Do you ever regret staying off site? - Update! We're staying offsite!

[etoiles]

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone ever regrets staying off site. Our next trip will be our first trip with our little one and to enjoy our trip better we would like to have a separate bedroom since LO goes to bed early and is very sensitive to noise so we don't want to have to tip toe around at 8pm!

On site the options are limited and very expensive. We are considering an Art of Animations suite but I see so many cheaper options with benefits such as washer/dryer, etc...

One in particular that catched my eye was this Blue Heron Resort. It seems to have lots of good reviews. We could have a two bedroom suite with view of fireworks and washer/dryer for so cheap! Of course, I would have to add the cost of car rental and parking at the parks but we still come out way ahead.

So, do you regret staying off site and if you had the option would you prefer on site?

 

[smashing]

Interested in this as well. We have only been once and loved being on site but I want to of a longer trip this time and staying is so much cheaper. My concern is not feeling the disney magic all the time and some of the little convinces that comes with that (FP+, ADR if doing dining and the magic express). I keep bouncing back and forth :-/

 

[vleeth]

I guess it depends on the person, but I really don't mind staying off site. Especially since I save so much money I can go back that much sooner. But for some people its a big deal.

 

[ckergald]

I think a lot of this depends on if you are staying offsite to save money and get a cheap room, or if you are willing to pay close to the same price as a disney room but are looking for more perks. (eg. getting the Waldorf Astoria for close to the price of a moderate).

I make several short trips over through the year and stay both on-site and off, depending on the deal I can get. Some times renting DVC points, or a stay at Wyndham Bonnet Creek.

I've never regretted any of the my stays but often wish I had chosen another property or was able to get that same deal I got last time at a different property. That said when I book offsite I book a minimum of a 4 star rated location, I think if I were to book some of the 2 and 3 star locations I would have a different outlook on this.

 

[iheartglaciers]

I stayed off premise once to save money and regretted it. We were told the hotel had Disney shuttles but they didn't run often enough and we ended up taking expensive cab rides. The biggest thing was we didn't feel immersed in Disney as when we stayed on premise.

For us we didn't need the extra amenities like a washer/dryer, bigger/nicer pool, etc. And we ended up spending a lot of cabs (including to the airport, which would've been free with Disney). That probably would've been eliminated had we just rented a car, but we didn't think about it at the time.

It's also nice to have the option of going back to the room before dinner (if you plan on eating dinner at Disney).

 

[richmo]

Based on the previous post, whatever you do, if you stay offsite, rent a car. Hotel shuttles are terrible and if you happen to miss one, you might get stuck with a cab ride. Cars are often relatively inexpensive.

Your situation definitely lends itself to staying offsite. You might want to look into renting a condo (Windsor Hills comes to mind...we've stayed there 3 times). You can get a 2/3 bedroom condo or townhouse for a week for the price of a Disney deluxe for 2 nights.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

We much prefer offsite to onsite.

We get more space, more amenities, more luxury, more freedom, more privacy, and more peace at our offsite resort than we would onsite.

Having separate sleeping quarters means we rest better and have happier vacations.

We have more dining flexibility.

We have more activity options when we want to enjoy a resort day (mini golf, bingo, pool parties, dive-in movies, farmers market, wine tasting, etc.).

We go home with a suitcase full of clean clothes, meaning a happier ending to our vacation. We never have to "schedule" a day by the pool just so I can ensure the family has clean clothes.....laundry is easy and convenient and a breeze in our villa.

All this and.....we save a boatload vs. similar onsite options.

Which means:

- renting a car becomes affordable
- longer stays become affordable
- adding more area attractions to the vacation itineary (Seaworld, Universal, etc.) becomes affordable
- dining becomes better quality and more affordable

Unless one is driving-averse (which we are not....just the opposite, in fact, as we LOVE having a car and exploring the area) then I can't find one way that onsite trumps off. Of course, YMMV .

 

[Gr8t Fan]

We're a family of 6 and we prefer offsite to onsite, all things considered -- cost, space, amenities, etc. We would never even consider offsite without a car, but we drive down anyway. We also have APs so parking isn't a concern either.

 

[Dave1234]

There is also off-site and off-site. What I mean is some off-site resorts feel like holiday resorts whereas other off-site resorts feel like residential resorts the latter are cheaper you probably get far more bang for your buck but some of the magic is lost if there is no central resort pool and the next door neighbour gets up for work each day

 

[etoiles]

Thanks for the replies so far!

I must add that we don't plan on visiting other places other than WDW and we are not fans of driving. EVen when we had a car last time we used the buses almost every day except a few times since we both do a lot of driving normally so it's nice to have a break from it.

