Why do you love staying offsite?

[Hesky]

My wife and I have been to WDW twice. The first time we stayed at the Sun Regal Resort and the second one we stayed onsite at the All Star Movies Resort.

As much as I loved the All Star Movies resort I have to admit that I enjoyed the Sun Regal more. And the reason is location. I loved being able to walk to Downtown Disney after a day in the parks. When we stayed at the AS Movies, we did make a trip to Downtown Disney, but it was a very long bus ride, which was a little tough after a long day in the park. So we ended up going there only once, and didn't get to fully take advantage of DTD, which is probably one of my favorite places in WDW.

This year we are staying at the Buena Vista Palace because its really close to DTD and its cheaper than any of Disney's value resorts.

The one thing I will really miss is the Magical Express. It really puts you in Disney mood from the moment you get off the plane, plus it's really convenient.

 

[zeesmom]

I've won two trips to WDW. We stayed at the AKL and the Poly. Outstanding views in each case. And a unique experience. Would have cost $400 a night if I was paying.

How can I enter this contest????

 

[kidd_freeper]

How can I enter this contest????

I won the AKL trip in 2005 through an on-line contest ran by Alamo.com, to promote the fact that they had beome the new "official" rental company of Disney

I won the Poly trip in 2005 (took it in 2006) through a mail-in contest ran by McDonalds to promote their new line of salads.

Some places to look for Disney contests:
http://www.mousesavers.com/free.html#sweeps
http://www.sweepsadvantage.com/search.php?keyword=Disney
http://www.online-sweepstakes.com/search/?query=Disney&db=
http://www.cashnetsweeps.com/search.php?query=Disney&submit=Search
http://www.ivillage.com/promotions

Try looking for keywords like "Orlando" and "Florida" also.

 

[EvangelineG]

Choosing to stay off site was a no brainer for our family for our upcoming trip. There will be ten of us, with ages ranging from 11-65, and needs ranging from hypoglycemia to allergies to autism.

We are renting a 6 bedroom/4 bath in Sunset Lakes. This means we all have our own space, and the quiet of a separate home (hate listening to doors slamming and people thumping up and down the halls in hotel rooms!). We will have our own kitchen to take care of special food needs easily, and our own pool and hot tub to relax in. There is also a game room, huge flat screen and a smaller TV in each room, so everyone can unwind in their own way. All for a fraction of the price of the cheapest accommodation for all 10 of us onsite! Also after reading about the difficulties with the WDW bus system, I am really glad to be renting vehicles instead!

I hear so much on the boards about how you MUST stay onsite, but I am really happy and excited about staying off site. It's nice to see a thread with "off-siters" coming out of the closet!

 

[kathy884]

I won the AKL trip in 2005 through an on-line contest ran by Alamo.com, to promote the fact that they had beome the new "official" rental company of Disney

I won the Poly trip in 2005 (took it in 2006) through a mail-in contest ran by McDonalds to promote their new line of salads.

Some places to look for Disney contests:
http://www.mousesavers.com/free.html#sweeps
http://www.sweepsadvantage.com/search.php?keyword=Disney
http://www.online-sweepstakes.com/search/?query=Disney&db=
http://www.cashnetsweeps.com/search.php?query=Disney&submit=Search
http://www.ivillage.com/promotions

Try looking for keywords like "Orlando" and "Florida" also.

That is awesome! What a fun prize. I love both those resorts, but would never spend the money to stay there. // I have to stay that my favorite place to stay for a mini stay would be Disney Deluxe. I stay offsite, though, on most of the trips because I'm paying not someone else, it's in my budget, and I can get such nice accomodations for such a great price.

 

[Planogirl]

I won the AKL trip in 2005 through an on-line contest ran by Alamo.com, to promote the fact that they had beome the new "official" rental company of Disney

I won the Poly trip in 2005 (took it in 2006) through a mail-in contest ran by McDonalds to promote their new line of salads.

Some places to look for Disney contests:
http://www.mousesavers.com/free.html#sweeps
http://www.sweepsadvantage.com/search.php?keyword=Disney
http://www.online-sweepstakes.com/search/?query=Disney&db=
http://www.cashnetsweeps.com/search.php?query=Disney&submit=Search
http://www.ivillage.com/promotions

Try looking for keywords like "Orlando" and "Florida" also.

Can you also share some of that good luck?

It's really cool that you won twice. Thanks for sharing these links.

