This One Simple Perk Can Save You 10 Valuable Minutes at the Disney World Bus Stop

I have a Disney World confession to make: Sometimes I don’t take my own Disney World advice (and I often regret it when I don’t).

For example, I have TOTALLY worn the wrong shoes to Disney World (and paid for it). I’ve also forgotten to bring a poncho or raincoat in my day bag (and got soaked because of it and had to buy an overpriced sweatshirt). There’s another piece of my own advice that I ignored recently, though, and I’m going to tell you to do as I say and not as I do.

During my last Disney World trip, I booked a stay at Disney’s All-Star Music Resort. So, here’s the thing: I love the All-Star resorts. The price is ALWAYS right for my budget. But I just booked a standard room. So when I arrived to check in, my assigned room ended up being in the Country Fair section of the resort. First, I hate country music, but second, the Country Fair section is in the very back of the resort. It’s the furthest building from EVERYTHING.

But, hey, I was in Disney World, and I didn’t care — at least not on that first day. I did complain about the distance to my friend I was traveling with the next day, though, when we had to make that first hike to the bus stop, which is at the front of the hotel. I realized the error of my ways even more that evening when we returned to the hotel and had to walk from the bus stop ALL the way back to the Country Fair section. At the end of a park day, that walk takes FOREVER.

This problem became even more glaring as the days passed and our legs and feet grew more tired. But here’s the thing: I KNEW better. For the trip I’d made PRIOR to this one, I’d booked a Preferred Room at Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort. A Preferred Room usually costs a little extra, but it basically guarantees that you’ll be in a hotel block that’s closer to the hotel’s main lobby and food court, as well as the bus stops. So during that trip, I was only a minute or two walk away from everything. At the end of the day, it was nice to get back to my room a lot faster. For the record, I was in the Fantasia section.

So what lesson can you learn from my mistake? Consider paying a little extra for that Preferred Room. It could really make your trip a little more pleasant (and less painful). Because adding an extra 10 minutes or longer of walking just to get to your hotel room at night after you’ve spent all day in the parks HURTS. So from now on, I’ll know to book a preferred room, and I recommend you consider it, too.

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