Benefits of Staying at Disney World Hotels in 2027 | Is it Worth It?

One of the most important and expensive decisions to make when planning a vacation to Walt Disney World is figuring out where to stay. After all, deciding whether to stay on-site or off-site will set the tone for your entire trip as well as how much money you are going to spend.

In this post, we will discuss whether it’s better to stay on-site at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel or off-site at one of the nearby third-party hotels or accommodations.

Besides the 30+ Walt Disney World Resort hotels , there are over 450 hotels and resorts in the greater Orlando area which can make it a daunting task when deciding where to stay. In that group, there are an uncountable number of hotel types, from more budget-focused value offerings to ultra-luxurious ones, resorts for families, and everything in-between.

We’ll help you to understand the benefits of staying at a Disney World Resort and if those perks are really worth the extra cost.

We’ll also explain what perks are available at off-site hotels , questions to ask yourself, and all the pros and cons of on-site vs. off-site.

Over the many decades we’ve been going to Walt Disney World , we’ve stayed at all the Disney World Resorts, as well as dozens of off-site hotels , vacation home rentals , and Airbnbs close to Disney World so we have a pretty good idea of the differences they offer guests.

Even though we are strong believers in the “Disney bubble,” there’s no doubt that things have certainly changed over the last few years, with many of the on-site advantages disappearing.

We’ve seen guest-favorite perks removed such as Disney’s Magical Express and FastPass+, and we certainly haven’t forgotten about them! But Disney has also added some useful benefits, including earlier Lightning Lane purchasing, check-in-day water park admission during eligible summer dates, and a limited airport luggage-transfer service. Whether those make up for what we lost depends on how YOUR family vacations.

In any event, this article should give you what you need to decide which option is best for you and your family. If you are still trying to decide when to go, make sure to read our article on the Best Times to Visit Disney World to choose the perfect dates.

Also, if you have already decided to stay on-site, check out our post about the Best Disney World Resorts where we rank them all from best to worst and break down the pros and cons of each one.

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Overview of Disney World Resort Hotels

Before we can break down the pros and cons of Disney World hotels and off-site hotels, it’s important to know exactly what they are.

Walt Disney World Resort Hotels are hotels on Disney property that are run and operated by Disney itself. These hotels range in class from Value which are less expensive, all the way up to the most expensive Deluxe.

All Disney resorts are staffed by cast members who work directly for Disney so no guessing on how things are run. This list also includes the Walt Disney World DVC properties, which Disney operates as Deluxe Villa resorts. The benefits depend on the resort and the particular perk, so don’t assume every hotel gets exactly the same things!

These resorts are all located near the Disney theme parks making them convenient to stay at. Most of them are brilliantly themed, so you are always immersed in the magic.

But just because a hotel is on Disney property, doesn’t mean it’s actually a Disney-run hotel. Unfortunately, Disney really complicates things since even on its own website , it lists non-Disney hotels under the same list as Disney-owned hotels. Some of them even have the word “Disney” in the hotel name such as the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin, Swan Reserve, and Four Seasons, even though they are not run by Disney.

For this comparison, we’ll distinguish between Disney-operated resorts and non-Disney hotels. Some non-Disney hotels are actually ON Disney property, so “non-Disney” and “off-site” don’t always mean the same thing.

Now that we have that straightened out, here is a list of the Disney-operated Walt Disney World resorts by hotel class:

Walt Disney World Value Resorts – $$

• All-Star Sports Resort
• All-Star Music Resort
• All-Star Movies Resort
• Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
• Disney’s Pop Century Resort

Camping

• The Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort

The campsites are a separate accommodation category, not furnished Value Resort hotel rooms. You’ll need your own camping setup or an appropriate rental.

Walt Disney World Moderate Resorts – $$$

• Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
• Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
  • Gran Destino Tower
• Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter
• Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside

Walt Disney World Deluxe Resorts – $$$$

• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
• Disney’s Beach Club Resort
• Disney’s Boardwalk Inn
• Disney’s Contemporary Resort
• Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
• Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
• Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Disney’s Yacht Club Resort

Deluxe Disney Villas – $$$$

• Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
• Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village
• Disney’s Beach Club Villas
• Disney’s Boardwalk Villas
• Disney’s Old Key West Resort
• Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows (including Island Tower)
• Disney’s Riviera Resort
• Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa (including Treehouse Villas)
• The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort – A Disney Vacation Club Resort
• Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge (scheduled to open July 1, 2027)
• The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Benefits of Staying at a Disney World Resort Hotel

Now that we know all the Disney hotels, we need to understand the perks associated with them and what you get when you stay there.

While this list has become less compelling in recent years, there are still many benefits you get from staying on-site, some of which may be especially important for your family. A few of them are even available at non-Disney resorts too.

Just keep in mind that this list changes on a constant basis as Disney is always tweaking which perks are offered to both on-site and off-site hotels, so always check directly with Disney or your Authorized Disney Vacation Planner before booking.

1. Closer to the Parks

My number one benefit of staying at a Disney World resort is how close you are to the theme parks and the convenience it offers. It cannot be overstated how useful it is to be on property and how much time it can save you throughout the duration of your stay.

Depending on which resort you stay at, you are only a short ride on Disney transportation away from the theme parks, or even a short walk away if you stay close enough. If you are staying off-site you either have to wait for that hotel’s transportation (if they have it) or drive back to your hotel or house.

In most cases, this is going to take much longer than if you are staying on-site and you will waste a ton of time.

For example, the Contemporary, Grand Floridian, and Polynesian are Magic Kingdom area resorts with monorail access, while Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness have boat transportation to the Magic Kingdom. The Contemporary is especially convenient if you want to walk, but don’t assume every Magic Kingdom-area hotel is the same distance from the park!

The Crescent Lake EPCOT area resorts are also close to both EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, with walking paths and Friendship Boats to the parks. The Disney Skyliner is another option via EPCOT’s International Gateway, while resorts such as Riviera and Caribbean Beach have their own stations.

Staying on-site is also great for afternoon naps. Let’s face it, you don’t always want to stay in the parks all day. In fact, we usually rope drop one park in the morning, go back to the hotel in the afternoon to sleep or swim in the pool and then go back to the same park or a different one in the evening.

Disney’s Beach Club is one of our favorite resorts because we can spend the morning at Hollywood Studios, take the Skyliner back to the hotel after lunch and spend all afternoon in the pool. Then in the evening, we can walk into EPCOT for dinner and the fireworks show.

If you have small children a trip to Disney can be exhausting and unpredictable, so having the option to easily go back to the resort is often worth the extra cost. It also makes it easier to split up if you are in a group as some people can go back to the hotel when they want while others stay in the parks.

2. Free Transportation to Theme Parks

We touched on it already above, but the free transportation to and from the parks is a huge perk of staying on-site. It’s absolutely amazing to be on vacation away from home and not have to worry about transportation and how you are going to get from one place to another.

If you are anything like us, not having to rent a car and worry about directions from one place to another will save you from some serious arguments in the family.

There are 4 main forms of complimentary transportation at Walt Disney World. You don’t have to stay at a Disney hotel to use the public transportation system, but having convenient service connected to YOUR resort is a huge advantage. The options available depend on where you stay:

Buses – This is the most common transportation around Walt Disney World. Disney resort hotels have bus service to destinations such as the theme parks and Disney Springs. The exact routes depend on the hotel, and a resort may use the Skyliner, monorail, or boats instead of regular buses to a particular park.

For example, if you are staying at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort and you want to head to Hollywood Studios, there are bus stops located throughout the property where buses come to bring you there.

