When making the decision whether to stay on Disney Property or to stay off site, there are a few
things to consider. We have done both staying in and outside of Disney and we think theses are the
main pros and cons to each of the options, we hope this helps!
things to consider. We have done both staying in and outside of Disney and we think theses are the
main pros and cons to each of the options, we hope this helps!
Staying off Site Benefits
Deciding to stay out of Disney can be cost effective and can be just as convenient as staying on
Disney.
Disney.
-Cheaper:
Is most cases, it is usually cheaper to stay out of Disney whether that's in a hotel, apartment or villa.Villa’s can be exceptionally cheap if there is a big group of you. In 2016, Emily stayed at
Orbit One Vacation Villas by Diamond Resorts in Kissimmee. It was 10 mins away from Disney
World and the complex was amazing and was very reasonably priced.
-Not ‘stuck’ in Disney:
If you are staying off site, you are able to leave Disney quite easily by Uber or a car and
depending where you are staying off site, it could be a lot easier to go to lots of different places
outside of Disney such as Universal, Outlet Malls and other theme parks.
When staying off site, you also have the freedom to choose the area where you would like to stay,
meaning you have a lot more choice rather than just in the area of Disney.
depending where you are staying off site, it could be a lot easier to go to lots of different places
outside of Disney such as Universal, Outlet Malls and other theme parks.
When staying off site, you also have the freedom to choose the area where you would like to stay,
meaning you have a lot more choice rather than just in the area of Disney.
-free parking:
Most villas and hotels in Florida provide free parking for all guests which means if you decided to
hire a car for the duration of your holiday, you will not have to consider the parking prices for the
resort in your budget. When staying off site (or on site) we would recommend getting a car if you
would like to do more than just Disney. We have hired a car every time we go and have saved quite
a lot of money on transport such as Ubers and taxis. It is also very cheap for gas compared to the
prices in the UK which is a great bonus. If you want an EXTRA special dining experience, why not
hire an open rooftop car and enjoy cruising down the highway?!
hire a car for the duration of your holiday, you will not have to consider the parking prices for the
resort in your budget. When staying off site (or on site) we would recommend getting a car if you
would like to do more than just Disney. We have hired a car every time we go and have saved quite
a lot of money on transport such as Ubers and taxis. It is also very cheap for gas compared to the
prices in the UK which is a great bonus. If you want an EXTRA special dining experience, why not
hire an open rooftop car and enjoy cruising down the highway?!
Staying off site Limitations
Despite having many benefits, staying off site can also come with some limitations that should be
thought through before making your decision on where to stay.
thought through before making your decision on where to stay.
-Not in the ‘magic’ all of the time:
When you are not staying on Disney and it comes to the end of the day at the parks, you will leave the
Disney resort and all the atmosphere that comes with it. If you are staying on site, the resorts will
always keep the feel of Disney continuous so even when you have left the parks for the day, you
never feel like you have left the magic. However, this could also be seen as a benefit of staying off
site to some people as they may feel like some resorts are ‘in your face’ Disney which can be too
much. This can be the case sometimes if staying in a value resort which is very Disney themed where
as the moderate and deluxe resorts are not so if you are worried about this, then we don't recommend
staying in a value resort.
Disney resort and all the atmosphere that comes with it. If you are staying on site, the resorts will
always keep the feel of Disney continuous so even when you have left the parks for the day, you
never feel like you have left the magic. However, this could also be seen as a benefit of staying off
site to some people as they may feel like some resorts are ‘in your face’ Disney which can be too
much. This can be the case sometimes if staying in a value resort which is very Disney themed where
as the moderate and deluxe resorts are not so if you are worried about this, then we don't recommend
staying in a value resort.
-Pay for Disney parks parking:
Even though you may not need to pay for parking at you resort off site, you definitely will have to pay
for car parking at any Disney Parks if you go in a car. Parking usually costs around $22 a day which
will cover you for any Parks if you would like to go to another Disney Park that day (Eg. Magic kingdom
to Animal Kingdom). This can be costly if you are planning top go to Disney a lot on your trip. If you
go to Disney 12 days of your trip, you are looking at potentially paying a total sum of $264 just for
parking! Yep… that's expensive!
for car parking at any Disney Parks if you go in a car. Parking usually costs around $22 a day which
will cover you for any Parks if you would like to go to another Disney Park that day (Eg. Magic kingdom
to Animal Kingdom). This can be costly if you are planning top go to Disney a lot on your trip. If you
go to Disney 12 days of your trip, you are looking at potentially paying a total sum of $264 just for
parking! Yep… that's expensive!
-Can’t Access the Dining Plan:
Only resort guests who can have access to the Disney Dining Plan, Which means it could get veryexpensive for food whilst you are in Disney. An average adult quick service meal costs around $13
and an average table service meal is around $25-$30. So if you are going to be spending a lot of time
in Disney, it can get quite pricey food wise.
Staying on Site Limitations
However, It's not only staying off site that brings limitations, Staying on Disney can also bring some
downfalls that need to be considered.
downfalls that need to be considered.
