What keeps you at a Disney Resort?

[MOJoe]

After reading another post about an off property stay, i began to ask myself. Why do i stay at a Disney resort?

Of course there are several things that factor in, but the first thing that come to mind is location. I love being close to the parks. My favorite resorts are those right at Epcot's back door. But i don't always stay there, so then what.

Transportation is the next key factor. I might get ridiculed, but i enjoy Disney transportation. I love being able to hop on a bus or in a boat and let disney do the driving. Any time i have actually driven my car, it stays parked the entire time. Part of my vacation is not having the responsibility of driving. But there is always the option of taking a cab.

EMH is also a nice perk. I especially love staying out late at the parks. And getting a jump on the morning crowd is great fun. But what if this perk is phased out? What would keep me coming back to a Disney resort? Umm, i'm not sure.

So i ask. What keeps you coming back? And if EMH is phased out, would that be reason enough to book elsewhere?

[barnaby]

EMHs are one nice perk.
Free dining offers are another big one for us.
The biggest is that feeling of being in a magical place 24/7. It's like the outside real world takes a hiatus from the time you arrive on property to the unfortunate time when you depart.

[buzznwoodysmom]

We like not having to drive! We enjoy just being there, on property, and not having to leave. We also really love some of the resorts and would stay at many of them even if they weren't in WDW. WL, BC, and YC come to mind.

Even without EMH we will continue staying onsite for our Disney trips. We rarely even use EMH anymore.

[Maleficent's Dad]

Of course there are several things that factor in, but the first thing that come to mind is location. I love being close to the parks. My favorite resorts are those right at Epcot's back door. But i don't always stay there, so then what.

Transportation is the next key factor. I might get ridiculed, but i enjoy Disney transportation. I love being able to hop on a bus or in a boat and let disney do the driving. Any time i have actually driven my car, it stays parked the entire time. Part of my vacation is not having the responsibility of driving. But there is always the option of taking a cab.
Yes, these reasons.
DW and I always state how nice it is to NOT drive while on vacation. One of the best perks. And evenings strolling Epcot usually ends a very fun and packed day!

[debbymc4]

I never used to stay on property because you can get so much more for your money off-site, but now I'm hooked. Like Barnaby said, I like being at Disney for the whole time. I often do drive my car to the park because I don't like the buses, but having to go to a hotel off-site just kind of ruins things for me now.

[mgmnut]

EMH
WDW Transportation
Resort Accomodations / Ammenities
Being surrounded by so much to see and do

[SBETigg]

I just got back from six nights at the Dolphin and one at the Marriott World. I really missed being in the middle of the magic once we moved. That's what I love about being at a Disney resort-- feeling enveloped in the Disney magic and away from the real world. Staying off property definitely doesn't deliver that magic feeling. I realize that the Dolphin isn't really a Disney resort, but great location. Location is key for me, also easy transportation. And then maybe theming. Even the Dolphin in a prime location doesn't completely deliver on the Disney feeling. My preference is for the Grand Floridian or Polynesian.

[Jodi]

I agree, staying on property makes us feel like we are in a magical place 24/7. We do love the free dining and EMH. Funny I too feel that the buses are all part of the Disney experience. Staying off property would not be as fairy tale ish...We are headed to CBR in August, cannot wait!

[brownie]

You can stay offsite? :D

We like the theming, included parking, being close to the parks, and staying in the "magic" for the duration of our stay.

[steph436]

Why stay on-site? Cool resorts with different themes, transportation, dining plan, 24/7 magic! :fworks:

[Capt_redshirt]

My biggest reason why i will always stay onsite is the dishonesty the offsites use to get you to stay... "you can see the castle from you room" really? maybe with a telescope...;)

[disneydeb]

I like being able to buy things I find in the park and have them shipped home or back to my resort for me to pick up before I leave the world.. not having to lug them with me all day!

[MrPeetrie]

Staying in a Disney resort keeps me inside "the Disney bubble."

I feel completely immersed in my vacation. Some resorts offer Disney movies at nights by campfire. All have the "Stacy Must-Dos" loop playing all throughout the day on the tv. I'm constantly reminded I'm on a Disney vacation.

Also, none of the getting around from location to location feels like work. When we stayed at an off-site location, getting onto Disney property and into a park felt labored -- it was something I dreaded each morning.

