Pros/Cons for staying onsite?

[cmshelton1979]

What are your pros/cons for staying onsite?

[2Epcot]

Pro: Completely immersed in the Disney Magic. Quick access to all the parks.

Con: Usually cost more, but has been worth it to us. Out of all the visits we've done, We've only stayed offsite on our fist two trips back in mid and late 80s.

[joonyer]

Pros: Disney transportation to and from parks.

The only con I can think of is you can find less expensive deals off-site if you shop around, but the transportation options are not as good.

[buzz2001]

Pros - Free parking, extra magic hours, items sent to resort from stores, free transportation to/from airport and while at the WDW resorts

Cons - can me more costly

[cer]

Pros: In addition to the above, the ability to purchase the dining plan...

[MongoMil]

Pros: bus service Can stay the whole time dont have to go when offsite bus leaves or renting a car, totaly Disney, Early or late admition to parks, Depending on resort the programs they have to do

Cons: The cost of rooms, can be the bus service how packed it can get. price of food, how spread out some resorts are

Now with all this there is NO way we will ever stay offsite again. I have many times as a kid and now that I get to pay for everything I will pitch in the extra to stay onsite. The pros definatly outway the cons to me. Just a heads up about the bus sevice. It has had its ups and downs. Sometimes you wait other times you don't.

[cmshelton1979]

I am in the early stages of writing a travel book and I was curious what everyone’s view’s were on staying onsite/offsite. The responses that I’ve read so far are pretty much exactly how I feel.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

Cons-Have heard it is cheaper to stay offsite. I wouldn't know because we never have nor would consider it.

Pros-
1. Use of Disney Transportation-you arrive, park your car and don't have to drive anywhere until the end of your trip.
2. Dining Plan
3. Extra Hours-morning and evening
4. Discounts on vacation packages
5. Disney Magic-You have awesomely themed hotels, with great restaurants, pools, gift shops and you feel like you are in Disney even when you aren't in the parks
6. Package Delivery from parks to resort

[jonahbear2006]

pro- you get what you pay for. the perks of onsite, ddp, emh, the disney cast members!!!, and being part of a whole new world are a complete vacation.I wouldnt even want to go to disney world if i had to stay in orlando. if it comes down to that and im just renting a house in a big town, ill start seeing other places, like DC, san fran, phily

con-its hard for bigger families to find places where you can stay together without it just getting ridiculously expensive. for such a family place its not very BIG family friendly, unless you buy DVC

[caryrae]

pro: can be easier to head back to the Resort for a break in middle of the day then back to a Park.

[Disney_pups2]

Honestly, I have done both often and I cannot name enough incentive to stay OFF grounds to do it. Almost everytime we do stay off grounds we are in close calls for accidents driving. We have to lug our own stuff around the parks. We have to drive tired too and wait in longer lines.
A lot of disney transportation (Ie boats and monorail) does not require you fold down strollers if you have a sleeping child in it. There is non stop entertainment at all Disney resorts including a channel that tells you about the kingdom and what's going on. If you have a bad thing happen Disney is far more likely to fix it, help, or to compensate as they understand that you are on vacation and they want it to be as great as possible.
I could go on.

[Kenny1113]

Here's one inaddition to ones already named this could be in a pro or con category...
Easier to eat onsite Disney resort when staying onsite vs eating offsite.

[PopPhan]

Pros:

DME - no need for car, bags end up in your room autoMagically, quicker immersion into the Magic
Disney Transportation - buses, boats, monorail
EMH - one hour early into a park/three hours extra in a park
DDP - (for those who like it and take advantage of it) get your meals paid and taken care of well before arrival [do need to take care of tips, however, on your own]
ADR 180+10 Policy - can make ADRs for 10 days at your 180 day mark
IMMERSION - staying at a WDW resort gets you into the Magic 24/7 during your visit


Cons:

Outside trips - if you want to make trips off WDW property (US, IOA, SW, shopping, etc.), you will need to find your own transportation (rental car, taxi, Mears, etc.)
Cost - unless you are staying at a Value resort (and in a lot of cases, even if you are staying Value) off property lodging will probably be cheaper [personally, the immersion into the Magic balances this out pretty well]


Unless I had my own vehicle and a larger group (it's normally just DW and I,) onsite wins for us, hands down!

[lovinmesomedisney]

Pros - EVERYTHING

Cons - NOTHING

:mickey::mickey::mickey::mickey::mickey::mickey:

[DisneyDINK]

Pro:
-At disney just about everywhere you look is entertaining, parks, resorts and everything in between on property. From light fixtures to railings to paint colors, all are all "imagineered" with cohesive ideas in mind. There is music gently playing in most public areas. Things are all well maintained (in most cases) and seldom in disrepair. I'm essentially echoing when another poster said about being in the magic 24/7. When you are off property you just don't have the same experience.

