How Much Do You Have to Spend at Disney World to Get Free Perks?

Depending on where you choose to stay at Disney World and any “extras” that you decide to add on to your vacation, you can find that you have access to some complimentary perks.

And between transportation, extra time in the parks, free snacks, and more, they can make a big difference in your vacation! But not all perks are created equal, and you might have to pay a bit extra to have access to select benefits.

So How Much Do You Have to Spend at Disney World to Get Free Perks? Let’s Check It Out!

Early Theme Park Entry

At the beginning of 2021, Disney announced that they would be discontinuing Extra Magic Hours for Resort hotel guests and replacing it with Early Theme Park Entry. This new perk allows guests to enter any of the four Disney World theme parks 30 minutes prior to the park opening every day of the week, so gone are the days when you only get extra hours in one park per day.

And just like Extra Magic Hours, Early Theme Park Entry is a perk that ALL Disney World Resort hotel guests (and guests at select off-property hotels) can take advantage of beginning October 1.

So whether you’re staying at a Value Resort (which costs between $100-$350 per night), a Moderate Resort (which costs $200-500 per night), a Deluxe Resort (which costs $400-$1,000+ per night), or any Disney Vacation Club property, you’ll get extra time in the parks.

Of course, there are also quite a few other perks for all Disney World Resort hotel guests including complimentary transportation to and from the airport on Disney’s Magical Express (though this will end in January 2022), and free transportation to the parks.

Is There Any Benefit to Staying in a Disney World Hotel?

Extended Evening Theme Park Hours

In addition to Early Theme Park Entry, Disney recently announced another perk that gives guests more time in the parks — but this one is only available to select guests.

Extended Evening Theme Park Hours provides guests staying at one of the Disney Deluxe or Deluxe Villa Resort hotels with extra evening hours on select nights in select theme parks. So you’ll need to pay attention to which dates and parks are available during your stay.

Disney has yet to share the specific dates and parks for this perk, but it is expected to begin in early October, around the time that Early Theme Park Entry begins.

So how much money do you have to be spending on your hotel room to take advantage of this perk? Well, it’s quite a bit more. Disney has eight Deluxe Resort Hotels that range in cost from $400-$1,000+ per night. These include:

• • Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge (which is set to reopen in August)
  • Disney’s Beach Club Resort
  • Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
  • Disney’s Contemporary Resort (Note: guest rooms here are being refurbished to feature an Incredibles theme, and other areas of the hotel will be refurbished, too)
  • Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
  • Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort (Note: various parts of this hotel are currently under refurbishment, but the Resort opened in July with refurbished Moana-themed guest rooms)
  • Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
  • Disney’s Yacht Club Resort

And, as for the Deluxe Villas, there are twelve total options for guests and they can cost $700 to almost $5,000 per night depending on which room type you select. These are located at:

• • 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
  • Disney’s Riviera Resort
  • Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
  • The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

You’ll be shelling out some extra cash if you want access to Extended Evening Theme Park Hours.

Learn More About Extended Evening Hours Here!

Unlimited Free Snacks

Another way to get more time in the parks with fewer crowds is to purchase tickets for one of Disney’s After Hours events. Lower waits for popular rides aren’t the only perk of these events — you’ll also be able to get as much free popcorn, novelty treats, and bottled sodas and water as you wish.

Keep in mind that you’ll be paying for the cost of the ticket, which can be pricey. Disney is slowly starting to bring these events back, and the first one will be the new Halloween After Hours event, BOO Bash. Tickets cost between $129-$199 per person depending on which date you choose to visit, and included in the cost will be three hours of park time in the evening (the Bash starts at 9 or 9:30PM, with ticketed Boo Bash guests being admitted as early as 7PM) with lower crowds, specialty entertainment, and free snacks.

If you’re looking for another way to get free snacks in Disney World, guests staying Club Level at Disney Resorts also get access to the Club Lounge where you can find food at almost all hours of the day.

In the morning, coffee and continental breakfast is out, around lunch time there are snacks, and around dinner time there are hors d’oeuvres and wine. Plus, in the early evening, you can even find dessert and cordials — and it’s all included in your stay!

Just keep in mind that staying Club Level is only available at Disney World Deluxe Resort Hotels (with one exception: Gran Destino Tower at Coronado Springs) and usually costs an extra $200+ per night on top of the cost of a regular room at the resort.

Buy This in Disney World (But Don’t Tell Anyone)

Skip Attraction Lines (Right Now)

Currently, FastPass+ is suspended at Disney World, so all guests have to wait in the Standby line to ride any of the attractions throughout the day. But there is still one way to skip the line — it’ll just cost you extra. A lot extra.

Disney offers VIP Tours which give you a whole host of perks like pre-arrival planning, a tour guide who gives insights about the parks as you visit, and more. But one of the most desirable perks is the ability to skip the line of attractions. You’ll spend less time waiting and more time riding.

The cost of these tours range from $425 to $750 per hour depending on the season. Keep in mind that you’ll also need to purchase valid park admission and secure a Disney Park Pass reservation in addition to the price of the tour.

And though FastPass+ is not currently offered at Disney World, this complimentary perk for all guests may not be free when it returns to the parks.

Disneyland Paris recently announced that they would be implementing a new FastPass+ system that requires guests to pay to skip the line at attractions where they’d like to do so. The rides cost between €8 to €15 per guest, and the exact price depends on the attraction, with more popular ones costing more.

So could FastPass+ become a perk that you need to pay for in Disney World? Disney has not yet shared any information on this, so we’ll have to wait to see.

What’s Going on With FastPasses in Disney World?

Club 33

The final (and most expensive) way to get extra perks in Disney World is to be a member of Club 33. This is a highly exclusive membership club that was originally thought up by Walt Disney himself and has been implemented in both Disneyland and Disney World.

Guests must be invited to join the club, and benefits include Annual Passes to the parks, 50 single-day admission tickets, five private VIP tours each year, and access to exclusive lounges inside the parks.

But it’ll cost you a pretty penny for all those perks: initial membership fees are rumored to range from $25,000 to $50,000, and annual membership fees are said to be between $12,000 to $25,000.

Why People Are Willing to Pay THOUSANDS for Disney’s Most Exclusive Club

The cost of perks in the Parks can certainly vary in Disney World, but there are quite a few great benefits that are available to almost everyone. You can learn more about the BEST free perk that anyone can access in our AllEars TV video below!

And stay tuned to AllEars for more Disney planning tips, tricks, and updates!

On-Site vs. Off-Site: Which Hotels Offer the Most Disney World Benefits? Learn more here!

What is your favorite Disney World perk? Let us know in the comments!

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