Ask Magically Speaking

In each issue we like to answer questions from you. What are your questions? Are you wondering about a certain attraction? Are you curious about a resort or cruise? Do you have some nagging little trivia question that you are just dying to know the answer to? If so, please send them to us. We have a great team of Disney experts and sleuths who would love to answer your questions! If you have a question, send it to us at magicallyspeaking@themouseforless.com.

Ask Magically Speaking is a regular feature in the Magically Speaking newsletter. The following Ask Magically Speaking was published in the December 3, 2007 issue
of Magically Speaking ISSN: 1556-3863

Q. We are planning a 2008 visit to Disney. I am trying to decide if we should stay on-site or off-site. We're a family of five (kids are four, seven and 11). Could you walk me through the pros and cons? (Submitted by Chris B.)

Q. We're a family of five and having problems figuring out where we can stay comfortably. We would rather avoid the Values because our children are a little older and these hotels seem very, very kid oriented. The Port Orleans states they have trundles in some of the rooms and several of the Deluxes say they sleep five. Does the Contemporary sleep five in a standard room or will I pay even more...same for Animal Kingdom? The tourist books suggest these hotels for five yet the Disney web page keeps putting me in a suite which is very pricey...help! (Submitted by Karen L.)

A. Hi, Chris and Karen. You are both facing the problematic realities of vacationing as a family of five at Walt Disney World. If one of your children is under the age of three, you've got lots of options. But once he or she hits birthday number three, it gets trickier. Let's look first at what's available for you on-site. Then we can discuss whether it's worth your while to look off-site, or whether on-site is right for you.

All standard rooms in the Value resorts (the All-Stars and Pop Century) fit four plus one child under age three in a crib. Parties of five who are looking for Value accommodations on Disney property have two alternatives. They can pick the All-Star Music Family Suites. The All-Star Music Suites fit six people plus one child under age three in a crib; their mini-kitchen accommodations are an added plus. Otherwise, guests can reserve two standard rooms. This gives them an extra bathroom, which can be a real gift in the mornings. And if the number of minors out-number adults on the reservation, a connecting room is virtually guaranteed.

At the Moderate resorts, your only option is Port Orleans Riverside. Their Alligator Bayou section has rooms that accommodate a fifth guest in a trundle bed. The trundle is smaller than a twin, so if the fifth person in your party isn't on the young-ish or small-ish side, this might not work for you. Port Orleans Riverside is a lovely resort, so not a bad option to consider. Oh, there is another Moderate option, but like Karen alluded to above, it's spendy. Coronado Springs Resort has three suite categories that accommodate six. They start around $330 per night during value season, up through $1,210 for holiday dates.

On to the Deluxe resort category. With the exception of Animal Kingdom Lodge and Wilderness Lodge, the Deluxe resorts have standard rooms that can accommodate families of five. At Animal Kingdom Lodge and Wilderness Lodge, you have to book concierge rooms to get accommodations for five.

The Fort Wilderness cabins are a great alternative for the larger family. Give a look-see here for a full description. These cabins will run you almost as much as the Deluxe resorts, but you'll get a full kitchen.

Disney's newly named Deluxe Villa resort category has one-bedroom (Animal Kingdom Villas only) and two-bedroom villas that meet the need of the five and up set. You can pay cash for these villas to Disney (starting at $610 per night, up to over $1,000 during holiday dates), or you can try renting points from Disney Vacation Club members. For a good synopsis of this alternative, check out the Introduction to Point Rental on MouseOwners.com.

Finally, although there will not be a test, TheMouseForLess.com has a nice summary of room occupancy guidelines at Walt Disney World, if you ever need a refresher course. And one final piece of information. If more than two people in your group are over the age of 18, there will be a surcharge added to your reservation total, per adult per night. The surcharge amount depends on the category of resort: $10 per night for values, $15 for moderates and $25 for deluxe, plus tax.

OK, so those are the on-site options for the larger family. But many people in your family-of-five shoes decide that off-site is the way to go. Let's look at the pros and cons of on-site versus off-site. In the interest of disclosure, the author has a definitive bias toward on-site, but will try to be even-handed.

Let's start with the on-site argument. When you stay at a Walt Disney World resort, you are immersed, 24-7, in the pixie dust and theming. No matter where you stay, you are surrounded by Imagineered atmosphere from daybreak to dusk and beyond. A friend of mine calls it the cocoon effect. As part of that immersion, you get Cast Members, trained in guest satisfaction to a degree not often found in hotel chains. Some say the level of Cast Member excellence has decreased in past years, victim to cost-cutting, but most guests have found Cast Members to still be top-notch, dependable and, yes, even fun!

Only on-site guests have access to Magical Express, Disney visitors' luggage transportation system from Orlando International Airport. Only on-site guests can enjoy Extra Magic Hours, when Disney allows additional access on designated days to each of the parks, sometimes in the morning (for an hour before opening), sometimes in the evening (for up to three hours after closing). Only on-site guests may purchase the Disney Dining Plan. And speaking of dining, only on-site guests can book all their Advanced Dining Reservations in one fell swoop, 180 days out from their check-in day.

What else? If you are staying at a Disney resort, you can just hop on that Disney-chauffeured transportation, and be whisked back to your room for some needed R&R, by bus, boat, or monorail. If you purchase something in the parks, you can have it sent back to your resort – no more lugging around that 30-pound Mickey bust. And speaking of heavy, no carrying around credit cards AND room keys AND ticket media for the Disney guest. Your Key to the Kingdom can be used to open your room, charge your purchases, and can also contain your park tickets.

Now let's look at off-site. Staying off-site makes sense as an option for bigger groups, folks with plans to visit a number of the other Orlando-area entertainment venues, and travelers looking for a hotel suite or high-end resort experience. You probably won't save a ton of money staying off-site, unless you are just looking for a basic motel at which to rest your weary head.

What you get for staying off-site is more choice, and almost certainly more space, for close to the price of a Disney Value resort. And if you do your research, the quality of your accommodations will rival or exceed Disney's norm. But you must do the research. As one off-site veteran put it for me, "There are a lot of really nice places out there, but there are also a lot of dumps. In comparison, Disney is very consistent -- they don't provide the best alternative in any class (except possibly the value end of the spectrum), but they always provide a solid offering that you can count on. One comparison: Disney is like investing in a municipal bond fund, and off-site is like buying a stock. The bond fund won't provide stellar returns, but it will provide consistent returns that you can count on. With the stock, you could earn a bundle, or you could lose your shirt."

One option that many larger groups find works well is a vacation home rental. There are homes available in a variety of sizes and many come complete with a pool. There are kitchen facilities, which are nice when traveling with children, and all of the comforts of home. TheMouseForLess offers discounts from several rental property and vacation home providers, so hop on over to the http://www.themouseforless.com/membersavings/Benefits/benefits2b.shtml and see if that is an option for your group.

Having personal transportation is almost a must off-site, as the hotel shuttle schedules are too limited for any sort of vacation flexibility. So remember to factor in both the cost of car rental and Disney parking (currently sitting at $11 per day) into your holiday budget.

Like I said from the outset, I'm biased toward staying on-site. For me, it is difficult to drive under the "Welcome to Walt Disney World" greeting that spans the main entrance and be departing, instead of arriving!