We’re Not Kidding: This Disney World Hotel Hack Could Save You HUNDREDS

Staying at a Disney World hotel can get you several benefits.

For example, anyone staying at any Disney World hotel can get into the parks 30 minutes earlier than others not staying at a Disney hotel. If you stay at a Deluxe Hotel (or Disney Vacation Club resort), you can have access to Extended Evening Hours at one of the four parks on select nights. The list of benefits can go on and on to include free transportation and the availability of the Disney Dining Plan. However, staying at a Disney World hotel can get pricey. So we came up with several different hotel hacks that could help you save lots of money on your next Disney World vacation.

Swan & Dolphin Mariott Bonvoy Points

The Swan, Dolphin, and Swan Reserve hotels are right on Disney property. They offer many of the same benefits as a Disney hotel including early entry and Extended Evening Hours. The three hotels are located near both Hollywood Studios and EPCOT, with a boat that runs between the hotels and the two parks.

One of the neat things about these hotels is that they are managed by Marriott. This means that Marriott Bonvoy rewards members can earn and use points during their stay. So if you save up your points before your next Disney World vacation, you could save a lot of money by simply using your reward points instead of paying for the room.

Bigger Rooms, NOT More Rooms

If you have five or more people headed to Disney World with you, you may be considering booking multiple rooms so you can all be more comfortable and not cramped in a small space. Disney even has a certain number of guests that you are allowed up to in specific rooms, so getting more than one may sound appealing.

However, opting to pay for more rooms could become more expensive than simply renting one bigger room such as a suite. This may not always be the case, and it may depend on which hotel you’re planning to stay at. But it is something to consider and compare the prices of when you’re making reservations!

Rent DVC Points

Disney Vacation Club, aka DVC, is basically Disney’s version of a timeshare program. You can purchase points to use at any one of their DVC hotels around the world.

While buying and owning DVC points can get pricey, there is another option! You can rent points to use on your next trip from people who own points that they don’t plan to use. There are a few different websites that you can find where you can rent the points, but the one we recommend is David’s DVC Rentals. There may be limitations to which resorts you’ll be able to book, but this could save you a lot of money. DVC hotels are typically Deluxe resorts that can cost $500 or more a night. Usually, you can rent points for under the regular rate for one of these rooms.

Stay at a Value or Moderate Resort

Yes, the Grand Floridian Resort, Polynesian Resort, Yacht & Beach Club Resorts, and many others are beautiful, but you don’t have to stay at a Deluxe resort to have a great time in Disney World. Disney’s Value and Moderate resorts are great options, especially if you’re ballin’ on a budget.

Disney’s Pop Century, All-Star Resorts, Art of Animation, and more are great options that won’t cost you a fortune. They are immersive Disney experiences, and you get most of the same perks as someone staying at a Deluxe Resort. The only exception is Extended Evening Hours, but that may not be important to everyone anyway. You will certainly save hundreds of dollars by staying at one of these resorts compared to a Deluxe resort.

Club Level*

Club Level is a top-tier experience at Disney World Deluxe hotels and Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. They offer a stay in a special Club Level room and include concierge service, continental breakfast, wine and beer hours, and desserts and cordials.

Normally a Club Level room can be very expensive. So, why would we put it on our list of hacks to save hundreds of dollars, you ask? Great question! It could be entirely possible to stay in one of these rooms and only eat the complimentary food that is offered here. So you might be spending more on a room, but you could save money on food. Also, these are typically suites, so you could have several people split the cost of one of these suites and save money that way!

Quincy and Sage recently checked out the Club Level suite at Disney’s Coronado Resort which is about $450. Considering it’s a suite and offers all the exclusive perks, that price might not be terrible especially if you’re splitting the cost with others. Check out the video below to see if they think this suite is worth it.

Not Getting a Room with the Best View

At most hotels, Disney hotels included, you’ll end up paying more for a good view. This is particularly the case at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, where you can book a Savannah side room that overlooks the area where animals such as giraffes roam during the day.

You could save money each night of your stay if you opt to look at the parking lot instead of the animals. Obviously, that’s not nearly as exciting, but if you’re hoping for the experience of some of these nicer hotels but don’t want to pay a TON, it might be a good option for you!

Stay at a Good Neighbor Hotel

Good Neighbor hotels are not on Disney property. They are hotels that Disney has a special relationship with, so they can offer you booking packages that include the cost of your room and your theme park tickets.

A lot of the Good Neighbor hotels are located near Disney Springs. They may offer transportation to the parks and other perks such as continental breakfast. They are likely to be similar is price to a Disney value resort, so a great cheaper option.

A Ranking of Disney’s Good Neighbor Hotels

Use a Disney Visa

Disney Visa card holders get several perks. Some of these include special meet-and-greets and discounts on merchandise, food, and select Disney World tours. Disney Visa card holders may also get promotional discounts to use at Disney World resorts.

Currently, as of April 1st, there are discounted hotel room prices at Disney’s All Star Music, Disney’s Caribbean Beach, and Disney’s BoardWalk Inn Resorts. These are Disney’s spring offerings and are subject to change, but if you have a Disney Visa card it may be worth your time to check what deals are ongoing while you plan your next trip.

Military Discounts

Disney is a proud supporter of the U.S. military. They will often offer military discounted prices on select hotel rooms. However, you will need to call to check with guest services and the rooms are subject to availability. We have heard that even Deluxe Resorts such as the Grand Floridian have offered this discount, so it never hurts to ask if you are a current member of the U.S. armed forces.

But there is also the option to stay at the Shades of Green Resort!

Shades of Green is a U.S. military run resort that is available to active and retired military members as well as DOD civilians and select other guests. You can get rooms here that are priced based on one’s rank and tax is not charged. It is also one of the most beautiful resorts on property with large standard rooms that can typically sleep up to five individuals. If you qualify to stay at this resort, it could be a great option for you!

We hope these hacks can help you save a bit of money on your next Disney World vacation. Disney’s resorts are great options, but there are others as well. It’s up to you to decide what’s best for you and your party.

If you’re looking for a travel agent to help with your vacation, we recommend our friends at Mouse Fan Travel. They’re experts in the field with over 20 years of vacation planning experience, and they can help you get these discounts AND take a bunch of the stress out of the entire booking process for you!

For more Disney tips and tricks, keep following AllEars!

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