Con:
-Like everyone says, you pay a premium for the experience.

[LadyBear]

We have done both and to tell you the truth, Staying off site doesn't mean cheaper! I'm sure you could find a cheap place, but if you want someplace decent and reputable, it's not really gonna be less and even if it is, after you factor in that you have to provide transportation and you have to pay for all dining, deal w/ traffic, pay for parking, etc.... so it can come out to be more! Now if you have a relative nearby or a vacation home or something that won't cost you anything to stay at then maybe.

We usually go at a time that is off-peak so the costs are a little less and we usually book when they offer the free dining plan, but even if you have to pay for the dining plan, it's well worth it! Your tickets are also discounted staying on property and you get many perks that are not offered to those offsite, such as the package delivery, extended hours, cc link to room key so you don't have to carry your card or cash, shuttles, etc... They are also very accomodating and helpful at the resorts and have just about anything you might need so you don't have to run to a store. We have children w/ disability and they are more than helpful and kind. We wouldn't dream of staying off property!

[joonyer]

We went one year with extended family (12 in our group) and rented a house in a nearby subdivsion (about 10 minute drive) through an online vacation home rental site. It had 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, a fully stocked kitchen (utensils, plates, pots & pans, etc, not food) a rec. room and a heated pool. Very nice luxury furnishings, Cable TV in every room, etc. It costs us less than half of what we would have paid for 4 rooms in a Disney moderate. Of course we had to pay for parking and had to drive to the parks each day.

For another large group I'd do the same thing again, although I prefer staying on-site when it is just the four of us. I love not having to drive and park and taking the buses/monorails right to the park entrances.

[The Hitchhiking Ghost]

All the pros that I would come up with I think have already been mentioned. I do like that the last 3 times we've stayed on property that we haven't had to rent a car.

Biggest con now for us, a family of 5, we are very limited as to where we can stay. If I'm correct we are pretty much limited to a suite at the AS value, or POR-Alligator Bayou section (where we stayed last time) or move towards a deluxe. So very few options for a family of 5 without breaking the bank (more than normal).

[SandmanGStefani24]

Pros-I mainly feel like I never left the parks. Staying offsite feels like you're "just outside"WDW and looking in. Also, there's nothing like being able to walk over and pick up food, a drink, or various needed items from the gift stores. (bandaids, medicine, bath/beauty items, ect.) Also with WDW overseeing things, you are much less likely to have rowdy guests causing problems or criminals driving around looking for an opportunity. Some offsite hotels are pretty safe, but some could care less and don't even have security. (my last offsite stay was started off with me being approached by a local "merchant" trying to sell me stuff I wasn't interested in.) Mickey soaps and fun theming are also nice touches. Parking is ample and I never have to park very far away from my room.

Cons-food can get old after a few days and is also a little on the pricey side. I always drive a rental car so this isn't too big a deal since I can drive into Kissimmee for more options. The rooms are a little small, and value rooms are always hard to sleep in due to the very thin walls. 6am is generally when I am woken up with either kids screaming or doors being opened and shut repeatedly.

That's pretty much it, but I doubt I'll ever stay offsite again. The offsite hotels are a little cheaper, but it's not enough of a difference to choose them for me. I think the WDW resorts are the only way to go unless you are really counting your pennies. Just do some research before you book if you choose to stay offsite. Hope this helps!

[Momto3littlemice]

As I mentioned in my other post (on the offsite thread), I think it is hard to compare staying at a luxury vacation home with a full kitchen and private pool, many bedrooms etc and staying at a non-Disney hotel. They are all together different! For hotels, Disney can't be beat -- the extra money you spend over a non-Disney but nice hotel is definitely worth it for the service, attention to detail, and overall magical feeling. However, with a vacation home you get other pros (as listed in my pp on offsite thread) that no hotel can touch (except a far more costly villa at Disney -- which I can only imagine in my dreams!!).

I will say that we split our vacation home rental 3 ways (3 families go) we have an extra bedroom that no one even uses and our family pays for 8 nights what it would cost us to stay in a moderate for 2-3 nights. We get a great deal and since we love to stay extra nights -- it is worth it for us right now! Longer trip = happy family!!:mickey:

[elmjimmlm]

It's all pro and no con!!! I don't think that I would ever stay offsite...Even staying the night before check-in at a hotel makes me a little sad and I always wish that I made a one night room reservation at our resort...:mickey:

[Daisy712]

Pro: Always in the magic. The parks close when the theme parks reach capacity due to holidays. One level of closing is that offsite guests cannot enter the parks. By staying onsite, I can still get in.

Con: Price - although one year we stayed at Pop for $59 per night. I wouldn't trust a $59 per night hotel outside of Disney to be the same standard or clean.