When we were planning the trip I was just thinking that if we go with AOA we will have no view of fireworks which would be nice in case DS goes to bed early which is likely and no balcony and wonder if we would be happier off site.

 

[Thumper_Man]

My concern is not feeling the disney magic all the time and some of the little convinces that comes with that (FP+, ADR if doing dining and the magic express).

FP+ and ADR's are conveniences that offsite guests get as well.
Only difference with FP+ is that onsite guests get to book 60 days in advance to where as off site get 30.

ADR's can be booked 180 days+10 for onsite guests. 180 days for offsite.

I've yet to experience FP+ but never had a problem getting ADR's at 180 days out as we stay offsite.

OP you will get a lot of mixed views here. Having read several threads like this, most will favor staying onsite.

Have we ever regretted staying offsite? Absolutely not. We stay at a timeshare we own offsite. We love having our own private bedroom. Having more than one bathroom is a plus when there are several people trying to get ready. Having a kitchen with a full size refrigerator is nice for us. Plenty of room to keep all our drinks nice and cold without having to replenish on a daily basis.

We have stayed onsite as well. While we enjoyed some of the onsite perks, they were not great enough for us to regret staying offsite. We had a rental car and used it often even staying onsite. We are not personally fond of Disney transportation. Having a rental car also gave us the convenience to make a grocery store run whenever we wanted. It allowed us to explore dining options outside of Disney, and that were more affordable. Park hopping was fairly easy as parking is transferable from park to park. Only have to pay once per day.

Plus staying offsite allows us to stay longer than we would get to if we stayed onsite. No regrets here.

 

[ZellyB]

We also are very happy staying off-site. We've stayed onsite at Shades of Green twice and have stayed offsite three times. For all the reasons mentioned above, we really prefer offsite. I would also agree though that I think renting a car is crucial to the success of an offsite stay. I'm also happy to drive and actually prefer it to sitting on crowded buses and waiting around for them to show up. As you mention, the cost is so much lower that I can still easily afford the rental car and parking and still come out ahead. I've never really understood the whole staying immersed in the magic thing, but that's probably because Shades of Green isn't really like the Disney resorts. Maybe if I had stayed in one of those I'd feel differently.

I think if we ever do stay onsite again, I would probably only consider it at a monorail deluxe resort and I'm not sure I'd really be able to bring myself to pay that much.

 

[Gr8t Fan]

Thanks for the replies so far!

I must add that we don't plan on visiting other places other than WDW and we are not fans of driving. EVen when we had a car last time we used the buses almost every day except a few times since we both do a lot of driving normally so it's nice to have a break from it.

When we were planning the trip I was just thinking that if we go with AOA we will have no view of fireworks which would be nice in case DS goes to bed early which is likely and no balcony and wonder if we would be happier off site.

I'd be cautious about a fireworks view from an offsite community -- some owners advertise a fireworks view and what they really should advertise is that you "may" be able to see some of the higher fireworks from very far away.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

we are not fans of driving. EVen when we had a car last time we used the buses almost every day except a few times since we both do a lot of driving normally so it's nice to have a break from it.

The bus vs. rental car scenario is a big one for many families. We were no fans of Disney transportation....we didn't find the "magic" in standing in the heat waiting for a bus, then continuing to stand on that bus after an exhausting day at the parks when there weren't enough seats for the people aboard, or worse yet, being squashed up against someone you don't know after a long, sweaty day of touring. Sitting around for another 10? 20? or more? minutes waiting for another emptier bus to come around didn't appeal either, especially if there was an ADR to be reached by a certain time.

We love hopping in our car, each having our own comfy seat for our weary bodies, turning on the AC to whatever temperature is right for us, and enjoying some peace and quiet after a day of stimuli.

But, like I said, DH loves to drive.

Blue Heron is in a great location....very close to DTD.....but like the PP mentioned, I am not sure how much of the fireworks you will really see.

 

[blessedby3]

We stayed off site for the first time on our last trip in Oct 12. We loved the space for our family of 7. When we are on property…most of the time we have to do 2 value rooms. Not much room for 7 people at all. We have stayed Deluxe and love the deluxes, but not the prices!
The balance seems to be off property and we love Bonnet Creek. On the WDW roadways, next to Caribbean Beach…so close to everything, yet so affordable.
We don't mind driving at all and prefer to drive. I don't like getting on those busses with lots of stinky people
We get to have a full kitchen, and best of all….a washer and dryer! I love throwing in our dirty clothes for the day after showering and having them clean in the morning. Love that! Going home with a suitcase of clean clothes is such a wonderful thing:good vibes
Staying offsite also lets us stay longer. We have 2 weeks this June instead of 7-9 days like we would normally do on property.

