Starting to regret decision to stay offsite

[Frothy]

I know your problem. We had always stayed in a hotel before staying in a vaction home and I can honestly say that we will never, never stay in a hotel again when we visit Orlando.

Once you turn the key and open the door to the home you will know you made the right decision. You won't believe the space you have and then you'll see the pool. You're going to have a great time.

 

[Kaler131]

Wow! You all have me wanting to stay off-site next time too!! All of you have GREAT points about staying in a rental house/condo....I think I will look into this as well!
I always liked to stay onsite, but our family could most definately use the extra space.

 

[MiaSRN62]

I've never once attended an EMH, whether offsite or on. There are 30,000 rooms eligible for this "exclusive" perk---how exclusive can it be?

Brian...I totally respect the majority of your opinions, but if you have never attended an EMH, then (respectfully) you really don't know the benefit. We tend to visit WDW during the summer most of the time. With the huge summer crowds and heat, believe me, the morning EMH's are worth their weight in gold. We can get on 4-5 attractions in the first 90 min that would take us all day if we entered the park later. Believe me.....we're not much for being "morning" people, but we do it because of how much we can get done in that extra hour+. I will admit the EMH at night are not always as good. Particularily the first hour. But if you stay until the end, it REALLY empties out most times & many rides are walk-on. So again, worth it.

All this being said, I am not against offsite as well. I will say, I prefer a timeshare/resort type place offsite vs a regular generic hotel or private home. A private home, while very nice and plush, doesn't feel like a vacation enough to me ? And I know to many it does.....but I prefer more of a resort atmosphere where I don't just feel like I'm at home if you know what I'm saying ? But size and price of offiste rentals can't be matched by disney. So for those on a budget, it's a wonderful option.

 

[spiceycat]

love both!

offsite - cheaper place to stay and since you have your own transportation cheaper places to eat.

that say NEVER and I mean NEVER stay offsite without your own transportation.

I also LOVE and MEAN LOVE - EMH. use them frequently - both early morning and late night.

now late night has to be really late night - the late night hours start after 10:00 pm - before then too many parents with kids. some of these kids should have been in bed and believe me they let the entire world know it.

there is a lot of crying, screaming and just plain - don't want to be here before 10:00pm (sometimes 11pm)

that say when these leave the parks - it is pretty wonderful.

now have a problem most of you don't - allergic to the sun - so MUST leave the park around 10 am - 11 am is the most that can stay. and not return until 4, 5 or 6pm (depending upon the sun). Only when very cloudy(no sun at all) or raining can I stay.

so early morning and late night hours are a must for me - when staying on WDW property.

that say this year don't think you will have any problems staying offsite. Florida in general is hurting. WDW is not too bad - but the other places in Orlando are in trouble.

so go to a couple of them - not just WDW for your entire stay.

 

[Brian Noble]

if you have never attended an EMH, then (respectfully) you really don't know the benefit

Point taken. And, we are thinking about doing one or two during this February's OKW stay. We'll see.

However, in past trips, we have done everything we wanted to do multiple times, with short waits and moderate crowds, even on President's Week, by avoiding EMH parks entirely. I prefer my Extra Magic Hours of Sleep instead.

I'll also note that I cannot think of a single "professional" planning resource that recommends EMHs as a matter of course. TourGuideMike, the Unofficial Guide/Touringplans crowd calendars, and RideMax all recommend avoiding them most of the time, because the wait times overall on EMH days are longer for the bulk of the day.

In at least one case (AK pre-Everest) the Unofficial Guide guys found that you got less done following their touring plans on an EMH morning than you did on a non-EMH day, even though the non-EMH day was shorter.

There are times (like Pat's case) where EMH is a godsend. As another example, folks coming form the West Coast might really get a lot out of evening EMH while their body clocks adjust. If you want to, hopping away from a morning (or to an evening) can also work well.

But, the "pros" all agree: for the average guest on an average trip, it's a good idea to avoid EMHs as a general rule.

