Originally Posted By Goofyernmost >>>If you stay at any WDW resort you do not pay for parking at any of the parks, all you have to do is present your room key.<<< Not bad unless you consider that you just paid about $110.00 per night extra for a $10.00 perk!
Originally Posted By marc66 Spend the extra money and stay on site. I'll never stay off site again. It's worth the extra money.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss Never is a long time. I would never say that, because I have done both, and they both have merits. Is staying within WDW worth it? Yes. But saving a HUGE chuck of change can be worth it too.
Originally Posted By marc66 Let me explain myself. I too have done both. But I have no problem paying a little extra to feel like I'm in the middle of the magic and that Disney is happy to have me stay at one of their resorts. I don't feel that way off site. I'll spend the money and stay on site. You only live once.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss Yeah, it was apparent in your first post that you've stayed offsite. And I'm not knocking you for wanting to stay onsite only. I'd prefer to stay at a Disney resort too. But sometimes there are circumstances where it _isn't_ worth it... at least to me anyway. For instance (and I've relayed this a few times on the board now), I was at WDW last month for three nights. I had NO idea what dates I would be there, so preplanning was out of the question. Knowing that, the rates to stay at even a vaue resort would be quite expensive. So I stayed offsite. Yeah, I had to pay for parking, and yeah, I didn't get to take advantage of any EMH, but it was dirt cheap. I absolutely did not regret staying on 192, even though I could have even stayed at a deluxe. But as always, YMMV... there is no right or wrong answer.
Originally Posted By kennect Oh there will always be the chance that staying off site might have an advantage....But as a general rule if my trip is related to truly visiting WDW I prefer to stay on site...Now throw me a great rate at a great hotel off property and then we can talk....
Originally Posted By Labuda "I'm trying to figure out how you manage to keep going and they let you ride whatever you want without a wristband." They don't. BUT, I can tell you that at DAK, I was able to let a friend use my room key, then about 2 minutes later used it myself. That friend wanted nighttime shots of DAK and got them, by jove!
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom I have stayed on and off property. My preference ( just for convience sake ) is to stay ON property. I stayed off property as recent as Dec 06, and stayed on property as recent as feb 07.
Originally Posted By MaddJack Personally I hope to never have to stay off property again. The on property resorts are just so much more fun (to me). Even the value ones. And being able to hop on a bus and quickly be back to your room for that afternoon nap (I have a pair of little ones) is just TO convenient to pass up.
Originally Posted By MPierce >> Not bad unless you consider that you just paid about $110.00 per night extra for a $10.00 perk! << I realize nothing is really free at WDW, you are paying one way or the other. Yes the rooms are overpriced just like everything else that has to do with entertainment. I just think that if a person wants to experience WDW the whole time while on vacation staying on property is the only way to go. You can look around on the web, and use discount codes that Disney is forced to give out on rooms, also go in value season if possible, and use AAA if you are a memeber. All good ways to save money. I highly recommend, if possible, that everybody stay on property at least once.
Originally Posted By sun-n-fun We have also done both. With small kids we have never taken advantage of EMH, so that hasn't swayed us. It depends on your budget. We usually stay on palm parkway by the Crossings Mall area and are able to go back to the hotel at midday without a problem. We are staying for 11 nights in Aug and could not afford to do that on property the entire time. With APs we want to take advantage of lots of days in the parks. So we are staying 5 nights at The Comfort Inn and 7 nights at CBR. Yes, on site is the best, but youcan bring Disney magic back to any hotel with you. I'd choose off site over not going at all!!!
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 This really isn't a simple question no matter how people toss up answers ... I've gone from (as a child) mostly staying off-site to staying almost exclusively on ... to almost exclusively staying off-site (from about 2001-04) to now going back to almost always staying on ... is that there are many factors to be considered. And there isn't just one answer. Depends on the person, their budget, what resorts are available at what rate, time of year, likes/dislikes, whether they plan on renting a car etc ... I just love it (yeah, this is sarcasm) when people just say definitely stay onsite or the opposite. Not that simple.
Originally Posted By bobbelee9 I know I'm missing something. I've read #34 3 times and it just doesn't sound like a Spirit answer. Did we catch you at a soft moment?
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<I know I'm missing something. I've read #34 3 times and it just doesn't sound like a Spirit answer. Did we catch you at a soft moment?>> Only in my midsection.
Originally Posted By dshyates There was a time I would not have considered staying off-prop, But On several business trips to Otown I ended saying at a few of the other hoteliers in town and was very impressed with the offerings. Now I would consider the J. W. Marriot or the fantastic Ritz Carton slightly better resort experience than the deluxes at a better price (J. W. Marriot). I also Like The Peabody a lot. This, I imagine, is why Disney is bringing the 4Seasons and Waldorf on-prop. <a href="http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/mcojw-jw-marriott-orlando-grande-lakes/" target="_blank">http://www.marriott.com/hotels /travel/mcojw-jw-marriott-orlando-grande-lakes/</a> <a href="http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/Orlando/Default.htm" target="_blank">http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/ Properties/Orlando/Default.htm</a> <a href="http://www.peabodyorlando.com/home.cfm" target="_blank">http://www.peabodyorlando.com/ home.cfm</a> And we are going to be in Orlando in August and we aren't going to Disney at all so obviously we will be staying elsewhere. I've not tried this resort but the pool with the slides and lazy river and activities like live music by the pool make this place sound fun for the whole family. I'ts on 192 just west of Disney. We got a queen/queen executive suite with a sofa bed and kitchen for $122 a night. Not a spectacular rate, but we plan on just hanging by the pool reading the new Harry Potter for 3 days and only 2 days up at Uni./IOA. So we are most paying for the pool. <a href="http://www.orangelake.com/home.html" target="_blank">http://www.orangelake.com/home .html</a> Usually when I stay off-prop it isn't to save money, But to escape the omnipresent drone of "Happy, Happy, Happy, Happy, Happy, Happy, Happy, Happy..." and simply kick back to enjoy the what the rest of the world has offer. I never want to be so into Disney that it is difficult to enjoy The Ritz, Emeril's, or (gasp)UniOrlando.
