There are many perks to staying at a Disney Resort property when planning your vacation, and when it comes right down to it, those perks are totally personal.
But we’re highlighting five of the perks of staying at a Walt Disney World Resort that are most celebrated by fans!
Extra Magic Hours
This is a great place to start as it is for Resort guests only! Any guest who stays at a Disney World Resort has the option to enter one park before opening and/or stay after closing — hence the name “Extra Magic Hours.” This means you’ll be able to start your day earlier if you’re a morning person or stay out a bit later if you’re a night owl. Be sure to check calendars when you’re planning so you’ll know which park or parks will have EMH each day of your trip.
Note that for the past couple years, Disney Springs Area Resorts have also offered Extra Magic Hours as a perk for their guests, too. So while it’s still relatively exclusive and a perk worth exploiting if it works for your family, it’s also available at those off-site but still Disney-adjacent hotels.
Earlier FastPass+ Reservations
FastPass+ is a must if you’re hoping to the get the most out of your trip to Walt Disney World. The most popular rides can have a stand-by wait of up to three hours. Eek! Plus, for the most popular attractions like Flight of Passage or Slinky Dog Dash, all the FastPass+ reservations will be booked long before the standard 30-day timeframe given to off-site guests (with the exception of the Disney Springs Area Resort hotels, which again get Disney World Resort perks on this front). Disney Resort guests get to book FastPass+ reservations 60 days before the first day of their trips rather than 30! So, if you choose to stay at one of the many Disney Resorts, it’s safe to say your odds of getting a reservation for the super popular rides are better.
Free Transportation
As a Disney Resort guest, transportation is covered from the moment you step off the plane. Whether it’s a ride on Disney’s Magical Express bus from Orlando International Airport to your Resort (a free service only for Disney World Resort guests) or a Monorail ride from your Resort to Magic Kingdom, the options are virtually endless — and always free! The most ubiquitous of transportation vehicles are Disney buses that take you to the various parks, to Disney Springs, and to and from Resorts. You don’t have to splurge on a rental car (and pay parking fees at your hotel) or summon a taxi or rideshare (paying money out of your pocket).
Disney Transportation Boat, Monorail, Bus, & Skyliner
Themes Galore
Who doesn’t love a good theme!? And no one carries a theme through like Disney! Relax and unwind after your day in the parks at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort — complete with your own pirate ship bed. Get the royal treatment at Port Orleans — Riverside, and stay in one of the glorious Royal Guests rooms — complete with odes to your favorite Disney Princesses. If you want over-the-top, way larger-than-life decor, head to a Value Resort! Even the most refined Resorts — we’re talking Yacht and Beach Clubs, Grand Floridian, Riviera Resort — are themed to the hilt with details on everything from lights to door hardware to carpeting. You’ll be enveloped in the magic only Disney can create from dawn until dusk.
Take a Siesta
When you’re a Disney Resort guest, you can easily access your hotel room at any time of day thanks to the free transportation included in your stay. Nap time is a standard practice for parents with young children, but even us avid parkgoers without kids sometimes need to take a siesta! There are endless ways to entertain yourself at all the Disney Resorts. Have a short afternoon nap, take a dip in the pool, or treat yourself to a massage at the spa if your Resort has one! Many of the Resorts provide evening activities such as campfires and outdoor movie nights as well. When you stay at a Disney Resort, even after you’ve left the parks, there’s more fun to be had!
Staying at a Disney Resort allows for convenience, peace of mind, and even more magical ways to entertain yourself! Which Walt Disney World Resort property sounds the most appealing to you? Let us know with a comment below!
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I can say from experience EMH is no longer a benefit since Disney has opened this up to DS hotels. We have always used late night EMH to our advantage during previous stays. However, our trip Dec. 2018 EMH was a nightmare. 30 to 50 minute waits for rides and major rides – like the Jungle Cruise not even open! It was a huge disappointment. I really don’t know if staying at a Disney operated resort is even worth it now that all of the perks are extended to DS hotels. It would be cheaper to stay at a DS hotel and pay for Minnie Vans to take you to the parks and you would still get FP+, EMH & technically Disney paid transportation
With careful planning and use of a proven touring plan, extra magic hours and the longer FP+ window isn’t needed, and both of these perks are now on equal footing for those staying at some non-Disney hotels (and no one has an advantage for rising SWGE rides since they do not utilize FP+).