That said, if you really want the best of both worlds, you can often book an offsite villa and a limited hook-up campsite at Ft. Wilderness for less than two Value rooms. That gives you tons of space, excellent amenities, and all the EMH you can stand for a very reasonable price.

 

[summermac]

Oooh, that's interesting:
That said, if you really want the best of both worlds, you can often book an offsite villa and a limited hook-up campsite at Ft. Wilderness for less than two Value rooms. That gives you tons of space, excellent amenities, and all the EMH you can stand for a very reasonable price.

So you'd just uh, set up a tent? LOL!

 

[MiaSRN62]

There are times (like Pat's case) where EMH is a godsend. As another example, folks coming form the West Coast might really get a lot out of evening EMH while their body clocks adjust. If you want to, hopping away from a morning (or to an evening) can also work well.

Well, can certainly understand Pat's case......but we swear by them. Don't care what TGM and others say really. Over a decade of visiting WDW 2-3x a year....the EMH have proven to work for us. There have been a couple that were not so great, but the good ones FAR outweigh the not-so-good ones.

I agree with what Pat said too......those late night EMH are great after like 10 pm. All the families with young children start to leave. The parks can be awesome---particularily when you are talking the middle of summer. So nice to escape the blazing heat. But if you've had good luck without them Brian---I am sincerely happy for you. President's Week 2007 I was there----HAVE NO IDEA how you did all you wanted to. I swear I'll never go Pres Week again. That said, I'll be in WDW Feb 5-11 (maybe I'll see ya there ? ....or have you chosen Pres Week again ?).

 

[Brian Noble]

My P-week was 2005. I followed TourGuideMiKE religiously, and never waited in a line longer than 10-15 minutes. It was great.

But, TGM is all about rope drop. You might be able to, but there's no way I could stay out past 10PM and be at rope the next day. No. Way.

Our trip this year is Mardi Gras week, the week after P-Week. The two EMHs we're thinking about are DS and AK PMs. DS normally closes at 7, and we want dinner at 50sPT---figure we'll just enjoy the park at night after dinner, and only hop in a ride line if it is short. For AK, I love that park at night. Just beautiful. Usually, it's open past sunset on our arrival day, but this year it closes at 5 all week, except for PM EMH.

The real question about EMHs is: how much are they worth to you? Naturally, that's different for each family. I wouldn't necessarily pay extra for them, because it's so easy to tour the parks without having them. I do find the transportation to have real value, though.

 

[summermac]

Wow, this has turned into quite the discussion.

My kids are up at 7 am-ish (my how my idea of early morning has changed since they showed up) so we should be able to hit rope drop every morning. The first time we went, our mornings started at more like 10-11. I miss those days. LOL!

I sure wish I knew when the parks opened in June already!!

 

[lbklyn]

November we also stayed at a 5 bedroom villa in Windsor Hills. There is nothing like it! House was clean and beautiful and the pool we LOVED! My sister and I could not get enough of sitting out by the pool at all times (one night till 3 in the morning, quietly though) having a couple of drinks and just taking it all in. My only complaint is I think we got taken a bit. Our villa was $1500 not including taxes or pool heat so it cost us close to $1800!
Have seen just as nice or even nicer villas for much less in WH. But ya live and learn! Unless I was going alone I will probably NEVER stay in a hotel again.
I think you will love it.

 

[summermac]

There is quite the price discrepancy at WH. I think a lot of depends on who you book it through. We went directly through owner and it's going to be $1260 for us. No pool heat b/c we'll be there in June. Some include taxes, others don't.

 

[Cinderella]

Maria - Try doing your chosen park the day after extra magic hours. Even in the summer, it will be a lot less crowded. We did extra magic hours in Epcot a couple of years ago and they were letting folk in without checking their ID's and there was a lot of folks waiting to get in.

In October 2006 we did MK the day after extra magic hours and we got to ride Big Thunder Mountain four times in a row with no wait. It's definitely worth trying.

I used to be a huge fan of extra magic hours until they changed the rules.

 

[MinnieLove]

Summermac - A note from another Small Town Ohio, where we have 14 inches of snow.