When we're on property, I enjoy the entire process of going to a park or resort. I love seeing other families, getting excited as they await the white Disney bus to arrive. I enjoy the bus ride, listening other guests talk about their previous night's experience and how great Fantasmic was or hear them talk about how they can't wait to ride Expedition: Everest. I love hearing the new PA system on the bus ride as it describes what awaits us at the park.

I love seeing our resort name light up on the bus' marquee as we finish closing Epcot at night and just want to get back to the room. I love hearing the PA system say "Welcome Home" as we arrive at our resort.

I love how excited my DD9 gets as she explores our resort. I love how the pool games are Disney inspired.

I love, LOVE, LOVE having breakfast at our food court and seeing other families as excited as ours prepare for another great Disney Day!

I love being able to get into a park before it officially opens to the general public and walk around, take pictures, and feel special that I'm allowed access before all others.

I love the music that plays at all the resorts. Each has its own and I love them all! (I wish I could find them on CD.)

I love being there and I wish I was there right now!
;) ;) ;)

[eandrsmom]

I used to feel the exact same way, there are many valid reasons to stay onsite. For us, transportation isn't one of them. Even when we stay onsite, we drive to the parks. We hate waiting for the bus, and dealing with the crowded bus ride when the parks close. When we stay offsite, I make sure that the resort is very close to Disney. I do a search on mapquest just to make sure that the description is accurate. Wyndham Bonnet Creek is actually within the purple gates of Disney, right next door to CBR. I have seen Epcot fireworks from our balcony. I can't argue with the decor and themes of most Disney resorts, they are beautiful. However, unless you're willing to spend a significant amount of money on a villa, staying onsite isn't really an option for us. (We are a family of six.) We have tried the FW cabins, which were nice, but had only one bathroom and no washer and dryer. DH doesn't want to stay at the Value resorts, so it really doesn't leave us many options except for a villa or two connecting rooms. Now that I have older children, we've begun visiting Universal, and are considering SeaWorld for our trip this summer. Because of the reduced cost of our lodging, we are able to spend 10 nights in Orlando instead of seven each trip. I think it has to do with what works for each family. If I still had very young children, we would probably stay onsite. As our family gets older, we need more space and want to do more things.

[AmandaChan]

I would not feel 'at home' if I stayed off property! I would feel left out and like I was missing something, lol. Of the 6 times we've been we have only rented a car one time. I am kind of lazy and not having to rent a car, worry about getting to the rental place from the airport, get to the resort, get to the parks on my own, get back to the rental place to the airport etc etc. Disney definitely makes it easier for you.

HOWEVER, that one time we rented a car we ate at some amazing places off property (Giordanos in Kissimmee!), was one of our favorite places to eat. Next time we might actually rent a car but we're are still staying on property. We want to go to a beach or something. Maybe Universaral for once, but probably not :p

Also you can't beat free parking in the parks.

[BrerGnat]

I like the themes of the resorts. I can stay in a "hotel" anywhere.

I like the WDW transportation. I have had a car a couple times, and while it is handy, I actually found it quite a pain to drive to the parks and park, then walk or take the shuttle. Seems like it took just as long as the bus. I only saw having the car as a benefit when driving to Downtown Disney. I also found the process of obtaining a rental car and driving to the resort took longer than DME, in my experience.

I like EMH, but I rarely take advantage of it these days. Still, I think it's a nice perk.

I just really like seeing those oval name tags all week, everywhere we are.

I like KTTW charging. And Package Delivery. I like that I can keep track of all my charges in one place, and get a printout when I need, rather than having to be on my bank app all week reconciling charges.

I like that my kids can decide they want Mickey waffles one morning for breakfast, and it's just downstairs.

I like the pools and the attention to safety they employ there (unlike at the Swan/Dolphin pool last summer when they kept us swimming RIGHT up to the point where lightning struck practically right behind the hotel and then frantically tried in vain to get people to get out of the pool...scary!).

I like the onsite child care centers and the arts and crafts they offer in the afternoons. Great for rainy days!

There's a lot I like about staying onsite. So much so that even though I can stay at Shades of Green for bottom dollar prices, I just don't really want to. Neither does DH. If we're going to go to WDW, we want to be fully immersed, and it's not just about location for us. Our stay at the Swan last year left us wishing we were over at the Beach Club. :/

[LVT]

Fun resorts and WDW transportation.
We used to pay for the EMH at least once per trip. We were Spring Breakers and it was lovely to ride without massive lines.

