my August 2011 trip? 8 full days, 1 adult and 2 teens.

A) Staying at a 5 star off site resort with a 2 bedroom villa (2 baths, jacuzzi in room, full kitchen, free internet, about a 15 drive to WDW property. I would need to rent a car ($350). An off site time share resort will cost me about $400. The benefit a lot of cheaper but would only be able to spend 1 full day at each park.

B) Staying at Disney resort getting all of the amenities of being a WDW resort guest (mainly Extra Magic Hours and 24 hour magic). However, having one room (Values) for 3 people that could run $800? I would still need to rent a car for Universal Orlando and outlet mall shopping. The benefit for me are EMHs and being able to park hop (which of course means a more expensive ticket).

Which would you prefer?? I am so conflicted I do not know what to do???

 

[Beuford]

We struggle with this topic all the time and I am still not certain I have a great answer.

It is true that by staying off-site you can find a great deal and much larger accomodations for less, some times much less. With us, if staying off-site saves a large amount of money, say enough to purchase a park hopper, or to eat at some great restaurants then go with that. Especially if you are only considering a Disney value resort. Yes there is the ease of Disney transportation from a value resort, but there really isn't much to a value resort except price.

Now if you can splurge on say a deluxe Disney resort or Villa on property for a little more, then stay on property. These resorts truly make the resort stay an experience to remember.

The last thing to think about is the type of Disney family you are. At the parks from sun-up to sundown, or do you like to relax by the pool or lounge on a deck chair? A true park person should stay on property at a value resort, it's the best price and saves the most time. If your looking for relaxation, let the savings guide you instead of the few extra hours at the parks.

And remember, no matter what you choose, a day at Disney is always better than a day at home dreaming about it!:animwink:

 

[foreverbelle]

I'd have to say, stay on property. Because to me there is nothing like it. And while you may be paying a little less, there are certain things you don't get. Like EMH which to us, we love, even more so with people who haven't been or haven't been in a long time. That and the fact that we can ship stuff back to the room. Its things like that, that we enjoy and the reason we stay on site.

But then that's just me. You should do what is economical and the best for you and your guests.

 

[007mickey]

The last thing to think about is the type of Disney family you are. At the parks from sun-up to sundown, or do you like to relax by the pool or lounge on a deck chair? A true park person should stay on property at a value resort, it's the best price and saves the most time. If your looking for relaxation, let the savings guide you instead of the few extra hours at the parks.

And remember, no matter what you choose, a day at Disney is always better than a day at home dreaming about it!:animwink:

In my opinion, this is the most important question to your dilemma.

 

[Edeyore]

My family and I have stayed both on property and off. We stayed at the Polynesian and All Star Sport on property and the Best Western Lake Buena Vista off. We always rent a car just to be able to explore the area and having the freedom of setting our own schedule. On property is definitely a more "Disney" experience. It is great to be able to go to the Magic Kingdom for a few hours, go back to your hotel room (by monorail), and then go back for a few more hours. We watched the fireworks in the park once and from the beach at the Polynesian another time. Convenience and the experience. On the other hand at the Best Western we were on the 16 floor and from our balcony you could actually see parts of the Magic Kingdon, Disney Studios and Epcot. Though not the same experience we were able to see the Illumination fireworks each night. You just need to really decide what is most important to you.

 

[PixarfortheWin]

Mears shuttle to Universal is like 15-17 dollars a person both ways....it is cheap and affordable and the castmember at the front desk of any Disney resort will help you out with contacting them.

 

[Mukta]

Just to clarify, you are doing 4 days at Disney parks and 3 days at Universal/IOA/Outlets right?
Since WDW isn't the main focus of your trip, I think you should stay offsite. While I prefer to stay onsite, WDW is the focus of my trip and I would never leave it for a whole day to go shopping.
The money you will save by staying offsite you can spend on park hoppers.
If anything splurge and stay at a Universal hotel for one night and get the express pass for 2 days. That could save you a lot of time.

 

[ritchie56]

How do your teens feel about it? Having no internet access for a week might drive some kids nuts. And will they want some time away from you? (Or you from them?) I love being offsite in a rental house with separate rooms at the end of the day. Everybody has their own bedroom and TV and we can really relax. Plus a private pool or jacuzzi with an adult beverage is really, really nice. (For you, not them). Being stuck in a very small hotel room, which the value resorts are, is not my idea of a vacation.

 

[disney4life2008]

How do your teens feel about it? Having no internet access for a week might drive some kids nuts. And will they want some time away from you? (Or you from them?) I love being offsite in a rental house with separate rooms at the end of the day. Everybody has their own bedroom and TV and we can really relax. Plus a private pool or jacuzzi with an adult beverage is really, really nice. (For you, not them). Being stuck in a very small hotel room, which the value resorts are, is not my idea of a vacation.