Someone else suggested the campground DDP plan to me. It is a definite hot point with other campers. The suggestion was to reserve a campsite for however many days you are wishing to purchase DDP. Upon arrival at WDW go to camp ground to check in. You do not have to put up a tent, or even go to site. If you wish to park vehicle there you may. Basically a way to get DDP when staying off-site.

We did not chose DDP, but are staying off-site. We are just winging it.

Good luck in your choices. Have a magical stay!

 

[boakl]

Don't forget the convenience of NOT having to carry 25 lbs of deadweight sleeping toddler very carefully off of a resort bus, into a bright lobby, up an elevator, down the loooongest hallway ever built only to have him open his eyes to moment his head hits the pillow and then insist on partying all night!!

Sorry, when we travel with the kids, hotels are out! We learned early on that if you aren't sleeping well on vacation, you aren't having any fun on vacation ....

 

[Brian Noble]

The suggestion was to reserve a campsite for however many days you are wishing to purchase DDP.

The DDP is already of dubious value---this doesn't seem like a good idea in most situations.

 

[spiceycat]

Someone else suggested the campground DDP plan to me. It is a definite hot point with other campers. The suggestion was to reserve a campsite for however many days you are wishing to purchase DDP. Upon arrival at WDW go to camp ground to check in. You do not have to put up a tent, or even go to site. If you wish to park vehicle there you may. Basically a way to get DDP when staying off-site.

We did not chose DDP, but are staying off-site.

FW campground is not cheap - sometimes it is close to a value resort room.

if you have an annual pass you can get the tables of wonderland (DDE).

for $60 - it gives you a 20% discount at most restuarants and some counter services.

 

[Cinderella]

As Spiceycat mentioned - do look into Tables of Wonderland (DDE). I think you can also get it without an annual pass but for a higher rate. And you get the discount on alcoholic beverages also and counter service meals.

 

[JoanneNC]

Sorry to hijack but I was feeling the same way as the OP...
I am all about the environment and while I loved everything about my 2 previous on site stays - this next one in June will be off site
We are going with another family of 6 so staying off site in 2 of my timeshare units is beyond affordable.

Thanks for pointing out the finer things

 

[MiaSRN62]

Maria - Try doing your chosen park the day after extra magic hours. Even in the summer, it will be a lot less crowded. We did extra magic hours in Epcot a couple of years ago and they were letting folk in without checking their ID's and there was a lot of folks waiting to get in.

In October 2006 we did MK the day after extra magic hours and we got to ride Big Thunder Mountain four times in a row with no wait. It's definitely worth trying.

I used to be a huge fan of extra magic hours until they changed the rules.

Hi cinderella....
We have done what you suggested, thank you----but still like the EMH's as well. We do find ALOT of value in therm. And Brian is right....if you don't find value in them, then this is one less reason to stay at a WDW resort if you are torn with offsite. I agree with that Brian. If people think they can fit in all the popular attractions during busy times of the year in other ways besides EMH---- I say more power to you. Getting to the MK at rope drop is a good start, but getting there an hour+ more before the rope drop is even better in my opinion and experience.

As for CM's letting people in without wristbands to EMH....I've seen that too. But they will not be able to get on the rides. I've been to enough EMH's where, even if offsiters are wandering around the park, the CM's won't let them through the attraction lines without checking wrist bands.

Another vote for DDE if you dine alot on property over the course of a year. I think we recoup the cost of the DDE card in about 3 TS meals.

 

[Brian Noble]

Another vote for the Tables in Wonderland/DDE card. In addition to the 20% discount at most TS locations (everything on the bill, even alcohol, is eligible), it also provides for valet parking when dining at a resort restaurant.

From what I hear, the new PM EMH policy of checking KTTW cards at each queue is being enforced more consistently than the wristbands were. Disney is actually happy to let non-Resort guests hang out in the park on an evening EMH. They are welcome to shop (spend money) and dine (spend money), but they may not experience any attractions.

Note that on this point, EMH is very different from hard-ticket Parties. In those, non-Party guests are generally invited to leave, even if all they are doing is spending money.