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Why do you stay off site?
- Thread starter bgraham34
- Start date
bsandersjr
Active Member
One question.... How much cheaper is it to stay off site in comparison to the value resorts? And is it not more beneficial to stay on site for means of transportation and other "perks"?
disney_nutter
Active Member
The main reason the british tourist that stay of site is becuase they just dont go to oralndo for disney they find it better to stay on somewer elike i0drive which has other attractions and shops close by.
barnum42
New Member
I save A LOT staying offsite. Last time I paid the equivalent of less than $25 a night to stay ten minutes drive from the theme parks.
As I'm there just for the theme parks, I don't spend long in the hotel. Just fall into the bed at night, then get up, shower and head off in the morning.
Even if you stay offsite you can still visit the resorts.
As I'm there just for the theme parks, I don't spend long in the hotel. Just fall into the bed at night, then get up, shower and head off in the morning.
Even if you stay offsite you can still visit the resorts.
mikeymouse
Well-Known Member
Here is what I'm getting when i come down ... 3 bedroom condo, 3 baths, kitchen, living room, private screened-in pool, tv/vcr/dvd, all appliances, all pots, pans, dishes, silverware. $80/night plus its fenced in and security guards are at the gate 24/7. And I can see the Tree of Life & EE from the entrance. I'd luv to stay on site at one of the monorail resorts, but its too $$$.
rentNdisney
New Member
bgraham34 said:
thats what my family gets. our problem is that we're a family of 6, i'm 17 and my brother is 15, but our younger brothers are 6 and 5. We need two rooms. I've heard epople tell em to just share a room, but the problem there is that the little ones want to go to bed, while my brother and i want to stay up and watch tv. So instead, we get a timesharish thing for about 125$ a night with a kitchen, living room, two bedrooms and bathrooms and a laundry room. it really just makes the most sense in out situation
lborne
Member
We really don't have a strong reason other than the money. I've been racking my brain for a good reason to stay off site, but can't come up with one other than the money. We drive and would always prefer to use a car than Disney busses, so practically, it does not matter where we stay. If we were going to spend more time at Universal and SeaWorld, then you could say staying off I-Drive would have some benefit. But if the majority of your time is at Disney, staying on-site or just off 192 is not significant in distance. In fact, when staying off of 192 we can usually drive to the MK a lot faster than if we had taken a bus from a Disney Resort.
We live only a couple hours away, but will usually stay for a week at a time, or 3-4 days. We do this several times throughout the year when it is not busy. Like others, we get a 2 or 3 bedroom condo with kitchen, LR, etc. for sometimes less than $200 per week usually off 192. A 2 BR suite at the AK Lodge can set you back over $600 a night, and that does not have a full kitchen. We've done it once, but it was just not worth it.
We live only a couple hours away, but will usually stay for a week at a time, or 3-4 days. We do this several times throughout the year when it is not busy. Like others, we get a 2 or 3 bedroom condo with kitchen, LR, etc. for sometimes less than $200 per week usually off 192. A 2 BR suite at the AK Lodge can set you back over $600 a night, and that does not have a full kitchen. We've done it once, but it was just not worth it.
DLP Fan
Member
mikeymouse said:
Where is this? Sounds lovely! And you can see Animal Kingdom. Nice!
We normally stay at Vistana Villages. Its really nice and, as another Brit said, is a good location to get all around Orlando, not just Disney. Its also nice having a kitchen etc and with older kids is good not all being in one room!
goofy0101
New Member
My reasons have come down to money as well. There are four of us that travel down there and we could get a two bedroom/two bath condo for less than $100 and be at any park entrance within ten minutes. If we stayed at a hotel, we'd get two rooms (since none of us sleep together) so that really did save a lot of $$. However, we're heading down in October and for the first time will be staying on THE property (POFQ) and I'm guessing we'll never want to stay outside again.
As people know I stay at the Grosvenor Resort I like it there to me the Price
is good and its a short walk to Downtown Disney.
For the Parks there are Buses and its a fast ride to the Parks
I know that some people don't like the Grosvenor thats ok But I do I
know all the staff and some are friends to me as for the staff at the front
desk I think there great to if they can help you they will.
:xmas:
is good and its a short walk to Downtown Disney.
For the Parks there are Buses and its a fast ride to the Parks
I know that some people don't like the Grosvenor thats ok But I do I
know all the staff and some are friends to me as for the staff at the front
desk I think there great to if they can help you they will.
