https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 05 Apr 2026 05:14:45 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/offsite-disney-world-thread#post-2882422 Sun, 28 Apr 2019 22:14:54 +0000 MommySLP 2882422@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@kpc324: thank you! This is our first time so there is so much to learn! We’re on the west coast so I think I’ll have to be up at 4am! I will need to book all FastPass one day at a time, right? My husbands only request is flight of passage...I told him that may not happen but fingers crossed we can get it. We’re planning end of jan/beginning of Feb so hopefully that’s a lower crowd time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/offsite-disney-world-thread#post-2882414 Sun, 28 Apr 2019 21:13:12 +0000 kpc324 2882414@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MommySLP: I was kind of a nut and woke up at 5am on our FP booking days, I’m not sure if that made a difference. Also, on the day of things change fast so refreshing the app (a lot) really helped avoid crazy lines. People staying on-site only get 3 fast passes too, and once you use those three you can start booking more through the app, so there is really not a ton of advantage to the 60 day window, I wouldn’t worry too much.</p> <p>We went through Costco for our car, I forget which company we ended up with, but I think it was about $250 for the week. No cost for parking at the Marriott, it was $25 to park at the parks, but with the cost savings on the hotel it wasn’t a big deal. We avoided Magic Hour days, and on our Magic Kingdom day we booked an 8:15 Be Our Guest reservation so we were inside the park ready to go on rides before the crowds got there...it really was a good hour or so before the crowds really started filling in. Getting to the Magic Kingdom had multiple steps, but going super early took the stress of crowds out. Definitely rope drop for all of the parks, and get to the parking lot 30-45 minutes before the park opens.</p> <p> The hotel is awesome, we really loved our rest days, I honestly think we could have done 7 days at the hotel without even going to the parks and our girls would have been just as thrilled!! It was also a nice serene break from the park craziness. We didn’t do much outside of the hotel aside from the parks, so no greats tips there. Don’t hesitate to ask anything else, we had a great trip and hope to do it again soon!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/offsite-disney-world-thread#post-2882386 Sun, 28 Apr 2019 16:15:54 +0000 MommySLP 2882386@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@kpc324: what perfect timing this is! We are just looking to book my in laws timeshare and Marriott Grande Vista is top of our list. I was trying not to be bummed about not having the 60 day booking window so I’m so glad to hear your experience! We plan on renting a car. Who did you go through? Does it cost to park at the Marriott? Any other tips about getting to the parks? Did you try to schedule opposite from the Magic mornings? Anything near the Marriott that was great and we should look into? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/offsite-disney-world-thread#post-2882382 Sun, 28 Apr 2019 15:31:54 +0000 kpc324 2882382@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just wanted to report back on our spring break offsite trip. We stayed at Marriott Grande Vista in a 2br and it was great! If anyone is debating on-site vs off here is our experience-</p> <p>The drive to the parks wasn’t bad at all. We did rope drop for our park days which may have helped. Rental cars were also crazy cheap!!</p> <p>I was nervous about the whole 30 vs 60 day fast pass booking, but at 30 days I was happy with what we got (my kiddos are young though, so they had no expectations). We also were able to get both Avatar rides the day of by refreshing the app, and I saw some other “hard to get rides” (7 Dwarves, Enchanted Tales) come up day of, so I’m honestly not sure what the advantage of 60 day booking is. </p> <p>Next time I’d spend $60 on magic bands for the four of us.</p> <p>Food wise, we saved so much by staying offsite. We booked a few special meals (Be Our Guest, Sana’a, Chef Mickey, Tusker House) 180 days out, did a mix of packed sandwiches and Quick Service for lunches. I didn’t cook much at all, and really enjoyed simple patio breakfasts in our jammies on our rest days vs getting dressed and hauling everyone to a restaurant each morning.