Staying Off Site Worth It?

[JustinD]

We have always stayed offsite. We get a two bedroom two bath condo. The kids each get their own bed, and there is some space between us. We make breakfast in the morning, and coffee. We used to eat a few dinners in the room, but the last few trips have not. We just drive to the park we want, and get out of the car. If we hop, we just drive to the next. (except MK and Epcot. Have to do the monorail, just because). Note that your daily parking pass is good at any park once you buy it, so you can move your car.

For us, the magic is driving under the Disney World sign each day. Then the parking lot tram, etc. The anticipation keeps building until the opening ceremony and then rope drop. That is our thing.

 

[Klayfish]

For us, the magic is driving under the Disney World sign each day. Then the parking lot tram, etc. The anticipation keeps building until the opening ceremony and then rope drop. That is our thing.

Yes, this, absolutely...well, except for the rope drop. We don't do that anymore, have found it not to be worth the lack of sleep. I understand the rationale behind the magic of staying inside the bubble and riding Disney buses, staying in a Disney property, etc... But to us it's just as magical to drive under the Disney welcome sign, see all the "highway" exit signs for the different Disney properties, ride the tram, etc...

And yeah, it's far, far less expensive. The places we rent are a minimum of 3 bed, 2.5 bath, some are 4 bedrooms. We never pay more than $750 a week, often quite a bit less.

 

[jimbostacks]

Just my opinion...if it is a Disney only trip - being close is a huge plus. We usually stay on site at the villas and decided recently to stay offsite. But it was Bonnet Creek - technically on site - but no free transportation. We did Uber to the hotels near the park and loved it--still feels like on vacation not worrying about driving etc... as long as it is close. for my large family of 6 - need the space....we did Port Orleans previously - which is a great resort with 4 of us and hated having one washroom and everyone in each others space at night. The cost of a moderate one room was the same as 2 BR at WBC - of course need to transport yourself, and the ease of a food court not as convenient. But for a quick evening meal we actually drove 5 mins to Caribbean Beach food court because we could not decide on which restaurant to choose.

 

[prprincess]

We've done both, and love both...it really depends on our vacation "mood" from year to year. Sometimes we just want to spend more time in the Orlando area because we have family there, and so we'll stay offsite. It does save us, when it comes to food, since we cook more, and like everyone else mentioned, time when it comes to getting around. But paying for parking does add up, and after a long day at the parks it is sometimes hard to drive back to a rental. The privacy of a rental is amazing though, especially if you can find a home with a pool - I believe we spent $1600 for a 4-bed, 3-bath home with a game room two years ago, and it was so relaxing! And while we do cook some of our own meals and save money that way, I do sometimes miss being completely in the Disney bubble enjoying all of the food, drinks, etc. But there are some amazing restaurants in the Orlando area that are worth a try.

With that being said, both options are great, and I honestly can't say that I prefer one over the other. It all just depends on what type of vacation we want to take and our budget. We stayed in property in August, and are now thinking of staying offsite for Spring Break in April.

 

[littlbugmom]

I've worked out the cost several different ways and staying offsite is always either cheaper or A LOT cheaper.
But just as important is how you want to vacation. Staying offsite is the only way my family wants to do it.

We want the spacious townhouse. For an 8 to 10 night trip, 2 adults and 2 teens need our space!
We want several bathrooms. We like having our own bathrooms and showers.
We want the private splash pool. We relax in that pool EVERY night after a day in the parks.
We want the full kitchen. We eat fast, easy breakfasts and have healthy meals and snacks at the ready.
We want the car. We hated waiting for the disney transportation....coming AND going.
We even want the washer/dryer. We pack lighter and always have a dry bathing suit.

