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On Again, Off Again - On-Site Lodging vs. Off-Site Lodging
by Christine Pedersen

Planning a Disney vacation is a series of choices, some big and some small. But of all the decisions you'll make, where you choose to stay may have the biggest impact on the overall quality of your vacation. I know this was true for me. Of all the decisions I made about my first trip to Walt Disney World for my family of four, the hardest was deciding whether to stay at a Disney resort ("on-site" or "off-property") or to choose non-Disney ("off-site" or "off-property") lodging. I knew from reading my PassPorter that Jennifer and Dave had a clear preference for staying on-property, but I figured they were professional Disney samplers and it came with the territory. I was still debating on-site vs. off-site, when family friends offered us a deal almost too good to be true - $230 total for their time-share condo at Oak Plantation in Kissimmee, two bedrooms and two bathrooms for seven nights, just 20 minutes from the Magic Kingdom. That was about what one night at the Animal Kingdom Lodge would have cost! It seemed like a no-brainer, and we happily accepted their kind offer.

Coincidentally, my friend Jennie was planning a trip at nearly the same time. Her family of four would be leaving Walt Disney World on the day mine would be arriving. We had so much fun discussing all the details, especially when our respective spouses were "Disney-ed out." Jennie got a good deal at Disney's Beach Club Resort and was able to add the Disney Dining Plan to her stay.

Jennie's family and mine both had great vacations, but our experiences were quite different, mainly due to our different choices of lodgings. Looking back, I see a few factors that everyone should consider before deciding whether to stay on- or off-property: expense, meals, space, time in the parks, and that intangible thing I will call "Disney Per Square Inch" or Disney PSI. Here are some pros and cons to consider before you make your final vacation plans.

Room Rate
Staying off property was a lot cheaper per night. With our exceptional deal, we spent approximately $30 per night, and there are plenty of off-site hotel rooms to be had in that price range. There is no doubt you can get cheaper lodgings outside of Walt Disney World on a per night basis. A Disney Value Resort room would be at least $79 per night. Even considering that you have to pay for parking if you stay off-property ($10 a day), off-property will almost always be cheaper. Meals
Because we had a full-size refrigerator, we saved money on groceries, at least compared to what we would have spent eating out every night. However, staying off-property meant we did not qualify for the Disney Dining Plan.

My friend Jennie and her family did purchase the Disney Dining Plan, and they did not spend much more than we did (about $70 per person more) since we did still have to buy food. The meals we did eat out (our three "splurge" meals at Cinderella's Royal Table, the Rain Forest Cafe and Marrakesh) set us back in excess of $100 a pop, including tip. The food was fabulous, and each lunch or dinner was an experience as well as a meal. Also, the few snacks and what would be considered "counter-service" meals we ate at the park added up. We did pack snacks and carried water, but what is the point of a Disney vacation if you can't spring for Mickey Bars on a hot day? These things would have been covered under the dining plan.

Another factor I hadn't taken into consideration when calculating my savings was how much it cost me in time and energy to find a grocery store and shop, with two kids and husband in tow. Think about it: how much time do you want to spend grocery shopping, cooking, and cleaning up on your vacation? About day four, I would have forked over my roughly $300 meal savings in a heartbeat.

Space
One big reason I had opted for an off-property stay was that we could afford so much more space. Our condo was spacious, about 750 square feet. My husband and I had envisioned watching a movie or talking in the living room when the kids were asleep. However, we were so tired by the end of the day, we pretty much all fell asleep at the same time. The king-sized bed and the privacy were nice, but I could have slept soundly in the middle of Grand Central Station after all that walking!

Before you decide, think realistically about how important that extra elbow room will be to your family. And how much time do you plan to spend in your room, anyway?

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Added to PassPorter's Article Collection on 08-11-2009 07:07 PM

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