Staying off Disney property

[mjmcsl4me]

It is with a heavy heart that my husband and I have come to the painful realization that, in order for us to go to Walt Disney World this year, we will probably have to stay off-property. Our very, very first trip to Disney was in 1996 and we didn't stay on property but, that was before kids and before we really "got" Disney. In 2007, we stayed at Pop Century with our son and daughter. Then, in 2009, we stayed at All Star Movies with our daughter (9 at that point), son (6 at that point), and our new daughter (about 5 months old when we went). In 2010, we stayed at Pop Century again (no new kid additions that year). This past year, we were able to snag an awesome free dining package and stayed at Port Orleans Riverside with our two daughters, son, and our newest daughter (about 18 months old on our trip).

Here's the problem: aside from family suites (which go beyond our desired budget), we could potentially stay at Port Orleans Riverside again since they do offer a trundle bed for our fourth child. This would be the last year for us to stay at Port Orleans since next year, our youngest will be three and will exceed the maximum number of guests per room. Our only other option would be two rooms at Pop or All Stars (or family suites).

Anyway, when we look at staying at some of the hotels off site in the Orlando area, we are really excited by the amenities and types of rooms we could get for much, MUCH less than on site. But we are also sad. It might sound silly but, staying on Disney property gave us a real insulated feeling. For a few days, we could completely immerse ourselves not only in a vacation as a family, but in the Walt Disney World Fantasy. With the exception of looking out the windows of the Disney Transportation buses, everything around us simply oozed Disney World. When we are on vacation in Disney World, we're not just on vacation in Disney World, we're in some sort of alternate, parallel universe where everyone we meet has one, ultimate goal (as far as I'm concerned): to be at Disney World.

And therein lies the rub: staying offsite removes us from that bubble that we try so desperately to cling to. We're back in the real world of hotels, gas stations, and fast food joints that aren't Disney-themed. We're trying to convince ourselves that this doesn't really matter. In all honesty, as long as we're together it doesn't really matter. The amount of time we spend in the parks vs. the time we spend at the resort really can't justify the premium we pay.

So, we're just looking for some tips (or encouragement). Any tips for some good, off site [sob] hotels near WDW?

Thanks!

[cy1229]

Before you completely abandon the idea of staying on property, why don't you look into renting someone's DVC points? Someone on here mentioned that he did that, just trying to remember who. I've heard it's really quite reasonable, and you could possibly end up with a great condo for all of you. If you do this, recompute the cost based on eating all breakfasts and a few dinners in. My bet is that you would come out about the same as eating all meals in the park or at other restaurants plus hotel plus gas plus parking.

[MmeLeota]

I've heard about renting DVC points as well, though we've never actually done it.
I've also read about hotels that are within walking distance to DTD...which could still give you a sense of being on property while not actually being on property.

[Amy]

I think that might have been theBIGyowski that mentioned renting DVC points cy1229. I think you might do well to check into that, and also packing some food, or picking some up once you arrive in Florida if you fly, would save some money. Especially when you are feeding a family of 6. Your kids would have some familiar foods and you could easily split a few meals between all of you if you don't have any big eaters ~ portions are so large pretty much everywhere you go!
That said, I've heard pretty good things about off site hotels. I think the biggest drawback could be the transportation options. Not sure how often the off site hotels run their buses and that might be tricky for you as I would guess you are still trying to nap at least one or two children.
If you can swing it, I would think you would be happier onsite. Maybe you will luck into a really, really good vacation package offer when you are ready to travel!
Can't offer any specific info on off site hotels unfortunately. I'm sure we didn't stay on property when we went in 1976 ~ but ever since then, we have been fortunate enough to be able to stay on property

[cy1229]

On our last trip, I went to the Avis counter in the Hilton across the street. it was a pretty easy walk from DTD and looked really nice. Didn't stay there, though.

[mjmcsl4me]

Wow I was super excited about the Downtown Disney option but then when I looked into their hotels it looks like all but one we would have to get two rooms which in point might as well do two rooms at Value or one at Port Orleans Riverside. We did see that the Doubletree Hilton does suites for up to six which would be great. My try giving them a call. Thanks for all the info so far!

