3 Times We Regret NOT Splurging on a Deluxe Disney World Hotel

To stay in a Disney World hotel…or not to stay in a Disney World hotel? That is the question.

Obviously, Disney fans know the answer is a resounding “to stay” in a Disney World hotel, but all jokes aside, one of the biggest “dilemmas” we face when planning a Disney World trip is whether we should splurge on a Deluxe hotel or save some cash and go for a Value or Moderate resort? Truthfully, as much as we love saving money, there are definitely some major perks we missed out on by not going Deluxe. Let’s talk about a couple of times when we seriously regretted not splurging on a Deluxe Disney World hotel!

As we said, there have been a couple of times when we seriously regretted not splurging on a Deluxe Disney World hotel, so let’s dive into three of them!

Missing Out on Extended Evening Theme Park Hours

Let’s set the stage for this first one: So you’re wandering around Magic Kingdom as the sun sets, you see the crowds start to thin out, and then the lights on Cinderella’s Castle begin to twinkle. Sounds like pure magic, right?

Now imagine getting to stay in the parks for two extra hours after everyone else has to leave. That’s what you get with Extended Evening Theme Park Hours, exclusively for Deluxe hotel guests.

Extended Evening Hours at Animal Kingdom

So, this particular time, we missed out on some prime attraction time by not staying at a Deluxe hotel. Instead of getting to ride the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train with minimal wait times or basically having an empty stroll down Main Street, we were stuck heading back to our non-Deluxe resort.

To be sure, these extra hours aren’t just about squeezing in more rides, though. The vibe in the parks at night is unbeatable. It’s quieter, cooler, and just tends to feel more magical.

Trust us, those extra hours are worth every penny of the splurge.

The Most Convenient Transport Options to the Parks

If you’ve been to Disney World, you know that getting from point A to point B can be a bit of a trek, especially when you’re trying to rope drop a specific park or catch a particular event. This is where the Deluxe hotels truly shine with their ultra-convenient transport options.

For instance, if you’re staying at the Contemporary, Polynesian, or Grand Floridian, that means you can hop on the Monorail and be at Magic Kingdom in minutes. No waiting for buses, no crowded rides — just smooth sailing right to the park gates.

The Monorail at Disney’s Grand Floridian

Then you’ve got the boardwalk hotels, like the Yacht and Beach Club and the BoardWalk Inn. Did you know that beauties are within walking distance of EPCOT and a quick Skyliner ride to Hollywood Studios?

You can walk from Disney’s BoardWalk Inn to EPCOT

Not having to worry about transportation schedules or long lines — that’s the kind of convenience we seriously missed out on by not splurging on a Deluxe.

Access to the Best Pools on the Property

If you’re a pool person, (who isn’t when you’re in Florida?) the Deluxe resorts have the best pools, hands down. We’re talking pools that are practically water parks in their own right.

Take Stormalong Bay at the Yacht and Beach Club. This place has a lazy river, a sand-bottomed pool, and a shipwreck with a waterslide! It’s the kind of pool where you could easily spend an entire day and not get bored.

Our pool at the Moderate resort? Nice, but definitely not on the same level!

Those were just a couple of the times we seriously regretted not having splurged on a Deluxe Disney World hotel, and we’d love to hear about your experiences. In the meantime, keep it right here at AllEars for all the latest!

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