On property or off property!?

[Erin Hughes]

If saving money is your primary concern but you want to get the most of your Disney experience, I recommend checking the Disney website for special offers. They tend to offer special packages when booked during certain times for visits during certain times of year, particularly in the low season. For example, in the past I've seen offers for a free or discounted park tickets and/or dining plan for a Moderate hotel stay. You may pay slightly more for your room, but it will be bigger for you and your friends, you get to stay on the property with all its perks, and you get meals, which can be a huge expense on-property, and cheaper park tickets. Also, I've stayed at many hotels on and off property, and I feel the Disney transportation is better with more options, and MagicExpress to/from the airport will save you AT LEAST $US 50 each way. Uber won't be cheap either, so why not go for the free stuff? Just so you know, I fly first class, stay at deluxe resorts, but still use the Magical Express and the Disney transportation. I would not consider getting an Uber unless I was in a hurry to get somewhere. The Doubletree is OK, I've stayed there before, and if that ends up being your choice (or another hotel on the same boulevard), you have close access to Disney Springs, which could be fun at night. You could also catch the Disney transportation from there and get to the parks and back that way.

 

[DiSnEyF@n]

On site... Eat breakfast in your room (have food delivered like bagels, muffins, etc), and plan at most 1 sit down meal per day... Anything more than that will definitely be too much and will cost you A LOT! Look at menus for quick service and see what tickles your fancy... Some places have better/healthier choices... It's good to know where they are or what they're called prior to going.

 

[RiceCrispyMickey]

I would find the cheapest deal on an onsite hotel room for the duration that you would like, then the best deal at the offsite hotel of your choice and calculate the difference, then add on extras to the offsite like parking, taxi's etc. Take into consideration whether the onsite deal has any offers attached like free dining which would save you some money and then make an informed decision based on what you can afford. If the offsite is coming out miles cheaper still and it's sensible to do that because of your budget etc then book the offsite, you'll still have an amazing time! If they come pretty close and you think the extra for onsite is perhaps worth it then book that, but go with what you can afford.

Wherever you stay you will have a magical time - it's Disney and you'll make it work regardless!

 

[xdan0920]

Only poors and people who don't love Disney stay offsite.

 

[TXDisney]

If on a budget like you said... I'd say stay offsite. You can still purchase magicband a and do FP 30 days out. Also if you're going to do Universal it'd make a day onsite pointless. If onsite is in the mix, it might be more affordable than you think for all of you to split 1 room with 2 beds at a moderate. Making it less then $100/night per person.

 

[Pghdrumr]

Staying on Property eliminates the need for any transportation. We always bring breakfast items to eat in the room, saving us $. Plus many moderate resorts are going for 160 per night, which is not much more than an offsite hotel. Yes, using uber will be inexpensive since you are splitting that cost, so if you are staying offsite, plan a hotel near disney springs so you can quickly get there to take advantage of the busses.

 

[Minnesota disney fan]

My husband and I are struggling with this issue right now. We stayed off site when the kids were little, and it was fine. My DH didn't mind driving to and from WDW.
We have stayed onsite for the past 4 years (yearly trips), and love it. However, this year it is costing $1000.00 more for one day less stay compared to last year. We have not gotten a room discount yet, but are hoping. So, we are getting less for more money, at this point!
However, we have to consider that we both love onsite for these reasons:
1) I don't like to cook on our vacations. That is not a vacation for me, as I do all the cooking all the time. So, onsite is a gift for me to be able to eat out and not have to deal with food prep, dishes, menu's, etc. That's my vacation wish list
2) My husband is older now and does not like to drive in Florida traffic, At All! So, it is a treat for him to put our bags on the airplane, ride ME from the airport to our resort, and have our bags arrive later. We don't mind using WDW transportation, and have never had any major problems with it.
3) We both love the Disney bubble. We always go back to the room for rest, and to plan where we want to spend our afternoons/evenings for that day! We are spontaneous in our evening plans. We only do a planned park in the AM with fp's. It's easier for us to go to our rooms and then hop on the bus to our evening destination. No driving to parking, getting a tram, going through the TTC, etc, and vice versa.

4) so for us, onsite is perfect, even if weighing it against the increased expense. I guess it all depends on what makes YOUR vacation magical and what is important for you

 

[jlsHouston]

Did you price Coronado? It's a great moderate IMO, because it has some onsite things you only find at deluxe...like a gym and small spa area. The feature pool is really nice, the grounds are beautiful, there are also several quiet pools, bus service to the parks is good...Not sure when your travel dates are but typically the discounts here put the standard room around $150/nite up to around $ 190 for a preferred. I would recommend preferred and asking for the Cabana or the Casita section.

 

[BigRedDad]

Uber will kill any cost savings on rooms offsite. Disney transportation is not bad (at least in my experience depending on resorts). I would stay at Pop Century in a heartbeat unless you are just getting 1 room for the 4 of you. If it is 4 in 1 room, I would go Coronado Springs. The buses at Coronado and Pop are the best I have been to and they are not shared.

February can be 30s and it could be 80s. It is completely hit or miss. If you can go at other times, I would if you want warmer weather. October, late April, May

 

[BigRedDad]

Only poors and people who don't love Disney stay offsite.

This is the stupidest thing I have ever heard in my life. I am far from the poverty level and by no means rich either. I prefer my money to stay in my pocket. If I can get BETTER THAN DISNEY accommodations for more than 75% less than Disney prices, I am going to take it.

