4 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Stay at a Disney World Hotel in 2025

We are less than two months away from 2025, and that’s so hard to believe. It feels like it was summer just a few weeks ago!

Time flies the older you get, that’s certainly the truth, and it means that if you’re planning on a 2025 Disney World trip, it’s time to start booking those trips! While we normally say that staying at a Disney World hotel is very worth it for the complimentary transportation, Disney magic, and proximity to the parks, we have to admit that there are a few reasons you may NOT want to stay at a Disney World hotel in 2025.

Price Increases

While price increases happen practically every year, that doesn’t change the fact that staying at the majority of Disney World hotels is now more expensive than it was a few weeks ago before price increases.

There’s also always the possibility that MORE price increases will happen in the months before you book your hotel stay. We have seen them happen more than once in a calendar year, and sometimes we’re blindsided by when they arrive. If you’re looking at prices and you’re shaking your head, there are plenty of hotels nearby with lower rates that could be great matches for you!

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

Some Hotels Are Under Refurbishment

If you’re eying staying at a certain hotel already, you’ll want to make sure there’s not an active refurbishment planned to take place when you’re staying. While you won’t be put in a room that’s being redone, of course, the construction noise and alternate pathways around the hotel can be obnoxious to many, so it’s important to know when and where they’re happening.

The hotel refurbishments currently announced for Disney World in 2025 are:

Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge from mid-May 2025 to September 2025
Magnolia Bend rooms at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort — Riverside from April 2025 through the end of January 2026
Rooms at Pop Century Resort from late March 2025 through mid-February 2026.
Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort through September 2025
Stormalong Bay and the Shipwreck Pool at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts from January 2025 to June 2025
Fantasia Pool at Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort from January 2025 through April 2025
All over at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort through 2026

Epic Universe Opening

Thanks to Epic Universe opening in May 2025, many families may choose to stay at a Universal area hotel to make their travel to the new park much easier. At the time of original booking, getting a ticket to Epic Universe was only possible for regular guests by booking a hotel and ticket package.

However, guests staying at Universal will still be able to visit Disney World if they have tickets by driving their own car or rental car, but they just won’t receive complimentary parking at Disney World parks, and won’t be able to park at hotels unless they have a dining reservation.

Wait, There’s SO Much Coming in 2026/2027…

Another big factor in the decision to not stay on property could be due to the fact that Disney World will be under a lot of construction creating new attractions for guests to experience in 2026 and 2027. If families are thinking of returning in one of those years to experience what’s new but also don’t want to forgo their 2025 trip, they may choose to stay off property to save some money and instead put that towards their future trip.