The buses are not the most efficient way of getting around Disney World and they pass by the stops approximately every 20 minutes. Depending on the route, waits, and crowds, a trip can take 45 minutes or longer. Give yourself extra time for a dining reservation or park opening, especially if you need to transfer, and expect longer waits when leaving right after a fireworks show.

Use the My Disney Experience app to check bus times from your location before departing so you know how long it’s going to take.

Monorail – Also known as “The Highway in the Sky” this is a favorite method of transportation around Disney World, even though the current trains are getting pretty old.

The monorail system connects the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT to the Transportation and Ticket Center as well as the Magic Kingdom Resorts around the Seven Seas Lagoon (Contemporary, Grand Floridian, and Polynesian resorts).

Disney Skyliner – This is the newest and also our favorite form of transportation at Disney World. It connects Hollywood Studios and EPCOT with Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, and Disney’s Riviera Resort. Yacht Club, Beach Club, and BoardWalk guests can walk to the EPCOT station at International Gateway, but those hotels don’t have their own stations.

It can be a wonderfully convenient way to get around, and it’s so fun that it’s basically an attraction all on its own!

Boats – Selected Magic Kingdom-area resorts, including the Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Wilderness Lodge, and Fort Wilderness, have boat service to the park. Routes vary, but we love the views on the way there!

You can also get on the Friendship Boats to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios from Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club, Disney’s Boardwalk Inn, and the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin (even though they aren’t technically Disney resorts).

If you are interested in going to Disney Springs, catch a ferry from Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside or French Quarter, Disney’s Old Key West, or Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa.

There is still some room for improvement in the various transportation methods at Walt Disney World (we’re waiting for a Skyliner expansion and new Monorail trains), but for the most part, it’s easy, effective, and very convenient to use.

Some non-Disney hotels also offer shuttles to the parks, but in many cases, we’ve found their schedules to be less flexible and often with longer waits in-between rides. Check the actual timetable before relying on one. Weather and maintenance can affect Disney transportation too, so it’s always good to have a backup plan.

3. Get to the Parks Earlier

If you are interested in doing as many attractions as possible during your trip or reducing the time you have to wait in lines, taking advantage of Early Theme Park Entry is key.

This replaced the morning part of Extra Magic Hours and allows registered guests at Disney resorts and participating partner hotels to enter all 4 theme parks 30 minutes before regular opening. The benefit is confirmed to continue through 2027, and valid park admission is required. Only selected attractions operate during Early Entry. If the park officially opens at 9:00 am on a given day, Early Theme Park Entry starts at 8:30 am.

30 minutes may not sound like a lot, but trust us, getting ahead of the regular opening crowd can make a HUGE difference. We’d pick one priority attraction and treat anything else we get done as a bonus!

For example, at Hollywood Studios, you might prioritize Slinky Dog Dash or Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, depending on the current operating lineup. Just don’t plan on riding both before the park officially opens!

Make sure you are in line well before the 30 minutes start. We recommend arriving at least 60 minutes before the official park opening time , or 30 minutes before Early Theme Park Entry starts. This will allow you to be one of the first people in line and put you in a prime position to rope drop whatever park you are visiting that day.

All guests staying at a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel are eligible for Early Theme Park Entry as well as the following third-party hotels:

• Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
• Walt Disney World Swan Hotel
• Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
• Shades of Green® on Walt Disney World® Resort
• Renaissance Orlando Resort and Spa
• DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando
• Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace
• Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista
• Holiday Inn Orlando
• Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort
• Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek
• Waldorf Astoria Orlando
• Drury Plaza Hotel Orlando Lake Buena Vista

We know it’s a hassle waking up early when you’re on vacation, but the time you will save makes it worth it. Make sure you check the park hours the night before your visit as hours are subject to change.

For more info on how it works, read our Guide to Early Theme Park Entry at Disney World.

4. Stay Later at the Parks

You don’t like waking up early and getting to the parks before the crack of dawn? No problem. Extended Evening Hours let eligible guests stay later in selected parks and enjoy selected attractions after regular closing, often with shorter waits.

Extended Evening Hours is confirmed to continue through 2027 at selected theme parks on selected nights. The schedule can change, so check the calendar for your actual dates rather than assuming the same park hosts it every week.

The event generally adds 2 hours after regular park closing. The exact times depend on that night’s schedule.

Guests staying at one of the Deluxe Resorts, Deluxe Villas, the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin, Swan Reserve, or Disney’s Shades of Green are eligible to use Extended Evening Hours.

Unfortunately, the drawback is that it’s not available for guests staying at one of the Value or Moderate resorts. Is the extra money to upgrade to a Deluxe Resort worth it?

That depends on your budget, but we’ve had some fantastic nights during Extended Evening Hours, and the shorter waits can make it one of the BEST perks of a Deluxe stay. Just don’t expect every attraction to operate or every popular ride to be a walk-on!

If you are thinking of doing a split stay at Disney World, you may want to time it so you are staying at one of the Deluxe Resorts on the nights that Extended Evening Hours is running to take advantage of it.

For more details and tips, read our Guide to Extended Evening Hours at Disney World.

5. Better Dining Reservations

Getting a dining reservation for the more popular restaurants in Walt Disney World can be extremely difficult, but it’s a little easier if you are staying on-site.

The way Advance Dining Reservations at Disney World works is that all guests (those staying at a Disney World Resort hotel or off-site) can make reservations at the restaurants of their choice 60 days before the day of the reservation. So if you want a table at Be Our Guest on October 1, just count back 60 days from then (August 2) and that’s when you can book it.

However, Disney World Resort hotel guests have an advantage, the 60+10 Day Rule.

In that case, if you are staying on-site, you can book all your dining reservations for your entire trip (up to 10 days) starting 60 days before your arrival date at Walt Disney World. So instead of making one reservation per day on the 60th day before that reservation, you get to make them all at once.

Your booking window still opens 60 days before check-in, but you can reserve dining for later in your stay at the same time—potentially close to 70 days before the meal itself! You aren’t booking 70 days before you arrive; you’re getting an earlier shot at meals toward the end of your trip. That’s a significant head start over off-site guests who have to wait until 60 days before each dining date.

And since everyone off-site has to wait, you will have much less competition, especially toward the end of your trip. With a limited number of reservations available at Disney restaurants, it could mean the difference between eating at Cinderella’s Royal Table or getting a hot dog at Casey’s Corner.

6. MagicBand+

Not everyone wants to spend the extra money, but using MagicBands at Disney World makes the entire experience much easier.

Some of the things you can use the MagicBands and MagicBand+ for include:

• Use it as your Theme Park ticket
• Use it as a hotel key card to enter your room
• Check-in at Lightning Lane entrances
• Charge food and merchandise to your room
• Capture memories with a Disney PhotoPass photographer
• Interact with nighttime entertainment (MagicBand+ only)
• Gesture Recognition (MagicBand+ only)
• Interactive Experiences like Star Wars: Batuu Bounty Hunters (MagicBand+ only)

Yes, some of these features are also available with the Disney MagicMobile service in the My Disney Experience app, but MagicBands continue to be popular with guests and offers you the most stylish way to tour the parks.

Most of those features can be used by both on-site and off-site guests, but the big one that cannot is charging privileges. It’s nice to be able to walk around the parks and not bring your wallet, and when you stay at a Disney hotel you can just charge all your food and merchandise to your room.

