Stay on or off Prop family of 6

Schfam2018

Earning My Ears
Joined
Apr 23, 2018
We are planning a trip for the second week of December and we are a family of 6, DS is 18, DS is 16, and two DD that are 14. We have never been to Disney. Looking online at the hotels we can get a suite at AoA for $490 a night that sleeps 6. Wondering if we would be cramped in this room? The deluxe hotels seem to be very expensive for our group size. Wondering if the AoA would be over the top decorated for our group? Also, my teenagers love hot tubs and water slides and I see they don't have them offered at AoA. Wondering if we should stay off site? We wanted to do the dining experience. After looking on the other thread about the hotels I'm a little nervous staying here since everyone said it was noisy, food court was not very well kept, rooms small, etc. Looking for some insight since we are new to all this.
 
I have never been to Disney but we are planning a family trip next year. We have 5 in my family and we are planning to stay offsite. We have looked at a few condos for under $150 a night with 2-3 bedrooms. I also wanted the whole Disney bubble with the resort, and dining but for $490 a night is so expensive. You can even try a Disney Spring Hotel like Double Tree that way less than the $490 a night.
 
With 4 teenagers I would probably stay offsite (and this is coming from someone who LOVES staying onsite). You can get a 5-6 bedroom house with multiple bathrooms, private pool and hot tub, with plenty of space for everyone to spread out, for less than $2000 or so per week. I would highly recommend Windsor Hills as a great offsite option. It is a beautiful resort with lots of amenities and an awesome location just outside Disney property.

Pros to staying offsite:
-Cheaper
-More space to spread out
-Private pool/hot tub
-Option to cook meals (could definitely be a con to some people, myself included :)
-Onsite laundry
-Privacy

Cons to staying offsite:
-Unable to get the Dining Plan
-Not inside the "bubble"
-Need to rent a car (not an issue if you're planning to drive)
-30 day FPs vs 60 days
 
Once you get over 4 people, the options dwindle. I'd look at one of the Disney Springs hotels if it's feasible, your group is out of the "needs a carseat" phase, so getting transportation to the hotel isn't as much of an issue (if you're flying).

Would I enjoy AoA? Sure, I would. Would my husband? Nope. He can't handle kitsch or the lack of a sit down restaurant.
 
First, :welcome:

You'll find this is a well debated topic. We're a family of 5, including a set of twins too. My general response, and I'm not kidding, is that I wouldn't stay on property even if it were free. Not gonna happen. We love our space. We rent offsite and at the bare minimum get 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Often, we'll get a 4 bed/3 bath townhouse. We pay anywhere between $600-$850/week, including all fees and taxes. The places are usually between 800-1200sq ft. It's beyond awesome to have separate spaces for the kids to go, a full family room, full kitchen, in house laundry, privacy :rolleyes1 and many other things. No, you don't need to "cook" or "clean" if you don't want to. We pay a cleaning fee, so beyond normal picking up after ourselves, we don't dust, vacuum, etc... And you can cook as much or little as you want. Even if you don't cook, being able to go to a grocery store and buy quick snacks and things is awesome.

For us, the "negatives" others will list are actually "positives" for us. We don't eat in the WDW restaurants, so the dining plan would be useless (plus I've heard it's debatable if it's worth it anyway). The Disney "bubble" for us is much more than just the parks, so we see that as a positive. There are so many things just outside of WDW...shops, restaurants, etc... Having to use/rent a car is a great thing for us. No way would we rely on WDW buses. We like to come and go when we want, where we want. Having your own car gives you so much freedom. Making FP+ at 30 days is no big deal at all, with very limited exception (FoP).

But that's just our opinion. There are tons of people who would strongly disagree with me and swear by onsite only. I can fully understand why they feel that way and if it works for them, terrific.

There are TONS of choices just off WDW property. Look at sites like VRBO or AirBnb. Rt. 192 runs right outside WDW property and there are more choices there than you'd know what to do with.
 