 

[Keli]

We're staying offsite this year because of space. It will be four adults (dh and I, and our grown dd and sil) on our trip and one hotel room won't cut it.
But I really don't want two hotel rooms because I want to feel like we are vacationing together and spend time with them and yet still have our privacy and the ability to have our own schedules/vacationing styles.
A two bedroom condo fits the bill for us and a two bedroom anywhere on Disney property is way out of our budget.
We're planning on staying a bonnet creek (have yet to secure it, waiting 60 days out and then trying eBay for best deal) so we'll have access to a shuttle to the parks if we want. For me that gives us just the extra freedom we need (driving only one car) to make sure we all have a great time doing the types of vacations we love. Its the best of both worlds from my perspective.

 

[minnie mouse ears]

We are on our way home from 8 nights in Indian Creek. The entire rental cost for a 4 bedroom house with a private pool was under $1,000 plus parking. The room was great since we had 7 people. The house was decorated in tons of Disney decor and transportation to the parks took less time than a bus ride would have. We spent 6 days in Disney, 1 in universal and probably averaged 12 hours or more per day in the parks. We ate a couple of character breakfasts and feel we missed zero magic. :0) I also loved having my own washer and dryer, 4 tvs and king sized bed. I couldn't get all that in a value resort and would have had to rent two cramped rooms. I don't understand the smug attitude for staying insure either.

 

[BonnieA]

I've been going to WDW since 1975. I have never stayed onsite, never felt the need. All the magic I want is in the parks. I've stayed in hotels, condo's, houses and timeshares. I've watched the whole area grow. Part of my magic is driving into disney everyday. I guess it's just the excitement of it. But I love having more than one bedroom, it makes sleeping so much better. Breakfast is a great way to start the morning in a timeshare. And 2 bathrooms are so convenient. I've never stayed far enough away that I can't get back for an afternoon rest and/or dip in the pool. It is a wonderful break to the day. I do tend to go in the slower seasons and I've been so many times I don't feel the need to go commando.

 

[hpfan100]

I like staying off site better too

I travel solo and usually travel to other locations in Orlando In fact if potterland had never been opened I probably would have never traveled to Orlando.

i have stayed onsite once at POP and boy was that place lame. I got a great rate and used the ME and didn't go to any other places besides WDW so it worked but never again. Even as a solo to sleep in a rock hard double bed with whistling toilets...GEEZ

I like offsite hotels-
free internet and breakfast, shuttles to parks when I don't want to drive, free parking or cheap
bigger more comfortable bed, nice bathrooms with soaking tubs, earn points with loyalty program
mini fridge and workout room


OH I can;t wait for my stay in July

5 nights off site holiday inn suite near universal
3 nights off site holiday inn near WDW

all for 400 dollars pre car and tickets and such

 

[1craftymama]

Have more choices for restaurants that what I like about offsite. I have picky mom and kids that don't like most foods.

I need hotel now that fit 5 people now and have free breakfast to feed the kids to keep cost down.

I had hoped we could stay onsite. We will be a family of 5 when we go down for our big trip in a couple of years and quite frankly a suite onsite for all 5 of us is going to eat my entire budget so I am now looking at offsite locations whether a condo or house that we all can enjoy when we have non Disney days (love the idea of going to Universal or Sea World). I am thinking of asking my in laws to join us for part of the trip if not all so dh and I can enjoy a day or two of rides/attractions. A house or bigger condo will better fit our needs.

 

[Disneyliscious]

Once I stayed off site at a rental home, I never went back.

2004 - 3BR home with pool, spa, and even a pool slide - $670 for 6 days
2009 - 3BR home with pool and spa - $500 for 7 days
2012 - 5BR home with pool and spa - $975 for 10 days

There are SO many choices and the homes are so clean and well maintained/furnished.

I LOVED:

*The kids having their own BR with tv and video games to play
*Not having a "Pool closes at 10pm" sign - we swam when we wanted
*The money we saved by not eating out - we alternate cooking nights between 5 adults
*Coming home from the parks and sprawling out on a huge comfy couch, or recliner, or king size bed to cool down and rest my feet.
*The privacy of it being just our family. We seen people all day at the parks. Its so nice and quiet in a home.
*Showering in showers that are bigger than my kitchen at home
*Walking out in the back yard 30 feet to fish in a lake
*Having a washer and dryer - less packing for us. It takes all of 5 mins to throw a load in the washer and then the dryer.
*No steps to climb or elevators to haul our luggage on. Its a house so it wont be on the 11th level.
*Staying in what my kids call a "Mansion" compared to our small farm house. It was truly part of the vacation experience.
*Getting to Disney in 10 minutes or less without having to wait for a shuttle or bus. We leave when we get ready.
*THE SPACE for everyone to have their own room and PLENTY of it. It was....fantastic.

