Is it really worth it staying at a Disney hotel?
It’s one of the questions I get most often when folks ask me for opinions while they’re planning their next vacation, and fortunately it’s one of the easier questions to answer from my point of view because it pretty much opens up the veritable flood gates into the World of Disney here in Florida. Among the 23 resorts (and growing!) that are currently found on Disney property, there are enough options to satisfy just about every budget, lifestyle, and vacation whim, many overlapping to the point where choosing which resort to stay at can be one of the biggest decisions you’ll make!
But despite all of those choices you’ll battle when each member of the family spots a different resort that they think would be just perfect for their own personal tastes, there’s nonetheless one common thread that runs through all of the resorts on-property that makes them stand out in a crowd of dozens of other resorts, hotels, and motels located just a stone’s throw away from the Mouse that are no doubt also itching for your hard-earned vacation dollars! It’s the reason why, at least in 99% of cases, I’ve almost always chosen to stay on-site at one of Disney’s properties instead of even looking at my options outside the Resort – call it the Disney magic, pixie dust, or even just quality of service, but whatever label you’d like to place on it, I wanted to take some time this month to sit down and draw out exactly what makes these all of these unique resorts scattered around Walt Disney World an easy choice in my book…
World-Class Themeing at All Levels
Whether staying at one of the massive value resorts or even the most high-end of deluxe accommodations, one thing for certain is that you can expect to see a considerable amount of effort that goes into the themeing that ultimately makes each resort unique from its 22 other brothers and sisters. Ranging from giant icons of Disney and pop culture favorites all the way up to luscious tropical foliage with waterfalls, volcanoes, and even a variety of the animals you might find in a given locale, pulling through the gates of any given Disney resort transports you to a whole new world where your hotel stay doesn’t have to be limited to merely a bed, shower, and a plate of bagels for continental breakfast in the morning.
Themeing is no doubt one of the top reasons that guests choose their resorts on-property because it’s a unique opportunity to stay someplace that’s customized to your own personal preferences. A fan of nostalgia? You might enjoy Disney’s Pop Century Resort. Always wanted to take a trip to Hawaii, but never found the time, or more likely the money? Disney’s Polynesian Resort could be your answer. Looking for a more sophisticated atmosphere that offers lush amenities, plus a bit of nightlife right outside your door? Any of the resorts around Disney’s Boardwalk could suit your needs quite nicely. Of course, I could probably write a whole handful of columns about the vast variety of options you have when flipping through Disney’s resort catalog, but needless to say, pretty much whatever you fancy, Disney has a resort themed to your liking that will help to make your Disney vacation all the more special.
…and don’t get me wrong, that’s not to say that there aren’t any options for staying off-site that have themes of their own, however it should definitely be noted that you’ll be in for a different experience if you opt to go this route. Realistically, if you’re staying at a budget Days Inn / Red Roof Inn / Econolodge, your themeing is likely to be limited to the color of the comforter on your bed, but there are some more options if you begin to move up the ladder, such as with the Gaylord Palms Resort or even something like the Nickelodeon Family Suites a little further down the street – both are just examples of hotels that have done quite well with themeing of their own and might also be worth considering, that is, as long as these other things aren’t a big concern for you…
Complimentary Transportation and Parking Around the World
Now this may not be the biggest deal to some, but one of the things that really helps to make a Disney vacation special for me is not having to drive anywhere myself! I love being able to leave my car keys in the room for the duration of our trips and simply rely on Disney transportation to take us where we need to go, and it’s worth considering because when staying off-site, this is a simple luxury that just doesn’t exist. Sure, many hotels offer “Disney shuttle service” to get their guests to the parks and back, however these shuttles typically only run on very specific schedules (think once every couple hours) and are often joint ventures with other hotels, meaning that you may have several stops to pick up people at other locations before ever even heading into the parks.
On the other hand, Disney’s buses typically run every 20 minutes and offer a means to get you to any of the four theme parks, as well as the water parks and Downtown Disney, too. Factor in the monorails and various boats that run between a few of the theme parks and resorts as well and there’s really no reason you should have to set foot behind a steering wheel during your vacation unless you’re getting on Test Track or the Indy Speedway!
