People staying off site meeting the characters at the hotels

[Andybear]

Originally Posted by sammykitten

a few people did that the last time there were characters in the hotels, personally I don't see that its an issue (except for the DLH as due to its location their character meet can get non-guest heavy). If someone wants to spend hours at the hotels instead of at the parks meeting characters, its their time after all.

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I know it's their time but I thought one of the reasons staying on site was so expensive was that we can meet characters there, something people staying off site, and paying less, can't do unless they go to the parks or Innoventions for a meal. But I guess it's incidental to me now anyway as I don't really like the changes they're making to the parks so I doubt I'll be going again after my trip in September. I've booked to go to WDW next September and am planning on going to Disneyland in California the following September

[Elodie]

My girls loved staying in the Cheyenne last summer - I think it was because of the BBQ that there were always a few characters around in their Wild West costumes (Chip, Dale, Goofy) when we were walking back to our room in the evening. There was never a queue or anything that we saw. Just one or two other families taking turns getting autographs and pictures, then the children just playing with the characters. It was lovely.

[ParisinMarch]

Originally Posted by Andybear

I know it's their time but I thought one of the reasons staying on site was so expensive was that we can meet characters there, something people staying off site, and paying less, can't do unless they go to the parks or Innoventions for a meal. But I guess it's incidental to me now anyway as I don't really like the changes they're making to the parks so I doubt I'll be going again after my trip in September. I've booked to go to WDW next September and am planning on going to Disneyland in California the following September

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Just curious - which are the changes you don't like? I don't like the changes to pricing(!), but apart from that I've been impressed.

I always thought the price premium of official Disney hotels was more about EMH, and perhaps also sheer proximity - with the exception of DCR, all the Disney hotels are walking distance from the parks, which I don't think is true of any of the off-site hotels?