MagicBands are optional and are no longer complimentary. The former pre-arrival resort-guest discount has also ended, so don’t count on saving money on a band just because you’re staying on-site. The hotel-related advantages are using it as your room key and for eligible room charging; most of the other features work for off-site guests too.

Check out our Guide to MagicBand+ at Disney World for a detailed look at how they work and all the features.

7. Early Access to Lightning Lanes

Disney hotel guests no longer get the free FastPass+ service we loved, but the paid Lightning Lane service does give eligible resort guests an earlier opportunity to purchase passes.

There are three options: Lightning Lane Multi Pass, which lets you choose up to 3 eligible experiences and arrival windows in advance; Lightning Lane Single Pass, sold separately for selected high-demand attractions; and Lightning Lane Premier Pass, which provides one-time entry to each available Lightning Lane experience in one park for one day without choosing return times.

Eligible resort guests can begin purchasing at 7:00 am Eastern Time, 7 days before check-in, for eligible days of their stay, up to 14 days. This applies to Disney Value, Moderate, Deluxe, and Deluxe Villa resorts, plus the Swan, Dolphin, Swan Reserve, and Shades of Green. It is NOT just a Deluxe perk!

This is a MASSIVE advantage on busy dates. You still have to PAY for Lightning Lanes, which we aren’t thrilled about, but that earlier purchasing window can make a real difference when the most popular selections are in demand.

Other guests generally start 3 days ahead, but the ticket type matters. Off-site guests with date-based tickets can purchase starting 3 days before the ticket’s first day for its valid admission days. They do not have to purchase each vacation day separately. Annual Passholders and guests with non-date-based tickets generally use a rolling 3-day window unless they have an eligible hotel stay.

Some Lightning Lane Single Pass attractions include Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Rise of the Resistance, TRON Lightcycle / Run, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, and Avatar Flight of Passage. Check the current lineup when planning.

Premier Pass is available to on-site AND off-site guests, subject to limited quantities. The benefit of an eligible hotel stay is the earlier purchase window, not exclusive access to the pass.

Prices vary by park, attraction, and date, and Disney displays prices up to 21 days ahead in My Disney Experience. Compare the options for your actual dates rather than relying on an old price range.

8. Disney Cast Members

One of the reasons we keep coming back to Disney World is because of the awesome cast members that are always there to take away the stress and make us feel like we are at home.

The cast members are super nice, always smiling, and time and time again, they have gone above and beyond for us even filling any of our crazy special requests. Once back in the day, I had a craving for the apple turnovers at the old Main Street Bakery (before it was Starbucks and when it was actually good), and we didn’t have any days left on our passes to go and get them.

We told the reception desk and they special delivered from the Magic Kingdom to the Beach Club, 8 Apple Turnovers, right to my room!! Talk about service. It’s fantastic experiences like this that always make our vacation a magical one.

9. Disney-themed Hotels & Rooms

One thing that Disney hotels can offer that the majority of off-site hotels can’t is the unique Disney theming. I don’t want bland, chain hotel theming when I’m in Disney World, I want to be transported away to a far-off place.

Where else can you in one minute be on a remote island in French Polynesia, then the next be in the Pacific Northwest in a gigantic, rustic log lodge? What about the Animal Kingdom Lodge where you are transported to the African Savannah in the middle of Giraffes and Zebras?

Disney resorts have a way of transporting you to a different time and place, you don’t feel like you’re in the real world. Even when you leave the park it feels like your magical experience is continuing even back at the resort. Drive back to the Howard Johnson and tell me if you feel the same.

Theming like this has been a selling point since Walt Disney World opened, but not all Disney hotels are created equal. Sadly, some of the newer resorts are a little more generic and lack a unique theme and we hope Disney gets back to the bolder themed environments that made us fall in love.

10. Awesome Pools

If you like to spend time at the pool when on vacation, you need to seriously consider staying at one of the Disney World hotels where you’ll find some of the best pools in Orlando.

The pools have the same theme as the resort itself and are in fun and interesting locations. Many of them have waterslides which we are not embarrassed to say we still enjoy going down up to this day.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a better pool than Stormalong Bay at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club which is a full 3 acres in size. You even have to climb atop the mast of a wrecked ship to go down the slide. Really it’s more like a water park than just a pool.

Another one of our favorites is The Lava Pool over at Disney’s Polynesian Resort. It has a 142-foot water slide that goes through a volcano!

The vast majority of Disney resorts have multiple pools to choose from, some that are more designed for kids and families, while others are more isolated and quiet, perfect for adults looking to get away from the craziness. Waterslides are available at selected resorts, not every hotel.

Just remember that visiting a resort doesn’t automatically give you permission to use its pool. Pool access has guest restrictions, so don’t plan on freely swimming at every hotel you visit!

11. Plenty of Options for Big Families

If you are traveling in a group of 5 people, you know it’s not always easy to find a hotel room with the right sleeping accommodations for everyone. Thankfully, Disney has some great hotels options for 5 guests or more .

Many of the Disney hotel rooms have two queen beds, plus another pulldown bed that fits a child or small adult. Not all of the hotels have rooms for 5 people, so you’ll need to check ahead of time and select one that does.

There are also a variety of one, two, and three-bedroom suites and villas, plus cabins, for larger families. Check the exact room category, permitted occupancy, and actual beds—not just the resort name. Those small fifth-sleeper beds aren’t the same thing as a full-size bed for an adult!

Two rooms are another option, but connecting rooms are requests, not guarantees. If your family needs to stay in one shared space, book a suite or villa that actually fits everyone.

12. Disney Dining Plan

Even though it’s not our favorite, many guests love using the Disney Dining Plan for its convenient pre-paid option and it’s only available to Disney hotel guests.

If you know how to use it, it can save money, but again, it’s mostly just for people who don’t want to look at the prices on the menus and have everything already paid. All they have to do is show up, make one swipe of their magic band, and their credits are automatically deducted towards snacks and meals.

For 2027, there are three options: the Quick-Service Dining Plan, Table-Service Dining Plan, and Deluxe Table-Service Dining Plan. Compare what each includes with the way your family actually eats. The Deluxe plan’s 2027 structure is not the same as the old pre-closure version.

Eligible DVC stays can also add a dining plan through the owner, with a rental company coordinating if you use one. Just don’t assume an old promotion, including 2026’s kids-free dining offer, automatically applies to your 2027 trip!

13. Incredible Selection of Dining Options

All of the Walt Disney World Resort hotels have on-site dining options so you don’t even have to leave your hotel to enjoy a meal. The Value Resorts only have quick service food options (food courts mostly) while many Moderate and Deluxe resorts offer a wider variety of choices, including table-service restaurants. The selection varies by hotel, so check what your particular resort offers.

Take the Grand Floridian Resort for example. It has everything from quick-service meals and poolside dining to signature restaurants and an upscale lounge. Not to mention the restaurants at nearby hotels and Magic Kingdom, which you can reach by the available walking paths and transportation. Park admission is required if you’re dining inside the park.

If you are staying at one of the EPCOT-area resorts you can choose from any of the dozens of restaurants on the Boardwalk loop (Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club, Boardwalk Inn, or Swan and Dolphin) as well as the countless number of restaurants at EPCOT which is only a short walk away too.

You don’t have to be staying at a hotel to eat at its restaurants, but having great food right downstairs—or a short walk away—is a HUGE convenience! In places like these, you can dine around the resort area every night and always have a different experience. (READ: The Best Disney World Resort Hotel Restaurants for our suggestions on where to eat).