 

[meggiemouse]

Ugh I can't decide. We've stayed 1 time off property and 2 times at POP and enjoyed both. Right now we are looking at the cheapest All Star or off-site. We will probably spending close to the same amount of $ either way. I don't care so much about having more rooms or making food (except, but would maybe like a better pool or splash area for the kids that are open later). We are a family of 4 with a car, so it's definitely an option. But the Disney hotels are so nice and kid friendly... oh the decisions! #firstworldproblems

 

[Lee Matthews]

I've always stayed at Disney and next week I'm staying off property for the first time at Cabana Bay and while I'm a little nervous, it almost halved the cost of the holiday

 

[BigredNole]

Ugh I can't decide. We've stayed 1 time off property and 2 times at POP and enjoyed both. Right now we are looking at the cheapest All Star or off-site. We will probably spending close to the same amount of $ either way. I don't care so much about having more rooms or making food (except, but would maybe like a better pool or splash area for the kids that are open later). We are a family of 4 with a car, so it's definitely an option. But the Disney hotels are so nice and kid friendly... oh the decisions! #firstworldproblems

What it comes down to for us is what we can get with our money. To stay at Pop Century, we have to get a Preferred room. For the week, it is $1,200. That is 2 double beds, a mini fridge, and 1 bathroom. For that same period, we can get a 2 or 3 bedroom/ 2 bath condo at Windsor Hills for $700. There is a ton of stuff at can do at Disney World with that $500 savings. On top of that savings, we have the savings on meals. Breakfasts are easy either way. What it comes down to is dinners. We can only eat so many Disney QS meals before it is extremely old. Therefore, we are now paying $50+ each for a dinner. Even if we only eat 3 dinners at WDW, that is almost $500 by itself. Since we relax in the afternoons at the pool and room, making dinners is simple. Want a pizza? Bobboli's in the oven for 12-15 minutes. Want a steak? Throw 3 nice steaks on the grill for about $30. Want spaghetti? Noodles on and sauce simmering. Cooking for me is during the relaxing time. I can have a drink and lounge. Cleanup is easy and toss stuff in the dishwasher, turn it on, and head back to the park. Laundry is easy. Toss towels in the wash when you head out in the morning, toss them in the dryer when you get back in the afternoon. I personally hate when housekeeping comes every day. It means I have to keep the room spotless to begin with.

We are a family of 3. My DW and I cannot share a bed because it is too small. Sharing a bed with our DD is like sleeping with the Tasmanian Devil. We would have to bring an air mattress for one of us to sleep on at a Value resort. However, we now rent from DVC owners which amounts to about $100-$200 more than Pop Century. This gives a queen bed and a sleeper sofa. It will be a rare occasion where we stay onsite now unless we find a good deal.

In the end, it really comes down to what you want. If you want to stay onsite, my recommendation is to find a DVC renter. Get the points for about $12 each. For a week in a studio, you are looking at about $900. With the best rates the AS and Pop will be about $700 for a week. The $200 is worth the upgrade.

 

[Klayfish]

Right now we are looking at the cheapest All Star or off-site. We will probably spending close to the same amount of $ either way. But the Disney hotels are so nice and kid friendly... oh the decisions! #firstworldproblems

I haven't stayed on property, but from everything I've researched, heard, read, I don't see how you'd spend the same amount of money? Unless I'm wrong, the cheapest hotel rooms at a Disney resort are well over $100/night, aren't they? Are they $200/night? And that's for a tiny hotel room with one bed and maybe a small couch. A 3 bedroom/2 bath villa can be had for $75/night very easily.

As for nice and kid friendly, pretty much all the places we've stayed at were both of those too. I'm not going to lie and say they have all the unique WDW things that an upscale on property resort would, but they certainly are very nice places. They're typically very well maintained, have very nice pool/playground/campfire areas, etc...many also have activities specifically for kids too. Yes, there are a few condo/villa/townhome communities that aren't as nice, but they're very easy to spot when you use a site live VRBO.

Again, I'm not saying anything against staying on property. I understand why people do it and have full respect for it. But don't discount staying off property as being just as expensive or being any less nice and kid friendly, because it's not.

 

[Klayfish]

What it comes down to for us is what we can get with our money. To stay at Pop Century, we have to get a Preferred room. For the week, it is $1,200. That is 2 double beds, a mini fridge, and 1 bathroom. For that same period, we can get a 2 or 3 bedroom/ 2 bath condo at Windsor Hills for $700. There is a ton of stuff at can do at Disney World with that $500 savings. On top of that savings, we have the savings on meals. Breakfasts are easy either way. What it comes down to is dinners. We can only eat so many Disney QS meals before it is extremely old. Therefore, we are now paying $50+ each for a dinner. Even if we only eat 3 dinners at WDW, that is almost $500 by itself. Since we relax in the afternoons at the pool and room, making dinners is simple. Want a pizza? Bobboli's in the oven for 12-15 minutes. Want a steak? Throw 3 nice steaks on the grill for about $30. Want spaghetti? Noodles on and sauce simmering. Cooking for me is during the relaxing time. I can have a drink and lounge. Cleanup is easy and toss stuff in the dishwasher, turn it on, and head back to the park. Laundry is easy. Toss towels in the wash when you head out in the morning, toss them in the dryer when you get back in the afternoon. I personally hate when housekeeping comes every day. It means I have to keep the room spotless to begin with.

