What incentives are left to stay on-site?

[KrazeeK120]

For me, there are no longer any incentives to stay on-site. I’ll be looking offsite after my trip later this year. I booked my trip in December, so I won’t have to pay for parking.

 

[smiths02]

I still see benefit. I really think the hotels are themed wonderfully. I enjoy the location and the ease of transportation. However, for our family, with the increase in ticket prices, resort room prices, and now parking prices...we would have to consider offsite.

The other thing we are looking at is simply vacationing elsewhere. We loved Disney vacations because it was an all immersive thing for us, but if it is just going to a theme park a few days because that is all we can afford, we may explore other options.

 

[nkereina]

I think you misunderstood my point. For us getting the DxDP is like buying a car that on sale. If we had to pay full price we wouldn’t, but since there are considerable enough savings we do. I’ve done the math and have the spread sheets to prove it lol. Staying onsite allows us to have this luxury and if we stayed offsite we would have a very different food experience that we would not enjoy as much

I understand your point, and I'm not trying to argue because I like the dining plan too sometimes! I am a proponent of the convenience of it, but I understand I am buying it for convenience and not because its a financial savings. I'm just saying that it's not really a savings if you wouldn't ordinarily order an appetizer and dessert anyway - you are paying for those items on the DxDP. Disney has the pricing down to a science.

Going with the car analogy, let's say you'd normally get a Toyota Camry at $15K. But a Mercedes full-size SUV is on sale for $20K. You don't necessarily need the Mercedes but go with it because it seems like a good deal. Now you also have to pay higher taxes, higher insurance, higher gas prices, etc. You indulged with the Mercedes but in the end are still paying for the things that go along with a higher priced Mercedes. DxDP is the same thing. I'm not saying DxDP is a bad choice, but you are paying for all of the food that is included with it, the higher gratuity cost as a result of all the food each meal, and also for the convenience of it. If an individual knows this and is ok with this, then to each his own! I just think its misleading to call it a savings since that is not true for many people.

But to wrap this back around to the topic at hand, like them or not, a dining plan is still a benefit of staying on-site for many.

 

[Minnesota!]

DME - biggest one.
Busses, monorails, boats - second biggest
"Bubble" - if you get it, you get it. if you don't, you don't. There is just something amazing about being in the bubble.

Probably about it.

I don't care about ADR's - we snatch them up along the way, based on what we are feeling like eating.
FP+ - well, we have been there 25-30 times, and are not heartbroken if we don't get to ride something in particular each trip. Except Living with the Land. They all know we stand in line for this, no matter how long. Mom says...
Magic Bands - eh. Take em or leave them.
Dining Plan - we don't get it, unless "free". Which has been a long time for us..

I am so disheartened by the changes that are going on. The parks are stale, the crowds are higher because of staffing, etc. I don't mind add ons that do not take away from the ones who do not want it - dessert parties, Typhoon Lagoon at night, etc. The parking really, really, rubs me the wrong way - and we don't drive!!

 

[Cheyflan]

Just about all the off-site hotels also offer transport to the parks and once you are there you can use any of the Disney transport to get around.

I used to only stay at offsite resorts especially in the DS area. The buses take way too long, aren’t as clean as Disney ones, and they stop @ 4 different hotels so they are always packed, and they don’t have seperate buses for each park. One goes to Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom. One goes to Epcot and Hollywood Studios.

 

[Sue M]

I understand your point, and I'm not trying to argue because I like the dining plan too sometimes! I am a proponent of the convenience of it, but I understand I am buying it for convenience and not because its a financial savings. I'm just saying that it's not really a savings if you wouldn't ordinarily order an appetizer and dessert anyway - you are paying for those items on the DxDP. Disney has the pricing down to a science.

Going with the car analogy, let's say you'd normally get a Toyota Camry at $15K. But a Mercedes full-size SUV is on sale for $20K. You don't necessarily need the Mercedes but go with it because it seems like a good deal. Now you also have to pay higher taxes, higher insurance, higher gas prices, etc. You indulged with the Mercedes but in the end are still paying for the things that go along with a higher priced Mercedes. DxDP is the same thing. I'm not saying DxDP is a bad choice, but you are paying for all of the food that is included with it, the higher gratuity cost as a result of all the food each meal, and also for the convenience of it. If an individual knows this and is ok with this, then to each his own! I just think its misleading to call it a savings since that is not true for many people.

But to wrap this back around to the topic at hand, like them or not, a dining plan is still a benefit of staying on-site for many.