14. Airport Transportation & Complimentary Luggage Transfer

Disney no longer provides free airport transportation for your family, but there are still plenty of ways to get between Orlando International Airport and your hotel.

The most similar option to Disney’s Magical Express is Mears Connect Driven by Sunshine. Mears Connect and Sunshine Flyer combined, so they are no longer two separate choices. Check the current fare for your party rather than relying on old adult and child prices.

Of course, you can also take Uber, Lyft, or a private car service. Many of these options serve non-Disney hotels too, so inexpensive airport transportation itself isn’t an exclusive on-site perk.

What IS a useful new perk is Airport Luggage Transfer! This complimentary BagCheck pilot handles eligible baggage on domestic MCO flights with American Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines.

The participating hotels are All-Star Movies, All-Star Music, All-Star Sports, Art of Animation, Pop Century, and Caribbean Beach. It isn’t available at every Disney resort.

For arrivals, advance registration is required, currently between 30 days and 24 hours before your flight. You can skip baggage claim at MCO and have your bags taken to the hotel. Delivery can take up to 4 hours, so keep medicine, documents, electronics, and anything you’ll need right away in your carry-on. You can collect delivered bags from the resort’s luggage desk or ask about room delivery; gratuities aren’t included.

For departures, eligible guests can drop bags at the resort’s designated luggage desk between 24 and 4 hours before their flight, after completing airline check-in and paying applicable bag fees. Follow the current instructions for your airline and hotel.

This service moves your BAGS, not your family! You still need to arrange your own ride between MCO and Disney World. Airline baggage fees still apply, and the service remains a pilot subject to change.

Check out our Guide to Airport Transportation to Disney World for a full breakdown of your options.

15. Cleanliness & Room Quality

While there are some really nice off-site hotels in the Orlando area, there are also some dives you would never even want to step inside. Disney on the other hand, has a reputation for cleanliness and you know you are getting a quality room for the money.

We’ve generally had good experiences getting problems addressed, and we appreciate having the front desk and Disney’s resort team available when something isn’t right. No hotel is perfect, but that support matters to us!

16. Free Parking at Resorts and Theme Parks

If you are staying at a non-Disney hotel and bringing a car, you may need to pay both hotel parking and theme-park parking. Check your hotel’s benefits and any applicable Annual Pass or ticket privileges before adding those charges—there are exceptions, and not every hotel charges for parking.

Current standard theme-park parking is $35 per day, while preferred parking is $50–$60. These are planning baselines, not guaranteed 2027 prices, so check the current rate for your visit.

On the other hand, eligible Disney resort stays include standard resort self-parking and standard theme-park parking. Valet parking and a preferred-parking upgrade are separate. Don’t assume every non-Disney hotel on Disney property follows Disney-operated resort parking rules.

This is a most welcome change from the years when Disney charged overnight parking fees at its hotels. When you’re staying for a week, avoiding a nightly parking charge can make a noticeable difference!

If you end up off-site at a hotel that does charge for parking, you can easily avoid this fee if you take a motorcoach service or Uber from the airport, but it is a pain for guests with cars and no one wants to be nickled or dimed.

READ: Ultimate Guide to Parking at Disney World

17. More Disney Fun (Recreation, Activities & Upgrades)

One of the best parts about staying at a Disney World hotel is all the extra fun you can have even when you aren’t visiting the theme parks.

Here are some of the more popular activities and upgrades available to Disney resort guests:

Movie Under the Stars – On select nights, a Disney movie plays for resort guests outside, usually near that resort’s pool. This is one of the most unique experiences and great for a romantic date night or as a fun experience for the kids.

Campfires – Some of the Disney hotels have campfires guests can gather around, plus the roasting marshmallow and s’mores kits make for a great dessert.

Poolside Games and Activities – Throughout the day, cast members organize pool games for the young, and young at heart to engage in. Dancing, hula hooping, bingo, water balloon tosses, and trivia are all ways to have more fun.

Outdoor Activities – There are a ton of free outdoor games and activities at the Disney hotels such as shuffleboard, ping pong, basketball, tennis, volleyball, and lawn chess just to name a few.

Arcades – Most of the hotels have an arcade with games like pinball, air hockey, and more.

Other Paid Recreation – Things like horseback riding, boat rentals, fishing, bicycles, and carriage rides can all be enjoyed for an extra fee.

Virtual Assistant – “Hey Disney!” is available in participating resort rooms, using Alexa technology for Disney-themed interactions, resort information, and certain requests. It’s an optional convenience, not something you have to use.

Activities vary by resort and schedule. Some, such as arcade games, recreation rentals, and selected activity kits, cost extra, so check what is included before promising the kids everything on the list!

Make sure you check the full list of activities available before arrival so you can choose which ones are most appealing to your family.

18. Easy Access to Kitchen & Laundry Facilities

All Disney World Resorts have laundry facilities you can use to clean any clothes you have during your stay. This allows you to pack lighter and avoid those extra baggage fees on your flight down, or to clean your clothes even before leaving so you aren’t stuck with a mountain of them when you get home.

Some laundry systems offer ways to check machine status or receive notifications, but features vary by location. Check the instructions at your resort so you aren’t making unnecessary trips back to the laundry room.

Some rooms at the DVC Villas even have in-room laundry units so you can do whatever cleaning you need to without going down to the common laundry area.

Also, some hotel rooms at Disney World even include a full kitchen with a full refrigerator, stove, and everything you need to make your own meals in the room. This can be extremely helpful in saving money so you don’t have to eat out every night.

Most 1-bedroom and larger DVC villas have full kitchens and an in-room washer and dryer. Options include the appropriate villa categories at:

• Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House and Kidani Village
• Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
• Beach Club Villas
• BoardWalk Villas
• Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
• Old Key West Resort
• Polynesian Villas & Bungalows, including Island Tower
• Riviera Resort
• Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, including Treehouse Villas
• Lakeshore Lodge, scheduled to open July 1, 2027

Just make sure you book the actual villa category—not a regular hotel room at a resort that happens to have villas next door! Deluxe Studios generally have kitchenettes and shared laundry instead of a full kitchen and in-room machines.

The Fort Wilderness cabins are an important exception: they have kitchens, but NO in-cabin washer or dryer. You use the resort’s shared laundry facilities. Don’t book Yacht Club expecting a full kitchen or in-room laundry either.

If you don’t need a full kitchen, some of Disney’s Value Resorts have family suites with a small refrigerator, microwave, and sink area. This allows you to prepare a quick breakfast or snacks so you can save money in the parks.

19. Vacation Packages

While you can always book your Disney World Resort hotel room separately, you also have the option of booking it as part of a vacation package along with your tickets.

The reason this can be advantageous is that sometimes there are special package offers that help you save money. A package isn’t automatically cheaper, though, so compare the complete price with a room-only offer and separately purchased tickets. One of the best ones is the Disney Free Dining Plan which is of course only available to Disney hotel guests.

When a qualifying Free Dining offer is available, the included Disney Dining Plan can be valuable. But compare the required room and ticket costs with other discounts—you may give up a room discount to get it, and it isn’t automatically the best deal for every family. Don’t assume a prior-year promotion is running for your dates.

If a special offer is not running, you may want to consider buying Discounted Disney Tickets instead which will probably save you a nice chunk of change.

20. No Resort Fees

Many of the other Orlando-area hotels charge hidden resort fees for every night of your stay, and if you aren’t aware of them ahead of time, they can really add up.