</p> <p>I can’t really compare the “Disney bubble” since we don’t have an on-site stay to compare, but I didn’t feel like we were missing out on anything. That said, if a 1br monorail resort with a fireworks view was in our budget, I’m sure we’d love it!! </p> <p>Price wise, I’m not sure we could ever justify staying onsite. An offsite 2br Marriott/Hilton/Sheraton seems to be comparable in price to the Pop Century/All Star motels. For a weeklong trip we really love having all the perks of a large condo resort. Plus the pools and activities at the Marriott were awesome (when you ask my 5 year old her favorite part of Disney, she will tell you the pool 🤪). All of those features seem to start at at least $400-$500 a night on-site, even when renting points. We actually may look into AirBnB next time, 2brs are like $100/night!</p> <p>Not sure if this will help anyone...but if you are debating on vs off, we had a blast offsite and would do it again in a heartbeat!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/offsite-disney-world-thread#post-2810136 Thu, 15 Mar 2018 16:40:41 +0000 Iced Tea 2810136@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm so glad for this thread. We are considering a trip next month. Our main reason is just for a nice, warm getaway. I'm not really interested in a full-force Disney vacation, so these are all ideas I'll look into. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/offsite-disney-world-thread#post-2810020 Thu, 15 Mar 2018 08:13:27 +0000 mrsbookworm 2810020@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We stayed at the Sheraton Vistana in a 2br suite with a 3 and 1 year old. We loved it! We didn’t need the extra magic hours because our kids weren’t going to last all day anyway. The extra space was totally worth it and the resort was really nice. We also liked having our own car and not waiting for public transit. I’ve stayed onsite before (pre-kids) and enjoyed it, but would do the Vistana again in a heartbeat. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/offsite-disney-world-thread#post-2809984 Wed, 14 Mar 2018 21:30:52 +0000 808love 2809984@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I posted on other thread but in case anyone is reading this to decide whether or not to go offsite--- BREAKING NEWS...Disney will start charging parking FEES for ON-SITE hotels if you book after March 21st. You can book for any day in the future calendar but you have to book in the next week or else you have to pay $13-33 a night depending on level of hotel!! CRAZY!!!! Hello, off-site hotels. Guess they want you dependent on their transportation and make more $$. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/offsite-disney-world-thread#post-2809954 Wed, 14 Mar 2018 18:04:22 +0000 ShootingStar 2809954@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have stayed at Worldquest and Reunion. We’ll be going again Christmas week and my parents have rented a 4 bedroom house for our whole family at Reunion. </p> <p>When we paid ourselves Worldquest was great. We had a huge 3 bedroom unit and it was really reasonably priced. They also have a huge pool there. Reunion is nicer, but a lot more expensive. </p> <p>Last winter we were in Orlando a couple days and did one day at Disney and driving there was no problem. Worldquest is super close and we got there really early for a Garden Grill reservation an hour before rope drop. They didn’t even charge us and we got a super close spot. </p> <p>Reunion is really nice and we like it a lot, but I’m not sure how ideal it is for going to Disney. Disney isn’t really the focus of our December trip and I’m not the one paying, so Reunion it is :silly: . </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/offsite-disney-world-thread#post-2809953 Wed, 14 Mar 2018 18:04:17 +0000 Mrs. Microscope 2809953@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've stayed at the Sheraton Vistana Villages, and heard good things about the Vistana Resort as well. We are actually staying at the villages in November. We have also stayed at the Dolphin, but not in a suite. We are SPG owners/gold members, so we usually don't stay at a Disney owned hotel. Driving was fine from the villages, about 15 min each way. The pain was dragging our carseat on the plane, etc. And this year we will have 2, lol. So it was fine! As for in park purchases, we always do park front pick up, and just grab our bags as we are leaving for the day! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/offsite-disney-world-thread#post-2809947 Wed, 14 Mar 2018 16:58:24 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2809947@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Lahela017: @bloved: thanks! I can see how Fast Pass and even Memory Maker could be convenient. DH is a sucker for the attraction photos. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/offsite-disney-world-thread#post-2809928 Wed, 14 Mar 2018 15:26:02 +0000 gingerbebe 2809928@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My friend is a DW fanatic and her family has always loved staying off-property in a rental home in Emerald Island. Its about 4-5 miles from Disney gates and you can get a full house with its own pool and what not for very cheap. Many of the owners do Disney-focused rentals so the rooms are often decorated to be Disney-themed and geared for families with kids (play rooms, toys, baby gear, etc). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/offsite-disney-world-thread#post-2809927 Wed, 14 Mar 2018 15:14:28 +0000 Charm54 2809927@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@kpc324: My kids are 2.5 and 4.5. My 4.5yo can party all night but my 2.5 is very routine based so I wasn’t sure what to expect. She surprised me thought and took awesome stroller naps on the go and stayed up for the fireworks. The fireworks were early though, 8pm so we were always back at the room by 9.</p> <p>On our pool days or days we were at parks within walking distance we went back to the room for naps.</p> <p>Disney announced today they are starting to charge for resort guest parking 👎🏻 Anywhere from 13-24$ a night. It doesn’t affect us because we never rent a car when we stay on site, but it’s another added cost to factor in if you are planning on having a car on site which is unfortunate and may sway your decision to stay off site. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/offsite-disney-world-thread#post-2809925 Wed, 14 Mar 2018 14:59:14 +0000 kpc324 2809925@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Charm54: do you mind if I ask how old your kids are? We are still in nap/7:30 bedtime land, and I just don’t know how that would logistically work out and be fun. That said, I do wonder if a studio with a balcony and a great view for the early bedtimes could work out for our family... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/offsite-disney-world-thread#post-2809924 Wed, 14 Mar 2018 14:54:46 +0000 bloved 2809924@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: you use them to store your fast pass selections and, if you buy memory maker, they can scan your bands each time. Certain rides, like 7 dwarves minetrain, you<br /> Can only get the ride video if you have one. Without a band, you would just need to pull out your ticket for each fast pass/photo.</p> <p>If onsite, the magic bands also serve as your room key and you can charge things in the park back to your room with it.</p> <p>Speaking of, that’s another benefit to staying on site. Any park purchases can just be sent directly to your room so you don’t have to lug them around. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/offsite-disney-world-thread#post-2809922 Wed, 14 Mar 2018 14:48:59 +0000 Lahela017 2809922@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: You use the magic band as your ticket, fast passes, room key, and can even make purchases with them. I didn't really want one when we went last month, but they ended up being really convenient! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/offsite-disney-world-thread#post-2809921 Wed, 14 Mar 2018 14:45:13 +0000 kpc324 2809921@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@bloved: that’s good to hear about Vistana and Marriott! AoA has been on my radar, I think my kids would LOVE a Nemo room! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/offsite-disney-world-thread#post-2809918 Wed, 14 Mar 2018 14:40:35 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2809918@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I looked up Magic Bands after you @bloved: @Anagram: mentioned them. Looks like it’s just an easy to buy merch. How do you all use them? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/offsite-disney-world-thread#post-2809915 Wed, 14 Mar 2018 14:33:29 +0000 kpc324 2809915@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@808love: we’d definitely rent a car! I think even if we stayed onsite we would too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/offsite-disney-world-thread#post-2809730 Wed, 14 Mar 2018 08:33:54 +0000 looch 2809730@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We stay offsite when we visit WDW, in fact, we use the Costco packages and they're just the best value for our dollar. I personally don' think there is any less magic in the trip by staying offsite. We aren't hardcore Disney people and we need some calm, decompression time away from the crowds and the general heightened sensory experience that is a resort.</p> <p>Having said that, our next trip is likely to be in the Polynesian. I might not get to do my bucket list trip for my next milestone birthday, so the Poly might be it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/offsite-disney-world-thread#post-2809676 Tue, 13 Mar 2018 19:56:57 +0000 Anagram 2809676@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@kpc324: ooh, I forgot to say that if you stay on one of the Disney Springs resorts I mentioned above, you get the included Magic Bands and the Extra Magic hours, along with the 60 day fastpass.</p> <p>The list of hotels is here: <a href="http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/theme-park-rangers-blog/os-bz-disney-springs-hotels-extra-magic-hours-20171219-story.