Well I did find the Doubletree that does suites on Travelocity and it would end up being 500 bucks less than Port Orleans Riverside. That's pretty good.

[theBIGyowski]

WARNING...this is a long post...but I hope you find it worth the read...

DW and I LOVE renting DVC!

The reason is because you can stay on Disney property, in very nice resorts, for 50-60% of the cost of staying in a Moderate Resort.

Here is how:

For DVC members, you buy in and by doing so you get a certain number of "points" that you must use each year. I assume that most people purchase 160-300 points per year (for 30-45 years) that that makes up what they "own" as a DVC member. The points they don't use can be rolled over to the next year. A lot of DVC members choose to sell a portion of their points to help them offset or even pay for their dues that they have to pay each year for maintenance and resort upkeep. This is where us non-DVC folks come in. The reservations are made by the DVC member, but put in your name. So it looks as if you are a DVC member while you are on your vacation. This comes in handy when getting certain perks that only DVC members get like some dining discounts and entry into DVC-only places.

It costs a certain number of points per night to stay in a DVC resort...different for each resort...different for weekday/weekend...different for each Disney "season" of the year.

Click here to see the points chart that I will explain below.

You want to go to WDW in October...let's say the 13th through the 18th...which is a Sunday-Friday. You decide you want to stay at an Epcot Resort and the Boardwalk Inn has caught your eye. You check with Disney and the price to stay there for the dates you want is $2,403. Wow...that is a lot...considering you still have to pay for park tickets, food, and transportation! Let's look at staying at a Moderate Resort like Port Orleans Riverside. Looks like the total for that resort is $1,018...much more reasonable. Now let's look at renting DVC points. We see that for the dates we chose (10/13 through 10/18) and for the Boardwalk...Villas for DVC...is 10 points per night for a standard deluxe suite. We would be staying 5 nights...so the total points needed would be 50. The going rate for DVC rentals is between $10-$12 per point. We'll use the higher number of $12 for our calculations...which puts the TOTAL price at $600. Yes...that is $600 TOTAL...$418 less than staying at a Moderate resort...and $1,803 less than staying 500 feet away at the Boardwalk Inn (via Disney). The rooms have a mini-fridge, microwave, coffee maker, and large bathrooms. Obviously, the newer and nicer resorts are going to be more expensive. It gets more expensive during certain times of the year. It also gets more expensive when you want larger rooms like 1 or 2 Bedroom Villas. Those bigger Villas have full kitchens that you can take advantage of though, something you cannot do in a regular Disney Resort room.

I know there are still a lot of questions you probably have...so PM me or ask me here if you want. DW and I use the board at www.MouseOwners.com to make our requests and then work out the price per point with whomever responds to our request. The advantages are that you get to stay on Disney property much, much cheaper than you normally would if you booked through Disney or a travel agent. You also get advantages like discounts on lunch at select restaurants and even entry into places like the Top of the World Lounge at Bay Lake Tower. Another advantage is that you do not pay hotel tax (12.5% in Florida) and you don't have to pay extra for additional people staying in your room like you do in a regular Disney Resort. One of the disadvantages are that you don't get room service every day, but rather every 3-4 days. Another is that you are at the mercy of which resorts have openings available. You may have to get a preferred room instead of a standard one...which costs more...because all standard rooms are booked during your travel dates. You may also have to choose a different resort than you wanted for the same reason...or even make a split stay to accommodate your travel dates (which can be a positive). You also have to completely trust the person you are renting from that they are honest and are making this reservation for you...which I have had no problem with. You simply pay them via PayPal or check...however they choose...and make sure you have some kind of contract that you both sign that protects you and them. If you are weary of that, there are even several reputable companies that can do this for you at $13 per point. Just search for them via online.

To us, the pros outweigh the cons, and unless there is some crazy deal (not even free dining can save you this much money) we will continue to rent DVC every single trip. Again, please let me know if you have any questions and I will be glad to answer them or help you find an answer. Renting DVC can really help you make your WDW vacation more affordable and can even help you make better use of your APs so you can make multiple trips for the price of what you would normally pay for one if you make your reservations via Disney.