The nice thing about Disney-operated hotels is that there is no mandatory nightly resort fee. That doesn’t mean every purchase or activity is included, but it’s one less charge to add to your room comparison. Staying off-site has burned us this way more than once. Even though a non-Disney hotel may seem cheaper, make sure you add up all the fees correctly to get the actual cost.

21. Online Check-In

If you don’t want to waste time at the front desk when you arrive, you can use the Disney World Online Check-In service through the My Disney Experience app. Your mobile device will let you know when your room is ready and you can go directly there upon arrival.

Non-Disney hotels may offer mobile check-in and digital keys too, so this isn’t completely unique to Disney. Still, we appreciate having it in the same app we use for the rest of our trip.

Going straight to your room is convenient, but online check-in does NOT guarantee that your room will be ready early!

22. Complimentary Water Park Admission on Check-In Day

One benefit we’re excited about is complimentary water park admission on check-in day during eligible summer 2027 dates! Disney has confirmed the benefit is returning, but the exact eligible 2027 date range has not yet been announced. It is NOT a year-round 2027 perk.

This gives registered overnight guests at eligible Disney Resorts Collection hotels, including Value, Moderate, Deluxe, and Deluxe Villas, the opportunity to visit an operating Disney water park without buying separate admission for that day. The Fort Wilderness campsites are excluded. The DVC cabins are a different accommodation category.

This makes sense considering many guests arrive before their hotel rooms are ready. You can leave your bags with the resort’s luggage desk and use the available transportation to the water park. If you have no luggage to store, you can go directly to the water park instead of stopping at the hotel first. Pack swimwear and anything else you’ll need in your carry-on if your checked bags are being transferred separately!

The benefit applies only on your check-in day, during park operating hours—not another day of your vacation. Admission is subject to park availability, capacity, weather, and closures. Don’t count on a refund, credit, or replacement day if you can’t use it.

Disney hotel guests can also receive complimentary water-park towel rentals. Lockers and other optional purchases cost extra. Check the current terms and operating schedule before planning your whole arrival day around it!

23. Early Access to Special-Event Tickets

Staying at an eligible hotel can also give you an earlier chance to buy tickets for certain special events. The tickets are NOT included with your room, but that head start can help if you have your heart set on a particular night!

For example, eligible Disney resort guests, plus guests at the Swan, Dolphin, Swan Reserve, and Shades of Green, had an advance purchase window for the 2027 Disney After Hours events. Participating hotels, dates, and purchase windows vary by event, so check the rules for the actual event you want. A hotel reservation doesn’t guarantee tickets will still be available.

24. Bounceback Offers for Your Next Trip

Already thinking about your next trip before this one is over? We know the feeling! Disney sometimes offers eligible resort guests a discount on a future stay when they book within seven days of checkout.

The current return-stay offer includes selected 2027 dates, with savings of up to 25% at selected Value Resorts, 30% at Moderate Resorts, and 35% at Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts. Those are promotional maximums, not a standing discount on every room or date.

Check your eligibility and the current offer before the booking deadline. Available rooms are limited, and booking rules, exclusions, and eligible return dates apply. If you’re already planning to come back, it’s certainly worth comparing!

25. The Disney Bubble

The last and most important reason to stay in a Disney resort is to be in the Disney Bubble. What the heck am I talking about? You’ve obviously never stayed on-site then! If you have, you know that magical and carefree feeling you get when you stay there!

It sounds crazy but everything is better in the bubble…the air smells cleaner, food tastes better, and people are happier. Maybe it’s the close proximity to the theme parks or the way the cast members are always smiling and going out of their way to make each day extra special.

It’s obviously an emotional feeling you can’t really explain, but for those of us that have been going for decades, it’s one that is irreplaceable!

Sadly, once you go home, the bubble pops, and the real world sets in. And it’s at that point that your craving starts all over for the magical sensation that can only be found when you are fully immersed in your Disney trip and it’s why those millions of guests come back year after year looking for more.

Old Disney Benefits

Even though there are still a ton of reasons to stay at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel today, sadly many of the best perks have slowly been discontinued through the years.

The Disney parks are in a constant flux of change, and there have been a lot of changes over the last few years since the parks closed and reopened. Some of those changes were originally expected to be temporary, but several favorite perks still haven’t returned. There are newer benefits and partial replacements, but they aren’t always the same thing we lost.

Here are some of the benefits we really miss.

Disney’s Magical Express – Of all the extinct Disney perks, this one hurts the most. This was Disney’s airport shuttle service that picked guests up from the Orlando International Airport and brought them to their resort hotel for free.

Now you have to pay to get to your hotel which means either a bus service like Mears Connect, a ride sharing service like Uber, or renting a car. A paid shuttle, rideshare, or rental car adds another expense to your trip, and the total depends on your family and transportation choice.

Another great feature of Disney’s Magical Express was the luggage handling that used to be included. The newer Airport Luggage Transfer pilot brings back a limited baggage service for eligible hotels and airlines, including resort bag drop for eligible departing flights, but it does NOT restore the free airport bus. If you don’t qualify, you still need to arrange how you’ll handle your bags.

FastPass+ – This is also arguably the worst change in recent years as Disney has replaced a free line-skipping service like FastPass+ with a paid one in Lightning Lanes. We are not fans of having to pay for ride reservations and we consider this a downgrade, even though there are some pros to Lightning Lanes if you are willing to pay for it. (Read our Full Guide to Lightning Lanes for more info.)

Eligible resort guests now have the seven-day Lightning Lane purchase window discussed above, compared with the usual three-day window for other guests. We appreciate the head start, but paying for a service that used to be free still stings!

Extra Magic Hours – This perk is no longer at the parks, but it has been replaced by two services that operate in a similar way. Extra Magic Hours used to work that one park was chosen per day and that park would either be open to Disney World Resort guests 1 hour before the general public or stay open 2 hours later at night.

Early Theme Park Entry has taken over the morning part of Extra Magic Hours but instead of one park opening one hour early, all 4 parks open 30 minutes early. Honestly, we like this new version better as it spreads out the crowds more instead of everyone flocking to the same park for the Extra Magic Hours.

Extended Evening Hours replaced the evening part of Extra Magic Hours and is available to Disney Deluxe and Deluxe Villa guests, plus the Swan, Dolphin, Swan Reserve, and Shades of Green. It’s a big advantage for eligible guests, but a benefit ordinary Value and Moderate guests don’t receive.

180-Day ADR Booking Window – The new dining reservation system is a 60-Day window instead of the old 180-Day one. Even though it was a hassle having to decide where you were going to eat 6 months in advance, we prefer the old way as it gave early planners an advantage in getting ADRs.

Now at only 60 days out, most people going to Disney World have already booked their vacation packages and are ready to make dining reservations. Popular restaurants can still be hard to book, so we like having the resort-guest advantage for meals later in the trip.

Free Package Delivery – Another perk used to be resort package pickup when you bought merchandise in the parks. If you bought something but didn’t feel like carrying it around all day, you could have your package sent to a designated pickup location at your resort, which was a huge help.

This saved you from paying for a locker to store it in or from lugging it around the parks. You just had to fill out the form and it would be sent to your resort for pickup, generally the next day. This was useful when you had bigger items like the custom lightsabers from Savi’s Workshop for example.

This is the perk we probably miss the most, and it’s the easiest to bring back if they wanted. Let’s hope that package delivery service does come back someday!

Pre-Arrival MagicBand Discounts – Resort guests also used to receive a discount on selected bands ordered before their stay. That program has ended. You can still use a compatible band, but buying one is optional and shouldn’t be counted as a current hotel discount.

