Two things:.....

[Sunshine1010]

1. What does everyone recommend for an off-site, nice resort?

2. What rooms/resorts -onsite- will take 5 people in one room?

[biodtl]

1. I can't help here, since we always stay on site

2. POR has rooms for 5, with 2 regular beds and one trundle. ASMusic has the family suites. FW cabins. Poly has rooms with 2 queens and a daybed. I'm not sure if there are others, but you can always go with a deluxe suite or villa, but they are obviously more expensive.

[Jennifer_and_Chris]

1. We stayed at Mariott Grande Vista for our honeymoon. It was great! but, it was brand new in 2000 and I'm not sure how it is now. Sheraton's vistana would be a 3.5 out of 5 just because of the outdated decor at the time. Also we stayed at the Liki Tiki Villas - SKIP IT! WASN'T good!

2. Same as the post above... depends on your budget. We are DVC members and love the flexibility of getting the size room we need for anything. I guess I take that for granted that I don't have to make "normal" hotel reservations. You can get a room to accommodate your party at just about every Disne resort, no matter the level.

[baby minnie's mommy]

Offsite - I recommend Embassy Suites Lake Buena Vista. Very close to DTD. Beautiful atrium area. It includes a full, hot breakfast for everyone. My last visit there was in Dec. 2009, and I was still happy with it.

[Frog]

If I may, can I ask (in addition to the original post) if these places provide transportation to the parks as effieciantly as if you used the Disney Transportation system?

[IrishMickey]

We stayed at the Sheraton Vistana, it was clean and comfortable, we are park people so we spend most of our time at the parks. They did not have transportation, and that is why we are staying on property this time.

[phillydan]

1. Always stay on-site, but was there on a business trip once and stayed at the Caribe Royale; pretty nice and not too far away.

2. We stayed at the big 3 Deluxes with 5 in a room (Poly, Contemporary & GF). Expensive, but not as much as a Villa. Plus, we are on the monorail line and that just makes it easier with the kids (especially at night - I hate the jammed bus ride home from DHS!)

[JerseyDad]

If I may, can I ask (in addition to the original post) if these places provide transportation to the parks as effieciantly as if you used the Disney Transportation system?

.....my answer to that question would be no. Although we never stayed off-site...we went one year with several ofther families that did. They were at the Wyndham....across from DTD...and even being "that" close...they were always late getting to parks to meet up with us. It got to the point where we got quite miffed at having to wait for them.....

[Mitzie]

I can't help with the off site part-sorry. We are a family of 5. We have found that the most in-expensive option for all 5 of us is the AB section of POR with the trundle bed. Though that only works if one member of you party is small enough to fit on that. Also it is alittle tight. Not sure about two rooms at a value that might be cost effective as well. The deluxe resorts that can put 5 in a room with the day bed are BC/YC, Poly, BW, Cont. and GF.. When we stay at AK we have to get two standard rooms or a suite. Same for Wilderness. CS also has some suites that will sleep 6 and the Cabins as well. Then obviously there are the villa properties.

[MickyLuver]

My family stayed at resorts that are on Disney property on the Bonnet Creek Pkwy, but they are not Disney resorts. Also, they are inexpensive depending on the time you book. We stayed at the Hilton and breakfast was included. It was 79.00/night and it was 4 of us. There is also a Wyndam Suites on Bonnet Creek Pkwy. They are not Disney themed or anything. But they do give transportation to the parks and other places.

[OogieBoogieMan]

We like the Nick Suites and Courtyard @ Lake Buena Vista. I also think looking at renting a condo or a home makes a bunch of sense. Maybe I am missing the boat, but I have never been a huge fan of Disney transportation. Standing around waiting for a bus just isn't an experience I need, and we can speak from experience having stayed on site a number of times. We just find driving to be much easier. You absolutely incur some costs but all that Disney bus magic doesn't come free either when you look at the total cost of the vacation. I will admit there are exceptions. If you plan on staying for two or three nights and spending all your time at MK, a room at the Contemporary will definitely be convenient. If you look at a 7 day, hit every park twice type of vacation though I don't think you lose much staying off site.

[Darbylew]

I can't help as we always stay on property. I
would not have it any other way. I want to be in
the MAGIC as soon as I arrive. Staying on the
grounds of Disney is the only way to go for us.