[cy1229]

Thanks BIG! I learned a lot, and am definitely going to look into this if and when my parents don't pay for our trip to WDW.

[Amy]

Very helpful BIG. That is the clearest explanation I've ever seen on DVC. I'm still not sure why people want to actually buy into the DVC on their own though. It just seems too expensive for the initial purchase and then a maintenance fee each year...and then you don't even own anything after 40 or 50 years

[theBIGyowski]

Buying into DVC only really make sense in the very, very long run. So...if you plan on going to WDW a few times per year for the next 30+ years...it makes financial sense.

The hardest part for DW and I to get over is that you have to pay a good bit in dues every year...and that number is a dollar amount per point. The older resorts are more expensive because they are the larger ones that take up the most land area...thus requiring more upkeep. So you could be paying $700-$1,000 easily in dues every year...on top of the $10,000-$25,000 you paid in the beginning for your DVC membership. Like I said in the post above...the fact that there are dues is probably the main reason a lot of DVC members rent some of their points...to help them offset or pay for their annual dues.

Another thing...when you buy into DVC...you buy points for a certain resort. That resort is your "home" resort. A member can make a reservation at their home resort as far as 11 months in advance. So if your home resort is Bay Lake Tower...you can make your Christmas vacation reservations there in a few weeks. If you want to make a reservation at another DVC resort that is not your home resort...you have to wait until you are at least 7 months from your vacation dates. This is to allow home members of those resorts the ability to make their reservations first.

This can be a factor when you are renting or wanting to rent because if you want to go in October of this year you will need a DVC member who has a home resort of the one you want to stay at. This probably sounds confusing to some...and it took me a good bit of research to figure it all out. It really can pay off for you if you do the research and crunch the numbers yourself. You can take the money saved and use it for a signature meal you would have normally passed up on...or maybe some merchandise you have had your eye on. You should see how many Excel spreadsheets I have on my computer...when I crunch the numbers every month for different WDW trips that never really come to fruition...but were a blast planning out just in case.

[Amy]

Buying into DVC only really make sense in the very, very long run. So...if you plan on going to WDW a few times per year for the next 30+ years...it makes financial sense.

The hardest part for DW and I to get over is that you have to pay a good bit in dues every year...and that number is a dollar amount per point. The older resorts are more expensive because they are the larger ones that take up the most land area...thus requiring more upkeep. So you could be paying $700-$1,000 easily in dues every year...on top of the $10,000-$25,000 you paid in the beginning for your DVC membership. Like I said in the post above...the fact that there are dues is probably the main reason a lot of DVC members rent some of their points...to help them offset or pay for their annual dues.

Another thing...when you buy into DVC...you buy points for a certain resort. That resort is your "home" resort. A member can make a reservation at their home resort as far as 11 months in advance. So if your home resort is Bay Lake Tower...you can make your Christmas vacation reservations there in a few weeks. If you want to make a reservation at another DVC resort that is not your home resort...you have to wait until you are at least 7 months from your vacation dates. This is to allow home members of those resorts the ability to make their reservations first.

This can be a factor when you are renting or wanting to rent because if you want to go in October of this year you will need a DVC member who has a home resort of the one you want to stay at. This probably sounds confusing to some...and it took me a good bit of research to figure it all out. It really can pay off for you if you do the research and crunch the numbers yourself. You can take the money saved and use it for a signature meal you would have normally passed up on...or maybe some merchandise you have had your eye on. You should see how many Excel spreadsheets I have on my computer...when I crunch the numbers every month for different WDW trips that never really come to fruition...but were a blast planning out just in case.

