Year of 100 Questions: #83

[King Triton]

Here's one where I think the Intercot crowd will be different than the general public. While there are plenty of rooms on Disney property, the vast majority are offsite.

Today's question is this: do you always stay on Disney property, always off Disney property, stay on or off depending upon the trip (or mix within a trip), or are you too close to stay (day trips)?

Y100Q84 will also be posted today (Friday), probably sometime in the afternoon and Q85 will go up Saturday. #84 in Theme Parks and #85 in Vacation Planning

[KAT1811]

We always stay on property. For us the magic thrives in WDW even in the resorts. I'd feel like we were leaving the magic behind if we had to leave the property even if it was only to sleep. Plus we never rent a car so we rely on WDW transportation. To us there is nothing like walking out your "front door" into the magic of Disney first thing in the morning. What a way to start the day!!!

[Here we go again...]

We stayed off site 1 time... and hated it.
Now that we are DVC members, we have no reason to stay off site again! :cloud9:

[Polynesian Dweller]

Stayed off proeprty only the very first time in the early 80's. Never again. Why spend the time driving to the parks every morning when you can be right there. :mickey:

[mook3y]

Now with DVC, I think it is highly improbable we will ever stay off property.

[January-2007]

Always on Disney property!!

When I was younger I didn't have a choice, so we had to stay offsite for my first 3 trips. Then my brothers stopped coming so my parents and I could stay in a regular hotel room and we stayed onsite for the first time. Next they got a trade in to Old Key West from their timeshare company. That trip they bought into DVC and so when we go with them we stay onsite. DH and I will only stay onsite because we love the convenience and all staying onsite means. EMH, theming, so many great perks! Plus, when we got the deal we did in January, $59 a night at Pop Century, who can really compete with that?

[DisneyCrazed580]

The first time we went to Disney in 2005, we stayed on property. All of our trips since then have been on property. I can't imagine doing it any other way.

[disneymom15]

I feel exactly like KAT1811. Wouldn't even consider staying any where else.

[avantgardeinker]

It depends on the trip. Usually we use my in-laws' time share so it's more cost efficient to stay off property. This year we couldn't get the time share, and with the DDP it ended up being cheaper to stay on property. We've only stayed on property one other time. In '02 we went for 2 weeks and we used the time share for one week and stayed in a value resort the second week.

146 more days!!
:mickey:

[GrmGrninGost]

Once we tried on site, I can't imagine going off site again! :mickey: It puts the whole vacation in a totally different perspective! One where you're totally immersed in the Disney magic 24/7! It is wonderful!!

[darthmacho]

The Magic begins and ends at the Walt Disney World Resorts. They are the thing that got me interested in WDW in the first place, especially the Wilderness Lodge.

[Figment78]

There are places to stay "off property"??? :laughing:

Seriously - I consider the hotel part of the vacation. And once you've spent a week retreating from the parks to Polynesia or the "wilderness," your own safari lodge, or New Orleans, it's pretty hard to stay at a local Best Western! (Money aside, of course) With the All Stars being so affordable, I can't imagine we will ever stay off property.

[kaylamag]

I think it depends on the trip. When we go in January i definately want to stay on site. Its our first vacation to Disney. But for the next trip i am thinking about staying off property and doing some of the other attractions besides Disney.

[DawsonAR]

I always stay on-site unless it is for business. I stay off-site if the conference is off-site. I prefer on-site conferences.

[laward32]

I have only been twice (so far) and we stayed off site the first time and onsite the second time. I would prefer to stay on site, but it just depends on the money situation. We are trying to exchange our timeshare for a disney timeshare, but if we can't we are probably going to stay at the Hilton off site. Our other option is to stay at Ft Wilderness which is where we stayed in Dec. I guess we will just see.

[grumpycajun]

There are just too many good reasons to stay on property, starting with never having to step outside the Disney Magic until it's time to leave.

[DDuck66]

I am the lone vote for day trips at this time. Since I moved to Tampa Bay, we make quite a few single day trips to WDW....but if I am staying for an extended period we have always stayed onsite...Our week this Oct will be the first trip where we are staying offsite.