[Melanie]

I just got back from six nights at the Dolphin and one at the Marriott World. I really missed being in the middle of the magic once we moved. That's what I love about being at a Disney resort-- feeling enveloped in the Disney magic and away from the real world. Staying off property definitely doesn't deliver that magic feeling. I realize that the Dolphin isn't really a Disney resort, but great location. Location is key for me, also easy transportation. And then maybe theming. Even the Dolphin in a prime location doesn't completely deliver on the Disney feeling. My preference is for the Grand Floridian or Polynesian.

Location is key for us too, whether it be a Disney resort, the Swan/Dolphin or Shades of Green. We just like being in the middle of the magic where getting around is easy.

EMH is nice, but not something that will make or break whether we stay onsite or not. Disney transport is nice when enjoying an adult beverage or two :beer: , but that's also not a deal breaker. In fact, we'd much prefer to have our car and drive to the parks, DTD and WWoS (with the exception of Magic Kingdom).

So yeah, it's all about location for us. :thumbsup:

[Mitzie]

Transportation is the next key factor. I might get ridiculed, but i enjoy Disney transportation. I love being able to hop on a bus or in a boat and let disney do the driving. Any time i have actually driven my car, it stays parked the entire time. Part of my vacation is not having the responsibility of driving. But there is always the option of taking a cab.

We are 100% with you on this. In fact one of those things that tells me I am at WDW is the guys voice on the bus..."Please take small children by the hand..." Makes me smile knowing I will be hearing that in 5 days!!

[MrPeetrie]

I like the themes of the resorts. I can stay in a "hotel" anywhere...

I like KTTW charging. And Package Delivery. I like that I can keep track of all my charges in one place, and get a printout when I need, rather than having to be on my bank app all week reconciling charges.

BrerGnat, I forgot about that, but that is a great perk. Usually, on arrival day, we go to Downtown Disney in the evening and shop and have things sent back to the room. Nice!

Another thing I love about being on property is purchasing my refillable mug. On the ensuing mornings, I wake up early (I'm an early riser), shower, dress, and head out to grab a coffee while my DW and kids (DD9, DS2) slowly get up. I can make coffee in the room, but I prefer the walk to the courtyard. I LOVE being on Disney property EARLY IN THE MORNING, walking to the courtyard, for my morning coffee. It's not the coffee I want. It's the walk. It's the feeling. It's the being-immersed-in-Diseny sensation I am craving. I can't describe the feeling, but I take my morning coffee walk every single day we're there. I wave or say "Hello" to everyone I encounter and they all return the gestures. It's like a kinship we share. We all "get it." I wouldn't do that at an off-site location.

:D

[mdricks]

Avoiding the drive to and from the parks.

:marg:

:number1:

[EJS-Houston]

After reading another post about an off property stay, i began to ask myself. Why do i stay at a Disney resort?

Of course there are several things that factor in, but the first thing that come to mind is location. I love being close to the parks. My favorite resorts are those right at Epcot's back door. But i don't always stay there, so then what.

Transportation is the next key factor. I might get ridiculed, but i enjoy Disney transportation. I love being able to hop on a bus or in a boat and let disney do the driving. Any time i have actually driven my car, it stays parked the entire time. Part of my vacation is not having the responsibility of driving. But there is always the option of taking a cab.

EMH is also a nice perk. I especially love staying out late at the parks. And getting a jump on the morning crowd is great fun. But what if this perk is phased out? What would keep me coming back to a Disney resort? Umm, i'm not sure.

So i ask. What keeps you coming back? And if EMH is phased out, would that be reason enough to book elsewhere?

I stay only at Disney properties for all the reasons you cite...but pulling back and looking at the big picture, I would say that I stay with Disney for two basic reasons: 1. I love being immersed in Disney for my entire stay. The music, the iconography, the atmosphere, it all adds up to a complete escape into a fantasy world. And 2. I love having all my needs completely taken care of by Disney. I prepay my Disney vacations so that when I leave my house to go to the airport, from that point on I worry about absolutely nothing. From the Magical Express, to the hotel amenities, to the Disney transportation system and everything in between, all of my needs are met throughout my Disney vacation. All I have to do when I wake up each morning is decide what I'm going to do that day to enjoy myself.

