Walt Disney World is a very magical place where, as they say, dreams come true. But despite all this magic, Disney can be very confusing. Between the many hotel or restaurant choices, choosing what parks to visit, and the complicated FastPass system, it may feel like your worst nightmare booking your trip instead of a dream. So, we are here to help explain the very basics to Walt Disney World and turn your nightmare around. Continuing our series, we are explaining the hotels today.
The Choices
When visiting the Walt Disney World Resort for the majority of the vacation, you are faced with a choice: staying in one of their hotels or staying off-property. Although it is more expensive, staying on-property has many benefits. First of all, you get that Disney high-quality care and atmosphere. This can make all the difference, especially if you plan on spending a lot of time at your resort. Second, you’re closer to the parks with complimentary transportation so you can spend less time in the car and more time in the parks. If you really want more time in the park, you can take advantage of Extra Magic Hours, extended park hours that only guests staying in one of Disney’s resorts can utilize. And finally, the last big perk of staying on-property is you can book FastPasses 30 extra days in advance compared to staying outside of the complex. We will go more into this later.
Staying-On Property
If you do decide to stay on-property, then you have 33 wonderful resorts to choose from. These resorts are split into three categories based on their average price. First off is the Value Resorts also known as the cheapest resorts costing between $119-$188 per night. I promise you though, they are only the cheapest in price, they are not the cheapest in service! These include the All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resorts as well as the Art of Animation Resort (one of my personal favorites) and the Fort Wilderness Campground. These resorts have basic amenities like standard rooms, food courts, WiFi, transportation to the theme parks, and some recreation activities like a pool.
Art of Animation Resort Entrance
Next is the Moderate Resorts ranging from $238-$369 per night. These are Port Orleans French Quarter and Riverside Resorts, Caribbean Beach Resort, Coronado Springs Resorts, and the Cabins at Fort Wilderness. These resorts have the same amenities as the Value Resorts except the rooms and lobby noticeably nicer going from Value Resorts to Moderate Resorts (ex. They get refurbished more often and they feel more spacious).
Finally, are the Deluxe Resorts costing from $369-$642 per night. They are the Wilderness Lodge, the Animal Kingdom Lodge, the Beach Club Resort, Yacht Club Resort, the Contemporary Resort, the Boardwalk Resort, Polynesian Village Resort, and Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. These resorts are high end in quality and the best of the best. Want a luxury vacation? Stay here!
The Yacht Club
Staying Off-Property
If you would prefer to stay at a non-Disney Resort, there are also many great options. You can choose to stay at any hotel in Orlando or you can choose one of Disney’s Neighbor Resorts. These are resorts Disney has picked and recommend if you choose not to stay with them. They include the Walt Disney World Swan Hotel, Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel, Best Western Lake Buena Vista, Holiday Inn Orlando, SpringHill Suites at FLAMINGO CROSSING Town Center, Townplace Suites at FLAMINGO CROSSING Town Center, Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista, DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando, Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista, Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek, Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort, B Resorts and Spa at Lake Buena Vista, Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace, and Waldorf Astoria Orlando. There are a few Neighbor Resorts from each category (Value, Moderate, & Deluxe) and have a wide price range.
When choosing where to stay, remember the party your traveling with and what will suit you. Do you need to maximize your time in the parks and hence need FastPasses as well as close transportation? Or would you rather have a more relaxed pace and want a nice hotel room to spend more time in? Either of these is perfectly fine. Your vacation should be what you want it to be. So whether you decide to stay on property or off, we hope your trip will be as magical as you dreamed it would be!
*Disclaimer: The prices listed above are generalized and will change over time*
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