Perks at Non-Disney Resort Hotels

While most of the best perks are limited to Walt Disney World Resort hotels only, some of the same perks are shared with some of the off-site hotels too.

Non-Disney hotels are managed by companies other than Disney. Some are physically on Disney property and others are off-site. Location alone doesn’t tell you which Disney perks they include, so check the particular hotel rather than relying on its name.

Some of the most notable ones are the Four Seasons which is located right near the exclusive community of Golden Oak. Even though it’s technically on land owned by Disney, it’s run by Four Seasons.

The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin , and Swan Reserve are right near EPCOT and even have “Disney World” in the title, but they are also not run by Disney. These are just a few examples as over by Disney Springs and Bonnet Creek there are many more.

Even the way Disney groups them can be confusing. The main thing to understand is that there are three categories of hotels when talking about the Disney perks associated with them.

Good Neighbor Hotels

The Good Neighbor Hotels are the easiest to classify. The Good Neighbor designation by itself does not establish eligibility for Early Entry or another particular Disney benefit. Check the individual hotel’s current perks and shuttle schedule.

Transportation may be offered, but it isn’t always free or as frequent as you want. Often the appeal is the price, room setup, or location rather than a complete set of Disney perks.

Official Walt Disney World Hotels

The next category is “Official Walt Disney World Hotels” and the Disney Springs-area hotels. Again, the name makes you think these hotels are owned and run by Disney, but that is not the case at all.

These hotels are located on Disney property and have some perks that are useful for guests.

Here is a list of the “Official Walt Disney World Hotels” and Disney Springs Hotels:

• Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort
• Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek
• Waldorf Astoria Orlando
• Renaissance Orlando Resort and Spa
• DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando
• Drury Plaza Hotel Orlando Lake Buena Vista
• Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace
• Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista
• Holiday Inn Orlando

The benefits these hotels receive are as follows:

• Early Theme Park Entry
• Complimentary Transportation to and from the parks (in most cases)

Guests at these hotels generally do not get the following Disney-operated resort benefits:

• Extended Evening Hours
• The seven-day resort-guest Lightning Lane purchase window
• Free Theme Park Parking
• MagicBand Charging privileges
• Disney Dining Plan
• Direct Disney-operated transportation service at the hotel, unless specifically provided

READ: Best Hotels Near Disney World

Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin and Swan Reserve

The last significant group of non-Disney hotels that still offer some of the same perks is the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin and the Swan Reserve. These are Marriott-affiliated hotels, not Disney-operated resorts, even though they are part of the Crescent Lake area near EPCOT.

These hotels have the highest amount of Disney perks of all the non-Disney hotels.

Perks for the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin and Swan Reserve hotels include:

• Early Theme Park Entry
• Extended Evening Hours
• The seven-day resort-guest Lightning Lane purchase window, including Premier Pass
• Free Parking at Disney World Theme Parks
• Access to Some Disney Transportation (Friendship Boats to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios)

Guests at these hotels generally do not get the following Disney-operated resort benefits:

• Access to Disney-run Buses
• Disney Dining Plan
• MagicBand Charging privileges

Their hotel parking fees are separate from the standard Disney theme-park parking benefit, so include those in your comparison. They provide their own bus transportation to Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom; the Magic Kingdom shuttle goes to the Transportation and Ticket Center rather than the park’s Disney bus loop.

What About Shades of Green? Eligible guests at Shades of Green also receive Early Entry, Extended Evening Hours, and the seven-day Lightning Lane purchase window. However, this military resort has its own eligibility requirements and is not available to every traveler. It does not receive the Disney Resorts Collection summer check-in-day water-park benefit.

Which Hotels Get Which Benefits?

Here is the quick comparison. Always verify the exact hotel and your dates before booking:

Benefit	Disney Value & Moderate	Disney Deluxe & Deluxe Villas	Swan, Dolphin, Swan Reserve & Shades of Green	Other hotels
Early Theme Park Entry	Yes	Yes	Yes	Selected participating hotels
Lightning Lane purchase window	7 days before check-in	7 days before check-in	7 days before check-in	Usually 3 days; ticket rules apply
Can purchase Premier Pass	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Extended Evening Hours	No	Yes	Yes	No
Summer 2027 check-in-day water-park benefit	Eligible stays; Fort Wilderness campsites excluded	Eligible stays	No	No

Lightning Lane passes cost extra and are subject to availability. Premier Pass isn’t exclusive to Deluxe guests! The earlier purchase window is the hotel benefit. Disney’s public transportation system can be used by visitors too, but having direct service at your hotel is a separate convenience.

Reasons to Stay Off-Site

Even though there are still many pros to staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel, it’s not for everyone, and depending on your circumstances it may not be worth it.

Here are the best reasons to stay off-site when visiting Disney World:

To Save Money

The biggest reason to stay off-site is to save money. The Disney Resorts are great and when at all possible we prefer staying there, but there is no denying they are expensive and extremely overpriced most of the time.

Obviously, there is more competition outside Disney and because of the convenience they are giving you, they know that Disney sells itself and they don’t need to lower their rates to compete.

Because of the “Disney Bubble” factor and the extra magic that you experience, some long-time Disney-goers have seen dramatic price increases over the last decades and have continued to go all the same. On the other hand, prices for many of the resorts are simply absurd and cost more than some of the most luxurious hotels in the world.

For example, we love Disney’s Polynesian Resort , it’s a fantastic place to stay. Published 2027 Resort View rack rates run approximately $839–$1,428 per night, including tax. That’s just for the regular hotel room category! Theme Park View rates reach approximately $1,838 per night. Discounts may lower those prices, but it’s still a LOT of money.

Even a Value Resort like Disney’s Art of Animation has published 2027 Little Mermaid standard-room rack rates of approximately $260–$467 per night. For a Value Resort mind you! Family Suites are a different product, sleeping up to 6, and run approximately $542–$1,012 across the suite categories and dates. These published figures already include tax, so don’t add it twice.

You may find a significantly cheaper room at a Disney Springs-area hotel, but compare the actual dates, room category, and full price. Over a week, a genuine nightly saving can add up quickly!

If you are going to be spending the majority of your time at the parks, then you need to ask yourself if spending the extra money on your hotel room is really worth it. Just remember you are paying for the convenience and atmosphere, which we ourselves do love, but it often costs extra.

Also, as someone who is great at finding last-minute deals online, we can usually find some good bargains since off-property hotels that haven’t sold out will sometimes lower the price to attract guests. Of course, most people don’t want the hassle of waiting till the last minute, they want their trip already planned, so this usually isn’t an option.

Be careful though for hidden fees that many hotels include that you didn’t know about ahead of time like parking, bottled water, internet, or continental breakfast.

If you still decide to stay on-site and want to save money it’s important to go when the prices are lower. Our Guide to the Cheapest Times to Visit Disney World can help you figure out which dates will save you the most money.

We also recommend staying up-to-date with the latest hotel room offers from Disney. Often they have discounts of 20%-30% off the standard room rates which can mean paying thousands of dollars less.

Your best bet is always to use a Disney Authorized Travel Planner like Show You the World Travel . They can watch for eligible offers and help you compare your options as the months go by, which may save you big-time!

Compare the COMPLETE Cost

A cheaper nightly rate doesn’t always mean a cheaper vacation. But don’t automatically load every possible fee onto the off-site option either! Only count the costs YOUR family will actually pay.

