If you’re planning your first trip to Disney World, I know it can be very overwhelming! There are so many resorts, multiple theme parks, water parks, festivals, and more. Plus “Disney people” throw around a lot of lingo and acronyms that can be confusing if you’ve never been to Disney before. (Sorry about that!) I’ve decided to write a series of posts that outline exactly what you need to know to book your trip, and the things to be aware of between booking and travel to make your vacation a success! The first thing you need to do is pick where you’ll stay. There’s a lot to know about Disney World resort hotels, so let’s get into it!
On-site or Off-site?
First, decide whether staying on-site is the best option for you. There are lots of hotels, Air BnBs, and VRBOs that are NOT on Disney property, and these can be a really budget-friendly option. If you are considering staying off-site, keep in mind that you’ll need a car to get from your accommodations to the Disney parks. If you’re driving to Orlando or planning to do more than just Disney during your trip, staying off-site might be the most logical option for you.
We always stay on-site when we visit Disney World. We love being in the Disney bubble and the perks that it provides. There are so many Disney World Resort Hotels to choose from that you can definitely find one that suits the needs of you and your family, no matter what you’re looking for! Disney categorizes their hotels into three different options—deluxe, moderate, and value. First, you’ll want to determine your budget and your needs and wants for your trip. I’ve outlined what you need to know about each category below.
Deluxe
Deluxe resorts are of course the nicest and most expensive—they have sit-down restaurants (and often signature dining experiences), pools with water slides, balconies, extra transportation options, sometimes spas, and more. The Grand Floridian, the Polynesian, the Contemporary, Beach Club, Yacht Club, Boardwalk, Riviera, and Animal Kingdom Lodge are some of the deluxe resorts. We stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge in 2022—click here to read our thoughts!
Moderate
Moderate resorts fall in the middle price- and amenity-wise. They often have nice pools and multiple dining options, but the rooms aren’t as big or nice as deluxe resorts. Caribbean Beach, Old Key West, and Coronado Springs fall into the moderate resort category.
Value
Value resorts are the most affordable and, in our opinion, still really nice accommodations. The rooms are smaller and you won’t find any water slides, sit-down restaurants, or monorail access here, but sometimes these are the best resorts for busy trips for families. Pop Century, Art of Animation, and all three All-Star Resorts fall into this category. Pop Century and Art of Animation definitely have the edge here because they are on the Skyliner route—it’s basically unheard of for Value resorts to have extra transportation options, so we definitely recommend these two! Art of Animation also has family suite rooms, so if you have a larger family you’ll definitely want to look into these! We’ve stayed at Pop Century multiple times and absolutely love it—click here to read our full review!
The Perks of Staying “On-Site”
Choosing an “on-site” hotel does come with a few perks! First, Disney World has a whole network of transportation that is included in your hotel cost. No matter where you stay, there will be Disney busses that pick up at your resort and go to any of the theme parks, water parks, or Disney Springs. Some resorts also have access to the skyliner, monorail, or ferry boats, and there are even some resorts that are within walking distance of certain parks.
Guests of Disney World resort hotels can get into the theme parks 30 minutes before opening every day. This is a great time to take advantage of lower crowds and shorter lines! All forms of Disney transportation generally begin operating about 90 minutes before park opening, and I really recommend taking advantage of that for early entry. I know it sounds early (especially for vacation!), but it can make a huge difference in crowds! Additionally, Epcot and Magic Kingdom have special nighttime hours for Deluxe resort guests only on certain nights of the week.
Guests of Disney World resort hotels are also able to use Magic Bands. These are bracelets that acts as your hotel room key, park tickets, photo pass ticket, lightning lane access, etc. Magic Bands are not a necessity, but they are convenient and fun (especially for littles!). If you book a Disney resort hotel, you’ll be able to choose Magic Bands before your trip and they will be mailed to you.
And lastly, if you choose to stay at a Disney resort hotel you’ll be able to book dining reservations for the length of your stay 60 days before your arrival day. This makes planning easier because you can book all the reservations for your trip on the same day. This also gives you a bit of an edge in booking hard-to-get dining reservations. (I’ll do a post on reserving Disney dining soon!)
Overall
A few final notes:
- Disney transportation operates within Disney World, but no longer offers transportation from the Orlando airport to Disney World resort hotels. If you’re flying to Disney World, you’ll need to arrange your own transportation to your hotel if you’re not renting a car. Click here to read our full review of Mears Connect transportation service. Sunshine Flyer is another option (we’re using this one in October and will report back on our experience!). Uber and Lyft are also options, but pricing and availability can be pretty variable depending on the time of day. (Don’t forget to factor in if your littles need carseats—large coach busses offered by Mears Connect and Sunshine Flyer don’t require car seats.)
- All Disney World resort hotel rooms have coffee makers and mini-fridges.
- Some Disney hotel rooms have stand-up showers, so if you need a tub to give littles a bath make sure you request that at check-in!
- When booking you’ll notice different room categories available, depending on the resort. “Preferred” rooms are usually a shorter walk to food and transportation options.
- Streamline your travel day by checking in on the My Disney Experience app before your arrival. You’ll get a push-notification when your room is ready, and if you have a Magic Band you can go straight there and bypass waiting in line at the front desk.
- All Disney World resort hotels have gift shops in the lobby (of course).
Overall, I hope this post made Disney World resort hotels feel less overwhelming to you! If you still have questions, feel free to drop them in the comments below and I’ll answer them if I can. I’d love to help you choose the best resort for your family. But no matter where you choose to stay, you can have an absolutely magical Disney World vacation!
Don’t forget to pin this post for later!
