My mom and best friend and I are looking at a 2011 March trip to WDW and staying onsite at the Pop Century or All Star Resorts. What are the advantages of staying onsite? I'm a huge Disney fan, but do not know much about the resorts.
By staying onsite you get Disney transportation. The buses will take you to every park. Another thing is the oportunity to get to take advantage of disney dining. You also can get your shopping sent back to your room so you don't have to carry it around. But to me the biggest thing is EMH or Extra Magic Hours. By being a Disney resort guest you can go to specific park one hour early or stay up to 3 hours after the park closes.
My family doesn't to morning EMH but we LOVE night EMH. It's a highlight of our trip. There's nothing better than MK at 2 am in the morning. The park is so beautiful and LOL empty.
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Jenn
1995 Honeymoon; 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 2010 Pop Century June 2011 POR
You also can get your shopping sent back to your room so you don't have to carry it around.
That's changed slightly now as packages are now delivered to your resort gift shop rather than to you room. YOu then have to visit the gift shop and collect your packages (you need to take the green slip they give you - or your room key).
Still very convenient though!
Another benefit of staying onsite is free parking at all the parks for WDW guests. If you are driving, you'll be given a parking permit to put on your dashboard which is valid for the length of your stay. Just flash the permit at the car park entrance and you'll be waved through with nothing to pay.
Disney guests also get to purchase length of stay mugs from the resorts which can be refilled for free with sodas and hot drinks as many times as you want during your stay - it's a minor benefit but they all help!
Plus of course, don't forget the biggest benefit of staying on site - never having to leave the magic! All of the resorts are amazing - the decor, the theming, the landscaping and of course that friendly and efficient Disney service!
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Out of the two resorts, I think Pop Century is superior. It's more centrally located, has a better food court, a better layout, and is newer than the All-Star.
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Out of the two resorts, I think Pop Century is superior. It's more centrally located, has a better food court, a better layout, and is newer than the All-Star.
Okay, so Pop Century sounds like a good idea. I'm just trying to get some ideas as to where to stay, which of those resorts are good and what benefits you can get. I liked the package pickup in the park, but having it sent to my resorts sounds even better. What's awesome about the EMH?
EMH is available only to resort guests. Every day (or almost) one park opens one hour early while another will stay open 3 hours late. My family definately takes advantage of those hours. LOL
One night/morning er...2:30am the kids and I were riding the carrousel hubby was taking pictures and when the ride stopped we "ran" into Mickey and Minnie at the exit. Both of them! LOL It's still one of our absolute favorite pics.
Morning EMH can get hectic, but if you can hold out for the last hour of night EMH, the park totally thins out and the park is almost empty. Its so peaceful and magical at that point.
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Jenn
1995 Honeymoon; 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 2010 Pop Century June 2011 POR
Last edited by disneylovin'; 01-28-2010 at 09:27 PM.
Free Transportaiton to and from the airport. Disney picks up you luggage and delivers it to your hotel room for you!!! Some let you walk to the park. Plus the convinence of monorail.
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It all sounds great, i'm going next year maybe in May, for the 6th time and we might be going to a disney hotel for the first time, so free dining and gifts to your room sounds good too, so i'm looking forward to it all
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Merc
3 wks in Sept 1990 (Howard Inn, First trip, Omini Hotel, Miami) 3 wks in May 1994 (villa, kissimmi, Villa Marco Island.) 3 wks in Sept 1996 (villa, kissimmi, Villa Coco beach) 3 wks in Oct 1998 (Villa, kissimmi, Miami hotel) 2 wks in Oct 2003 (tiki liki apartments, international Drive?)
I have stayed on and off site. I love both. I have also stayed at Pop and love it. But I have not stayed at movies or sports. As far as extra hours I think it is beneficial in the mornings than in the evenings as some stay open late so it doesn't matter if your hotel is in or out of Disney. But its nice to be there in the mornings but..... I usually stay away from the extra morning hours being more crouded during those times.
Diner Plane I love. You can get alot of info here about it especially which is better. As far as Hotels outside I had to get a car, and visit (at times) places to eat (at times). There are some really nice towns around Disney that are great places to eat and shop. My favorite place is Celebration. But overall, I give staying in Disney my vote. But I feel its great either way. Staying in the advantages are, you don't have to carry around what you buy, Diner Plan, Extra Hours (maybe), free parking if you decide to rent a car, Baby sitting or childcare. Most of all Convenience. Benefits staying outside? The cost of the room is usually cheaper and larger for the buck. Renting a car will get you to a park faster than the buses or monorail. Unless you have the Diner Plan, eating outside Disney is alot cheaper. You can easily visit places outside of Disney, not that you can't staying in, but easier staying out. But again, for what I like I would rather stay inside.
You can easily visit places outside of Disney, not that you can't staying in, but easier staying out.
That's a good point!
I have however seen one or two people change hotels to do the non-WDW parks - in other words have a few days in a WDW hotel to do WDW parks and then move for a few days outside so they can do the other parks (Universal, Sea World etc).
There really is no need though. We stay at POR and can be getting out the car at Sea World or Universal within 20 minutes of getting in the car at POR.
I've stayed both on and off site and now, we don't even think about staying off site. Sure, it costs more to stay in a WDW hotel but it's soooo worth the extra money!
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I have however seen one or two people change hotels to do the non-WDW parks - in other words have a few days in a WDW hotel to do WDW parks and then move for a few days outside so they can do the other parks (Universal, Sea World etc).
There really is no need though. We stay at POR and can be getting out the car at Sea World or Universal within 20 minutes of getting in the car at POR.
I've stayed both on and off site and now, we don't even think about staying off site. Sure, it costs more to stay in a WDW hotel but it's soooo worth the extra money!
Staying in the park is worth the money. It makes for easier planning also. I like the option of going back to your room to rest, nap or just hangout.
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There's a great big beautiful tomorrow 
Pop is great!
LOL It's still one of our absolute favorite pics.
