Magical Perks of Staying at a Walt Disney World Resort
- Cara Conte
- May 6, 2019
- 5 min read
When booking your vacation to Walt Disney World, one of the hardest and most important decisions to make is where you are going to stay! From just browsing through the Walt Disney World website, you'll come across multiple resorts - many of which you know nothing about, nor do you know which one to choose! Another factor will be money - do you even want to spend the little bit of extra money to stay on Disney property? If you're a Disney lover and trying to make your trip as seamless and magical as possible, the answer is YES! There are so many conveniences to staying at a Walt Disney World Resort, ones that you definitely don't want to miss out on if you were to stay off-site!
One common misconception that tends to steer people away from booking their accommodations through WDW is that all Disney resorts are too expensive. This is 100% not the case! There are many affordable options when it comes to staying at a Walt Disney World Resort, all of which offer the same basic conveniences if you were to stay at a Deluxe Resort (Disney's most expensive resorts $350+/night, such as the Grand Floridian or Contemporary)! Disney has rooms at resorts such as the All-Star from about $100 per night!
So, whats the difference? Pure luxury. You certainly get what you pay for when staying at any resort, and the Value resorts (most inexpensive resort option) and the Deluxe resorts definitely can't compare when it comes to living the high life. There is, however, the Moderate level of resorts ($200+/night), which is right in between Deluxe and Value, that offer affordable rooms, and are more on the luxurious side than the Value resorts would be. One of my favorite places to stay on property is actually of the Moderate resort category, and that's Port Orleans Riverside. In my opinion, it should definitely be rated higher than Moderate, but I'm not complaining, because they offer outstanding hospitality, beautiful Southern atmosphere, and a great location for a can't-beat price!
Although there are several different options of places to stay on Disney property for all different types of bank accounts, there are certain features that Disney offers (a lot of them free-of-charge) for staying at any Walt Disney World Resort hotel. One of the best conveniences that Disney spoils their guests with is free airport transportation. Many people don't usually associate "free" with Disney, but Disney is always finding ways to make their guests' vacations as easy as possible! Disney's Magical Express is a free shuttle that transports resort guests round-trip from the Orlando International Airport to their resort. You also have the option of using this service one-way! After booking your Walt Disney World reservation, you'll have the option to add on Disney's Magical Express by entering your flight information online, or calling a reservation agent (or your private travel agent) to add it on for you. Disney's Magical Express can even collect your luggage for you after your flight, and drop them off in your hotel room with no extra charge! You will be sent luggage tags shortly before your trip, along with your boarding pass for Disney's Magical Express. When you land at the Orlando International Airport, follow the signs for Disney's Magical Express and present your check-in materials to the Cast Members. This is a very generous feature that is exclusive to Walt Disney World Resort guests, as an Uber or taxi for a family of four or more, plus luggage, could cost you $50 or more, one way.
Pro tip: If you have an early flight, pack all of your essentials you would need for the day in your carry-on bag. This way you can check into your hotel room, change into either your park outfit or bathing suit, and hit the parks or the pool right away without having to wait for your luggage to get to your room! (Gratuities are always appreciated for your driver & bell service Cast Members!)
Another form of transportation that Walt Disney World offers for free are the Disney Motor Coach buses. As everyone is aware, Walt Disney World's property is huge, therefore you may think you need to rent a car if you're staying on property to make your way around. This is not the case! Disney has their very own transportation system that runs very frequently, picking you up from one of the bus stations at your resort, and then dropping you off at your park of choice for the day! This will save you a ton of money by not having to rent a car! Also, the Disney Motor Coaches have their very own drop-off stations that are a much closer walk than if you were to park in the lot! You also won't have to keep track of where and when to catch the bus. The bus stations are labeled very clearly at the front of each park and around the resorts, and the buses come very often, sometimes one right after another, to each location. Of course, if you do ever need help, there is always a trusty Cast Member ready to answer your questions and direct you to where you need to go!
Pro tip: If you do choose to rent a car to stay at WDW, you will get a parking pass when you check in, so you don't have to pay for parking each day!
Extra Magic Hours are probably one of the best reasons to stay at a Walt Disney World Resort. Extra Magic Hours are exclusive to WDW Resort guests, and they are special times that the parks are open (either before park opening or after park closing) to enjoy the magic for just a little bit longer than those who aren't staying on property! You can find which Extra Magic Hours are in operation for each day of your trip by either checking your My Disney Experience App, your resort TV, Walt Disney World's website, or with your resort concierge. You do not need to purchase any extra ticket, you would just scan your Magic Band where needed (Cast Members will direct you), and get a head start (or extended stay) of the fun! Extra Magic Hours and start as early as 6:00 A.M. at some parks and as late as 1:00 A.M.
Another reason why people stay at a Walt Disney World Resort are for the Dining Plans! Dining Plans can help you better plan out your meals on vacation (check out our blog post about them) and can be great for time and money management! However, with every Dining Plan comes with a refillable resort mug, and those come in super handy when hanging by your resort pool! You'll have a mug to keep as a souvenir, that of which can be filled with your non-alcoholic beverage of choice, (coffee, tea, soda, etc.) however often you please!
Something else that's somewhat new to the Walt Disney World Resort, and definitely fun, are Magic Bands! In recent years, many of you have probably seen people wearing colorful wristbands in their Disney vacation pictures. These are the famous Magic Bands! Magic Bands are essentially your Holy Grail - it's your room key, park ticket, PhotoPass, FastPasses, and it could even be your credit card! (Dangerous - but also wonderful). You may have seen specialty character Magic Bands to purchase, but if you book a resort reservation through Walt Disney World, everyone in your party will get a Magic Band for FREE, mailed to your house before your trip, to get your extra excited about your trip! Everyone in your party will also get to choose their own color Magic Band!
Pro tip: If you want a custom Magic Band but don't want to pay for it or want to stand out, look up Magic Band decorating ideas on Pinterest! Many online shops also sell decals for your Magic Band that will cost you much less than purchasing a specialty one!
The perks of staying at a Walt Disney World resort are practically endless, and we are so happy to share our favorites with you! Email us at pixietravelco@gmail.com or visit us at bit.ly/PlanWithPixie for more!
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