Do you stay at a Disney resort? Why or Why Not?

[figmentaholic]

Remind them there is more to Disney then theme parks. Can't hurt

Yeah, you could talk up the parades and shows and restaurants. Plus it is a nice place to spend some time together as a family. You have lots of time while waiting on queue to talk

Yeah...that is my big thing...as much as I love the rides...it is the parades, fireworks, restaurants, and overall theming that makes WDW so amazing. You can go on rides at Six Flags and Busch Gardens...but only WDW and DLR can give you the "Disney Experience".

Yes, and that is why I think that we all love Disney so much, for the whole experience that you get. And you really miss a lot if you don't stay on property, IMHO.

[Sockdoodle]

I ALWAYS stay on property. Party for the immersion experience, but especially for the great travel amenities. Call me a wimp, but I hate driving out of state and in rental cars, so the airport shuttle service and park shuttle service are probably going to keep me on-property!

[Mousekedude]

...it just seems like you would waste so much time moving from one room/resort to another that it probably isn't worth it unless you are spending 3 or 4 days in each place.

We actually do that on most trips. For example, on our last trip we stayed at AK Lodge for 3 or 4 nights, then transferred to Saratoga Springs for 5 or 6 more. This trip we're going to stay at Port Orleans Riverside for 3 nights and then transfer to the Boardwalk for 8 more. We like doing that just for the variety, and to save a little money. It's not hard at all. Usually we just drop our bags with Bell Services in the morning on our way to a park, and they transfer them for us. All we have to do is show up at the second resort sometime later in the day and check in. The only exception is when we go from a moderate to a deluxe, like we're going to do on this trip. We have to transfer our luggage ourselves when leaving a moderate, but we just call a taxi and "presto-changeo" we're good! So it's almost like taking two trips in one!

[disneylizzy]

...it just seems like you would waste so much time moving from one room/resort to another that it probably isn't worth it unless you are spending 3 or 4 days in each place.

We actually do that on most trips. For example, on our last trip we stayed at AK Lodge for 3 or 4 nights, then transferred to Saratoga Springs for 5 or 6 more. This trip we're going to stay at Port Orleans Riverside for 3 nights and then transfer to the Boardwalk for 8 more. We like doing that just for the variety, and to save a little money. It's not hard at all. Usually we just drop our bags with Bell Services in the morning on our way to a park, and they transfer them for us. All we have to do is show up at the second resort sometime later in the day and check in. The only exception is when we go from a moderate to a deluxe, like we're going to do on this trip. We have to transfer our luggage ourselves when leaving a moderate, but we just call a taxi and "presto-changeo" we're good! So it's almost like taking two trips in one!

I can see why someone would want to do 2 different resorts if it was for a longer trip. 5 days or less would be too much IMO, but if you're staying for a week or longer, it might mix it up. You'd just have to be careful not to fall into the comparison game w/ the resorts - like "oh, I liked the pool at ___ better, etc."

I didn't know that the deluxe resorts would transfer your luggage for you! that's pretty nifty!

[figmentaholic]

My husband and I take a trip to Disney every year in February, and various friends join us from all over the US. So one year we had a couple of people who are only joining us for part of the trip, so we went part of it when they were all here in the Wilderness Cabins (there were 6 of us) and then when they left and there were 4 of us, we went to Port Orleans Riverside. It was kinda wierd changing hotels, but it was kinda fun to, it is a total change of pace and feel.

[BayLakeTowers]

I've swapped hotels when I went with my family. It was primarily because of availability of the hotel. We stayed the first night at Boardwalk, and then moved over to DAK Lodge for the rest of the week. We came down on a Sunday but there were no rooms available at DAK until the weekend was over.
It is a hassle to swap hotels in the middle of a vacation for me because it's a pain to repack and get everything stuffed back in the suitcase, knowing that you're going to get it all out again that evening -- especially after I've gone and bought things and had them sent back to the room.
But that brings up another reason that I like to stay in the park. I can have any purchase, especially breakable ones, sent back to my hotel room and I don't have to worry about carrying it around the park and breaking it.