Those spreadsheets probably qualify you in the "You know you're a WDW if..."
Still not seeing the advantage of owning a DVC membership, but I might be enticed to look into renting points one of these trips. I suppose if I made a little more money, I would investigate the possibility a little further. But it just isn't even in the realm of possibility for me at the moment.
Hmmm, now I keep hearing "Someday, my Prince will come" in my head! Guess I had better amend that to my rich prince

[cy1229]

My mom and stepdad have DVC points, as do my stepsister and her husband. I think Sarah and Dave (stepsis) envisioned taking their boys down there once or twice every year. The last trip they made, though, Kaeleb, who is now 10, made a remark about WDW being boring, or maybe something to the tune of he's seen it already, etc. That in and of itself is enough to keep us from buying DVC points - there are resale websites where they can be purchased for less than Disney sells them - not to mention the several thousand dollar outlay that we just don't have, and with first older daughter going to college next year, and younger daughter following behind her 4 years after that, I don't think it will happen much before 10+ years from now. So I have to agree with Amy, I don't understand the value of buying into a resort like that. There's still the expense of getting there, plus tickets, plus food. It would take a LOT of trips to WDW to offset the cost of buying DVC points, I think. We've thought about it, talked it through, and come back to not buying, even though we LOVE Disney.

[mjmcsl4me]

Thanks for the info BIG. I keep seeing that for us it would be like 30ish points per night because of us having six people which, unless I'm doing something wrong, comes out on the more expensive than Port Orleans Riverside estimate. I really like the 10 points a night estimate I can see where you would need spreadsheets to help figure out all that info, but you explained it very well to be able to understand it and I do appreciate the info. I'm still gonna try and look at it though with different dates to see what maybe the cheapest would be for a family of six with DVC points. We usually go at the beginning of May.
Thanks again guys for all the info and support! We do appreciate it!

[theBIGyowski]

Thanks for the info BIG. I keep seeing that for us it would be like 30ish points per night because of us having six people which, unless I'm doing something wrong, comes out on the more expensive than Port Orleans Riverside estimate. I really like the 10 points a night estimate I can see where you would need spreadsheets to help figure out all that info, but you explained it very well to be able to understand it and I do appreciate the info. I'm still gonna try and look at it though with different dates to see what maybe the cheapest would be for a family of six with DVC points. We usually go at the beginning of May.
Thanks again guys for all the info and support! We do appreciate it!

With six people, I assume you would need more than one room at a regular Disney Resort. Remember that in a regular Disney room, you can only have 2 adults in the room without paying extra per adult. When you stay at a DVC resort, there is no max. I was able to take advantage of this when I went with 2 friends in 2008 to run in the WDW Half. We not only saved because we rented DVC, but we saved an extra $25 per night because the third person didn't make us pay extra. That's a sit down meal right there. Plus I also mentioned the fact that you are not paying the 12.5% hotel tax like you would booking a normal Disney Resort room.

Crunch the numbers yourself to see if it saves money for you. It may not work for everyone, but it definitely works for us, especially since DW says she doesn't want to stay at a Value Resort if we can rent DVC for just a little bit more.

[cy1229]

Thanks for the info BIG. I keep seeing that for us it would be like 30ish points per night because of us having six people which, unless I'm doing something wrong, comes out on the more expensive than Port Orleans Riverside estimate. I really like the 10 points a night estimate I can see where you would need spreadsheets to help figure out all that info, but you explained it very well to be able to understand it and I do appreciate the info. I'm still gonna try and look at it though with different dates to see what maybe the cheapest would be for a family of six with DVC points. We usually go at the beginning of May.
Thanks again guys for all the info and support! We do appreciate it!

A couple things to keep in mind while your family is (relatively) young (well half of it is anyway).

First, a one-bedroom condo at Bay Lake Tower has a sleeper sofa PLUS a sleeper chair in the living room.

Second, all one-bedroom and larger condos have a pack-and-play in the main closet for use in the condo. So, if your littlest one can sleep in that, you can still do a 1 BR for this year anyway.

Anyway, and this is a mental whiplash alert, if you can't do DVC point rental, check out AllEars.net because they described a Holiday Inn with special AllEars rates that has just been refurbished. They actually have a lot of info on off-site accommodations. Staying off-property isn't the end of the world. I understand the bubble effect, but ya do what ya have to do.

OH! Just thought of something else! (Sorry, I took a heavy pain med for some abdominal pain this morning.) Anyway, OH! Did you look to see how much a cabin at Ft. Wilderness would be? All of you could DEFINITELY stay there. Or, renting an RV to camp in? I bet that would be more affordable. It would take one of BIGyowski's spreadsheets to figure it all out though.