We are a family of 3. My DW and I cannot share a bed because it is too small. Sharing a bed with our DD is like sleeping with the Tasmanian Devil. We would have to bring an air mattress for one of us to sleep on at a Value resort. However, we now rent from DVC owners which amounts to about $100-$200 more than Pop Century. This gives a queen bed and a sleeper sofa. It will be a rare occasion where we stay onsite now unless we find a good deal.

In the end, it really comes down to what you want. If you want to stay onsite, my recommendation is to find a DVC renter. Get the points for about $12 each. For a week in a studio, you are looking at about $900. With the best rates the AS and Pop will be about $700 for a week. The $200 is worth the upgrade.

I couldn't agree with this more. Absolutely, 100%. People think that "cooking" is a big chore that they don't want to do on vacation, same with laundry. While I get the argument they're making, reality is that it's not a big deal whatsoever, and frankly can be pretty relaxing. Like BigredNole said, just throw the dishes in the dishwasher and press the "on" button. Voila, dishes done. Grilling chicken or boiling pasta while you're relaxing with a drink...not a bad thing at all, and quite relaxing, in my opinion. Laundry...we'd have to do it on property or off. When we make a long trip, we don't pack 10 pair of underwear or 10 t-shirts. So we have to do laundry. In the rental home, it's ridiculously easy. And I totally agree with the point about not having to keep the room really clean for housekeeping. I can assure you that while we don't turn the place upside and live like pigs, we certainly don't keep the place "spotless" while we're staying there.

 

[meggiemouse]

I haven't stayed on property, but from everything I've researched, heard, read, I don't see how you'd spend the same amount of money? Unless I'm wrong, the cheapest hotel rooms at a Disney resort are well over $100/night, aren't they? Are they $200/night? And that's for a tiny hotel room with one bed and maybe a small couch. A 3 bedroom/2 bath villa can be had for $75/night very easily.

As for nice and kid friendly, pretty much all the places we've stayed at were both of those too. I'm not going to lie and say they have all the unique WDW things that an upscale on property resort would, but they certainly are very nice places. They're typically very well maintained, have very nice pool/playground/campfire areas, etc...many also have activities specifically for kids too. Yes, there are a few condo/villa/townhome communities that aren't as nice, but they're very easy to spot when you use a site live VRBO.

Again, I'm not saying anything against staying on property. I understand why people do it and have full respect for it. But don't discount staying off property as being just as expensive or being any less nice and kid friendly, because it's not.

Right now one of the All Stars was down to about $120/ night for late May/early June. Most of the offsites are about $80-90, then $20/day for parking at parks. We'll only be saving ~$20/night offsite, so not a huge dealbreaker. What is making our trip so much more expensive this time is my daughter's ticket... she's 3 now so we have to pay up! All other times we were paying for 3. Another ticket really kills the budget! I just wanted to hear different experiences, preferences, and recommendations with on/offsite hotels.

 

[BigredNole]

Its not just $20 less per night. It is 4-5x the space, 2 bathrooms, full kitchen. You and your husband will be in separate beds. No place for adult time.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

We are an off-site family. I just can't fathom spending my hard earned money on a motel 6 sized room when I can get a whole house with private pool for the same price. I don't cook much, but I do use the rental kitchen to store quick breakfasts, drinks, snacks, wine, etc. Sometimes we stop by publix and grab some premade salads or lunches. Its quite convenient.

We have ap's so parking is free for us. I just love having all the space. When DD is asleep there are other areas for us to hang out and not wake her.