-No free bus services outside of Disney:
If you want to venture out of Disney on your holiday, then you need to weigh up some options of how
to do it as disney don't provide guests with transport outside of the resort (apart from the airport...
which we will come on to!) you could always hire a car which could be more efficient if there are a few
of you as fuel is very cheap! You could also pay for an Uber/taxi service- for a return trip from Disney
to universal or an outlet mall-it is going to cost around $40 in an Uber.
to do it as disney don't provide guests with transport outside of the resort (apart from the airport...
which we will come on to!) you could always hire a car which could be more efficient if there are a few
of you as fuel is very cheap! You could also pay for an Uber/taxi service- for a return trip from Disney
to universal or an outlet mall-it is going to cost around $40 in an Uber.
-**New** Paying for Resort Parking:
(new to 2018) If you are now staying at a Disney Resort and you are hiring a car, there is an additional
parking charge for each day of your stay. Prices for parking vary depending on where you are staying. Basically, the higher level resort you stay, the more expensive the parking is.
parking charge for each day of your stay. Prices for parking vary depending on where you are staying. Basically, the higher level resort you stay, the more expensive the parking is.
- Value Resort-$13
- Moderate Resort-$19
- Deluxe Resort-$24
Based on a 2 week stay at a deluxe resort, the cost of parking would be $336! However, you would still need to pay at least $20 for parking a day if you were staying off site so unfortunately either way...you're going to have to pay!
So there you have our main points that we feel are important to consider! there are obviously a lot more things to take into account however these are the main things that we think about when making the decision on each trip. For us, we feel that we can get the full experience of what we want by staying on Disney this year in 2018. However, staying off site is also really fun and has some great perks and we will definitely consider doing it again on future trips. Hope this has helped you to get a better picture of what differences there are with each decision and it can help make planning your trip a bit easier!
Its useful to note that this does not apply if you have a dining reservation at any of the resorts.
Staying on Site Benefits
Despite these limitations, Disney never fails to disappoint and in our opinion, is worth every penny
spent!
spent!
-Extra Magical Benefits:
-Discounts and vouchers- each family receives a $100/$200 Disney gift voucher to use in any of the
shops in the Disney parks or any shops/restaurants in Disney springs such as Levi’s, Ugg, world of
Disney, Planet Hollywood and many more!
shops in the Disney parks or any shops/restaurants in Disney springs such as Levi’s, Ugg, world of
Disney, Planet Hollywood and many more!
-Extra Magic Hours- every Disney park offers exclusive extra time in the park for Disney resort guests
only. They offer either extra early magic hours in the morning or extra late magic hours in an evening
(usually around 1-3 hours more) which allows resort guests to have more time in the park with very
low crowds, meaning you can get lots of things done without hardly any queues at all. This allows
you to get more magic into your Disney holiday.
only. They offer either extra early magic hours in the morning or extra late magic hours in an evening
(usually around 1-3 hours more) which allows resort guests to have more time in the park with very
low crowds, meaning you can get lots of things done without hardly any queues at all. This allows
you to get more magic into your Disney holiday.
-Extra character opportunities- when walking around your Disney resort, you are able to get the
opportunity to meet many different characters for autographs and photos, which saves you
queuing to meet them in the parks!
opportunity to meet many different characters for autographs and photos, which saves you
queuing to meet them in the parks!
-Free Memory Maker- when you book to stay in a Disney resort, you automatically get the memory
maker free (worth £200) this allows you to get photos and videos all around the park with all the family
included in them and some magical extra effects on them!
maker free (worth £200) this allows you to get photos and videos all around the park with all the family
included in them and some magical extra effects on them!
-Dining & Fastpass Reservations:
if you book with Disney, you are able to book fast passes 60 days before you go! Giving you the best chance of booking the best attractions and character meets to skip past any queues there may be. This can be very helpful for popular attractions in the park that can be very busy. You can also book your dining reservations in 180 days before you go! This allows you to make sure you have all your favourite restaurants booked. Make sure you do them as soon as you can...some restaurants fill up very quickly!
-Free Transport:
If you stay on Disney property, you automatically get free transport from the airport to your Disney resort on the magical express. You also get free bus service to ALL of the parks and any other properties on Disney, such as the ESPN sports complex, other Disney resorts and Disney Springs shopping Centre from your Disney resort. These are practically 24/7 and are all very frequent (every 10-20 mins)-this will save you needing to hire a car and paying for fuel over there. Disney are now also offering a 'Minnie' bus service to guests which can be accessed at certain resorts.
-The Dining Plan:
a quick service meal in Disney is on average $13-$20 each and a table service meal is on average $25-$60 each. If you was to pay this every day when you are in the parks (which you would have to pay because you are only allowed to bring your own water and fruit in the parks)-by staying in Disney you are saving a LOT by getting the dining plan for free...FREE MEALS is the best perk in my opinion. You can also use your dining credits to have character dining meet and greets and signature restaurants worth over $50 each per meal! To see more info on the dining plan, take a look at our ‘Ultimate guide to the Disney Dining Plan’ Blog!
So there you have our main points that we feel are important to consider! there are obviously a lot more things to take into account however these are the main things that we think about when making the decision on each trip. For us, we feel that we can get the full experience of what we want by staying on Disney this year in 2018. However, staying off site is also really fun and has some great perks and we will definitely consider doing it again on future trips. Hope this has helped you to get a better picture of what differences there are with each decision and it can help make planning your trip a bit easier!
Have Fun Planning!
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