[Mickey91]

We have been staying onsite since 2001. The first time was in '95 and then in 2000 we stayed off. I was so disappointed every time we went through the gates at night. I had no idea that I would feel that way but from now on, unless there is absolutely no way to stay onsite, I will.:mickey:

[snifflesmcg]

For me it depends on the package deal I get. It all depends on the price. Now that I have stayed onsite, I may never change but you never know.

[dolphinmickey9170]

Since my DH bought DVC for me/us as a wedding present, we will never stay anywhere else but on property!!

[disneyfan1124]

Nothing is more magical than being on property! That's one of the reasons we went DVC-to ensure we would always be on property.

[Tynkerbelle]

Always on property - it's an integral part of the Disney vacation magic!

[princessjojo]

:scratch: Now why would I want to stay off site? We did when I was young, dumb and stupid, but now that I'm a raging adult with a DH who pretty much understands the theory that a happy life starts with a happy wife and boought me our DVC for our anniversary I wouldn't even consider off property. Oh the thought...:faint:

No, really, staying on property is so much a part of the entire vacation. To stay off prop. would be like going on a cruise and sleeping on the dingy that trails behind the big boat. Not for us at all and my kids will never know there's an off prop. if I can help it.

[Crow]

depends on the offers. see my signature.
usually i prefer on

[caryrae]

Depends on the trip for us. Sometimes if we have a big group we rent a vacation home and sometimes if we go with my Aunt and Uncle they have a Timeshare that we will stay at with them (no it's not the DVC), we stayed at the Sheraton Vistana Resort and Orange lake resort, which were very nice.

[tinksmom02]

It's non-negotiable for me--onsite or we don't go LOL

My mom agrees with me, too, after they came with us in January. For us, there's just no other way to go!

[IloveDisney71]

When I was young - I lived close enough that we took day trips. When I moved away, I stayed off-site a couple of times. However, one time Disney offered their value resorts for $59.00, so I jumped at the chance to stay at a Disney resort. Needless to say, I will never stay off site if I can help it.:mickey: I have stayed on site for every trip since then, except for one trip when all the "affordable" rooms were booked, for a spur of the moment trip. Why stay off site and miss one minute of the Disney magic?

[mainemajor]

Most of the time I stay on property, but if we are doing a lot in the Orlando area not just disney I often stay off site. When in the area for business I stay off site, but try to visit at least one park and DTD

[Bethanymouse]

We always stay on property, it adds to the magic!

[Magic Smiles]

Our first trip was stayed on-site. After that there was no going off-site. Love the benefits and the whole atmosphere of being on-site.

[biodtl]

Except for when I was a child and my aunt lived nearby - ALWAYS on-site. I don't want to miss a minute of the magic!

[psychotekkie]

There are just too many advantages to staying on property. We will never stay off property.

[moe513]

on. would never stay off.

[RedSoxFan]

We've only been twice -- both times on property. I can't even imagine staying off-site. :mickey:

[DessertDivaFL]

Getting FL resident discounts is great so we always stay at Disney! It is much less hectic than off-site! :thumbsup:

[WDWfeelslikehome]

Need to stay on site and be surrounded by the magic all day and night.

[RAIDER]

Depends on the trip as we tend to visit many parts of Florida so if were going to be away from Orlando for a while its not worth booking into a wdw resort

[Mom2princesses]

It just isn't Disney without staying on site. I would camp to be on site and I hate camping! Too much of a city girl I guess. But to be able to stay on the grouds I would do it.

[c&d]

We've always stayed on property when we're paying. We stayed for a couple of days at the JW Marriott when DH was down on a business trip. After the business portion was over, we checked into AKL. Don't get me wrong, the Marriott was a beautiful hotel, I just wasn't feelin the magic there.

[boobalk]

:mickey: We ALWAYS stay on property! I want to be totally immersed in the WDW magic in every way. I want to feel like I'm in another world. An I don't want to have to drive myself to ANYWHERE to do ANYTHING! (I do that enough @ home). :thumbsup:

[mdearmas]

Have to stay on property! I love have the disney transportation! to me that is worth anything extra I might have to pay to stay on property!
:goofy:

[kgoulash]

always on property, but i've been spoiled, growing up we always stayed at the contemporary

[squishy445]

We live close so we take a lot of day trips, but when we have to money to get a hotel for the weekend we do because the transportation is so great, and at the end of the day it is nice to go to your hotel, not drive 45 minutes home.