Staying at a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel can enhance your vacation by allowing you to be completely immersed in the Disney experience. You’re closer to the action and have access to perks that only Disney can offer. Before you book your hotel stay, there are a few things you should know about.
8. Each Resort Has Its Own Theme
Once you decide to stay at a Disney Resort Hotel, you can’t just pick one at random. Each resort has its own personality. The number of rooms offered, the styles, the types of pools, and the amenities vary from location to location. The Port Orleans French Quarter, for example, runs on the smaller side and tends to be pretty quiet with a classy New Orleans feel to it. On the other hand, the Art of Animation is larger and features suites for up to six people each. With the largest resort pool on property, it attracts a lot of children. Know what the personality of each resort is and choose the one best suited to your vacation style.
7. Rooms Facing Pools Are Noisy
As we just mentioned, pool areas tend to be noisy during the day, and even at night. Sometimes you can choose to have a pool view, garden/woods view, or standard room view when booking your room. If you won’t be in your room much, the pool view should be fine. But if you plan on returning to relax or want to go to bed early, you should know to avoid these rooms. Besides noise from conversations and laughter, pool areas tend to play music and hold activities for kids. From there the noise just increases.
6. Free Transportation
If you choose to stay on property, you can take advantage of the free transportation system around Disney property. Even if you end up driving to the resort, you can still use the free bus, boat, and monorail services offered. If you’re flying, the Disney Magical Express bus can take you from the Orlando International Airport to your chosen hotel, along with your luggage, free of charge. And it links directly to your MagicBand. Check out “Boats, Monorails and Busses Oh My! 4 Things You Need to Know About Disney Transportation.”
5. Dining Options Vary With Resorts
Just as each resort as its own personality, they also have their own flavors. While the food court dishes can be similar across the board, the resorts offer their own spin on certain flavors, depending on what their theme is. You’ll also find some amazing restaurants at these resorts without having to visit the parks or Disney Springs. For the Table Service options, reservations are recommended as the more popular restaurants, like Chef Mickey’s at the Contemporary, book up quickly. You might also like “8 Disney Resort Restaurants That Should Be On Your Bucket List.”
4. Know Price Categories
Disney World resorts come in four price categories: Value, Moderate, Deluxe and Deluxe Villa. They range from the most affordable option to the most expensive. Having the resorts separated by price makes it easier for guests to choose which one is right for their budget. With each level, more amenities are offered. For example, you can’t find hot tubs at Value resorts, but you can with the others.
3. Special Offers Can Include Room Discounts
During select times of the year, usually the Spring and Fall, Disney will offer a discounted rate on select resorts during specific dates. The discount usually depends on the pricing level such as 15% off for Value, 20% off for Moderate, and so on. If you’re considering staying at a higher level resort, but it’s not in your budget, take a look at the special offers listed on the website and see if the discount is enough to get you that upgrade.
2. Resorts Aren’t Overwhelmingly Disney
If you’re a Disney fan, but you don’t qualify as a Disney Fanatic, rest assured that you aren’t completely overwhelmed by Disney references at the resorts. Some resorts like the All-Star Movies and Art of Animation are completely immersed, but others like the Polynesian, Pop Century, and Coronado Springs resorts have a more subtle Disney feel to them that focus more on their resort themes than the Disney films and characters. You still have an immersive experience, it’s just not as in-your-face as you might imagine.
1. Disney Resorts Have Exceptional Customer Service
A great benefit to staying on Disney property is having Cast Members as your resort staff. From the housekeepers to the food servers to the front desk concierge, every single employee is a Disney Cast Member who has been thoroughly trained in welcoming guests “home” and making them feel welcome. Customer service can make or break a vacation experience, so knowing you’re in good hands takes a lot of stress out of the trip. Cast Members can also provide tips on the parks, such as having your souvenirs shipped to your resort directly from the parks, or can assist with dining reservations.
Staying on property just makes the entire vacation experience easier. From the moment you arrive at your Disney resort, you can rest assured that you’ll be taken care of.
BONUS TIP: For more information about Disney World Resorts, consider planning and booking your next Disney trip with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner you can trust like Mickey Travels. They’ll help you get the best price for your vacation, share expert advice and their services are totally FREE! It’s genius!