Dining plan for us hadn’t been the money saver it once was for a long time. At first I was hesitant not getting DDP but I put what the cost of DDP was on a Disney Gift Card. I used this card for all my dining, including tips. We ate how we wanted, what we wanted. At the end of the trip we had quite a bit left on the gift card.

 

[goofyintoronto]

Off-site hotels do have shuttle buses, but they're not as good as disney. They dont run as often, they arent as clean, and theyre always packed. No thanks.

And someone nailed it above....the perk to staying onsite is not only DME, but also the disney bubble. Its a big deal for me. Im going to orlando because of disney. I want to stay in the disney bubble. I like the disney resorts, yes even the values. It screams disney, its in your face. I love it. Lastly, I really do enjoy the transportation around disney. Im one of the weirdos that actually prefer it over driving/renting a car. Hey, to each their own.

 

[Sue M]

Benefits for me are DME

Transportation. From my resort to parks, and the biggest is being able to return to my hotel for a mid day break. Off site hotels don’t give you a way to get back for mid day break except for Disney Springs. For the first time I’m considering these hotels for lower pricing because WDW room rates are spiraling out of control.

However WDW needs to improve transportation badly. We always thought it was pretty good up until our last trip when 30+ min was the average wait. And this wasn’t because we just missed a bus. All 10 days.

FP+ meh. You can still get offsite at 30 days. And if you can’t get a FP for fav ride, ropedrop and make that your first ride. It’s great how many rides you can get with low wait in the first hour of park opening.

Parcel delivery to resort. So I don’t have to lug around purchases.

But for these perks we are paying dearly. Over paying. Room rates are way above industry standards, so when WDW says in regard to parking fees that other resorts are charging, then maybe WDW should be lowering their rates to what other hotels charge for rooms.
Compare a 1 bedroom at Disney Springs Doubletree to a DVC 1 bedroom. Or even a value resort family suite. Not even close.

 

[Tonyz]

Location, theme, transportation, dining...

 

[abinormal]

There’s nothing that makes it worthwhile for me. Some of the perks are attractive but not anywhere near worth the price they charge.

The 60-day FP is the closest one but still not worth paying that much. I can make 30 days work and if I can’t, there’s rope drop, or a throwaway campsite. Or I’ll go without some rides.

Location is next but only for some resorts. The MK and Epcot resorts are great for location and I’d love to hop a boat or the monorail to a park, but not for that kind of money.

Free parking at parks? The resort parking fee makes that a wash.

180+10 ADRs. I don’t mind getting up a little early for a week. I got everything I wanted last trip easily.

Transportation - I won’t ride those buses. They make me anxious and I don’t want to wait when I want to go somewhere. I need the space, and freedom to go on my schedule and go offsite for groceries or takeout. So no benefit for me.

ME - same as transportation. I will always have a car.

Dining plan - I don’t see any value in it. I’d rather save money than pay for the cognitive dissonance. So again, no benefit for me.

The “bubble” - No bubble is worth hundreds more a night to me. I’d rather save that money and use it for more park days, souvenirs, meals, and experiences.

Many offsite hotels offer their own benefits in price, size of room, location, free parking, and I still have the choice to use a Do Not Disturb sign. Since I will have a car no matter what, that makes it no contest for me.

 

[nkereina]

Transportation - I won’t ride those buses. They make me anxious and I don’t want to wait when I want to go somewhere. I need the space, and freedom to go on my schedule and go offsite for groceries or takeout. So no benefit for me.

Do you ever consume alcohol? The major benefit of Disney transformation for DH and I is that if we have a few drinks, we don't have to worry about driving back nor do we have to ride very far. Obviously Uber is an option too so I'm not suggesting transportation in and of itself should be the reason to stay on-site, but it's just another benefit that can be easily overlooked, especially by those who don't consume alcohol.

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

But for these perks we are paying dearly. Over paying. Room rates are way above industry standards, so when WDW says in regard to parking fees that other resorts are charging, then maybe WDW should be lowering their rates to what other hotels charge for rooms.

Bingo. Disney just picks and chooses what suits their bottom line when it comes to "industry standards."

 

[missbrooke06]

Dining plan for us hadn’t been the money saver it once was for a long time. At first I was hesitant not getting DDP but I put what the cost of DDP was on a Disney Gift Card. I used this card for all my dining, including tips. We ate how we wanted, what we wanted. At the end of the trip we had quite a bit left on the gift card.

Yeah, that's exactly why I can't do this. I'd be like "Everybody is getting pasta with no protein - we're rolling it over for next trip!"

