What are the advantages to saying on property?

DarthVader

Sith Lord
Honest question - my wife asked me this very question this morning as we are planning for our vacation February. I've been out of the loop, since I've not done a WDW vacation in years.

It used to be, that we had extra magic hours, we could book our dinner reservations for the entire stay (a week for us) right at the beginning of the 180 day mark, and similarly we could book our fastpasses for the entire week, we had the magic express to get us to our resort (and a ride back to the airport).

Now so much as changed, is there any advantages?
 

CaptainAmerica

Premium Member
The dining reservation advantage is still there, it's just 60+LOS instead of 180+LOS.

You get into every park 30 minutes early, instead of a single park 60 minutes early. For some people that's a cut, for others it's a win, for others it's neutral.

Personally, I don't think there's much value in staying on property per se. If my options were All Star Music or off property, I'd stay off property. I stay on property because I like the Disney resorts that I stay at. There's no Fort Wilderness, Animal Kingdom Lodge, or even Caribbean Beach off property.
 
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DarthVader

Sith Lord
Original Poster
You get into every park 30 minutes early, instead of a single park 60 minutes early. For some people that's a cut, for others it's a win, for others it's neutral.
So what you're saying if the MK opens at 9:00 we can walk up to the kiosk, have our magic bands scanned at 8:30 and say walk to future world and get on a ride?
 
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JIMINYCR

Well-Known Member
Yes there have been some perks that have disapeared and many see that those are enough to feel theres no value anymore. Everyone has a different sense of what they value and how that value is felt.
WE still enjoy being onsite, having the nearness of the parks, the Disney feel, the CM's continued attention and relating to them. We enjoy the theming surrounding us, and the Disney touch. The WDW transportation still is efficient enough to make it enjoyable for us to get around. Going from the parks and being in our resort in minutes still feeling like we are in the Disney bubble is enough. Waking up in Disney is enough.
Depending on where you are deciding to stay and your past experiences, it will help you decide the worth of onsite feel vs offsite. If it all comes down to the dollars then staying offsite will save you some money. Only you can say if thats enough. To us its more than dollars and cents. We still choose onsite vs offsite.
 
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nickys

Premium Member
So what you're saying if the MK opens at 9:00 we can walk up to the kiosk, have our magic bands scanned at 8:30 and say walk to future world and get on a ride?
Sort of. Everyone gets in earlier but as a resort guest you can get further into the park where rides will open at 8:30am.

If you walked up at 8:30 you’ll find a lot of non resort guests already in the park.
 
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HoustonHorn

Premium Member
Honest question - my wife asked me this very question this morning as we are planning for our vacation February. I've been out of the loop, since I've not done a WDW vacation in years.

It used to be, that we had extra magic hours, we could book our dinner reservations for the entire stay (a week for us) right at the beginning of the 180 day mark, and similarly we could book our fastpasses for the entire week, we had the magic express to get us to our resort (and a ride back to the airport).

Now so much as changed, is there any advantages?
1. Transportation - being able to walk to MK from Contemporary or to EPCOT/MGM from Beach/Yacht/Boardwalk; the Skyliner; and the Monorail beat driving and are cheaper than Ubering.

2. Extra Morning Minutes - with these, during this crazy Thanksgiving week, I was able to rope drop Rise and ride MF:SR via single rider by 10 AM (9:00 park open; 8:30 early access) and rope drop FoP and ride NRJ by 8:23 (8:00 park entry; 7:30 early access). Not a big advantage at EPCOT (rope dropped Soarin', then had to head over for BG 12 at Rat), and didn't use at MK (went there the day we flew in).

3. Evening Extra Hours at MK and EPCOT - didn't use these, but if you're a night owl and staying Deluxe, it seems useful and fun

4. Watching MK fireworks and/or the Electrical Water Pageant from my balcony or from a short walk from the hotel doors at the Contemporary.

5. Dining rezzies 60+ length of stay.

6. I just like staying onsite. The Contemporary is nostalgic, as it is where we stayed when I was 8 & 10. AKL Savannah View is amazing. Most resort CMs are great and helpful, which I just don't get outside the bubble unless I'm staying super luxury.

Is it worth the cost? It is to me, it may not be to you. But these are my reasons.
 
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HoustonHorn

Premium Member
Another advantage is now becoming apparent. Being able to buy an ILL for Rise of the Resistance. Riding standby is an alternative at least.
Jeeze - can't believe I forgot that! In my defense, the day I tried to buy that, it was either sold out within 90 seconds, and I got my SDD G+ first, which meant Rise was sold out before I tried, or (as I was told by a CM), there was a systemwide outage that screwed it up that day (Tuesday, November 23).

But you're 100% right - Rise and sometimes FoP are selling out before the parks open, so if you even want a chance to try and get ILL on them, you must be staying on site.
 
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crawale

Well-Known Member
Honest question - my wife asked me this very question this morning as we are planning for our vacation February. I've been out of the loop, since I've not done a WDW vacation in years.

It used to be, that we had extra magic hours, we could book our dinner reservations for the entire stay (a week for us) right at the beginning of the 180 day mark, and similarly we could book our fastpasses for the entire week, we had the magic express to get us to our resort (and a ride back to the airport).

Now so much as changed, is there any advantages?
Loss of the Magical Express and more importantly bags delivered to your room and checked in at the hotel are pretty heavy losses for us. We have been going to Disney since 1986 and the recent changes for hotel guests and now Genie+ made me decide to sell our DVC points and probably not go again. Of course some folks will pay through the nose for less and less service but I like to feel i'm getting value for my dollar.
 
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Sbk1234

Well-Known Member
This is a bit ineffable, but for me an advantage of staying on property is for the entire time I'm on vacation, I don't have to leave the bubble and face Realityland. Even if I leave the parks during the day, or at the end of a long day, if I'm staying at a Disney resort, I'm still there. To me, it's like I never leave the fantasy and get to live Disney 24-7 for that trip.
I've stayed off property due to finances, but I definitely felt like I was missing out. If it's only about bottom line cost, you can do better off site, but if I can swing in financially, it's always worth it to me to stay on site. Even at All Stars.
 
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