Benefits of Staying on Property

So, recently I've talked to a lot of people who stay off property when they visit Orlando and while I can understand the lure of cheaper room rates and free continental breakfasts there a lot of things that are tacked on to your hotel stay when you stay off property. There are hotel and theme park parking fees, resort fees, the cost of gas to travel back and forth, if you fly there's the cost of transportation from the airport to your hotel or the cost of a rental car to get around to the parks, and then of course there's the risk of an unknown hotel brand with sub par service.

If you rely on sites like Priceline or Travelocity then you never really know what you're getting. You're relying on the reviews of others and guest ratings.

However, if you book a Disney resort you know you'll get excellent service from extremely helpful cast members. You'll also get free transportation from the airport to your resort, extended park hours, free parking at any Disney World park, and there are NO additional resort or parking fees tacked on to your resort stay. You also get free transportation to and from the parks that comes so often that you'll never wait too long for a shuttle, monorail, or boat as opposed to off property resort shuttles that come once every forty-five minutes if you're very lucky.

The value in a Disney Resort lies in these added perks that other places simply can't offer. They attempt to make up for it by offering you free continental breakfast or free wi-fi (which Disney also offers by the way) or sometimes even special prices on park tickets for time share open house weekends or conventions. But the other fees and the time you lose traveling back and forth often negate these attempts to compensate for things off property hotels can't offer.

A Disney resort is too expensive, you say? I understand why you would think so. Deluxe and Moderate resorts are certainly on the pricier side but the added luxury is what you're paying for. If you're staying off property you're typically not doing it for the luxury. You're doing it because you're a family on the go and a hotel is basically just a place to sleep, maybe swim, and come back to for a break when the park is just too much.

Well, there's a category of Disney Resorts that's made for your family. The Value Resorts. Personally, they're my favorite category. They're well organized, kid-friendly, and extremely convenient. And, I did the math for my upcoming trip, the price of staying at the Residence Inn at Sea World versus Disney's All Star Music resort in September is a mere $25.

For that $25 you get transportation to and from the parks whenever you need it or free parking if you prefer to drive yourself, superior service, extended hours at select Disney Parks, advance access to dining and Fastpass+ reservations, free transportation and baggage service from Orlando International airport to your Disney Resort, and NO resort fees. The added conveniences are well worth $25.

For example, let's say you have a family of four with two adults and two children and you decided to stay off property. You have a three year old and ten year old. Your family takes your van to the park that morning and you pay $17 for parking. In the afternoon you decide your three year old needs a nap. If you were staying off property you'd have to get in your van (with your entire family of four) and drive the five or more miles back to your hotel only to drive that same five miles back later and park further away (you shouldn't have to pay for parking again since you're given a day pass when you paid that morning.) Or you could go back to your van and let your little one nap in the back seat which may be uncomfortable or overwhelmingly hot in the Florida heat, but would allow the other adult and your ten your old to continue to have fun in the park.

Now let's see what this same scenario would like if you stayed at a Disney Resort. Even though you have access to free bus transportation you decide to drive your van to the parks that morning. Your parking is free due to your resort parking pass that is sitting on your dash and you're sent straight through (without paying $17). In the afternoon you decide your three year old needs a nap, but your older child wants to stay in the park. You leave the other adult in the park with the ten year old and take the three year old out of the park. Instead of heading back to your van you head to the nearest Disney bus stop for your Disney Resort. Ten to fifteen minutes later a bus for your resort pulls up and you're on your way back to your room. The little one gets a nap and then you hop back on a bus to meet up with the other adult and older child for more Disney park fun.

Need a swim in the middle of the day instead of a nap? No problem. Just take that same Disney bus back to your resort for a mid-day break at your excellently themed pool. No need to use any gas or get stuck in traffic on I-drive. Convenience is a key bonus to staying on Disney property.

Once again, I totally understand the appeal of what off property hotels are offering, but there's more value to a Disney Resort stay than most people realize. It's unbelievably convenient for families especially. And don't forget for those families of a five or more Disney has family suites at two Disney Value Resorts (All Star Music and Art of Animation). They have accommodations for every size family!

Don't miss out on Disney's current special offers of free dining with full price room and resort stay OR up to 30% of your resort stay for late summer and fall 2014 check in dates! Contact me for a FREE quote today!

Spring Break Summary...

Okay, so I haven't been blogging much this week because I've been on break and trying to enjoy my family. So here's where you guys get caught up on what I've been doing this week.

Friday night my family had a get together at my grandmother's house, and I was asked all sorts of questions about the program and given lots of congratulations (which is always fun.) I looked at my aunt's Disney World pictures. They went back in October, and it made even more anxious to be in Florida. Saturday was my nephew's 2nd Birthday Party. That was all kinds of awesome fun! Mom and I cut my hair between her helping my sister-in-law set up and the actual party. My hair rests JUST on my shoulders now. It's amazing. Thank goodness my mother is a hairdresser. Sunday was church, I went to my college sunday school class that I always miss so much when I'm away at school, and I got to see my dad sing in the service. My dad has an amazing voice.

Monday we kept my nephew. He's at a really adorable but crazy active age, and we discovered that he LOVES "Toy Story". He called Woody his "buddy." I showed him videos of the characters at the Disney World parks and he tried to hug my computer when Mickey came on the screen. I think he now believes my computer is the magical portal to Mickey and Woody. This day made me really hope that my brother's family would be able to visit me in Florida. Cody and Kaleb are at just the right age to really and truly appreciate Disney and it's magic.

Tuesday mom and I went shopping for Business Professional clothes for both Florida and my summer internship. We found a few things. Wednesday I had a meeting with Angie Gibson at "Skirt Magazine" about my summer internship. We talked about what I would be doing, and when I would be doing it. I told her about Disney and that I would be needing to get a part time job this summer. She was really nice, and laid back. Basically I'll be shadowing her and making sales calls. There is a chance that I will get to spend some time with Alice, the graphic designer they contract all their artwork out to. I'm really hoping I can. "Skirt" has an awesome look. I would love to see how this designer works. After that mom and I got lunch at Arby's and kept my nephew again for a few hours.

Later that night mom and I talked about possible hotels that we could stay at in Florida before I check in. We decided we did not want to stay at the Holiday Inn Sunspree so we're looking at other hotels in the area. We have a list of possibilities but we won't be able to book anything until mom finds out what days she has off from work (which won't be until sometime next week.) We're hoping to check in on Friday the 6th, and then spend Saturday and Sunday hanging out before they have to check me in on Monday. They'll be checking out on Tuesday and hopefully I'll be able to have dinner with them before they leave. That's the plan anyway. Mom just has to get Thursday, Friday, Monday, and Tuesday off from work. Dad's a self employed contractor so getting those days off is no problem for him, but mom has to get the okay from Pepsi. She works telemarketing sales at the Pepsi headquarters in town. After we talked about travel plans, mom and I talked about when she could visit me in Florida.

Thursday mom and I went to Concord Mills (a big mall about two hours away from us.) We went shopping again for Business Professional clothes. Then we went to the Disney Store Outlet. We bought things for my nephews' Easter Baskets, and I got a Mickey head for my car antenna and the 2010 Walt Disney World Birnbaum Guide. After spending HOURS at the Disney Store I missed our Hanes Mall Disney Store even more. It closed last year and I've been sad ever since. (although I did get a GREAT deal on a Beauty and Beast snow globe at their going out of business sale.) I wish I could work at a Disney Store for my part time summer job. That would probably keep me from being so anxious about Florida at least a little bit.

After the Disney Store we went to TJ Maxx and I got a pair of really cute sandals for dirt cheap. Then we went to Bass Pro Shop for dad. He wasn't with us but Bass Pro Shop is his favorite store ever so we stopped by to get him a little something for fun. Then we went home. I hung out with the family and watched television and read my Birnbaum guide. I checked out a few websites that I didn't know existed like http://www.disneyflorist.com/ and hinted at my parents that I might like to receive one of those when I'm there during the program. There's this really awesome breakfast arrangement that comes with LOTS of snack food and an awesome travel mug. I think mom got the message at least, lol.

Friday I hung out with the family some more and my friend Carrie came to visit at around 12:30. We watched a Fred and Ginger movie and a BUNCH of Jonas episodes, and then at 5:40 my friend Beth met us at my house and we all went to dinner and to see Alice in Wonderland. It was very good! I loved it! Then we went to the Starbucks Cafe in Barnes and Noble. We sipped our coffees/juices and walked around looking at DVDs and books. I bought two Jane Austen books. One is Jane Austen quotes and the other is about her personal letters to her friends and family. We drove throught pouring rain to get back to my house and then Carrie stayed up with me to watch half of "Mansfield Park" she went to bed and I finished the movie.

Today we both slept in really late. I was going to get up at 10, but I didn't end up getting out of bed until 11. It's bugging me that I slept in that late. Carrie left just a few minutes ago to head home. I've got to go to my old youth theatre's performance today. There's a show at 2 that I'm going to go to. They're performing "Suessical the Musical" and I can't wait to see it. Tonight I will probably be going to see Alice again for my cousin's birthday and then tomorrow I will hopefully be helping her celebrate her birthday again at a family luncheon. After that I go back to school and pull an all nighter doing the homework I've been putting off all week.

Hopefully next week we'll return to our regularly scheduled blogs.

Until next time, have a magical day!