These 5 Disney World Hotel Perks Make Your Stay Worth It

Are you considering staying at one of the Disney World hotels on your next trip?

We know there are lots of considerations to make when planning your next Disney World trip. You’ve been looking for the best deals on flights and figuring out your accommodations. Will you stay at a Disney hotel or not? With all that in mind, we’re bringing you a list of perks that might make it easier for you to decide on your hotel.

Let’s dive right into the list of Disney World hotel perks that really make it worth your stay!

Extra Hours in the Parks

First up, let’s talk about how you can get some more time in the parks. For guests staying at ALL Disney World resorts, Early Entry allows them into the parks 30 minutes before the official opening time.

Also, if you’re staying at one of Disney World’s deluxe resorts, you get Extended Evening Hours, which gives you a few more hours in the parks after they close. However, Extended Evening Hours are only available on specific dates for specific parks.

Find out more about Extended Evening Hours here!

Disney Dining Plan

The Disney Dining Plan allows guests to pay for meals in advance through dining credits that can be redeemed at snack, quick service, and table service locations throughout the Disney Parks, resorts, and Disney Springs. It has been M.I.A. since the 2020 closures, but now it’s coming back starting January 9th, 2024.

It will be available to book for Disney World hotel stays with the Quick Service Dining Plan or the Basic Disney Dining Plan. The dining plans will only be available as part of a package that includes a hotel stay and tickets. But, if you have an annual pass or you are a Disney Vacation Club member, there is a way for you to add the dining plan onto your hotel stay.

We’ve got lots more details about the Disney Dining Plan here!

Individual Lightning Lanes

Now, let’s talk about Individual Lightning Lanes. There’s a distinct advantage to staying at a Disney-owned hotel. Individual Lightning Lanes are the Lightning Lanes that you have to purchase access to separately from Genie+, and they’re priced individually in a pay-per-ride system. Here’s the list of the attractions that qualify as Individual Lightning Lanes:

These Lightning Lanes are NOT included with the purchase of Genie+ and you can only purchase access to two of them per day. For off-site guests, booking opens at park opening time. But for Disney World hotel guests, you can book these starting at 7 AM!

This is the newest attraction to hit the parks!

Staying at a Disney resort doesn’t make any difference when it comes to Genie+…but it does when it comes to Individual Lightning Lanes.

Free Transportation

While you’re on Disney property, most Disney-operated transportation (other than the use of Minnie Vans) is free!

You can take the Disney buses, boats, monorails, or Skyliner for free. These can help you get to the parks, resorts, and even Disney Springs without having to order a taxi or use your own car.

Just keep in mind that you may occasionally face delays, long lines, closures due to weather, and other issues. And transportation might not always be super convenient. Trying to get from your resort to another Disney World hotel? You might have to take a bus to a park and then another bus to that other hotel. So using Disney’s free transportation may not always be the right choice for you, but it is a nice and convenient option to have!

Don’t make our mistakes … here are some Disney World transportation lessons we learned the hard way.

Early Access to Special Event tickets

Guests at select Disney World hotels also get first dibs when it comes to purchasing special event tickets!

Minnie at MIckey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

For example, Disney World hotel guests got to purchase tickets for both Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party AND Jollywood Nights about a week before the general public was able to.

Well, what do you think of our list? Hopefully, that helps a bit when making your travel plans. Until then, stay tuned for the latest Disney news and more!