And lest we not forget, if for some reason you do want to drive yourself to the park instead of waiting 20 minutes at the bus stop (admittedly leaving the parks at the end of the night can sometimes take a while…), staying on-site also grants you complimentary parking at each of the four theme parks throughout your stay, which if you do the math at the new parking rate of $12 / day can save you a pretty penny! Parking is definitely something that should be factored into your costs if you’re thinking about staying off-site for more than a day or two…
Extra Magic Hours
So what’s the one thing better than leaving the Magic Kingdom after a long, fun-filled day? Well, how about not leaving for another three hours and instead going back to give your favorite attractions another go-around while anyone not staying on-property heads towards the exits?! Walt Disney himself was once quoted as saying something to the tune of how Disneyland took on a special glow at night and anyone who’s ever walked around the Magic Kingdom after midnight can certainly attest to that. Of course, there are also Extra Magic Hours opportunities to enter the parks in the morning an hour before off-site guests are allowed in the door, so if you’re more of an earlier riser than a night owl, there are certainly options with you in mind, too!
Either way you dice it, it’s kind of hard to argue with extra time in the parks that guests staying off-site simply aren’t privy to … it’s a nice little extra benefit when you’re not quite ready to call it a night yet.
Magic Your Way Package Discounts
Of course, I don’t need to tell you that the price of a vacation at Walt Disney World can add up quick, however one of the best ways to save money often comes in the vacation packages that Disney offers, bundling food, lodging, and park tickets all into one discounted price. Sure, you can go a la carte and buy each individually, but sometimes the best savings can be found by covering all of your bases at the same time, and while you can always opt to leave the Disney Dining Plan off of your package and simply bundle lodging and park tickets, it can’t really be done the other way (i.e. bundling food and park tickets, but still staying off-site).
I’m no travel agent, and even they couldn’t give you the end-all word of how to make the most of your money because the cards are different for everybody, but I can say that it’s worth keeping in mind that all aspects of your vacation need to be considered when looking at the costs – otherwise you could find yourself saving a few bucks on your hotel, but making up for it and even more with your dining options when a Magic Your Way package would’ve helped to cut costs in both regards.
Continuing with the Disney Magic Outside the Parks
And finally, what I believe to be by far the most significant benefit to staying on-site during your Disney vacation … the simple idea that your vacation doesn’t necessarily stop after you’ve left one of the parks for the evening…
Staying on Disney property, to me, means never having to leave that wonderful world of Disney until I absolutely have to – it’s an all-enveloping vacation experience where I can completely forget about the outside world and just relax, and thus when I get on the bus at Epcot after an evening of dining and fireworks, I don’t notice the same break that I would see if we were to get in the car and traverse World Drive back to our off-site hotel where there’s little to do but turn on the TV and settle in for the night. Instead I’m thinking of how a stop by the food court for a late night snack might sound good before taking one last walk around the resort on the way back to the room, or possibly even taking a dip in the pool now that most of the kids will have gone to bed. Maybe I’ll even wander through the gift shop and see if anything catches my eye to take home and remember the trip by.
The following morning when I wake up, I don’t think, “Let’s hurry up and get some breakfast so we can go back to Disney World!” because frankly, we never left and thus, the magic continues like it never ended the night before. We go down to the food court and get something to eat – maybe my wife’s favorite Mickey waffles – and then when we’re ready, we hop a bus to our next theme park of choice and we’re on our way. No scrambling to catch the next scheduled shuttle or navigating through traffic – it’s all been planned out for us, to the point where I can truly just let go and enjoy my time away from the busy life.
You see, staying on-site during a trip to Walt Disney World for me isn’t just fulfilling the accommodations portion of the vacation – it’s a valued part of the experience that sets Disney vacations apart from other getaways in my book. Sure, cost is sometimes a factor that can outweigh the pros if you’re not careful – in fact, our latest trip just last month had us staying off-site because for Valentine’s Day weekend, the rates were just too high and we couldn’t justify spending $150 / night on a value resort when we could stay off-site for less than half of that in a comparable hotel, but even then, there were certainly parts of the vacation that were missed by our not staying on-site, despite the savings. It’s a matter of circumstance and in that case, we were determined to celebrate Valentine’s Day at Walt Disney World and staying off-site was the only way to make the budget work, but it was still a tough decision to settle on and we’re already looking forward to our next trip when we can get back to the accommodations to which we’ve become accustomed!
I think ultimately the important question to keep in mind when making the decision of on-site vs. off-site is, “What do you most look forward to when you go on vacation?” If those things that I’ve listed here aren’t at the top of your list and you’d rather either save a few bucks or possibly even stay at an upper class resort that has offerings that fall outside the realm of Disney, then staying off-site might be better for your own personal circumstances. However if, on the other hand, you’re looking for truly a Disney vacation that’ll surround you with that Disney magic in every imaginable facet until the moment you set foot on that plane to head back home, there’s certainly an advantage to staying on-site that simply can’t be reckoned with!