Another vote for offsite. We're also a family of 6--we typically rent a 4BR house with private pool in Windsor Hills. There are other, cheaper places to rent as well. In addition, Windham Bonnet Creek is worth a look--it has more of a "resort" feel, with several restaurants, pools, water activities, etc. on property. It's more expensive than a house/condo rental, but might be a good compromise.

Completely OT, but:

Klayfish: Do you remember I mentioned my DH's co-worker who's seriously into cars? He drove over his Mustang Shelby Cobra the other day (please don't laugh at me if I have those i the wrong order). Man, that car was SWEEET! They used it to pick up DD14 from dance--she was the envy of the entire studio! The guy does actually race it, all over the country (and, apparently, on the roads between here and the dance studio...). It made my crappy minivan with the blown transmission look even crappier--I didn't think that was possible.
 
I love onsite. We are DVC members, but if I had a family of 6 with those ages and was not a DVC member, I would stay offsite. You can stay offsite so much cheaper and have so much more space.
 


Completely OT, but:

Klayfish: Do you remember I mentioned my DH's co-worker who's seriously into cars? He drove over his Mustang Shelby Cobra the other day (please don't laugh at me if I have those i the wrong order). Man, that car was SWEEET! They used it to pick up DD14 from dance--she was the envy of the entire studio! The guy does actually race it, all over the country (and, apparently, on the roads between here and the dance studio...). It made my crappy minivan with the blown transmission look even crappier--I didn't think that was possible.

Very nice. Was it a newer one or older one? They've been around a long time. The newer ones are really fast...and really expensive. I've had a ton of Mustangs over the years, but never the Mustang Cobra....however I did have what was called a Shelby Cobra 427 which is an entirely different car from the Mustang. It was made in the '60s. Mine was a replica, because there were only about 1000 of the "real" things made back then and they can be worth over $1M now. DW and I had so much fun with that car for years, even started a local club...but then kids came and things changed (for the better for sure, but car stuff started to trail off).
 
Very nice. Was it a newer one or older one? They've been around a long time. The newer ones are really fast...and really expensive. I've had a ton of Mustangs over the years, but never the Mustang Cobra....however I did have what was called a Shelby Cobra 427 which is an entirely different car from the Mustang. It was made in the '60s. Mine was a replica, because there were only about 1000 of the "real" things made back then and they can be worth over $1M now. DW and I had so much fun with that car for years, even started a local club...but then kids came and things changed (for the better for sure, but car stuff started to trail off).

I have no idea on the age--it looked pristine, but that doesn't mean much. DH said it would have cost $100k stripped down...but this baby was NOT stripped down! I could literally hear the car roar from a mile away. I'll have to see if I can get a picture off my DD's phone--obviously, she didn't drive it (she's 14), but the friend let her pose in the driver's seat.
 
We are planning a trip for the second week of December and we are a family of 6, DS is 18, DS is 16, and two DD that are 14. We have never been to Disney. Looking online at the hotels we can get a suite at AoA for $490 a night that sleeps 6. Wondering if we would be cramped in this room? The deluxe hotels seem to be very expensive for our group size. Wondering if the AoA would be over the top decorated for our group? Also, my teenagers love hot tubs and water slides and I see they don't have them offered at AoA. Wondering if we should stay off site? We wanted to do the dining experience. After looking on the other thread about the hotels I'm a little nervous staying here since everyone said it was noisy, food court was not very well kept, rooms small, etc. Looking for some insight since we are new to all this.

I would recommend staying offsite. If you're comfortable with VRBO you can search certain neighborhoods near Disney. I love Windsor Hills and there is a new neighborhood close to the same area called Windsor at Westside. I have used Vacation Central Florida twice to book 3 bedroom condos at Windsor Hills. My neighbor likes vacationsbythemouse.com and she recently stayed at Storey Lake. It looked amazing! Save your money and stay offsite!
 
