As you can see, we're all over the place with individual preferences! You may just have to try different scenarios and then decide which you prefer.

I forgot to mention that due to old age etc., I normally have to make several trips outside the tent during the night--a good reason for not having anything stored in the vestibule that I might trip over in the dark. One argument for side-opening tents is that, with many of them, you have more vestibule space that doesn't block the doorway. The year I had a Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo tent (which I sold because it was too tight a fit for both me and 75-lb dog), I definitely had to use the vestibule for my shoes and the dog's pack. Unfortunately, deploying even the half of the vestibule that wasn't in front of the door on dewy or frosty nights meant increased condensation inside (I swear the dog exhaled as much moisture as I did!).

I wouldn't get a tent without a vestibule, because it's great to have some kind of "porch" for wet weather. That's where I shed my dripping rain gear when entering the tent. The best kind, IMHO, gives you the option of leaving it part-way open for ventilation when it's raining but not blowing hard.