10 Perks to Staying at a Disney World Resort
One of the best parts about a Walt Disney World vacation is staying on site, and Disney offers over 30 options for guests. Yes, you can save some money staying off site, but there are definitely perks to staying within the Disney “bubble.” Not only that, but Disney provides guests with multiple price points, amenities, and room configurations to meet their needs. So if you’re wondering if it’s worth it to stay on site, here’s a look at the perks to staying at a Disney World Resort.
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Planning a Disney World vacation in 2024? Be sure to check out our guide to all that the Walt Disney World Resort has to offer this year including the opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, the return of the Disney Dining Plan, and more!
1) You will get early access to Lightning Lane Reservations
The Lightning Lanes at Disney World have undergone significant improvements, with the introduction of the Lightning Lane Multi Pass (formerly known as Disney Genie+) and the Lightning Lane Single Pass (formerly known as Individual Lightning Lane).
These updated passes now combine features from the Genie+ and the previous FastPass+ service, allowing guests to book experiences in advance. This means that visitors no longer have to worry about securing their desired experiences at 7:00 AM while on vacation. Instead, they can plan ahead from the comfort of their homes, making it much simpler to organize their itinerary around any scheduled reservations or experiences during their trip.
Guests staying at Disney Resort hotels, including all Disney Resort hotels, Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel, Walt Disney World Swan Hotel, Walt Disney World Swan Reserve, and Shades of Green Resort, can purchase passes up to 7 days in advance of their stay. Non-resort guests can purchase passes up to 3 days before their visit. This is a huge advantage for guests staying on site! Many of the most popular attractions will book up quickly so being able to book them 7 days in advance instead of 3 guaranteed you the best chance of snagging the best times on your favorite attractions.
Passes can be bought for days with valid theme park admission starting at 7:00 AM Eastern Time on the first day of eligibility. Additionally, guests can make reservations for their entire vacation up to 14 days in advance.
*Click here for more info on Lightning Lanes at Walt Disney World!
2) Spend more time in the parks with early theme park entry
Some of you may recall Disney World’s “Extra Magic Hours.” Certain parks were scheduled to be open an hour early or an hour late so that resort guests could enjoy a limited number of attractions. This perk never returned after the pandemic, and Disney later replaced it with Early Theme Park Entry. Guests staying on Disney property (and other select resorts) will be allowed 30-minute early entry to ANY theme park EVERY day. While 30 minutes may not seem like much, being allowed to enter every park a little early is a huge bonus.
Additionally, those staying at Disney Deluxe Resort Hotels, Disney Deluxe Villas, and other select hotels (Swan, Dolphin, Swan Reserve, Shades of Green) will be given access to Extended Evening Hours on select nights in Magic Kingdom or Epcot. It is worth noting that in order to take advantage of these extra hours, guests must provide a valid Resort ID, valid admission, and a theme park reservation for the same park on the same day. (Or a ticket with the Park Hopper option, provided you entered the park where you made your reservation earlier in the day.)
3) Take mid-day breaks much more easily
With easier access to the parks, leaving in the middle of the day to take a nap or swim in the resort pools becomes much simpler… especially with Disney’s free resort transportation. While nearly all of the resorts offer bus travel, many of them offer monorail transportation, boat service, or even the Disney Skyliner. So if you have little ones that still need a mid-day nap, or you simply want to escape the afternoon heat… being able to easily get back to your hotel is a must!
4) Make use of keyless room entry, MagicBands, and MagicBand+ throughout your resort
MagicBands are amazing! They serve as your room key, give you a way to pay within the parks, and store all of your Genie+ reservations. They truly made our vacation much more seamless. As of January 1, 2021, MagicBands are no longer complimentary, but basic ones are rather inexpensive and may be worth the cost for your family. If you choose to opt out of purchasing MagicBands, Disney also offers keyless room entry via the My Disney Experience App.
In addition to basic MagicBands, Disney is now offering MagicBand+ at Walt Disney World! In addition to having all of the features of the original MagicBand, MagicBand+ unlocks enchanted interactions throughout the resort and has a rechargeable battery.
5) You can take advantage of Disney’s free transportation and parking
While Disney’s Magical Express has been permanently suspended (which transported guests to and from the airport), Disney resort guests can still take advantage of free transportation to and from the parks, as well as free standard parking at the parks as well as the resorts. This is undoubtedly one of the best perks of staying at a Disney World Resort. Getting around the resort is significantly easier when staying on Disney property!
6) Take Advantage of Disney Dining
Disney dining plans are back allowing you pre-pay for snacks, Quick-Service meals, and Table Service restaurants throughout the Walt Disney World Resort. And while I have never personally purchased a dining plan, I know of many who love the freedom and flexibility they provide.
7) Discover uniquely themed rooms and dining experiences
On our last trip to Walt Disney World, my family stayed at three different resorts. The best part? Experiencing all of the different themes and food choices. And while I wouldn’t recommend switching resorts mid-vacation to every family, we were able to stay at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, and Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. All three offered a unique experience, which made our trip quite memorable.
8) Disney purchases can be delivered to your room
This perk is incredibly convenient, and we used it when we stayed at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. After purchasing a souvenir at Epcot, we were able to pick it up when we got back to our hotel room at the resort’s gift shop.
9) There is something for just about every budget
Yes, you can save money by staying off-site. But with value resorts all the way up to deluxe villas, there really is something for everyone. And honestly, the value resorts are less expensive than most of the regular hotels in our hometown… and you still get all of the perks of staying at a Disney World resort.
To help you decide, be sure to check out our guides to Disney Resorts:
10) Plan a seamless Disney vacation
There is definitely an ease to planning your entire vacation within the Disney bubble. All of your reservations, including your resort stay, can be linked to your account on the My Disney Experience app. And perhaps one of my favorite perks is the ability to book a split stay. So if you can’t decide on a Disney Resort or you want to try more than one, Bell Services will transport your luggage for free to your new resort while you spend the day at the parks.
**Looking to plan your Walt Disney World vacation? Be sure to visit my step-by-step guide to get started!