Disney- stay on property or not?

We are planning a trip to Disney for next February. Trying to decide whether to stay at one of the Disney value hotels or rent a townhouse in Vista Cay. I actually like the idea of having our own car and not having to worry about the shuttles. My main concern is are the perks for staying on Disney property really worth

Re: Disney- stay on property or not?

I ALWAYS stay on property and recommend clients do so as well.

For me, personally, I just like being part of the magic 24/7, and having the Disney service the whole time, knowing I'm taken care of.

A few benefits:

1) Extra Magic Hours - Each day a part opens 1 hour early or stays open up to 3 hours late ONLY for resort guests. I personally LOVE this benefit and take advantage of it all the time, even in the off season. In busy seasons, it's a great way to avoid crowds, and in the off season, the park hours are short, so it gives you extra time. I LOVE the parks, so anything that gives me more hours in the parks is good. Even if you're not a commando, it gives you more options for seeing your favorite parks. In February, when Animal Kingdom is closing at 5, and MK is closing as eary as 7, you'll get a lot out of some extra time. It's not always 12am-3am like it is in the summer. Sometimes it's 8-11, and you can get a LOT done in that time. Nothing like an empty park. There's a special magic to being at the parks extra early or extra late.

2) Package delivery - Anything you buy in the parks or at DTD can be sent to your hotel. No need to lug purchases around all day. I also use this on EVERY trip. It's especially helpful when you order personalized items. Instead of having to return to that location in a few hours or even days, the package will appear at your resort when it's ready.


3) Magical Express - Oh how I LOVE Magical Express. If you're on a paricipating airline, you tag your luggage at the airport here in NY and say goodbye to it. It will magically appear in your room that afternoon or evening. You do the same thing when you leave. Check in to your flight and check in your luggage at your hotel, go enjoy the parks, and hop on the bus. You won't see your luggage again until baggage claim in NY. In addition to your luggage, Magical Express transports you and your family to and from the airport FOR FREE. We used to spend a lot on shuttles, but not anymore. I also love it because it puts you in the magic as soon as you start your trip. Cast Members greet you at the airport and on the bus you're watching Disney videos and hearing Disney music. It really builds the excitement...and it's FREE.

4) Even if you are driving, it's better to stay on property. Why? Because resort guests do not have to pay the parking fee. Add $14 per day to whatever your offsite is costing because you will need to pay to park. I know a lot of people LOVE driving. I can understand that, but I love NOT driving. Even if you drive you often still need to wait for a tram to/from the parking lot, and at the end of a long day, who wants to sit in traffic and navigate roads? A lot of people DO like the freedom and convenience of driving. For me, personally, I can't justify the cost. Taking the occasional can within the property is cheaper than a weeklong car rental, but that's 100% personal choice.

5) Depending on where you are staying, it's often easier to get back to a WDW hotel for a midday nap. We found the bus service at Pop Century to be GREAT the last few times we stayed there.

6) Dining Plans - You can ONLY purchase a Disney Dining Plan if you stay on property. The Disney Dining Plan, if it fits in with the way you eat, saves you about 20% on dining even if you're paying for it, BUT over the past 2 years, there has been a FREE dining promotion in February. That amounts to hundreds of dollars in savings because your meals will be taken care of, and all of your meals will have the Disney Magic.

7) A cohesive vacation. Your travel agent can help you set up your hotel reservation and all of your dining reservations. If you're celebrating something, EVERYONE will know it, and it will often be recognized. You'll also be able to get detailed itineraries and even touring plans from a Disney Specialist TA.

I know a lot of people love to stay off property, because you can sometimes get more space for a similar price, but i LOVE staying on property. For me, when I'm at Disney World, I want to be there the whole time. I don't want to go back and forth to WDW, I want to be living in it. I want to find hidden mickeys in my room, and towel animals on my bed at night. I will never stay off property.

HTH,

Let me know if you have any questions!

Re: Disney- stay on property or not?

We stay offsite. We have a timeshare through Starwood and have a two bedroom two bathroom unit.

For us, we are fine with staying offsite for the amount of space we get.