[EeyoresBestFriend]

~ The total removal from reality. I see nothing but Disney magic for the trip
~ Seeing our Disney Family when we get there. We know alot of the CMs at the FQ, and it's like a family reunion!
~ No driving - LOVE IT!
~ KTTW shopping and resort pick up :D
~ The beauty of an evening walk along the Sassagoula, or the stagger from Riverside to FQ after spending an evening with Bob! :D
~ the fact that it is safe, worry free place to wander around

[kurt]

i like the convience. using magical express to get from the airport & back again. the baggage check-in when departing. the Disney buses to the parks. the ability to return to the hotel easily any time is a plus for me. the convenience of the food courts. :bowl::goofy:

[BrerGnat]

the baggage check-in when departing.

YES! This is the best! Love being able to skip this process at the airport on the way home.

And, I also love the whole process of DME and not having to worry about getting our bags at the carousel and dealing with them all the way to the hotel. With little kids, this step is SO much more fun when Disney takes care of the luggage for us!

[SandmanGStefani24]

so many little things.

1. security/quality control. it's rare that you see big problems or safety issues at WDW resorts. i keep thinking about the one time i stayed offsite to save money. the parking lot was really sketchy with undesireables kind of hanging around and the building was a dump. this is a bit extreme of an example but you get the idea.

2. Never "leaving". Staying offsite also made me feel like I was on the outside looking in when I left. Plus, offsite in your room you could really be anywhere. When on property, even in your room, you KNOW where you are. :D

3. All the little things...
So many things I look forward to...the WDW soaps you get, the great service at all the resorts, the WDW TV stations, the free transportation (which i don't use, but is great for so many other guests), the freebies you get for booking your room (free arcade card, ect in the booklet) and ending your day by the poolside bar chatting with whomever might be there.

To me, the cost isn't a factor. I want the WDW experience and offsite just doesn't make things complete.

[thrillme]

I used to be 100% a on-site property girl. I prefered to "drive" because I didn't like to wait for the bus but I finally relented and it wasn't too bad. BUT my "main" perk was the extra magic evenings. You paid about $13 a person and you could ride for a couple of hours after closing. It was SWEET! But then they changed to giving it FREE to property guests and it became useless. WAY way way too many people after dark now. :mad: Now that I remarried and there's 3 people in a room...I don't like the double beds (come on Disney...you CAN squeeze two queens in your value room...sacrifice the "table" or something). I don't see how two adults sleep on a double bed...it's so tiny.

My son recently went and said the transportation from the off-site that they stayed in was pretty good. Hmmm...might be food for thought...they paid half the price, got free breakfast and queen beds.

The resorts are definately losing their magic...We tried CSR for the queen beds and moderate but it was a nightmare. I preferred the Values.

[SandmanGStefani24]

The resorts are definately losing their magic...We tried CSR for the queen beds and moderate but it was a nightmare. I preferred the Values.

point taken, as i stick to values. if i wanted to throw money out, would go with something on the monorail, or an offsite. but, until that happens....values are my first choice! :cloud9:

[hauntedmansiongirl]

*evening extra magic hours

*transportation- monorail or boat rides to MK, Epcot, DHS or DTD- depending on where you stay! The buses are a good break from our 22 hour drive!

*theming of the resorts and feeling like you're always in the magic!

*Yehaa Bob!

*free dining! Please let that promo come back!

*great pools and waterslides!

For us, staying onsite is not even a question, it's an assumption! We don't think that there would be as much of the magic if we didn't stay on site!!! :hmghost:

[AvonleaCF]

Definitely the convenience. I don't want to deal with driving and parking while there, so Magical Express and Disney Transportation is my #1 reason. Plus if I'm going solo, I feel 100% safe walking around the Disney resorts at night. Not sure if I'd feel the same way off-site.

Plus the perks of the dining plan and the ease of booking a full package. Not to mention having the plastic room key/park pass as opposed to a paper ticket.

When I go on a Disney vacation, I'm going on a Disney vacation and want to be immersed. No interest, really, in Universal, Sea World, or anything else in the Orlando area. Not having to rent a car is worth the extra cost of a Disney resort in my opinion.

[DisneyDINK]

Avoiding the drive to and from the parks.

:marg:

:number1:

Yeah, that's a big one for me. As long as the WDW bus driver isn't having what I'm having, we're good.

I grew up in LA where you drive everywhere, walk nowhere and the bus is taboo. By the time is was 18 I was kind of sick of it. When I go on a vacation I don't want to have to drive anywhere if I don't want to, especially in crowded places.

I kind of like the busses @ WDW. It is fun to watch the families excited to have a day at Disney in the morning and the kids asleep in parents laps on the way back in the evening. Lately I'm taking a few cab rides too during the stay, especially when going from one resort to another.