I ask you to find a Disney Resort that offers more than Wyndham Bonnet Creek for the money. BTW, you also have to identify which specific things at the resort you can do if you are a guest because most things you can do at the resort EVERYONE can do.

1. WBC: 2BR Deluxe, full kitchen, full dining room, whirlpool bath, accommodates 8 people. $500 for 7 nights (yes, this is what we paid)
2. SSR (closest comparison): 2BR unit, kitchenette, accommodates 8, with the best discount was $5,000 for the resort through Disney. Going through DVC renters, it was $3500.
3. Other DVC resorts were far more than $3,500 for the same week.

What can a resort guest do that a non-resort guest cannot?
1. Swim in the pool and I use that rule loosely.
2. Sleep in a room

That is ALL that a resort guest can do that a non-resort guest cannot.

The $3,000+ we saved just on the resort side allowed us to buy 3 APs and still save money. We were able to take 3 week long trips and spend just about what it would have cost for a Disney resort.

 

[xdan0920]

This is the stupidest thing I have ever heard in my life. I am far from the poverty level and by no means rich either. I prefer my money to stay in my pocket. If I can get BETTER THAN DISNEY accommodations for more than 75% less than Disney prices, I am going to take it.

I ask you to find a Disney Resort that offers more than Wyndham Bonnet Creek for the money. BTW, you also have to identify which specific things at the resort you can do if you are a guest because most things you can do at the resort EVERYONE can do.

1. WBC: 2BR Deluxe, full kitchen, full dining room, whirlpool bath, accommodates 8 people. $500 for 7 nights (yes, this is what we paid)
2. SSR (closest comparison): 2BR unit, kitchenette, accommodates 8, with the best discount was $5,000 for the resort through Disney. Going through DVC renters, it was $3500.
3. Other DVC resorts were far more than $3,500 for the same week.

What can a resort guest do that a non-resort guest cannot?
1. Swim in the pool and I use that rule loosely.
2. Sleep in a room

That is ALL that a resort guest can do that a non-resort guest cannot.

The $3,000+ we saved just on the resort side allowed us to buy 3 APs and still save money. We were able to take 3 week long trips and spend just about what it would have cost for a Disney resort.

tl;dr

 

[DfromATX]

There are three of us, and we'd like to do the trip for no more than $2500 each. That seems like a lot but were from Canada, and we have to pay a third more of whatever USD price we are quoted!

Dang, that IS a lot!

 

[Jeff456]

For me I much prefer staying on property if only for the Disney "bubble". It is pretty expensive coming from the UK anyway so the extra money feels worth it!

 

[DfromATX]

For me I much prefer staying on property if only for the Disney "bubble". It is pretty expensive coming from the UK anyway so the extra money feels worth it!

Is it true that visitors from the UK get free dining?

 

[Jeff456]

Is it true that visitors from the UK get free dining?

It is offered but only for select periods of the year and for select booking periods.
Currently the offer is free dining between 28th May and 3rd of September 2017 if you book by 20th October with $100 of credit as well. It was $200(when we booked) but it starts as $200 then gets reduced after a month or so.
It's free QSDP with a moderate and free DDP in a deluxe, I think you get free breakfast in a value as well.
Of course "free," isn't really free it's instead of another form of discount (I don't think we get room discounts in UK so likely paying rack rate)

 

[DfromATX]

It is offered but only for select periods of the year and for select booking periods.
Currently the offer is free dining between 28th May and 3rd of September 2017 if you book by 20th October with $100 of credit as well. It was $200(when we booked) but it starts as $200 then gets reduced after a month or so.
It's free QSDP with a moderate and free DDP in a deluxe, I think you get free breakfast in a value as well.
Of course "free," isn't really free it's instead of another form of discount (I don't think we get room discounts in UK so likely paying rack rate)

Still a great perk! But I guess they know you are paying a lot more to get there. At least the free offer is good during the summer vacation months.

 

[EvilQueen-T]

If your travel dates are flexible remember the prices of the on site resorts varies depending on the time of year. If you can go, say, in September you could share rooms at a value resort. If you're not interested in the dining plan, disney transportation, or extra magic hours then staying off site sounds like the way to go. Remember as long as you all have your tickets purchased you can still book fast passes in advance. If you want a magic band instead of a hard card ticket there's always the option to purchase one. You can also book reservations at any of the disney restaurants without staying on site.

 

[castlecake2.0]

I would definitely stay on site. I went with 3 of my friends back in 2007 before I was a Cast Member and we had the same debate, but I convinced them to stay on property at Disney's Pop Century Resort and we all agreed that is was the right choice. We were also coming from Canada and had to deal with an awful exchange rate. We booked a few nice dinners like Ohana and Le Cellier and then the rest of the time made use of Counter Service locations (PS counter service locations provide free ice water on request). As others have said, staying on property allows you to experience that Disney hospitality from the moment you check in for your Magical Express shuttle at Orlando Airport. Another thing to keep in mind is that Walt Disney World is the size of the city of Ottawa, so factor that in when you are staying off site, sometimes it can take more than 20 minutes commuting to certain areas once even arriving on property.

I'll let Nicholas tell you more, see if you can notice on his nametag where he is from. Where in Canada are you? Also you can try calling 407-W-DISNEY to talk to Disney Travel Agents, sometime they have different deals then online.

 

[SyracuseDisneyFan]

I've stayed on site twice and I loved the experience of staying on site. I recommend on site. It depends on if you plan to visit places outside of Disney.

 

[~Mad Hatter~]

I haven't been to WDW since my Honeymoon in 1994 because of my career, but I know once I do get back to that magical place I will be staying right smack in the middle of it all.