The Best Perk Staying Onsite!

[real mad hatter]

Morning All, I was recently asked about what perks do guests get staying at a Disney hotel resort,so I gave them all the info and it got me thinking.What is your favourite perk that staying onsite has to offer?Had to think about this one but it's a toss up between the extra magic hours and getting your purchases sent back to your hotel.Excluding the free dining plan of course,that is awesome.:wave:

 

[chuckd3]

Emh

Emh!

 

[Ralphlaw]

Being close to everything, and being able to use the busses, boats, monorails, and feet to get everywhere. We usually stay at the Epcot resorts, which are so close to Epcot and Studios, and are wonderfully disneyesque in themselves. No worries about getting anywhere, and never feeling as though you're "leaving".

 

[sublimesting]

I'd have to say it is the shutting out of the entire world. When I pass through those gates I feel like I am in a bubble of magic that I don't want to leave.

 

[sublimesting]

Oh, and the other thing is that I don't like to feel dependent on having to use my car. To me it means actually having less freedom because I like to wander about aimlessly from park to park without a plan or a care. I don't want to run into the scenario where I decide I want to go to EPCOT Center for a few drinks and have to get my car first. Or I happen to decide I want to ride the monorail and I want to get off at MK but have to go back and get my car at some point.

 

[ShookieJones]

1.Being in the middle of the magic - corny but true.
2.EMH
3.Magical Express

 

[DisneyDebNJ]

I had done both onsite and offsite in the past. I have to say, hands down, staying onsite, for my family really adds to our vacation experience. Not only do I LOVE just going to DME and having everything taken care of for me, but the reception I get from CMs and the treatment we receive, is phenomenal. The disney plan, our park tickets, NO having to drive anywhere, really screams relaxation to us. Knowing, once our feet hit Orlando *soil*, everything is taken care of, through Disney, is a definate plus!!!

 

[Joshua&CalebDad]

Getting to bed quickly...

The best part of being onsite is knowing that you can be at your room and in bed within 20 - 25 minutes depending on how busy the parks and transportation are. You don't have to walk to your car, you don't have to fight everyone else in the parking lots, and you don't have to fight traffic to get home. On top of that, the next day you get up take a bath grab some breakfast and you get to do it all over again.

 

[cmothemoose]

One perk I have always loved is carrying around nothing but my key to the world. I don't know why but I like to spend all day in the parks with no wallet/cash. It always just feels so Disney to leave it all behind.

 

[miltimo5]

wow...so many to choose from... my very first trip was off site.. :brick: something that never happened a second time..
and although the package pick up is #4, the dining plan in general and adrs #3, and extra magic hours #2 i have to say DISNEY TRANSPORTATION is # 1.

when we stayed of property :brick: there were 2 buses in the morning to the park and 2 buses in the evening from the park to the resort. and the last bus was 9pm..so you had to be there 15min ahead...no fireworks, or light parades etc.

I LOVE THE DISNEY TRANSPORATION SYSTEM... i love leaving the park during the day, going to a different resort for lunch and some shopping whenever i need a break from the heat or crowds...or just to go back for a shower and nap when the park is open until 12 or 1. gotta love the disney transporation system

 

[Millie Mouse]

I LOVE that after an 8 hour drive, we can just park our car and leave it there until we are ready to go home! We have stayed at POP, All Star Sports (how to abbreviate?), POR, CBR, AKL and Contemporary. Each of these resorts offers great transportation. Nothing compares to being delivered right to the entrance of the parks without thinking about traffic or parking lots. The car is BLAZING HOT - the bus is much cooler! Every time we plan a trip, I research nearby hotels, condos and houses with their own pools. Every time, we choose to stay onsite because of the transportation! Although, the one time we got Free Dining was AWESOME!

 

[Disneydreamer23]

1. package being sent to hotel
2. EMH
3. transportation

 

[Skibum1970]

1. Magical Express: Land at MCO, board the bus, and enjoy the video. The excitement builds up until we see the entrance to our resort.

2. Hotel Theming/Immersiveness: Port Orleans Riverside and Wilderness Lodge are our favorites and the Disney Magic really hits home.

3. No traffic. The buses take us everywhere or the boats do. I don't have to drive or worry about parking.

4. Did I mention the Disney Magic?

 

[dsdmbU2]

Others have said it in other terms but I would say it's simply waking up knowing you are already "at" WDW!! You don't have to get in a car and worry about driving from your lame off-site hotel to the parks, etc. It's just "magical"!! Oh, the other things (ADRs, transportation, movies on the "beach" at your resort, EMHs, simply walking from Epcot to the BC or BW, the pools, etc., etc, etc.!!!!!!) are great too!! We have never and will never stay off-site!!

 

[atsolomon]

The best perk is the grounds of the resorts themselves. They are just head and shoulders above most off site hotels. Walking around any of the resorts is just relaxing. Even a great off site hotel, like the Caribe Royale, just doesn't match up to the well-designed grounds, landscaping, and pools at the Disney resorts.

My most recent vacation I split the time between the Caribe Royale and Coronado Springs. I got a bigger room at the Caribe at a somewhat lower price, but Coronado was more beautiful and relaxing. Part of the lower stress at WDW was that I had already reserved all my sit down meals (free meal plan promo), so I didn't have any "where are we going to eat tonight?" stress that I encountered while off site.

--Adam

 

[dramamama]

We love the EMHs and being AT Disney the WHOLE time. It is just a little depressing to drive out under that sign to the real world at the end of a day in the park even if I know I am coming back the next day. Sadly, we haven't been able to take advantage of the free dining yet as it wasn't offered on the dates we were able to go the last few times. So.... I would have to say the best perk is being totally immersed in the magic 24/7!

 

[disneylemons]

I think the resorts theirselves are my #1..I could go for a few days and just resort hop to the shops, restaurants, etc..

#2 - EMH

#3 - Disney Transportation - I'm the driver of the family and love not driving anywhere!

 

[Poofiesdream]

We live a few hours away and once we arrive there we park the car at the resort and don't see it till we leave. We use Disney Transportation for everything. So what if there is a wait, were on vacation at Disney! No driving, getting lost, parking and shuttling to the entrance. You get to meet nice people on the way to the parks, sit back and relax. Bus's run at least every 20 minutes. Some of the outside hotels have bus's only a few per day! :sohappy:

 

[tommyp]

Emh perk ???

EMH is no perk if you watch cast members they don't do there job checking for onsite guest! Or before i get blasted i should say some! cast members, 7 out of 10 They let anyone onto the rides Examples 1 Key for 6 guest, Expired keys from previous trips when people are not staying on property They never check the DATES! Flashing a credit card to get in and finally the worst of all the cast member standing in front of the ride makes no effort to even ask for ID ! So i would say that That's not my favorite onsite Perk!

 

[tommyp]

favorite perks

Bump

 

[Philhar-Fanatic]

Hands down for us it's transpartation! There's nothing better than parking the car after a 15 hour drive from Texas and knowing you won't be seeing it again until 7 to 10 days later. We love that we can just hop the bus and relax, no maps, no getting lost, no being tired and looking for a parking spot! Second is EMH although the only ones we take advantage of are the evening ones at Magic Kingdom. We find at the other parks there aren't enough things open to make it worth our while. At the other parks it seems that the lines are still pretty long.