If you’re planning on staying at a resort hotel at Disney World, you’re probably thinking about which perks you’re going to get for your stay.
I’m right there with you. My mind goes straight to perks like Early Theme Park Entry and Extended Evening Hours. But if you’ve stayed at Disney World in the past, specifically, pre-pandemic, have you ever thought about the hotel perks that haven’t returned? Well, there’s this one specific hotel perk that Disney World refuses to bring back hotel package delivery and we think we know why!
As we were saying, for anyone who’s stayed at a Disney World resort hotel pre-2020, you probably remember the magic of hotel package delivery.
As you’re rocking at the parks, you’d pick out your favorite Disney souvenirs, and then just like magic, they’d magically arrive at your hotel later that day. No need to lug your purchases around the parks or worry about carrying delicate items on rides.
But now, even though Disney’s brought back almost everything else, the package delivery service remains missing in action. So, why won’t Disney bring back this pretty awesome perk? Here are a couple of theories we’ve come up with that might explain it.
The Staffing Struggle is Real
As I’m sure you know, Disney World’s parks feel quite packed, and that bustling vibe makes it seem like everything is back to normal. But, behind the scenes, it might not be so simple. Post-pandemic, businesses everywhere are dealing with staffing shortages, and Disney World is no exception. While the parks might seem fully staffed, it doesn’t necessarily mean the same is true for the hotels.
Here’s the deal: package delivery from the parks to hotels requires extra hands. As an example, there are the cast members who take your order in the shops, the ones who sort packages, the team who transports them, and finally, those who organize and distribute them at each resort. That sounds like quite a lot of moving parts and a lot of cast members. For Disney, staffing up across all those roles might be a bigger hurdle than it appears.
It also could be possible that Disney just isn’t willing to prioritize package delivery until they’re back to full capacity. Bringing back this perk would demand extra staff that Disney may currently consider that a “luxury” their going to continue to hold off on.
Maybe The Deluxe Hotel Perks Are The New Disney Strategy?
This is pure speculation, but what if Disney is actually holding out on purpose? Go with me on this one. Think about it, over the last few years, Disney’s been pretty strategic about creating perks that differentiate deluxe resorts from moderate and value ones. For instance, extended evening hours in the parks are now only for deluxe hotel guests. So, what if hotel package delivery comes back but only as an exclusive perk for those splurging on deluxe-tier hotels or Disney Vacation Club (DVC) members?
To be fair, making package delivery an exclusive benefit for deluxe resorts or DVC members could add another incentive for guests to upgrade their stay. Deluxe resorts already come with several unique perks, and package delivery could easily become one more “bonus” that nudges people toward booking those premium accommodations. And, to be honest, while that might feel frustrating for budget-conscious travelers, it would be right in line with Disney’s trend of leaning into tiered experiences.
What’s Next?
So, is hotel package delivery coming back anytime soon? Well, unfortunately, it’s really hard to say. Disney’s been giving us radio silence on this fan-favorite perk and kept many of us guessing, and until Disney decides the time is right, we’re likely out of luck.
So, for now, though, we’ll all just have to plan around carrying those souvenirs ourselves, or at least hope our friends can help carry the load!
In the meantime, be sure to stay tuned to AllEars for all the latest Disney World news!
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What old Disney World hotel perks do you want to see make a comeback? Tell us in the comments!
I don’t buy anything in the parks anymore, unless it fits in a Loungefly! I loved package delivery but I think it’s never coming back – just like Magical Express. It’s a disappointment but I’m still going
Package delivery was a nice service but I’d give that up to have luggage service brought back. It was so amazing to drop my bags at the airport and not have to touch them again until we arrived in our resort room. We could arrive early in the day and not have to worry about hauling our bags around. We could grab lunch, go shopping, do some exploring or whatever without the hassle of our bags. I thought it was the ultimate perk.
I have skipped buying souvenirs because I did not want to lug it around all day or said I would stop on my way out of the park & just never bothered as most souvenirs are impulse purchases anyway
I just finished a WDW trip and passed on buying several high end items that were too awkward to carry around. One I actually tried to go back for towards the end of my park day and the shop had closed three hours before the park did. More false economy.
Having beds made daily at value and moderate resort hotels…
I’d be fine with them just holding packages at the front of the park! Of course, hotel delivery is better, but at this point… I don’t think it’s a perk to entice people to stay deluxe (which I do). If I normally stayed at a value or even moderate, package delivery would not be enough to make me pay a minimum of $200 more per night. I do agree on the labor hypothesis.
Disney is all about greed now. It even given up on just being family friendly. They think they woke will pay any price you come there.
If disney can’t make a buck off it you’re not getting it
If it comes back for deluxe hotels it’s just more proof disney only wants wealthy people and not families as Walt intended
Gone for good. Why??
It cost too much. Disney wanted to discontinue program 5 years ago but couldn’t do out cry BUT the pandemic gave them a out.
Why start it up again when purchasing hasn’t slow down.
Just bring back where your packages were delivered to the front of the park.
Room service please!!!!
That sucks what else are they going to stop busti park or charge you to ride to the park
I just returned from WDW yesterday, after a 10 day stay at Saratoga Springs. Took the monorail to the contemporary hotel, wanted to buy approximately 300.00 dollars of glassware, however I was on my way to the Magic Kingdom so needless to say because of no delivery to hotel- did not purchase. Covid is a convenient excuse for perks that have not returned.
And I’ve read recently that merchandise sales are down. I, for one, will buy less in the parks. My plan when I go in the next few weeks is take pics of anything I want and see if Shop Disney has it. Also planning on going to Disney Springs, so could pick up anything at the big Disney Store there.