[scottv1982]

I always stay on disney property cause we ussually fly down and it is easier then renting a car, I love the buses and magic hours at night are my favorite times at the parks. My favorite is port oleans french quater it is nice and doesnt cost an arm and a leg.

[neapolis]

I never stay in the Disney resort because i like to stay on International drive .... there is so much there......

[Amy]

I never stay in the Disney resort because i like to stay on International drive .... there is so much there......

I think that would be a reason I would not want to stay on International drive! Isn't it super crowded and touristy?

[Wizzard419]

Aside from staying on site, the only place I really like to stay at are the Beach/Yach club or the boardwalk resort since they are within walking distance of Epcot (the park I spend the most time in). The other benefit is that it cuts down on the use of the bus service since I would only need to take it to Animal Kingdom and the Magic Kingdom for early morning entry.

[Amy]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask this, but I will try...has anyone used the luggage service with the Magical Express? Part of me likes the idea of zipping right off the plane to the bus and letting them worry about baggage claim, but I wonder if I will be worrying whether our luggage made it or not? I just got the magical express tickets in the mail today so that is why I am wondering...

[jlpeaches255]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask this, but I will try...has anyone used the luggage service with the Magical Express? Part of me likes the idea of zipping right off the plane to the bus and letting them worry about baggage claim, but I wonder if I will be worrying whether our luggage made it or not? I just got the magical express tickets in the mail today so that is why I am wondering...

I have used it a couple of times with no trouble.
I guess it really depends on when you are arriving. You won't get your luggage for a few hours after you land so be prepared for that. If you arrive late at night I guess it is more complicated but I am not sure how.

[Wizzard419]

If you're leaving crazy early to go home you will probably have to load your luggage on the bus, or check it in the night before, since they need time to get it from the hotel to the airport.

When you arrive late (after a long day of travel) the only drawback is that you will need to pack clothes to change into if you need to change into something nicer for dinner.

[Mousekedude]

We've used the Magical Express many times with no problems. We've always loved being able to get off the plane and head straight for the M.E. bus without worrying about anything. The buses are clean and comfortable too. It's true that your luggage doesn't get to your room until a little later, but we travel already set up with everything we need on our persons so that as soon as we've checked in to our resort we can head to the parks. By the time we get back that night, our luggage is in our room. Of course, we always travel early in the morning when we go, so as to maximize the time spent at the parks. On the return trip we always take the last flight out, so we check out of our room early in the morning and leave our luggage with Bell Services and then head to the parks for the day. We manage to scurry back in the afternoon just in time to get our bags from Bell Services and run them out to the M.E. bus ourselves when we board. Never had a problem.
The only drawback to the M.E. is the waiting and travel time. The M.E. usually takes 30 to 45 minutes to leave the airport (once we even sat there for over an hour and a half for some stupid reason), and then if your resort is not the first stop on the route, then it can be a pretty long ride while you stop at other resorts before getting to yours. It's not unusual for it to take up to two or sometimes three hours from jetway to resort on M.E. Same thing on the return trip. So last year we hired a private shuttle service instead. That was fantastic. The chauffeur was waiting for us at baggage claim and helped us with our luggage, and we were out of there in 5 minutes. Our chauffeur let us stop at a grocery store to pick up some stuff for our room, and then took us straight to our resort. So the whole trip from the jetway to our resort was less than an hour, including the stop at the store. We're going to do the same thing again on our next trip this December.
So I won't knock the M.E. service overall if you prefer not to spend extra money on transportation. But if you're impatient like me, and don't like to spend time waiting for (and sitting on) a bus, then it might be worth it for you to budget some extra money into the trip for a private shuttle service.

[Amy]

The private shuttle service sounds very nice M-dude, but while am not a patient person, I hate spending money on something that is provided for free. Be sure to wave to us in the M.E. line when you and Mouseoholic zip by in your fancy-schmancy car The other people in the bus line will think we know someone famous