posted by admin on Mar 6
Hi there,
We are planning a 7 day vacation to Florida at the end of next month. We've never been to Disneyworld, and would love to take our 2.5 year old to see Mickey. We're having trouble deciding where to stay for our time there. When I conduct a google search, I'm overwhelmed with the options that are presented. We can stay onsite, and pay 0 a night – but we don't have a private pool….and if we get sick of it, there is no escape. Or, we can stay offsite – there are some great places 10 minutes away – but then we'll have to pay parking etc. We don't know what to do, and would love some advice on the pros and cons of each choice. We would prefer to have our own private pool, but know that staying onsite will be really convenient. The costs will be a deciding factor too. Even though staying offsite is cheaper, we'll have to pay for a rental car and parking so it might not be cheaper when you factor in all of the additional costs.
Can anyone help me here?
Thanks in advance!
Thank you everyone for your great responses so far! BY 'private pool', I mean private. As in, no other people. A private house, with a private pool. Not a big pool that is used by 500 other people each day. 
Originally posted 2009-05-26 08:42:22.
May 26th, 2009 at 8:42 am
Hello!
Seeing as this is your first time to the Walt Disney World Resort, I would first off suggest staying on property. There are many advantages to staying on-site, especially if it is your first trip!
Depending on the resort you choose, there are quiet pools. If you stay at a moderate resort, such as Caribbean Beach, or Port Orleans Riverside, there are many pools-one main one (that is usually busy) and many other "quiet" pools throughout the grounds of the resort that are open 24 hours a day. I have been to WDW during all seasons and these pools usually aren't very crowded, especially at night. These resorts also offer many quiet areas-Caribbean Beach has a white sand "beach" and many beautiful walkways and private areas, while PO Riverside is in fact, on the riverside, and has many private areas as well. You can take a walk along the river, or take the boat to Downtown Disney if you'd like. It is very quiet and relaxing. Also, moderate resorts don't usually cost $300/night. If you are looking for a larger room with a kitchen, you will be spending more money, but Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa is a great resort with that option.
Have you looked into the "Buy 4 nights get 3" offer from Disney? You pay for 4 nights, and get 3 free, and have the option to purchase a 4 day park hopper and get 3 days free on it. I am an annual passholder, and this deal was even better than my 40% discount! You are supposed to book it by January 24th though, so if that is an option hurry up!
Another advantage to staying on property is the fact that you are a Disney resort guest, and Disney resort guests can take advantage of "Extra Magic Hours". EMH's is when a park opens up 1 hour earlier, or stays open 3 hours later, exclusivley for Disney resort guests. This is a great benefit, especially when the parks are crowded during the daytime!
If you are not planning on renting a car (which will save you a great deal of money) you can take advantage of the Walt Disney World Transportation System. This includes bus transportations to and from all parks and resorts, monorail transportation between certain resorts, and between Epcot and Magic Kingdom, and boat transportation to and from some parks, resorts, and from the Downtown Disney area. If you stay at an off-site resort, you will have to rent a car, or take a cab-both options are very pricey. If you are driving your own car there, then this shouldn't be a problem for you-parking is usually about 15 dollars at each park.
If you were planning to dine in Disney World, (there are many world class dining experiences) then you may want to look into the Disney Dining Plan. This is when you pay a certain amount per person to have your meals included (as long as you eat on Disney property). One of the plans include: 1 snack (water, chips, popcorn, etc), 1 counter service meal (which includes a drink and dessert), and 1 table service meal per day. Let me tell you, everytime we have used this, we ended up saving at least 300 dollars! If you'd like to know more about the Disney Dining Plan, here is a link:
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/benefits/disney-dining-plan/
If you were to stay off site, it may be cheaper for the room, but the cost of getting to the hotel may outweigh the benefits of the completley private pool/somewhat cheaper price. You said that you have a 2 1/2 year old daughter-if you were planning on spending a good amount of time in the parks, staying on Disney property gives you the option to go to the parks early in the day, go back to the room for lunch, pool time, or naps (which would be more time and cost efficient as opposed to staying at an off-site resort), and still have time to go back to the parks/out to dinner if you want to, and when you're well rested!
Also, if you find that the lines are long, please take advantage of Disney's Fastpass. It is a complimentary service-all you do it bring your admission ticket to the kiosks marked "Fastpass" outside of the ride, put your admission ticket in, and it will give you a ticket with a designated time to return. It gives you an hour time frame, but you can return anytime after the first posted time on that day. I cannot tell you how many times I have been there, and found myself telling people about fastpasses who had no idea they existed!
This is your first trip to Walt Disney World-I suggest you make the most out of it! Being able to immerse yourself in the magic of WDW with no outside "distractions" is wonderful, especially if it is your first trip! I have stayed off property before (at the Grand Cypress Resort-so if you decide to stay off property, I suggest you look into that one!) and had a great time, but in my experience, staying on property is the best choice. I know this is a lot of information, but I hope that it has helped you somewhat in your vacation planning! If you have any questions at all, or need clarification on something, please feel free to e-mail me at gorgalonius@yahoo.com!
Have a magical trip!