Another thing that keeps me there is the music. They are always piping in some nice tunes just about wherever you are on property. I like just chillin' out on the patio at Captain Cook's and listening to some old Hawaiian tunes or sitting and listening to the calliope in the BW lobby. It is little things like that that make the experience for me.

[Tink1]

Another thing that keeps me there is the music. They are always piping in some nice tunes just about wherever you are on property. I like just chillin' out on the patio at Captain Cook's and listening to some old Hawaiian tunes or sitting and listening to the calliope in the BW lobby. It is little things like that that make the experience for me.

I so agree! I have always said that life should come with background music.:D

Nanc

[bruin1344]

theming of the resorts beats your standard hotel
staying inside the disney area rather than going to the dreaded outside world of orlando
nice customer service
resort music
overall cleanliness of the resort
no car rental so thats a cost saver
convenient and free transportation from resort to airport
for the most part, transportation in convenient to the parks
extra magic hours
size and theming of the pools

[Kenny1113]

The immersion in the resort theme
Customer service
Cleanliness (after my last hotel stay venturing outside of hotel chains I frequent, this is a big one!!!!)
Ditto on the resort background music!!!!!
Ditto on bus transportation!!! Especially when :marg:
Although we rarely use EMH and oftentimes avoid the EMH park. It really is a nice perk.

[joonyer]

1. Convenience. Including the relative shorter distance to the parks (if driving) and the WDW transportation system. We always drive to WDW, but then leave our car at the resort for most of our stay. The WDW transportation runs almost constantly during park hours so there's litte waiting or having to schedule departure arrival times around the off-site shuttle schedules.

2. It's the Magic. The theming and decor, especially the background music playing around the exteriors of the resorts, just keeps me in the Disney mood. It's hard to explain, but you know it when you feel it. :cloud9:

[Sylvia]

Our reasons for saying at a Disney resort, in no particular order:

Our first on-site stay was in 1989 at CBR. After we checked in and were waiting for our room to be ready, we compiled a pro and a con list for staying on site. The pro list in favor of staying on site was huge. The con list against staying on site had one entry - cost of the room; our first Disney room was twice the cost per night of our off-site rooms. It didn't take us long to realize that the higher cost was so worth it, because of all of the perks that came with it. CBR was new at the time, so our room wasn't ready until check-in; we spent 4 hours exploring the resort grounds, having lunch at OPR, and enjoying the atmosphere. By the time we finally saw our room, we were hooked; that was the first of many stays at CBR and several stays at many other Disney resorts. Except for 2 years when I was in Orlando on business trips, we haven't stayed off-site since then; but I have to be honest, I combined a short stay at CBR with each business trip before coming home. I could have taken the shuttle to Disney from my off-site hotel, but something was missing - I needed a huge dose of Pixie Dust. :blush:

Back to many of the reasons why we always stay at a Disney resort:

Not ever having to catch the first shuttle in the morning from our off-site hotel and having to stay out all day, because the shuttle schedule was not customer-friendy or convenient and too much time would be wasted going back to the off-site hostel and waiting forever for the shuttle back to WDW. Disney Transport rules!!

Not worrying about missing the last shuttle back to our off-site hotel and having to pay taxi fee when we missed the shuttle. I say it again - Disney Transport rules!!

Not having to put up with the noise and traffic jams on I-Drive. Hearing the noise and laughter of kids in the pool and the music at our resort is much more enjoyable.

Feeling safe walking around our Disney resort early in the morning or late at night and knowing that the people we see are just like us, having a great time. Friendly smiles and hello from people we don't know are all just part of the magic.

Not having to rush to the exit to catch that last shuttle to an off-site hotel. It's so much more enjoyable, and ends a fun day on the right note, when we can relax and enjoy a treat and the sounds and sights as the theme park of the day is getting ready to say goodnight. We've always enjoyed the parks at closing, and since we started staying onsite in 1989 we're always among the last group of guests to leave.

Passing the "Welcome to Walt Disney World" and realizing we're back at our favorite place to relax and will be surrounded by Pixie Dust and Magic until it's time to head back home. Being in the "land of the purple, red and yellow signs", with a bit of blue thrown in, makes us feel all warm and fuzzy; we love being immersed in the feeling for the entire vacation.

We're also fans of Disney Transport, and love exploring the World and not having to worry if we'll be stranded. We know we'll always be able to get back to our resort and our room on our time schedule. We're not tied to someone's schedule. We have enough of that at home; we don't want it on vacation.

