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Growing up, my family and I always stayed off property when visiting Disney World. Back then there were only a couple of on-property resorts to choose from and they were all out of our budget. Fast forward to 1996 and it was our first time staying on property. By then there were more choices, and we stayed at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. I remember that trip feeling more tropical and fun. I remember getting my hair wrapped like they do in the Caribbean islands (which later was not that great of an idea since I had to cut that part of my hair off, but I digress). Ever since then, I have stayed on property. I have stayed at so many from value resorts to deluxe resorts. My absolute favorite resorts are Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Port Orleans Riverside and Animal Kingdom Lodge. I am more of a country bumkin and those resorts are very natural and earthy.
The best experience I have had at a resort had to be the trip I went to Animal Kingdom Lodge with my now husband. We were celebrating his 30th birthday and I had surprised him with a trip. We had reserved a standard room and upon arrival, we were magically upgraded to a savanna view. Now, it doesn’t happen often and I’ve never experienced a magical upgrade again, but let me tell you that room was magical. Right out on our own personal deck we overlooked giraffes, zebras, and all sorts of animals. It was amazing! You can only get that kind of magic on Disney property.
Once again we are happy to be partnering with Marie Stewart The Travel Consultant Specializing in Disney Vacations who will be adding in her own professional knowledge as a Disney vacation planner.
So leave your bags with us, hop a ride on the Magical Express, and don’t forget to tip “Mouse-Keeping” because were bringing you the TOP 3 BENEFITS TO STAYING ON DISNEY PROPERTY.
TIP#1: TRANSPORTATION BENEFITS
Guests staying on property enjoy both free transfers to and from the Orlando airport as well as transportation around Disney World property.
The Magical Express is AMAZING! This service transports you AND your stuff for free from the airport directly to your resort. They even pick up your luggage from the baggage claim and it magically shows up in your room! Perhaps even the most amazing part of this service is that you check your bags at your resort and Disney will make sure it gets to your return flight home. That means all those extra souvenirs and things you bought making your bags that much heavier is no longer your problem. You can get around the Orlando airport with ease instead of struggling, dragging your luggage around. This is WELL worth staying on property in my opinion!
| EXTRA TIP: If you do the Magical Express, make sure to have a bag of anything that you would like to have immediately upon arrival as it may take a few hours for your luggage to make it to your room. |
Also, Disney has free transportation between all resorts, theme parks, water parks, and Disney Springs meaning you do not have to rent a car unless you really want to. In past articles, I have discussed some of the different types of transportation, including the new Disney World Sky Liner. This new addition is to try and help a worn-out system. Many resorts only have bus transportation as an option and while, yes, it is great to avoid the hassle (and walk) involved with parking, the lines for the buses can quickly grow at the end of the night. The best transportation available, in my opinion, is the monorail. This connects the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT to Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Polynesian Resort, and Disney’s Grand Floridian. The next best option is to use the boat system. There are multiple connections around Disney property where you can take a boat from your resort to a theme park or even Disney Springs. All of this is available to you for free.
| EXTRA TIP: If you do choose to rent a car during your stay or if you are driving, Disney World now charges for parking at your resort.This used to be complimentary to on-site guests, but Disney recently did away with this freebie. However, you can get complimentary parking if you are driving to a theme park by showing your Magic Band. |
TIP #2: THEME PARK BENEFITS
When you stay on property, there are a few extra benefits that you can enjoy while at the parks. If you’re anything like me, you love shopping for the perfect souvenirs. If you’re also like me, you hate carrying them around once you purchase them. Well, Disney makes things easy by magically delivering your purchase to your resort gift shop, where it will wait upon your arrival! You no longer have to carry things around, worry about them breaking, or question where to put them while going on rides, etc. As long as it’s not the last day of your vacation, you can do this as many times as you’d like. Your souvenirs are available for pickup the following day at your resort. Just show them your slip and it’s a short trek back to your room for safekeeping.
Another big benefit is the use of Extra Magic Hours. Each day, Disney designates different theme parks and different times that are ONLY for guests who are staying on property. This is typically either an extra hour or two in the morning before opening or a few extra hours after closing. Disney Resort guests have to present their Magic Bands for scanning before getting on an attraction to show that you are eligible for this extra benefit. There have been times where my husband and I can go on rides over and over again with little or no wait. This has incredible value, whether you like to stay up late or if you’re a morning person.
Another Theme Park benefit is that you can reserve your FastPass+ sooner than someone staying off property. Staying on property you can start 60 days before the first day of your arrival while everyone else has to wait till 30 days before.This can make or break your chances of getting on a super popular ride such as Flights of Passage in Animal Kingdom.Along with that, you also get free Magic Bands with your reservation. This makes going around Disney World very handy as you need your Magic Band for lots of things, such as park entrance, redeeming your FastPass+, reservations, and charging to your room (which is optional).
| EXTRA TIP: Check out our article on maximizing your FastPass+ reservations |
TIP #3: RESORT BENEFITS
Once you arrive for your vacation, you never have to leave property again if you don’t want to. Disney Dining Plans are available for Disney Resort guests, making it super easy to get snacks and meals by essentially pre-paying for credits and thus saving some money on food purchased at the parks.
Each resort has its own theme, price value, and amenities. The Big Blue Pool at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort is very popular among the value tier while the amazing pool at Disney’s Beach Resort is on my bucket list for sure. You can see some amazing dinner shows such as the Hoop-de-Doo Review at Disney’s Fort Wilderness or the luau at Disney’s Polynesian Resort. I’ve also taken a lovely horse-drawn carriage at Fort Wilderness.They have some special themed rooms such as the Royal Room at Port Orleans or the Pirates room at the Caribbean resort.
And it’s worth me mentioning again, that you can view animals right outside your resort, maybe even your room window, at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge!
Hotels have their own signature restaurants which can be amazing as well. While you do not have to stay at the resort to eat at their restaurants, it can be a benefit to have that available to you before or after a day at the parks. Some of the most popular restaurants I would recommend are Café May seafood buffet at Disney’s Beach Resort, Whispering Canyon Café at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, and Ohana at Disney’s Polynesian Resort.
All in all there are so many resorts to choose from to best fit your family, your budget, and your style not to mention all of the benefits that they come with.
MAGICAL TIP FROM MARIE STEWART THE TRAVEL CONSULTANT SPECIALIZING IN DISNEY VACATIONS | ||
Asking a travel consultant is a great way to learn all of the things available to you. Fees for you are free when using Marie to book your Disney Vacation. Contact me today! | ||
Thank you to Marie Stewart The Travel Consultant Specializing in Disney Vacations for sponsoring this article series to keep Macaroni Kid a FREE local family community resource! Please support our sponsor. |
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Contact Marie Stewart at (631) 804-5897 Free Disney consulting and planning with any booking client. Ask for details! I consult with you and get a feel of what you’re looking for in a Disney vacation. I will explain options that I think would best fit you and your family’s needs. I walk every step of the way with you during the planning process which includes resort choices, Disney reservations, fast pass selections and much more! Call today for a free no-obligation quote. Recently booked a reservation in the past 30 days? Want Marie to be your advisor – contact her today! |
Discovering Disney: Top 3 Tips (Click Image for Article) | ||
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