What are the perks to staying at a Walt Disney World Resort
I absolutely love staying at a Disney resort. You’re in the heart of the magic & just so close to the everything Disney. But why stay here when there are so many other options out there? This is a great question and I get it all the time. It is hard to argue the budget sometimes, but you have to weigh all your options when picking a resort for your Walt Disney World vacation. Staying at a Disney resort comes with some perks, and some of these perks can affect the budget and your time on vacation.
TRANSPORTATION The transportation perk has changed and evolved over the years. This will be the last year for the Magical Express, the bus that would take you to and from the airport. Although this is a bummer, once you get to your Disney resort you don’t have to worry about transportation anymore. Sure off site resorts have a bus to the parks. But they tend to be on a schedule and if you miss that first bus then you have to wait for the next one, maybe hours later. The Disney transportation is always moving from boats to monorail to buses to the Skyliner you have so many options. The best part is you don’t have to worry about paying to park or making sure you gps has the right location, Disney will get you to where you need to be!
DISCOUNTED MAGIC BANDS These handy little things make your trip a little more magical. You can use a magic band to enter your hotel room, enter the theme parks, & charge things to. I love the convenience of the magic band. No pulling out your credit card or park pass you just scan the band. When charging things to the band you will pre-set up a pin so if you loose the band someone else can’t have a shopping spree.
EXTRA MAGIC HOURS This has to be my favorite perk. This is also one that has been changing over the years. Previously you could either stay late or enter early one park per day if you were staying at a Disney resort. Starting this fall you will be able to pick one of the 4 theme parks to enter early every morning. Early Extra Magic Hours are the best too! I mean who wants to get up early for vacation? I know no one, but it is so worth it trust me! Becuase not everyone wants to wake up early this you will be lower crowds enabling you to get on some of the more popular rides, or snap a picture with less people in it. The other change to this perk is those staying in a deluxe resort or a deluxe villa (aka DVC resort) will be able to enjoy Extra Magic Hours for select parks each evening!
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION- While some resorts are closer to the theme parks than others no matter what hotel you’re staying in you are in the heart of the magic. You will be able to shop in great gift shops with merchandise found in the parks. Eat Disney themed cupcakes and or dole whips right at your resort. You could be close to Disney Springs & be able to grab a quick dinner or steps away from a theme park. Nothing beats being in the Disney bubble.
DISNEY DINING PLANS! In fairness these have not come back…yet. But we know they will. Why are these a benefit you may ask. Well, it depends on who you ask, but I find them to be beneficial when you 1. have the dining plan that works for you 2. know how to use the dining plan. Last time Disney offered dining plans they had three; Quick service, Disney Dinning, and the Deluxe Dining plan. My family loves getting the quick service plan, we love to snack and share quick service meals so be able to pre pay for this was always so helpful. I tend to recommend the Disney dining plan to those who wanted to do multiple character meals. Those character meals add up fast and using a dining credit for them was a great use! I have not had many people ask about the deluxe plan, it is a lot of food and it would work best if you planned on eating at a lot of signature dining spots that are two credits. The dining plans can only be purchased if you’re staying onsite & in the past there has been some great deals that include dining plans!
* Bonus reason* This one is a big one *ADVANCED RESERVATIONS* This is a huge perk for those wanting the hard to get dining reservations. When you stay at a Disney resort you can make your dining reservations when they open 60 days prior to check in. Yes, this is the same for everyone else, but what is different for you lucky Disney resort guest is you can make your dining reservations for your entire trip. Meaning if you really want a table at Oga’s Cantina or Cinderella Royal Table you will have a better chance at grabbing a reservation if you plan those meals at the end of the week. Becuase those staying off site can only book their dining 60 days to when they want to eat. This is my trick to get those must have reservations!
Tell me what do you like about staying at a Disney resort?