Having the freedom to visit different resorts and enjoy the variety of themes, decor, and food. How much fun is it to have breakfast in a Music-themed food court, lunch in an African-themed restaurant, and dinner in a restaurant hosted by Mickey and the gang, while the monrail zooms by, all on the same day and at various resorts?

The resort-specific music. No matter what type of music you enjoy, you'll find it at a Disney resort. There's nothing like having a Mickey waffle with strawberries and listening to some great lively music, or having a slice of flatbread pizza while listening to Hawaiian music and watching the ducks beg for food. . . I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture.

A Disney vacation continues even on days when we don't go to a theme park. Spending days at the various Disney resorts can be so much fun. We remember the first time we visited AKL; we planned to stay for an hour. An hour became 5 hours, because we saw many animals from the various stairways at the resort, and the resort is a museum of African artifacts throughout the common areas. Just another bonus of an on-site stay.

We enjoy all the types of transportation available. Where else can you ride a bus under a water bridge, ride a monorail through a resort, or take a ferry to a Magic Kindgom as often you prefer? Just another perk of staying at a Disney resort and having fun your way.

[roses]

I just love the Disney "feel" to any of the resorts, and love knowing that I never have to leave Disney property while I am on my vacation. Their customer service is outstanding, and everything is themed so well. I love that it isn't just another cookie cutter development like most that are outside of the Disney property.

[WhiteRose1]

for us:
it's convenient!
1.No driving!
2.Package dropoff
3.We do the platinum plan and we do room service breakfast every day for no cost...saves us time in the morning because we are not early risers....so the ability to pay one price up-front and not have any surprises.
4. Free resort mug becuse of the food plan.

If we were doing other things besides Disney, we would stay off property. We are a business traveler family and have status at all the national brands. We usually can get free upgrades, so staying offsite would make sense.

[epceddie]

My wife and I are DVC members with OKW our home resort. We love staying onsite for that wonderful Disney feeling. One of our favorite things to do is sit out on our patio in the morning and enjoy the river views that we've been lucky to get. Allison loves watching the boats go back and forth between OKW and DTD, especially in Building 45. We always rent a car and love the freedom that gives us to go where we want to, when we want to. Another thing we like about being DVC members and staying onsite is the pool hopping perk. That lets us visit different resorts and check them out.

[akaDisneyDreamer]

I love that I don't need a car on my Disney Vacation! I get off the plane, go straight to the Disney Magical Express and am delivered to my resort.

Most importantly, staying on site means I don't have to leave the magic behind at the end of each day. We stay immersed in the magic; we eat, sleep and breathe the magic during our entire trip! I wouldn't want it any other way!

[BriarRose0708]

For me it's convenience, convenience, and convenience. I don't like driving in unfamiliar territory so DME is a Godsend. I love being picked up at the airport and dropped off at the resort and the videos always get me in the Disney mood, ready for my trip! As others mentioned the baggage and flight check in service at the resort is a huge time saver on the last day.

I like the easy transportation from resorts to parks and DTD, even if some modes of transportation are a little slower than others. But all in all it's better than driving to me. I've never had a problem with slow buses from value resorts, it's the deluxe ones that come less frequently and take longer to get anywhere, in my experience.

Room charging! I never did this before but since I did online check in on my last trip I kept the credit card linked to my KTTW card (this is pre-magic band so no PIN was required) and it was so much better than carrying around wads of cash. I also liked charging tips and drinks back to my room- much faster than fumbling in my purse and wallet for credit cards/money since I carry my KTTW card in a quickly accessible place when I need it.

Theming isn't as important to me but I appreciate the attention to detail like the unique smells, sounds, and colors you can't get anywhere else.

[mom2morgan]

Staying on property is a given, for all the reasons mentioned above. As for WHICH resort - it needs to have some sort of theming and ambience that we like (so far Deluxes or Port Orleans Riverside are our faves), and the food court has to be decent since we eat at the resort fairly often. For that reason alone I'd rule out Carribean Beach. I love using Disney transportation, and haven't ever found it to be a problem, so that won't affect my choice of resort. I'm getting to the point where I want to stay someplace with Queen beds, though - so that is becoming a requirement.

[luvdiznee]

Early park hours, emh and dining plan are some of the reasons for us to stay on property. But I also like the convenience of getting a car rental to visit other places while down there. That is why are WDW vacations are 12-14 days...:secret: