Is it worth staying at Diz Property?

[LovePug]

I am also in the minority in staying offsite. At first it was because we take Cassie (see pic below ), but now I think I'd stay offsite even if we didn't take her. We stay in a 2 room suite with a free breakfast buffet daily and a free Manager's reception Sun-Thurs from 5-7PM (light dinner). I love the space in the suite and DD being able to sleep in a separate room from us. There is a full size fridge, a stove, microwave and dishwasher. It's $80/night with AAA discount, but we also drive down so we have our car to go back to the room mid-day (which is only minutes from the parks-actually closer than some of the onsite resorts).

It's all a matter of personal preference in what you're looking for.

 

[DEff]

Hi Donna,
or sometimes we get into the parks via the Downtown Disney entrance (Hotel Plaza Blvd). This way is a little more confusing if you don't know your way around though.

I'll have to look at the maps to try to figure that out. Is there any real benefit of going that way?

Thank you! We're really looking forward to our trip.

Donna

 

[MiaSRN62]

I'll have to look at the maps to try to figure that out. Is there any real benefit of going that way?

Hi Donna,
We find it easier GOING to the parks via I-4. We find it easier returning to our hotel via the Downtown Disney route. You exit onto SR 535 via Hotel Plaza Blvd----you'll be facing the Crossroads shopping center when you're at the light (make a right to return to Vistana). Returning home via I-4 can take longer than going---it's just winds around differently.
Hope this helps

 

[Happy Homeschooler]

We've done both, and enjoyed ourselves each time. That said, there are advantages to staying on site. We loved the Magic Hour (the parks open an hour early for people staying on site), because we could go early when there weren't so many people. We also liked being so close, because we could come and go. We'd go early in the morning, come back at noon for a short nap, and then go back in the afternoons. It was very convenient.
I liked not having to deal with a rental car. We caught the shuttle from the airport to Disney, and then back again. It was nice not having to drive or worry about parking. However, when we stayed offsite, we were fifteen minutes away, and we never had trouble finding a place to park; it was just the extra walking that we didn't like.
Really, you can have a good time either way, but IMO, it's worth it to stay onsite.

 

[Northern Lights]

It sounds to me like you want to do an Orlando vacation so I would recommend staying off-site. In fact, if I were planning your trip, I would make a Universal hotel my home base to get the FOTL privileges for the Universal park visits.

That being said, Disney has so much more to offer than just the parks as well. We make annual trips b/c we do find "Disney magic" on each and every trip - and the parks are only a very small part of that. I think that is why so many of us advocate taking a Disney vacation and staying on-site. Convenience and small perks (EMH, souvenier delivery to resort, etc.) are good logical reasons to stay on-site, but the "magic" is what brings us back.

Disney magic cannot be seen through the cynical eyes of an adult, nor can it be savored by intermittently checking in and out of the parks.

 

[DisneyGoneWild]

I vote for on property although I have never stayed off property. It is really cool and you won't know until you try it. You can really save money by eating meals outside of Disney though, especially for a large family.