I will never stay in a hotel again while in Florida - ever. We don't even rent condos. Its a private pool home all the way for us!

 

[Leota]

I'm loving this thread!

After years of staying onsite with Disney transpo, we broke out last trip & stayed offsite with a rental car...... It was wonderful! I felt so free! We could come & go as we pleased....no waiting for a standing room only bus - we just hopped into our car, cranked up some tunes that we liked & were whereever we wanted to be in minutes, not an hour..... I felt like it really suited our touring style (we are a grown up family that likes to spend a few hours here & there in the Parks - not commando all day marathons) I didn't miss any Magic. In fact, I felt like we got more out of our short vacation because we did what we wanted to on OUR terms - not Disney's.

So this trip, with both Kids & the Grandkids, we want some Space! We did it at AKL / Dolphin & it was great, but the Grands got overstimulated & everybody was crowded & cranky by the end of the trip. Not doing that again. So we rented a 4 bdrm, 5 bathroom home in Windsor Hills with the whole private pool/spa, game room, home theater etc..... The Grandsons are going to flip their lids when they can jump into an arcade racing game right in their own home! Can't get that onsite.... All us adults will be really happy to sit around, sipping cold beverages & playing cards while the kiddos swim to their hearts content with as many pool toys as they want in the privacy of our own lanai.... All for less than the cost of two moderate hotel rooms & it included a free car rental

I never thought I'd see the day when I chose to stay off-site over being onsite. But once I tried it, I was sold!

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

I only wanted to add one thing, since we have a bunch of offsite fans here: consider home rentals for otehr vacations, too. We only do WDW every other year, and on the off years, take a driving trip. Last summer, we spent a week in a farmhouse in Amish country--it was a blast! It was a working dairy farm, my kids got to feed calves, gather eggs, and run around. Next year, we're still considering options, but there are places all over the world where you can rent a house for a week.

I just thought I'd mention it--especially for those of us with larger families.

 

[Brian Noble]

We got our "home rental" start in OBX.

 

[jeff968]

We love staying offsite because:

1) We love the timeshare resorts, so much room, so much to do if you choose to, the resorts are great values with your own room, washer and dryer, porch, and more.
2) We love saving money, we hit the Puiblix first thing and do breakfast, lunch, snacks, and drinks out of our resort and save tons.
3) There is lots more to see in Orlando, other attractions, outlet malls, great and fun places to eat.
4) The Florida sun is just as nice from a resort offsite.

 

[ccgirl]

I only wanted to add one thing, since we have a bunch of offsite fans here: consider home rentals for otehr vacations, too. We only do WDW every other year, and on the off years, take a driving trip. Last summer, we spent a week in a farmhouse in Amish country--it was a blast! It was a working dairy farm, my kids got to feed calves, gather eggs, and run around. Next year, we're still considering options, but there are places all over the world where you can rent a house for a week.

I just thought I'd mention it--especially for those of us with larger families.

Thank you for mentioning. I have never thought of that. Do you mind me asking where you found that place? Sounds like something right up our alley. Thanks!

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

vacation resorts by owner--vrbo.com

I think the Lancaster County house we found through the county website (not exactly sure--it wasn't direct through vrbo). Vrbo has places all over the world. We've become so addicted to the perks of a house rental that we wouldn't consider vacationing any other way now.

 

[crazelion]

I had hoped we could stay onsite. We will be a family of 5 when we go down for our big trip in a couple of years and quite frankly a suite onsite for all 5 of us is going to eat my entire budget so I am now looking at offsite locations whether a condo or house that we all can enjoy when we have non Disney days (love the idea of going to Universal or Sea World). I am thinking of asking my in laws to join us for part of the trip if not all so dh and I can enjoy a day or two of rides/attractions. A house or bigger condo will better fit our needs.

My kids love US, Sea World and IOA. The best part that had more than one TV and free internet.

Now I am not keen on staying in a house now. But do like staying in 2 bedroom suite at hotel. Some favorite places are Springhill Suites, Residence Inn, and Hawthorn Suites. Than I mention take kids and mom to some there fav restaurant to eat without through away money.

 

[ellen82]

I love this thread too. I think it encourages people to realize that they can still have a great vacation if they can not stay on site!!

I also would like to add that renting vacation homes when you travel is a great option! Many of my friends have done this abroad as well if you travel to Europe.