Another vote for offsite. We stay at Windsor Hills and it is AMAZING. For the cost of 2 or 3 nights at a Disney hotel, you will get triple the amount of space for an entire week. It's a no brainer for us. Not only can you have your own pool and hot tub, the Resort pool is massive and has water slides, etc. Plus basketball courts, arcade, gym, tennis, etc. Windsor Hills is a 5 minute drive from most of the Disney Parks. It's closer to many of the parks than even some of the Disney Hotels - such as AoA. If you are flying down, it's easy and cheap to rent a vehicle.

We do NOT go to Disney every day of our trip. If this is your first time, I would recommend the same. Spend maybe 4 days at Disney, and take rest days in between enjoying your resort, the beach, etc.
 
I think it is good to explore all of your options. Take a look at renting DVC or the Cabins at Fort Wilderness. There is so much to do at Fort Wilderness alone!
You will have to weigh the pros and cons between what is available onsite vs offsite yourself.
 
Having done both and enjoying both, I would recommend off site with your family. The teens will appreciate the space. We generally prefer offsite (I say this when I just booked an onsite stay 2 hours ago lol - free dining grabbed me). We love Windsor Hills, highly recommend staying there.
 
We (family of 4) love staying off site. For our May trip we rented a house with 4 bedrooms, a full kitchen, pool in the backyard, etc, for just over $100/night! Only 10 minutes from Disney!
 
I grew up in a family of 6 (now an adult with a family of 4). As a kid we stayed offsite and I loved it. My parents always rented a 3 bedroom timeshare so everyone got their own bed, 2 sisters to a room. It was great. Plus all the bathroom space for 4 girls getting ready in the morning was a must.

For 1 trip, my parents got 2 connecting rooms at AKL with bunk beds, Savanna view. It was great. But, even with 2 rooms it was cramped, and it cost my parents a small fortune.

Our first trip as a family we stayed at POR and even with 1 baby it was waaaaay too cramped. This upcoming trip we are staying at Sheraton Vistana villages and I am looking forward to the space.

Also, I hate Disney transportation so renting a car for me is a plus!

Good luck.
 
I would say offsite but my only concern is that the kids could not easily go off on their own if you are offsite. I believe you have to be 25 to drive a rental car in FL so unless you were willing to Uber sometimes, you would have to do everything as a family. But on the other hand, space would be a huge issue in an AOA suite with a group of your size. What about renting 2 rooms at a value? Would be cheaper than a suite and would give you a little more room to spread out. 2 rooms at a moderate might be less than a suite as well.

If you do go offsite, another option is renting a timeshare at Wyndham Bonnet Creek. Lots of pools, water slides, and a couple restaurants and it’s technically on Disney property but not a Disney hotel.
 
We have done both our kids are currently 19,18 and 14. Typically we find that when we do 3 or less days (FL residents) or when we have trips where we have only four or less traveling we stay on site. When all five of us are at Disney together for more than 3 days we require space or we tend to go insane! We love the space an off site condo offers! Extra bedrooms and bathrooms make things so much nicer for everyone. It's also very nice to have a in room washer/dryer. A kitchen is great to store easy accessible snacks, drinks and quick meals for the teens to make for their never ending appetites.

That said last year we did a blow the budget trip and stayed in two connecting rooms with the dining plan for a week at Animal Kingdom Lodge. WE LOVED IT! Especially with having teen our kids age. It was wonderful to be together as a family but when Mom and Dad were ready for a break and the teens still wanted to stay in the parks it was nice to be able to know that they could safely hop on the resort buses to get back to the resort. We also enjoyed the connivance the dining plan offered on this particular tip. Why, I admit it was not the most cost effective way to balance our food budget it was nice to know that my teens could just swipe their magic bands to get their snacks and counter service meals. We also really enjoyed knowing we would connect at a planned out sit down meal daily. This became a high point of each day that all of us looked forward to. One of our two connecting rooms had a queen size bed and a bunk bed this was great because the kids took that room and everyone had their own bed. We had more then enough space and we did utilize the resort amenities quite a bit. If our budget allowed this we would do this type of Disney trip all the time.

However, we do live in the real world and with two in college and one headed there in a few years we will more than likely be back to off site condo stays for the near future. The cost comparison is huge. The blow the budget AKL week stay last spring break was over 7k. Before we decided on this we did budgeted out the same week in a 3 bedroom two bath condo in Windsor Hills, park tickets for our family of 5 Disney adults, and all our meals out with a combo of on and off site meals at some of our Orlando favorite restaurants and that grand total was a bit over 4K. This easily could be far less if we mixed it up with only a few meals out and easy cooking in the condo which is what we typically do. That particular trip was a special occasion so our numbers were much higher then the norm.(*We do tend to buy FL resident Annual passes so my numbers included the cost of the renewal of these on the two trips priced out for spring break last year.)

Basically, you need to decided what is most important to you to make your families vacation the type of vacation you want and then flex it to make whatever budget you have work. The nice thing about Orlando vacations is there really is a way to make it work for just about any budget and type of lodging any family might desire. We have often found off site very nice condos for our families size for under $300 for a week. It's not going to happen in peak season but if you shop around and are willing to do your homework there really are very nice offsite places to stay that are affordable. You didn't mention if you're flying or driving but I do highly recommend having a vehicle if you stay off site. Even with paying for parking at the parks and car rental is bound to be less expensive than what on site for a family your size will cost. Also, if you are driving your own vehicle to Orlando and do decided to stay onsite if you have not grandfathered in your onsite stay before March 21st (I think that was the date) you will have to pay a daily parking fee to park overnight at a Disney resort so factor that in when comparing the budgets.
 
Also, I wanted to add since you mentioned wanting to do the dining plan. You can still make dining reservations at any Disney restaurant at 6 month out if you stay off site. I highly recommend doing this as places fill quickly especially for larger parties! They will take a credit card deposit and you will be charged $10 if you don't show. If your wanting to have it pre-paid you can always buy Disney gift card to have the money put away. I tend to look over menus in advance and place a bit over what I think we would spend plus tip in an envelope earmarked for each meal. It's old school but my Grandmother taught me to budget this way as a kid and I still do this for vacation funds. We usually have bit extra and whatever is left at the end of our trip goes in the next years vacation food fund.
 
Over 130 onsite stays here, but LOTS offsite as well. If all 5 of us go = offsite. It saves money, it provides more space and beds and if we go condo/timeshare we have kitchen, additional bath and laundry. LOTS of options from suites to condos to houses.

Also, I wanted to add since you mentioned wanting to do the dining plan. You can still make dining reservations at any Disney restaurant at 6 month out if you stay off site. I highly recommend doing this as places fill quickly especially for larger parties! They will take a credit card deposit and you will be charged $10 if you don't show. If your wanting to have it pre-paid you can always buy Disney gift card to have the money put away. I tend to look over menus in advance and place a bit over what I think we would spend plus tip in an envelope earmarked for each meal. It's old school but my Grandmother taught me to budget this way as a kid and I still do this for vacation funds. We usually have bit extra and whatever is left at the end of our trip goes in the next years vacation food fund.

OP: Dining Plan is about convenience. It takes lots of work to break even or "save/make" money from it. It also forces you to eat in a way you may not which could lead to losing money. Disney doesn't do it to be nice they do it because they make LOTS of money from it.

So the guy with the DDP scans his MB, and the guy without scans his credit/debit/gift card. No difference.

Love prepaid gift card idea if it helps. I would use a standard Visa/AX gift card (or maybe split into a few). Put the same amount on it as I would have paid for the Dining Plan. I would bet you will have lots of cash to take home with you.
 

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