Disney World Hotels - an Insiders Guide

When it comes to planning your Orlando vacation, deciding whether or not to stay at the Disney World Hotels is one of the biggest decisions you’ll need to make. In this Hub, I’ll give you the low down on the Disney World Hotels, so that you can make the right decision for your family’s vacation.

There is a big difference between “a hotel at Disney“, and Disney World Hotels. If you’re booking online, or through an agent, you’ll want to make sure that specify your preference. The official Disney World Hotels offer resort guests unique experiences and services that non Disney hotels can’t match. We’ll talk more about these benefits in a few minutes, but for now, you need to make sure that you find out if your hotel is one of the official Disney World Hotels or just simply a hotel at Disney.

There is also a big difference in price between official and non Disney World Hotels. Generally, you can expect to pay, anywhere from 10 - 20% more (depending on the time of year) to stay at a Disney resort. Currently, the only “budget” hotels on property are the “All-Star Resorts”, and even these are on the upper end of “budget”. Make no mistake, staying at one of the official Disney World Hotels is not the most cost effective option for your Disney vacation

So what exactly are the benefits of staying at one of the Disney World Hotels? Let me take a moment and paint you a picture…

You and your family fly into Orlando International Airport. Once you get off the plane, you don’t have to worry about your luggage, you simply head straight out to the Walt Disney World Resort shuttles which take you to your hotel, where your luggage will already be in your room, waiting for you.

As a Walt Disney World Resort guest, you enjoy extended hours for all of the Resort Theme Parks, giving you and your family time to enjoy the rides and shows, without all of the crowds. Not only do you also get discounts at the various shops around the Walt Disney World Resort, but you can also have those packages sent directly to your room, so there’s no need to lug around those packages all day.

As a resort guest, you’ll also be eligible for special shows and activities that aren’t available for non-resort guests (like breakfast with Mickey and his friends, or Tea with Alice and The Mad Hatter).

As you can see, there are some serious benefits to staying at an official Disney World Hotel. I always recommend to stay at an official hotel the first time you come to the Walt Disney World Resort. It will make your first trip go much smoother, and give you more time in the parks without the crowds (which is worth the added cost in my opinion).

No matter where you decide to stay, the Walt Disney World Resort is a magical vacation destination for any family. You’ll need to make sure however, that you take the time to do your research and plan your vacation ahead of time. I’ll post links below to some of my other “Disney Related” Hubs, and you can also call (407) - W-DISNEY at anytime to speak with Central Reservations or a Disney Vacation Planner.