I absolutely hate the prices too and really debated going off site this year, but my preferred hotel chain is Hilton and they seem just far enough away that it wouldn’t be worth it. I love being able to just skip breakfast and walk right into the park and get something in there, or being able to “run” back to the hotel and change clothes (if I’m yucky from the heat or wet from a ride) and then be back in the park... usually in 20 to 30 min round trip. I also usually head back late at night (10pm or 11pm or even midnight depending when the park closes) and while it’s probably safe, I like the idea of being in downtown Disney all the way up to the DLH.
If they wanted to keep prices high, I just wish they would offer something on the back end, getting into one park early JUST for resort guests (alternate park that people with multi-day passes get in early at). That would be a HUGE win because every day for an hour you basically would only have a couple thousand people at most in the park. Or let guest into Star Wars an hour before everyone else, again just for the hotel guests, even if it’s just until the end of the year.
They’ve come through with last minute Halloween party tickets for me before, the staff is super amazing and genuinely pleasant and friendly, and the location is great, but man I wish there was one more major killer “no duh” perk that made the decision a no brainer.
(I’ve never tried the dining reservations because I usually have everything I need booked at ~60 days, but has anyone had luck booking same day or within a day or two primes spots; dessert party, Blue Bayou, etc)