 

[Dduckmom]

We have stayed both on and offsite as well. And, we have never regretted staying offsite. We like the extra room, extra bathrooms and privacy. Everyone slept better and when we woke up before the kids, there was no need to tiptoe around. We traveled when my DD were 3 and 5 and my nephew was 5. We rented a house with exteneded family. The kids went to bed early and it was nice to be able to stay up with the other adults and enjoy some time together.
I also like the control of having my own car. I agree with some of the PPs that the Disney bus system is not my favorite way to get around. I do like that I don't have to worry about driving but dislike waiting for a bus. And, it often takes a while to get to/from your destination when the bus makes several stops in between. When we stayed at Port Orleans, we wanted to eat at a few of the restaurants in the resorts. Getting from POR to AKL or WL was a trying and VERY long event.
I also enjoy being able to prepare my own food - not really cook whole meals but snacks and breakfasts. While some of my family gets ready/showered, everyone else can be eating breakfast. I find this to be a real time saver when needing to get out the door. I felt like walking down to the lobby for breakfast was a huge time waster (the food was good but it just took up a lot of time).
Finally, we stayed at Coronado Springs last time and we were not near the lobby. The bus dropped us off close to our room, but it didn't feel very magical to me. Maybe it was just me. But, it was such a big resort that we just walked to/from our bus stop and didn't go through a lot of the hotel. We did enjoy the pool, though!!
It's really up to you but I think that you will have a fabulous time no matter what you choose. After all, it is WDW!!!

 

[Magalex]

For the first time ever next month we are not staying at a Disney resort. We like getting a rental car, going to a grocery store and eating away from Disney now that our DS is 13. But we won't be too far from the action we are staying at DTD resort (The newly renovated "B" resort-grand opening June 1st). Plus we are visiting Sea World/Aquatica.

 

[Legendteri]

We have only been once, but I have to say we were very happy with our choice to stay offsite. We stayed at Worldquest Resort.

The resort was highly recommended on tripadvior with many commentors saying stuff like it was a hidden gem and they wouldn't stay anywhere else.

We got a 3 bedroom 3 bath 1500 sq ft villa with its own laundry closet and full kitchen. We even had an enclosed patio.

What I loved most was having my own bedroom. I remember being exhausted once we returned from the parks and it was so nice to go to my room, close the door and decompress for a little bit. My husband and I had the master bedroom and our bathroom had a jacuzzi tub and a walk in shower.

I also loved having our own kitchen. My goodness that saved us so much money. We brought in our own snacks, drinks and lunches. We also ate a breakfast at the villa and a few dinners too. Don't get me wrong, we still bought food at the parks, but it was more special one of a kind items and we weren't paying $10 for a hamburger and french fries.

As far as transportation was concerned, yes we drove ourselves and yes we paid for parking, but that still was nothing for what we got. We also liked being able to come and go at our own convenience, especially since we were lugging around two toddlers and a double stroller.

 

[Melissa8905]

Interested in this as well. We have only been once and loved being on site but I want to of a longer trip this time and staying is so much cheaper. My concern is not feeling the disney magic all the time and some of the little convinces that comes with that (FP+, ADR if doing dining and the magic express). I keep bouncing back and forth :-/

Hi Smashing. FP+ and ADR's are available to off-site guests.

 

[Flanders]

I love staying off site with a car for our family, the bigger the family the better it is to stay off site is a good rule of thumb. It's generally faster and easier to drive back to an offsite place than it is to do the internal transportation in my opinion. I do think that GPS is essential to take the stress out of finding your way around, but they rent GPS if you don't have a portable one. The space, privacy, and amenities offsite cost a fraction of what Disney charges for less of all those things.

That said, I can tell by your posts that your not really sold. To each their own, it's your vacation and it's not like there's a real bad choice to be made here.

I would say that you need to decide whether you are afraid of missing something good at Disney or whether you're afraid of getting a bad place off site.

If you are really afraid of missing something at Disney, I'd say give staying off site a shot, you won't miss anything important. If you're afraid of staying in a bad place, then you should think twice because you'll be looking for something wrong with whatever you choose offsite.

If you are staying offsite just read ALL the reviews of whereever you want to stay, they will tell you what you need to know. Look it up on Yelp, expedia, hotels.com, etc... There's always some reviews that are too good and some that are too harsh but you can gleam the real picture. Like the people on here who've stay at BH before telling you that you really can't see the fireworks (I haven't stayed there so I can't speak to that but it sounds like it's a stretch) and for goodness sakes stay away from any place that has reviews talking about how bad the timeshare pitch is, you don't need that crap on your vacation!