This is a surprise for them so they will not know until May 2011. Your right about internet - they both are attached to the internet. But I figure at WDW they can give it up for a week

 

[WondersOfLife]

As much as i'd like to stay at the Disney resort hotels, (I make 6 dollars a show per year and do about 5 a week btw) I've been saving up for a year to stay 2 nights at the music resort hotel. I'm making reservations for me and my dad. Back when I was smaller I would save my money up for a decently nice offsite hotel, or stay at some place equal to Days inn to have really nice meals at the parks at least once a day.

I think it depends on how much money you have, it's not so bad staying offsite. You just need a 3 star hotel room that has complimentary breakfast and it's great! Don't even need a Disney pool if ya got one there or you're going to the water parks. Eat breakfast, then go to the parks for lunch, then go out for supper. Disney hotels are top notch tho. I can't really judge because I haven't stayed at a hotel on Disney property since I was like 3. :wave:

 

[MagicMegan]

We always stay on property. 1 - because of the atmosphere. and 2 - because we live in NY and don't usually want to pay for a rental car. We don't normally have to get anywhere in a big hurry, and if we have reservations, we've been there enough to know when to leave to make it in time.

 

[JohnLocke]

How do your teens feel about it? Having no internet access for a week might drive some kids nuts. And will they want some time away from you? (Or you from them?) I love being offsite in a rental house with separate rooms at the end of the day. Everybody has their own bedroom and TV and we can really relax. Plus a private pool or jacuzzi with an adult beverage is really, really nice. (For you, not them). Being stuck in a very small hotel room, which the value resorts are, is not my idea of a vacation.

Depending on ages and the feelings of the parent, I think staying onsite would actually be a bit better for teens than off. Outside of probably DTD, the WDW complex is fairly safe for teenagers to go off exploring, I know that's what we started to do a little when we got a bit older.

Also, while I love the internet, a vacation is the one time I really could care less about it. There's just too much to do everywhere else, and if I just want to keep in touch with people, there's always texting, which I do do a bit of on vacations.

 

[_Scar]

On site.


I found a certain quality and atmosphere inside WDW that off-sites don't have.

 

[disney4life2008]

I am close to deciding that we will stay on Disney property. While the cost is a lot more, you just cant beat all the extras. Plus, I get a discount AP holder on the rooms. I really want to experience the water parks and disney quest (never been in the 20 times I have been to WDW, lol).

I may forgo the rental car for the entire week and just do 3 days for Universal Orlando (both parks). And depending on my AP discount on the room, I may add an extra day!!! And I have my Table in Wonderland which gives a great discount at the Value resorts in the food courts.

 

[Susan Savia]

If you have the cash to stay onsite then that is the way to go. We have never stayed onsite. We find that our offsite unit is perfect for us, close to the parks and offers amenities free that you pay for when onsite. My son likes to check in on the internet from time to time in the evenings, also a free service offsite. We don't feel the need for EMHs when we always enter the park at ropedrop and usually leave after the fireworks. The days are long enough for us. We drive and have AP's. We usually stay 8 to 10 days and get plenty of parks and theming while in them and so we don't feel we're losing anything by staying offsite. Again, if you can a$$ord to stay onsite go for it.

 

[DisneyPrincess5]

On a purely emotional level...
I prefer to stay onsite to get the "Disney" experience. I just feel it's more magical that way.

I feel the same way. Staying off property is never even an option or a thought for us.

 

[CaptainWinter]

Having done both a bunch of times, in my opinion staying onsite is much much better. You'll spend much less time schlepping, and the atmosphere onsite is so festive and relaxing.

 

[cinderellafan6]

I think in site is always the best!

 

[Magical Dreamer]

On site.....Always on.

 

[DisneyRunner]

I am an onsite girl. I've rented a car from the Dolphin for just a few days. It works slick. Just take a bus/boat from a park to the Dolphin. You can also rent a car from the Car Care Center at MK. I've used discounts with these rentals. I like outlet mall shopping, as well. That is the main reason for me to rent a car. I've checked into the cab fee to Universal and it was as much as a one day rental.

 

[ErickainPA]

For me (since I know already that on every trip to Orlando we will not be staying on-site, as our kids get older since we need to book Riverside or a deluxe, unless we want to spend the extra for the family suite.) Work out the pricing for staying on and off site. Not just the car factor, cause you can do a shuttle, the bus, cab or rental car. EMH are nice some of the time, but you are there for 8 whole days, how many days ticket are you getting? Our upcoming trip we are staying on-site since we are using the free dining, they were not offering a room discount this time, we only got a 4 day park ticket, although we are going a week, because we are doing 1 day at SeaWorld and 1 at Busch Gardens (we have season passes that we can use at both which also gives us preferred parking)

The rental car you can definitely get less than $350. If you can get a great room rate onsite go for it, but if you have to pay rack, then off-site may be better. It's all about what you want to spend.It's not like when you sleep you need the whole Magic experience.