Compare the same dates and party size using:

• Room total and applicable taxes
• Mandatory resort or amenity fees, if any
• Hotel parking, if you’re bringing a car
• Theme-park parking for the days you actually drive, unless a benefit or pass covers it
• Airport transportation
• Rental-car charges, fuel, tolls, or local rideshares, depending on how you’ll get around

If you won’t rent a car, don’t add rental-car and parking costs as well as rideshares. If your off-site hotel includes a shuttle, check the schedule before assuming it meets all your needs. The right comparison is the complete trip YOU would book, not the most expensive possible off-site setup versus the cheapest possible Disney one!

More Options Available

If you stay off-site, there are more options available to you than just the surrounding hotels outside Disney World.

There is a wide range of vacation homes you can rent and those can be smaller, more budget-minded or ultra-luxurious homes big enough to fit 20 people or more. Many of these homes are must-see vacation destinations all by themselves and include game rooms, movie theaters, private pools, fitness centers, and more.

Besides sites dedicated to Orlando-area vacation homes like Orlando Vacation , you can also find places to stay on Airbnb or VRBO . Just make sure with all of these options you take into consideration any extra fees associated with them. For example, some homes charge extra if you want a heated pool or to use the grill.

It’s also nice to stay in a house if you are looking for more privacy and to get away from the crowds. You can relax and the kids have a place to play where you don’t have to worry about them as much as if you are in a hotel.

Also, consider how you’ll get around from a vacation home. A rental car is often practical, or even multiple cars for a big group, but rideshares may work for some families. Add the actual transportation costs, including applicable parking, fuel, and tolls, before deciding how much the house will save you.

Visiting Other Places

Some families go to Orlando and only want to visit Walt Disney World, however, there is a growing number of them that also want to spend a good part of the time outside of Disney and visit other places like Universal Orlando—including Epic Universe—SeaWorld, or even make a trip to the beach.

In that case, it’s probably a better idea to stay off-site. You are paying a huge markup in price to stay at a Disney hotel, and the biggest reason to do this is the convenience and to stay inside the bubble.

Sit down with your family before booking your trip and really find out what they want to do. If you aren’t going to be there for any sizable portion of the trip, you will get more bang for your buck staying off-site.

Too Much Disney

Believe it or not, not everyone visiting Walt Disney World wants to be bombarded by Disney characters and music 24/7. Some families visit just for the kids and at times the parents may need a break from all the magic.

Staying off-site allows you to visit the theme parks when you want, and then retreat to a normal hotel without being surrounded by dozens of hidden Mickeys all around.

More Luxury

Even though some of the Disney hotels like the Grand Floridian or Polynesian resorts charge luxury prices, most of them simply cannot compare in sheer luxury to some of the other high-end hotels in the Orlando area.

Hotels such as the Four Seasons, Waldorf Astoria, Ritz-Carlton, and even Hyatt surpass the Disney Deluxe Resorts in elegance and upscale features. Even some of the other hotel chains such as Hilton and Marriott compare to the Deluxe Resorts in luxury, sometimes for considerably less money. Compare the actual property, room, and dates rather than assuming every Hilton or Marriott offers the same level of luxury.

Amount of Space

When comparing on-site and off-site hotel rooms, you almost always will pay less per square foot staying at a non-Disney hotel. So even if your budget is let’s say $300 per night, you will find many rooms outside Disney that are much bigger for that same price.

And if you are really looking for more space, renting a vacation home is a much better option than a hotel. Some of them have as many as 8 or 9 bedrooms which are more than enough for the whole family.

Because of the vast size of some of these homes, you may consider sharing the cost of a rental home with other families. We have done this multiple times in recent years and it really helps to make a Disney World vacation much more affordable.

Loyalty Rewards Points

Lots of credit cards offer rewards points that you can use toward free nights at their various hotels near the Disney World area. If you are part of one of those rewards plans you may want to consider using your points to cut down on the cost of a Disney vacation.

For example, Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt all offer this and we’ve used our points to cover multiple nights. Just check for any resort fees, parking, or other charges that still apply to an award stay.

Unfortunately, Disney offers no such rewards program (if they did, we’d have dozens of free nights accumulated by now) so everything comes out of pocket, making it more expensive.

Staying at Universal Hotels

While there are many hotels in the area to choose from, staying at one of the Universal Orlando hotels could be the most attractive if you are going to be visiting those theme parks as well as Disney.

Many of them are just as good as the Disney resorts when it comes to theming and overall atmosphere and many of the hotel amenities are actually superior to Disney’s in many ways.

For example, Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Hard Rock Hotel, and Loews Portofino Bay Hotel include Universal Express Unlimited for eligible attractions at Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure. These are selected Signature Collection hotels—not every hotel in the higher category gets the same benefit.

Park admission is separate, and the included Express benefit does NOT cover Epic Universe or Volcano Bay. That distinction is important if Epic Universe is the main reason you’re going!

Unlike Disney’s paid Lightning Lanes, that included Express benefit can make these particular hotels a terrific value for families visiting the covered parks. But compare the actual room rate and how much you’ll use it instead of assuming every Universal hotel is cheaper than every Disney option.

If you’re visiting both Universal and Disney World, consider which parks will take up most of your trip. A Universal hotel, a split stay, or an off-site hotel may be a better fit, with a rental car or rideshare for your Disney days. It comes down to YOUR itinerary.

Questions to Ask Before Deciding Where to Stay

Now that you know the pros and cons of staying on-site and off-site, here are some important questions to ask yourself before deciding where to stay:

What is Your Budget? – This is the very first consideration. You can only spend what your budget allows, and even though it’s tempting with credit cards, we don’t recommend anyone going into debt because they want to stay in a suite at the Grand Floridian when they really only have the money to stay at a Value or Moderate Resort.

First, decide how much you can afford to pay for accommodations and the related transportation and fees, and then go from there. Compare the total trip cost, not just the nightly room rate. Again, splitting the cost of a house or hotel room with another family may be the best way to save money and stay in nicer accommodations.

How Important is Convenience? – For sure you can save a lot of money staying off-site and far from Disney, but do you really want to spend potentially hours of your day commuting back and forth? Do you want to figure out directions and fight traffic on the way?

If you don’t mind that’s fine, but you may find you can save more time and stress by staying at a conveniently-located Disney World hotel where it’s even possible to walk right into the theme parks.

How Much Space Do You Need? – Even though some hotel rooms are made for 5 or more people, there may not be adequate space in that room to live peacefully and sometimes you need your own space. Make sure you consider how much time you and the others will be spending in your room and how much privacy is needed.

Also, consider what amenities your family needs. Are you planning to cook meals and need something with a full kitchen? In that case one of the Deluxe Villas might be best at Disney, or a vacation home. On the other hand, If you are planning on eating out every meal, do you really need a room with a kitchen?

How Many Days in the Parks? – Are you going to the parks for one day of your 7-day trip, or all 7? The Disney hotels are much closer to the theme parks so it’s easy to go back and forth quickly, but if you won’t be visiting very often is it really worth the extra cost?

Will You Actually Use the Extra Perks? – Maybe you are a late riser or go to bed early so you won’t be taking advantage of either Early Theme Park Entry or Extended Evening Hours. If you are not planning on eating at Disney restaurants often, is the 60+10 Day ADR advantage really worth it? Will you purchase Lightning Lanes and use the earlier window? If you arrive late in the day, will the summer water-park benefit be useful at all?

Are you Planning on Visiting other Orlando Area Attractions or Only Disney? – If you are staying in Disney World every day of your vacation and don’t plan on visiting any other Orlando attractions, staying on-site is probably your best option.

