8 Specific Reasons to Stay at One of the Disney Resorts
Picking the right place to stay on vacation is a huge decision. When you choose the wrong place, you’ll set the tone for a series of comic misadventures. Nobody wants an ill-fated trip to Wally World or the like. That path leads to unexpected Randy Quaid visits.
When you visit Orlando, you must settle on the perfect place to stay. As you know, Disney resorts cost a bit more than the competition. This happens because the competition knows that they cannot compete with Disney on features, services, and amenities. Here are eight reasons to stay at an official Disney property.
Longer Advanced Dining Reservations Windows
In a way, this article functions as a Greatest Hits piece for topics I’ve previously covered on MickeyBlog. All of them in totality lead to that bigger picture justification for staying onsite at Walt Disney World.
One of the first pieces I wrote here involved the process for booking Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs). Something I mentioned early in that article was the advantage of a Disney resort reservation. It increases the booking window ADRs. When you stay for five days, your ADR window is 184 days, four more than a person who isn’t staying at an official Disney resort.
Those later dates are when you have the best chance of getting the most coveted meal reservations at Walt Disney World. By staying onsite, you increase the odds of your family eating at Be Our Guest or Chef Mickey’s or Cinderella’s Royal Table. You’ve added a bit of magic to your vacation!
Longer FastPass Windows
The same thought process applies to FastPass windows. You may know that Disney guests get to book their FastPasses earlier. For most people, the booking window opens at 30 days. In other words, when you want to book a FastPass for February 1st, your window opens on January 2nd (remember that there are 31 days in January).
Guests staying at Disney resorts double that window. They can book their reservations 60 days ahead of their visitation date, and this advantage is huge. Currently, some of the most popular attractions such as Avatar Flight of Passage, Na’Vi River Journey, Frozen Ever After, and Slinky Dog Dash totally sell out their FastPass allotments prior to the 30-day window. Guests who don’t stay at Disney resorts must wait in line at these attractions, wasting an hour or more of valuable park time.
Disney Dining Plan
The Disney Dining Plan (DDP) enables guests to pay for their meals before the vacation technically begins. When you book your reservation at an official Disney resort, you gain the option to add the DDP. Should you do so, you will gain cost control throughout your trip.
With the standard Disney Dining Plan, you’ll enjoy one Quick Service meal, one Table Service meal, and two snacks per night of your vacation. Yes, once you pay for the DDP, your meals are covered during your trip! For that matter, so are your snacks unless you have quite the sweet tooth. You’ll only be responsible for the server’s tip at Table Service restaurants. Everything else is covered!
Alas, guests who stay offsite aren’t eligible for the Disney Dining Plan. It’s an exclusive benefit for customers staying at official Disney resorts. And it’s the main reason why my family would never stay anywhere else.
Free Magic Bands
This benefit may seem marginal, but it factors into cost evaluations. Up to four (possibly even five) guests can stay in a standard Disney resort hotel room. Each of them will need a Magic Band. It’s not a big deal, however, since Disney includes them for free as part of the hotel stay.
Guests at offsite hotels aren’t as fortunate. They’ll have to pay for a Magic Band. At the time of publication, a standard one costs $13 while the ones you’re likely to want are in the range of $23-$28. For a traveling party of four, that’s at least $52 and more likely ~$100 you’ll spend on Magic Bands. When you evaluate price differences in hotel rooms, remember to factor in this extra fee for not staying at Disney.
Magical Express
I’ve framed this conversation in terms of chronological order of the trip. You’ve booked your ADRs and your FastPasses and possibly even bought the DDP. You’ve also got your Magic Bands. Now, you’re ready for your trip!
Should you stay at a non-Disney resort, transportation for the airport to the hotel isn’t free. To the contrary, you’re likely looking at a fee of $50 or more for a ride-sharing service. Other options are available including limousines, cabs, and buses. There’s something to fit virtually any budget. All of them cost money, though.
When you stay with Disney, the Mouse takes care of you. They offer Magical Express service that will transport you from the airport to your resort. The service is free, and that’s not even the only positive.
Disney will also take care of your bags for you. Once you drop them off at the airport, Disney will save you the aggravation of heading to baggage claims. A few hours after you check in at the hotel, you’ll find your luggage awaiting you at the hotel! It’s magic! Well, it’s Magical Express, and it’s a wonderful benefit of staying at an official Disney resort.
Extra Magic Hours
How would you like an extra hour or two at a Disney park each day? I’m talking about an hour where the only other people in the parks are the ones staying at Disney resorts. Park traffic is minimal during Extra Magic Hours, giving you a prime opportunity to ride the most popular attractions at Walt Disney World without waiting in line for 60+ minutes.
Every day of your stay, at least one Walt Disney World gate will be open for Extra Magic Hours. In some instances, Disney will offer Extra Magic Hours in the morning at one park and in the evening at another. When you’re willing to have a full day, you can get up early to enjoy a quieter Disney park experience. Then, you can head to the park that has Extra Magic Hours at night. When it closes to regular guests, you can again partake in your favorite rides. It’s a wonderful bonus for staying at an official Disney resort.
Disney Amenities
I recently evaluated the best amenities available at all official Disney resorts. I then detailed some of the finest resort-specific amenities, ones that like a special bonus for staying at the right property. Clearly, I feel strongly that Disney rewards its guests for staying onsite.
When you stay onsite at Walt Disney World, you’re extending the so-called Disney Bubble. When you “go home” at night, returning to your hotel, you’re still at Disney. The theming is immaculate, the resorts are all architectural wonders, and the cast members on duty are trained in providing Disney customer service. The amenities at Disney resorts are the finest of any tourist location on the planet.
Travel Agency Will Book Your Vacation for Free!
Here’s the other wonderful aspect of a Disney vacation. You don’t have to do anything to set it up right! You can contact an agent at MickeyTravels, and they’ll take care of everything for you. They’ll detail all the ways you can plan your trip, they’ll book the room/package for you, they’ll set up the park admission tickets, and they’ll give you advice about the best ways to vacation at Disney. The best part is that their service is free to you. You receive all the benefits of a stress-free Disney vacation without paying extra for it!