:xmas:
joel_maxwell
Permanent Resident of EPCOT
the last 2 times i went i stayed off property b/c i was a poor college student and I was just lucky to be able to go.
we stayed for $35 a night at Racoon Lake. the "cabin" was a glorified tool shed with a toilet, bath and loft the was 2' to 3' tall. sad thing is...... it wasnt as bad as some of the conditions ive seen people live in at colloge. at least it was clean.
some how we got 4 people in that thing. it was pretty funny.
we stayed for $35 a night at Racoon Lake. the "cabin" was a glorified tool shed with a toilet, bath and loft the was 2' to 3' tall. sad thing is...... it wasnt as bad as some of the conditions ive seen people live in at colloge. at least it was clean.
some how we got 4 people in that thing. it was pretty funny.
Since1976
Well-Known Member
I got suckered into getting a timeshare :hammer:
Seriously though, I love the Sheraton Vistana Villages, my home resort through Starwood's Vacation Ownership program. I'm very close to the magic, but not stuck in the middle of it, so I don't feel so guilty going to Universal or SeaWorld while I'm in Orlando.
My wife and I have already discussed it, and we will try a Disney resort sometime, but our offsite resort is home.
Seriously though, I love the Sheraton Vistana Villages, my home resort through Starwood's Vacation Ownership program. I'm very close to the magic, but not stuck in the middle of it, so I don't feel so guilty going to Universal or SeaWorld while I'm in Orlando.
My wife and I have already discussed it, and we will try a Disney resort sometime, but our offsite resort is home.
DizneeFanatic
New Member
I can get a great condo right off the main gate for around $250 a week. Its usually at Sheraton condos.
disneytati
New Member
Last time I went to Orlando I stayed offsite, because it was the only one I could afford. That's the only reason I stay offsite, I would love to stay at a WDW hotel. The hotel I stayed last time cost something around 35 dollars a night, with breakfast. It was not very beautiful, but it was clean. It was not a WDW breakfast, but it was ok. Enough for someone who HAD to go to Orlando (couldn't stay away from it any longer!!!) but had very little money.
Julius & Boobah
Member
People stay off sit usually to be more central to other attractions, (as was mentioned before) People from Europe will usually do most if not all parks...
My question would be why stay ONsite?
My question would be why stay ONsite?
MKCP 1985
Well-Known Member
Why would I stay offsite other than to save money? I'll tell you - I've stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel and loved it. They gave me a CD of music when I checked in, the room was very nicely appointed with other amenities and I got to go to the front of the line at the Universal Parks. I would not hesitate to stay there again, especially if I was going to maybe change hotels during the stay like some people do.
Other reasons to stay offsite besides the cost of the room: If I come down during the off season when the swimming pool is not really a factor, I would stay at a nice hotel off site and have a much better room than I can get at a Disney value resort. The All Stars rooms are cramped and have fewer amenities than you can get at a Hampton Inn or its equivalent up the road. For example, at Disney's All Stars or Pop, you will get no complimentary continental breakfast, no in room coffee pot, no newspaper and no in room internet service. You will not have a nice chair to sit in to relax in your room and you will not have a nice closet to stow your bags.
Moreover, the value resorts are loaded up with people going to the parks to the point that you often have to wait for a second or third bus to get on, so I find that I will drive to the parks (except the Magic Kingdom) anyway for convenience. The concierge service at Disney resorts only help you with Disney events (no assistance with reservations for off-property attractions such as Universal, Sea World, Medieval Times, Church Street Station, etc. etc).
Some nice things about the value resorts include the Disney cartoons on a dedicated television channel, the wake up call from Disney characters, the existence of bus transportation to all the parks and Downtown Disney and the swimming pool. Ultimately, it is a personal choice, but there are certainly good and valid reasons to stay elsewhere.
Other reasons to stay offsite besides the cost of the room: If I come down during the off season when the swimming pool is not really a factor, I would stay at a nice hotel off site and have a much better room than I can get at a Disney value resort. The All Stars rooms are cramped and have fewer amenities than you can get at a Hampton Inn or its equivalent up the road. For example, at Disney's All Stars or Pop, you will get no complimentary continental breakfast, no in room coffee pot, no newspaper and no in room internet service. You will not have a nice chair to sit in to relax in your room and you will not have a nice closet to stow your bags.
Moreover, the value resorts are loaded up with people going to the parks to the point that you often have to wait for a second or third bus to get on, so I find that I will drive to the parks (except the Magic Kingdom) anyway for convenience. The concierge service at Disney resorts only help you with Disney events (no assistance with reservations for off-property attractions such as Universal, Sea World, Medieval Times, Church Street Station, etc. etc).
Some nice things about the value resorts include the Disney cartoons on a dedicated television channel, the wake up call from Disney characters, the existence of bus transportation to all the parks and Downtown Disney and the swimming pool. Ultimately, it is a personal choice, but there are certainly good and valid reasons to stay elsewhere.