 

[abinormal]

Do you ever consume alcohol? The major benefit of Disney transformation for DH and I is that if we have a few drinks, we don't have to worry about driving back nor do we have to ride very far. Obviously Uber is an option too so I'm not suggesting transportation in and of itself should be the reason to stay on-site, but it's just another benefit that can be easily overlooked, especially by those who don't consume alcohol.

Sure I do. But I have young kids so I’m not getting plowed or anything. I’ll get a single mixed drink while walking around or something. My husband and also switch off - I’ll drive if he wants a beer, he’ll drive if I want something. If neither of us could drive for some reason I’d get a ride share. I’d hate a bus even more if I’d been drinking.

Like I said, no benefit for me.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

You can just pay for your items, & pick them up at the front of the park on your way out. No biggie!

But then I have to take them back to the room, from the park. By picking up at the resort, I can take it straight to the room, without having to travel with it. Now that's no biggie.

Almost all offsite hotels that offer breakfast have Mickey waffles, for real.

Allergy ones? Because most hotels can offer me yogurt and fruit. If I am lucky, scrambled eggs. Waffles? Never.

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

Almost all offsite hotels that offer breakfast have Mickey waffles, for real.

You can have them anywhere

 

[Kevin355]

We couldn't find a compelling reason to stay onsite this coming trip, and we probably won't again for a long time. We mostly stayed at the moderate resorts, values before that. The main reason we booked offsite to start with is because our kids won't share a bed and we don't want to be crammed into one room (privacy). We cannot afford a DVC unit and would not rent points.

Magical Express - great perk, but only if you fly. We don't.
Disney transportation - We will miss this if our kids want to go back to the resort before we do. However, now that our oldest is 17 and drives, they can take the car back and we can Uber.
Magic bands - we have some from last trip, and they are only $12 online. Nice, but not a big benefit.
180 ADRs - We booked our trip at 102 days and only made 2 ADRs anyway.
Room charging - We will miss this
Dining plan - hasn't made financial sense for the last six trips, so we don't use it
Free parking at the parks ($22/day) - we used this, but it would have been basically a wash since we would have to pay $19/day to park at a moderate resort.
60-day FP - This will be the worst part for us, I think. We are staying at WH, so it is 30 days for us. However, we have 9 park days, so I'm hopeful that it will work out.

I agree with all that you said. Other than Chef Mickey's or a couple of other hot spots, we have never had an issue getting an ADR as little as 65 days out. FP...heck, we have changed our picks for rides the day of.

The nickel and diming that WDW is doing now...while I will miss staying on property, I won't miss paying 50% less for a larger room with better amenities.

 

[Beachmom0317]

My perk is the hotels themselves. I don't want to stay in an ordinary hotel for a Disney vacation. I definitely don't want to stay in a rental house - on any vacation.

At Disney I want TOTAL IMMERSION!

I don't care who else gets EMH, I don't care if other hotels have bigger rooms, I don't care about free breakfasts - none of that matters to me at Disney. We don't go to Disney to see Orlando, we go to see Disney, end of story. And we will save for as long as takes for us to stay on-site. So we don't go but every few years, that's fine, plenty of places to visit in between, each vacation destination is great in itself.

Oh, and walking to/from Epcot is pretty awesome also.

This is us too. We love being in the bubble! We love the quick boat ride from MK to the FW cabins we always stay at; our kids still need midday naps and down time. I love how there’s old Disney cartoons on TV while there. FW is a destination itself which we love when we’re not at parks. We will save more to deal with parking, extras like MVMCP, etc. Oh we are also early birds so we love morning EMH! We are there solely for Disney and have no interest in anything outside of it.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

This is us too. We love being in the bubble! We love the quick boat ride from MK to the FW cabins we always stay at; our kids still need midday naps and down time. I love how there’s old Disney cartoons on TV while there. FW is a destination itself which we love when we’re not at parks. We will save more to deal with parking, extras like MVMCP, etc. Oh we are also early birds so we love morning EMH! We are there solely for Disney and have no interest in anything outside of it.

I didn't even think of that.

I need to schedule down time, most days. That normally means a trip back to the resort. Then back to a park.

 

[Kevin355]

You can stay off site, book meals at WDW and pay OOP, and still come out ahead more than you can with the DDP.

I used to love being in the bubble. People would tell me that you can better pricing by staying off site. I used to laugh. Now, when you are paying the equivalent at ASM, and the such for what you could get 10 minutes away at a much larger room with more amenities, free breakfast, and shuttle service to WDW, for then you can take the Disney buses to any resort that you may have a meal...the benefit is no longer there for me. I vowed that I would never stay off site again...WDW convinced me to look elsewhere with all of their money grabs.