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/theme-park-rangers-blog/os-bz-disney-springs-hotels-extra-magic-hours-20171219-story.html</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/offsite-disney-world-thread#post-2809662 Tue, 13 Mar 2018 19:05:38 +0000 bloved 2809662@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I also want to add, we have stayed off property. In fact, growing up my parents owned a vistana timeshare and that’s where we stayed every year and loved it. With my kids, last year we stayed at a Marriott timeshare that was very nice and had a great pool. I have nothing but good things to say about either timeshare.</p> <p>That being said, nothing compares to being immersed in the experience for me. Plus, I do value the added “perks” of staying on property (free magic bands, free parking, 60 day fast pass window, etc). However, if it was cost prohibitive, I would definitely stay at a timeshare versus not going at all!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/offsite-disney-world-thread#post-2809660 Tue, 13 Mar 2018 18:59:50 +0000 bloved 2809660@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@kpc324: I know you said you are not interested in the value resorts but have you checked out Art of Animation? I believe they have family suites which would be cheaper than the deluxe resorts.</p> <p>ETA link: <a href="https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/art-of-animation-resort/rates-rooms/" rel="nofollow">https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/art-of-animation-resort/rates-rooms/</a></p> <p>Looking at it, not sure if it really winds up being any cheaper than renting points though. That being said, depending what time of year, you<br /> May be able to get a package like free dining. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/offsite-disney-world-thread#post-2809652 Tue, 13 Mar 2018 18:24:17 +0000 Charm54 2809652@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When we stay off site we like Reunion. That was mostly pre kids though. I really like it there - the rooms are so spacious and the grounds are gorgeous. When we stayed off site we were only doing one or two days at Disney. Now that we have kids and are doing 6+ park days it’s a lot more convenient to stay on site for the 60 day FPs and on site transportation . We don’t have a 2 bedroom on site like we do when we stay off, but we are all so tired and up late that we crash at night along with the kids. </p> <p>Staying on site also saves the rental car cost...By the time we rent a car and pay for parking off site doesn’t save us all that much money. But like you said, we give up space for convenience. So I guess it’s really what is most important to you ! There’s no right or wrong answer.</p> <p>FWIW I have a friend who LOVES the Vistana and stays there every year. She thinks I’m crazy for paying so much for a studio on site and she doesn’t mind driving/parking at the parks. So everyone has a different take on it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/offsite-disney-world-thread#post-2809637 Tue, 13 Mar 2018 17:12:48 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2809637@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We’re going to DW in September and staying at the Marriott World Center. The hotel offers shuttle service to DW. My LO will be almost 2.5 when we go and we are planning to have plenty of hotel chill time. Based on what I remember from past stays for work conferences there was a nice pool and plenty of restaurants on site.</p> <p>@808love: Agree. I’d rather use my own car. It’s a family trip and we are commuting to DW like the rest of the group that doesn’t have a car. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/offsite-disney-world-thread#post-2809624 Tue, 13 Mar 2018 16:43:45 +0000 808love 2809624@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh no! I meant I would definitely NOT recommend hotel shuttle. Correcting post above right now. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/offsite-disney-world-thread#post-2809597 Tue, 13 Mar 2018 15:38:23 +0000 808love 2809597@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Driving is not a big deal, it may be faster in many cases, but you have to pay nearly $20 a day for parking and you don't get to book Fast Passes 60 days in advance. I would definitely NOT rely on a hotel shuttle that is NOT Disney based on prior experiences.<br /> Stay near the freeway and it should be very easy to get where you want. We stayed offsite the first time, split stay the second time and my next trip this spring, we will stay on-site the whole time.<br /> I'd be interested in Friendship hotel options for future trips. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/offsite-disney-world-thread#post-2809571 Tue, 13 Mar 2018 14:05:52 +0000 kpc324 2809571@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: I’ll add the Holiday Inn to our list, that could be perfect for us! I don’t think we’ll be park warriors at this age, so we definitely want a nice hotel that’s fun to be at for our non park days. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/offsite-disney-world-thread#post-2809567 Tue, 13 Mar 2018 14:00:06 +0000 kpc324 2809567@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs D: It seems so hard to compare apples to apples, but for 1 week and four people we are finding package deals on Costco for around 4k that include a 2br condo at Sheraton Vistana, flights, rental car, and 5 day park hopper tickets. Food would obviously vary but we’d do a mix of easy grocery meals and some fun restaurant meals/character dining etc. </p> <p>The Marriott and Sheraton websites show that 2br condos are between $1800-$2600 for 1 week depending on the resort. Rental cars/flights obviously vary, but when I add that plus park tickets I usually get to about 5k. Parking at Disney is $20 a day too. All of the Disney planning sites talk this up like it’s a huge drag, since parking is free if you stay onsite, but it’s $140 for a week, I don’t really understand the big deal.</p> <p>Onsite seems to vary wildly, but I’m not interested in the Value/moderate resorts since we like a separate room. I keep hearing about renting points through David’s Vacation Club to stay onsite. It seems you can get a studio for around 2k for the week, and a 1br for 3-4k depending on the resort. Plus flights and park tickets it’s between 5-7k, not including food or a rental car. I don’t even look at the 2br onsite prices because they are crazy :shocked: </p> <p>For me, even though I’d love to stay onsite, the only way I can get the prices to come close is when I compare renting points for a studio onsite, but that comes out to a similar price as a 2br offsite...I think with toddlers we would really value the space, although I’m honestly still undecided and after writing all of this I think I’m back to wanting to squeeze us all into a studio onsite :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/offsite-disney-world-thread#post-2809566 Tue, 13 Mar 2018 13:59:24 +0000 misolee 2809566@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We stayed at both Hilton Bonnet Creek and Waldorf Astoria (they’re connected) several times.. My husband is a huge Hilton member so we used his points to book the rooms. These hotels are not “Disney” but they do have free shuttles to the parks. It’s also located in the same area as the Disney resorts so it’s super close. The pools are also really nice at these places which we love. They also do character breakfasts on Sunday’s couple of times a month. </p> <p>I’ve only stayed at the Disney Coronado resort pre kids so I have nothing to compare but I do feel like the rooms itself was much cleaner and bigger in Hilton/Waldorf Astoria. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/offsite-disney-world-thread#post-2809552 Tue, 13 Mar 2018 13:34:23 +0000 Anagram 2809552@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@kpc324: BIG news for 2018 that will sway you into staying off-site. The Disney Springs "friendship hotels" (or whatever the official name is) now allow you to book 60 day advance Fastpass tickets, just like staying onsite. And obviously they are way cheaper, and many have super nice pools. The trick is booking a specific package through the Disney website. I just read about this in a recent Mousesavers newsletter.</p> <p>I actually haven't stayed at any offsite resorts yet, but we're leaving on a cruise from Orlando and I want to spend a few days at a resort when we come back from the cruise, and naturally a lot of Disney area resorts pop up when I'm looking.</p> <p>I'm looking for kid-friendly, with a suite. And economical. Like when we travel with kids, I'm not looking to stay at a Waldorf Astoria or 4 Seasons, where a true suite will be exorbitantly expensive. Give us a place with a pool, a free breakfast, and a bedroom with a door. I'd call us.....budget-hunter travelers? Anyway, we are not going to Disney on this trip, so I'm pretty sure we're going to try the Holiday Inn Suites &amp; Waterpark. It IS very close to Disney, but it isn't one of the Disney Springs hotels that gets you the 60 day fastpasses. And it's the former nickelodeon resort, so it has a big waterpark structure thing, plus it's so, so cheap. Like 1 bedroom suite for the parents and a little bunk bed room for the kids and a kitchen./living room is only $109 a night. Even the Value resorts at Disney aren't that cheap and you get a suite with a kitchen rather than a regular hotel room.</p> <p>If you want to stay in a hotel where you can book the 60 day Faastpasses, I would probably pick the Hilton or Wyndham. </p>