I Always Stay in an AirBnb When I Go to Disney — Here Are My Top 5 Tips!

While I love the magic of Disney World hotels, the truth is that my wallet entirely disagrees.

I’ve gotten to stay at Pop Century, Art of Animation, and Port Orleans Riverside and loved each of them for different reasons, but I’ve been to Disney World four times in the past two months and often for less than two full days, so staying at a Disney World hotel isn’t really the smartest choice for me. Instead, I always choose to stay in an Airbnb and don’t think I’ll ever look back. If you’re thinking of going the same route for your next trip, here are my top tips!

Always Check Reviews!

This one may go without saying, but checking the reviews is EXTREMELY important. But I don’t just mean reading the latest 2-3 reviews — I suggest even selecting for it to just show you the one star reviews as well so you can see what people have complained about.

Sometimes it’s things you aren’t concerned about, like that it was further from the parks than someone was expecting, and so you feel more confident booking that Airbnb. However, if the reviews from prior guests are saying they felt unsafe in any way, they felt the Airbnb listing was entirely too unsanitary, or another complaint that you know would affect you/your group heavily, then you know that it won’t be a good fit for you!

Superhosts!

I often try to book accommodations with Superhosts, which are people who have received a very high number of fantastic reviews from guests, marking them as a safe and excellent host.

Sometimes this isn’t possible for my budget depending on where I’m traveling, but I often have no trouble finding Superhosts with very affordable rates in Orlando. Keep in mind though that I’m traveling as a solo traveler, so that may change based on how many people you’re traveling with. And if someone isn’t a superhost, that doesn’t mean they’re not reputable, it just means you’ll really want to pay close attention to those reviews!

For Solo Travelers

If you’re traveling solo like I usually am, or you’re just traveling with a friend or your partner, you may choose to book a room in a home instead of a whole apartment or house. This is significantly cheaper, and for me, I have no issue with it! 

HOWEVER, I will only book a room inside a home where other people are staying if I have the room all to myself and it has an electronic lock where I have a personal code. I also bring a doorstop with me to put on the floor so that it’s REALLY nearly impossible to open the door.

Make Sure to Book What You’re Comfortable With

However, if you know in your heart that you wouldn’t be comfortable booking a room in a home and you need to be in a totally private area or home, that’s totally okay! It’s important to know that about yourself and then ONLY book what will make you comfortable.

The last thing you want is to book accommodations that you’re super stressed about and end up not being able to sleep because you’re too anxious. Then you won’t be well rested to actually enjoy your vacation! So really weigh the pros and cons of the Airbnbs you’re considering so you know what’s best for you/your group.

Read the WHOLE Listing

Again, this may go without saying, but I can’t express to you how much you NEED to read the ENTIRE listing. Even the stuff you don’t think is important, you have to read it.

How far away is the Airbnb from the parks? What’s their check in and check out policy? Are you sharing any facilities like bathrooms? The Airbnb I usually stay at is hosted by such wonderful people, I adore them, but again, it’s a shared house. I was chatting with the son of the hosts on one of my last trips and he was telling me that there was a couple that didn’t read the whole listing and was angry because they thought they were getting the WHOLE house, when in reality they were getting a small sectioned off suite that is more private than the other rooms. Remember, it’s YOUR responsibility to read the whole listing before booking, and it’s not okay to get upset with the host for something that you just didn’t read (which is what happened in this situation — the guests were very angry, but the wording on the listing was very clear, they just had chosen not to read it all).

There are truly some spectacularly themed Disney Airbnbs out there, but there are also simple rooms/apartments/suites that will also get the job done and allow you to stay for much cheaper than what you’d find on property at a Disney World hotel. We’re always here to bring you the latest Disney news and alternatives to help make your trip more affordable, so stay tuned to AllEars!

Where to Stay: On Disney Property or Off-Site?

Have you ever stayed in an Airbnb when traveling to Disney World? Tell us in the comments!

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