 

[Klayfish]

Yep, the two posts above are the non-monetary things that make such a huge difference in hotel room vs. townhouse/condo. You're staying at WDWs' cheapest property (and from what I've heard, that's where the tour groups, etc...stay) in their smallest room instead of having your pick of 800-1200+ sq ft 3 bedroom condos or apartments, maybe with a private pool and other amenities. Yes, you have to pay to park, but I'd pay that extra $20/day for all that the townhouse offers. $120/night will get you a really, really sweet off site place.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

We have stayed both on-site and off-site on past trips, and I love both for different reasons. There is something truly magical about being in "the bubble" and the perks like magic bands, Magical Express, 60 day FP+, transportation, etc. On the other hand, it's hard to argue against the space, lower cost, and amenities that come with off-site. We typically stay at Windsor Hills in a 4-6 bedroom house. We choose a higher end house that has great "Disney" themed rooms, nice pool, and a game room. But on the flipside, I am in the camp of "don't want to cook or do laundry while on vacation". No, it's not that difficult. But I go on vacation to get away from household chores. For us it comes down to a) are we traveling alone (just us and the kids), b) how many park days are we doing, and c) are we driving or flying.

If we are driving (have our own car), traveling with a group, or doing 4 or less park days....stay offsite
If we are flying, traveling with just our kids, or doing 4+ park days...stay onsite

Really, can't go wrong either way!

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

I am about 50/50 on-site vs off-site. There are things I prefer about both. I like the convenience and immersive feeling of being on site but like the price and feeling of freedom off site. For me it depends on the totality of the vacation. Am I hitting just Disney or also non-Disney events? Am I spending all or only part of my vacation in the Orlando area?

I will say I won't stay off site without a rental car so if you do decide to stay off site I would recommend you get one.

This is exactly how I feel. Both are great for different reasons and as a mom of five I can attest to the benefits of both. This upcoming trip we are staying onsite (two rooms at Pop Century for a week) cause we are only doing Disney and have the dining plan. Our last trip we stayed offsite in a Windsor Hills condo and since we had a rental van we had the flexibility to go to Legoland for a day after doing five Disney park days and also eat at some offsite restaurants in addition to adrs at Chef Mickey's and 'Ohana. I do have to say that our offsite trip wasn't our first Disney World experience and I think that a smooth and successful offsite stay takes a bit more research and careful planning if the Disney parks are the point of focus for the trip.

 

[leebee]

I am in the process of investigating bringing in a cooler to the parks for our lunches. I can get/make our lunch meat for the week for the cost of a single meal at a QS restaurant. We won't pack every meal, but a majority we will.

I skipped the cooler when I found insulated lunch bags at Dollar Tree. They are big enough for a sandwich and water bottle. I freeze the water bottles overnight, then everyone carries a lunch pack (insulated bag with sandwich and frozen water bottle) in their backpack/park bag. The water bottle and lunch bag keep the sandwiches cold, and the water can be consumed as it melts. We liked doing this better than having to drag back to the front of the park to get a cooler out of a locker when we are ready for lunch.

Something to consider when staying offsite: What is the cost of your park ticket, and what would be the cost of parking? Would it be cheaper for someone to buy an annual pass? I don't know what APs cost these days, but once upon a time, this was a more-affordable option for us.

 

[BigredNole]

AP are expensive. We went with the Platinum at something like $875 each (3x). The tickets for our a 10-day trip with Memory Maker and parking would have been nearly $1,800. We decided staying offsite + APs = 3-4 trips vs 1.5 staying onsite.

 

[TamaraQT]

Just for comparison sake, a 2BR at WBC is about $1,200 (give or take) + $140 for parking totaling $1,350 (estimate). A 2BR on Disney property is $700 a night even on the cheapest Disney prices. Going through a DVC owner, you are looking at $3,300 on the cheapest possible rate: SSR, Adventure season, $12 per point. Even if you got it for $10 per point it would be $2,800. The price difference alone pays for your tickets.

I use a particular website (redweek) to rent from owners. For the past 2 years I have been able to book a 2 bdrm at WBC in building 5, 12th floor for less than $700 a week during summer peak season. Last year I paid $599!!!

 

[TamaraQT]

Its not just $20 less per night. It is 4-5x the space, 2 bathrooms, full kitchen. You and your husband will be in separate beds. No place for adult time.

Yes!! Nothing like putting the kids to bed in their OWN BEDROOM then having drinks on the balcony, relaxing in a jacuzzi. Its like 2 vacations in one. Vacation with the kids during the day, and vacation with partner at night. Can't do that in a cramped Disney hotel.