However, many people don’t want to be “stuck in Disney World. If you are going to Universal, SeaWorld, etc, it may be more convenient to stay outside Disney, and you will probably save money at the same time.

Try Using DVC Points

Another option is to use a DVC member (Disney Vacation Club) and book your hotel room at one of the Disney Deluxe Villas through them using points.

Basically, DVC members own a timeshare interest and receive points to use for reservations. When they have points they aren’t going to use, they may rent a reservation to guests like you and me.

You aren’t buying a membership or taking control of the points. You pay an owner to book a room in your name using their points. A rental company can help coordinate the process.

This is what we have done for years, and it can save a considerable amount compared with Disney’s cash price. Sometimes it brings a Deluxe Villa closer to a Moderate budget—or even a Value Resort price—but that depends on the room, dates, and available offers. Compare the actual totals rather than assuming it happens every time!

A friend of mine once booked a stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge for the same price she would have paid at Art of Animation. Now the Art of Animation is nice, but it’s not even a question of which is the better deal.

For a 2027 planning example, a BoardWalk Villas Resort View Deluxe Studio from September 12–17 requires 50 points for 5 nights. Using the current $26-per-point rate from David’s Vacation Club Rentals for a booking secured 7–11 months ahead, that works out to $1,300.

The published Disney cash rack-rate total for the SAME villa and dates is approximately $4,086 including tax. That’s a difference of approximately $2,786, or 68.2%! These are calculated planning figures, not a live reservation quote or a promise of availability. Compare any available cash discounts too, and don’t add tax again to the published cash total.

You can also use internet forums to contact private DVC owners. That can sometimes cost less, but you need to check the owner, payment method, references, and written agreement yourself.

We prefer having an established company like David’s help coordinate the rental, especially when we’re spending thousands of dollars. But that doesn’t mean every possible problem is covered. Read the agreement, particularly the payment and cancellation terms, before committing!

Renters at eligible Walt Disney World Deluxe Villa resorts retain benefits such as Early Entry, Extended Evening Hours, and the seven-day Lightning Lane purchase window. You do NOT automatically receive DVC member-only discounts or other membership extras.

The owner still controls the reservation, and points stays have limited scheduled housekeeping rather than daily full cleaning. Stays of 7 nights or fewer normally receive Trash & Towel Service on Day 4; stays of 8 nights or longer receive full cleaning on Day 4 and Trash & Towel Service on Day 8, with check-in counted as Day 1.

Rentals can also be much less flexible than Disney cash bookings. David’s conditional cancellation protection uses future travel credits rather than ordinary cash refunds. Popular rooms are worth requesting around the 11-month home-resort opening, but that is an opening window—not a mandatory deadline. Our full guide explains the booking windows, payment terms, and cancellation details.

READ: How to Rent DVC Points

Is It Worth It to Stay at Disney World Hotels in 2027?

As you can see it’s a lot to digest. There are many factors on which to base your decision and there isn’t one fit for all families and groups.

Staying off-site can absolutely save you money, especially if you need more space. But compare the COMPLETE cost before deciding. Disney discounts, DVC rentals, parking, and transportation can change the difference considerably. If the off-site option still saves a substantial amount and that’s your main priority, a non-Disney hotel or rental property may be the best choice.

That being said, there is nothing like staying on-site. Maybe it’s from our decades of staying at Disney World hotels, but when we are there it just feels like home. It’s obviously an emotional thing, and Disney does a great job of pulling at your heartstrings and making it feel like a truly magical place.

Plus, you can’t beat the convenience, dining options, beautiful atmosphere, amazing cast members, and everything else staying on-site provides.

Does that make it worth the extra cost? That’s up to you. Every family has its own budget and priorities when on vacation so only you can decide that.

We still miss some of the old perks, and the newer benefits won’t matter equally to every family. But in our experience, if you are primarily going to be on Disney property for the entire trip, the best option experience-wise is still to stay at a Disney World Resort hotel.

Maybe a hotel off-site can save you a few bucks per night but are the extra headaches and inconveniences worth $20 -$30 per night in some cases? In my opinion, NO. For us, the convenience, atmosphere, and overall experience can be worth more than a relatively small difference in price. That doesn’t mean we’re willing to pay ANY price to stay on-site!

Plus, there are some great deals to be had as well when staying in a Disney resort and you can stay on-site at still a great price.

Perhaps it’s just my sentimentality speaking, but the extra touches Disney puts on everything is so incredibly well done that it’s worth the extra cost in many cases. Once you enter the Disney Bubble, you may never want to leave.

That said, we understand staying off-site appeals to many, especially because of the value it offers. We ourselves have done that many times in recent years, and we’ve still had great experiences. If that is a big concern to you then staying off-site is probably the best bet.

Overall the decision is yours to make and you need to do what’s best for your family, and there is no real right and wrong answer here. We actually think it’s best to try both options and see which one you prefer.

For a first-time visitor, staying on-site may be the best option since it fully immerses you in the Disney magic. On your next visit, try staying off-site and see for yourself if there is a noticeable difference. If not, great! You saved some money and still had an amazing time. If you didn’t think it was quite the same experience, then on your next trip you know you need to go back and join us inside the Disney Bubble.

Things are constantly in motion, so it’s worth checking both Disney and non-Disney options instead of assuming the same answer works for every trip. We may return to this post in a year from now and have a totally different opinion on things so we’ll have to wait and see what happens.

In the meantime, just do me just one favor: Try staying on-site at least once and see for yourself what it’s like! 🙂

How to Book a Disney World Resort Hotel

Once you have finally decided where you are going to stay, it’s time to make your reservations. If you are staying on-site you can book your trip through Disney directly by going on the website or calling (407) 939-4357.

If you are staying at an off-site hotel you will have to make reservations directly through that company (Marriott, Hilton, etc). Or if you are renting a vacation home, you can try searching on Airbnb , VRBO , or one of the many Orlando-based rental companies .

One of our favorite ways to book off-site hotels or vacation homes is through Orlando Vacation . They have a great inventory of luxury vacation home rentals near Disney World for every budget. They also have great deals on off-site hotels near Disney.

Lastly, the easiest way to book a Disney World or Universal Orlando hotel or vacation package is by using an Authorized Disney Travel Agent . They take care of all the heavy lifting and give you the most stress-free booking experience possible.

The best part is they are absolutely FREE to use and don’t cost any more than if you booked directly through Disney. They can watch for eligible offers and help compare your options even after booking, which may save you money. Just don’t assume every reservation can be changed or every promotion can be applied. A DVC rental uses a separate owner or broker process from an ordinary Disney cash booking.

• We recommend contacting René at Show You the World Travel for all your trip planning needs, including a FREE quote. We use them all the time and honestly say they are the best.

Just make sure that before you book anything you really know how much it is going to cost so you aren’t left with any surprises. (For the full breakdown, read our article How Much Does a Disney World Vacation Cost? )

That wraps up our comparison of all the pros and cons between on-site and off-site hotels at Walt Disney World. We hope that it made it a bit easier to make a decision for your next trip!

If you are going to Disney World soon, make sure to read our Disney World Planning Guide for all the tips and info you will need to cover everything! Also, check out our Disney World Crowd Calendar so you know when the best time to visit is!

Your Thoughts

I want to know what you think about staying at Disney or Non-Disney Hotels at Walt Disney World...

• Which do you prefer?
• What are your favorite benefits from staying at a Disney World Resort hotel and what new perks would you like to see added?

Let us know in the comments section below!

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