5 Reasons Staying at a Disney World Hotel Isn’t the Hack You Think It Is

You know we love Disney World hotels, but sometimes, it isn’t the best option for your travel party.

Sure, staying at a Disney World hotel has its perks like more time in the parks, earlier access to Lightning Lanes, and sometimes, free dining. But, you should know, that those perks can not be worth it to you. Here is why staying off-property might be a better option for you!

1. You Can Save Money

Staying at Disney World hotels can be pricey. Even staying at a Value Resort, the most affordable level of Disney hotels, is about $200 a night before any offers. However, several of the hotels off property can offer even better deals to save you a lot of money on your vacation.

If you are a rewards member of a brand of hotels, like Hilton or Marriott, you could get a discounted rate when staying with them. You could even have enough points to use for a free stay! That is enough to think about staying at one.

2. Early Entry Isn’t Right For Everyone

Maybe you aren’t someone who wants to wake up early on their vacation, then the Early Entry perk of Disney hotels isn’t for you. It also is very crowded as many guests take advantage of this opportunity.

With Lightning Lane, rope dropping isn’t a must to be able to ride those very popular rides. Guests staying off-property can purchase and reserve Lightning Lanes 3 days before their arrival. You can utilize Lightning Lane to ride more rides in a day without having to wake up early.

3. If You Have A Vehicle, You Can Go Anywhere

If you are driving to Disney World in your vehicle or renting a car from the airport, then you won’t have to rely on Disney World transportation.

However, we do have to tell you an important note if you are doing this and not staying at a Disney resort. You will have to pay to park at the theme parks unless you are an annual passholder. Standard parking is $30 per day so keep that in mind.

4. If You Are Visiting More Than Disney

If you are planning on doing more than just Disney World in the Orlando area, staying off-property can be a good idea. You can choose a hotel with a central location for everything you are hoping to do.

If you are planning to visit Universal Orlando, Disney hotels might be too far of a drive for you. It takes about 20-30 minutes, depending on which part of Disney World you are at, to drive to Universal Studios. There is also no Disney World transportation option to go to Universal.

5. Decreased Perks for Disney Hotels

While there are still some perks to staying at Disney World resorts, they have decreased since 2020. What was once a loved perk, Hotel Package Delivery has still not returned. This allowed guests to send souvenirs they bought at the Disney parks straight to their Disney hotel without having to carry them around all day.

Another perk that has ended is the free transportation from MCO airport to a Disney hotel, the Magical Express. There are now paid transportation options that run the routes, but they are not owned or operated by Disney World.

A Good Middle Ground

If you want something in the middle, Located near Disney World and in the surrounding areas, Good Neighbor Hotels are not owned by Disney but instead have partnerships with the company. There’s typically a person on staff at each hotel who can help you with your Disney World vacation, including purchasing Disney World theme park tickets.

Ranking Disney World’s Good Neighbor Hotels

Good Neighbor Hotels range in cost from Value Resort pricing to Deluxe Resort pricing depending on what kind of stay you’re after. Not only that, but some Good Neighbor Hotels offer the same benefits you’d get in a Disney World Resort Hotel — like Early Theme Park Entry and free transportation — but not all of them have these perks!

There are over 40 Disney World Good Neighbor Hotels, but only a few of them currently offer Early Park Entry, which are:

• • Walt Disney World Swan, Swan Reserve, and Dolphin
  • Shades of Green
  • B Resort and Spa Lake Buena Vista
  • Double Tree Suites by Hilton Orlando Disney Springs Area
  • Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista
  • Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista Palace
  • Signia by Hilton Bonnet Creek
  • Waldorf Astoria Orlando
  • Holiday Inn Orlando Disney Springs Area
  • Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista
  • Wyndham Lake Buena Vista
  • Four Season Resort Orlando

For more information to help you plan your Disney World vacation, follow AllEars.net!

Would you rather stay on property than off property? Please tell us your thoughts below!

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