7 reasons to stay at a Walt Disney World resort hotel

Many people are now questioning if the pros outweigh the cons when staying at a Walt Disney World Resort in light of Disney’s Magical Express airport transportation being discontinued at the end of 2021 and magic bands no longer complimentary.

My family and I have been to Walt Disney World more times than I can count. I have stayed in almost every Disney World resort, but I have also stayed in off-site resorts and rental properties as well. With all of the cuts that the pandemic has caused, my opinion has not changed.

 I always recommend staying at a Walt Disney World resort and here are a few reasons why:

1. Dining Reservations

Dining Reservations can be made 60 days in advance of your check-in date for both off-site and on-site guests.  For guests staying at a Disney resort, they can book their dining reservations for the duration of their stay (up to 10 days in advance) at 60 days before the trip. 

For guests staying off-site, they can only book dining one day at a time at the 60-day mark, giving Disney resort guests a HUGE advantage of getting more restaurant availability. For example, a guest staying at a Disney resort from October 1-8 can book their dining 60 days in advance all the way through Oct. 8. A guest staying at an off-site resort can only book their dining for Oct. 1 at 60 days.  Many of the popular restaurants are booked ahead of time by Disney resort guests by the time off-site guests get to their 60-day mark.  

2. Location and Transportation

When staying at a Walt Disney World Resort, you do not need the added expense of a rental car or struggling with car seats.  Once on property, Disney has several modes of transportation that are free to use, including bus, monorail, boat and skyliner. If you will be traveling with strollers, consider staying at a resort with monorail transportation where the strollers do not need to be folded to board.  Single strollers can also roll right on the Disney skyliners (double strollers may need to be folded). 

Depending on what resort you choose, some are within close proximity to the parks, even some within walking distance.  My family and I like to take a mid-day break for naps or the pool so we really appreciate being able to get back and forth between the parks quickly. If you are staying off-site, in addition to the travel time, you will also have to pay a daily parking fee ($25) at the parks. (If you stay at a Disney resort with a rental car, you would have a nightly parking fee also).

3. Genie Plus

Lightning Lane is the new replacement for the previous Fastpass+ system and was implemented in October. For $15 a day per person, guests can access most attractions through the Lightning Lane entrance, selecting their arrival windows one attraction at a time on the day of their park visit via the My Disney Experience app. There are two attractions at each park (Individual Lightning Lane) that would require an additional same-day purchase to help you bypass the line at some of the park’s most popular attractions.

Guests staying at a Walt Disney World resort can begin selecting their arrival windows for Individual Lightning Lane attractions at 7 a.mm EST.  All other guests can start selecting their arrival windows at park opening.  This gives Walt Disney World resort guests a jump on getting preferred times to the most popular attractions at the parks.

4. Early Entry/Extended Evening Hours

All guests staying at a Walt Disney World Resort will receive a half hour early entry into each of the four theme parks.  This may not seem like much time but trust me, it does make a significant difference in getting a 30-minute head start into the park before the long lines at the front gate begin to form.  In addition to early entry for all Walt Disney World Resort guests, those staying in a deluxe or deluxe villa resort will also receive up to two hours extended evening hours in one of the parks on select nights after it closes to the general public.

5. Online Check-In, MagicBand

By utilizing the online check-in feature in the My Disney Experience App, you can be given the opportunity to skip the front desk completely and receive a text with your room number when your room is ready. Though no longer complimentary, guests of a Walt Disney World resort can purchase new magic bands at a discounted rate through their My Disney Experience account. You can choose a 4-digit pin to be able to charge purchases back to your room.

6. Resort Activities

Disney resorts really go above and beyond with keeping their guests entertained even after they leave the parks. Every Disney Resort has scheduled activities throughout the day. You can usually find a daily activity calendar in the hotel lobby. I have seen everything from morning yoga, to movies after dark, campfires with roasting marshmallows, Disney trivia, painting pottery, scavenger hunts and more.  

7. The Disney Bubble

Finally, the reason I keep returning to stay at a Walt Disney World Resort repeatedly is for the overall experience.  There is just something magical about staying inside the “Disney Bubble”. j

Each Disney resort just has so much to offer, whether it be the entertainers along the boardwalk at Disney’s Boardwalk Resort, waking up to enjoy an amazing character breakfast at Topolino’s Terrace on the top floor of Disney’s Riviera Resort, the smile on my daughter’s face when she gets to jump into the colorful and huge Finding Nemo pool at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, horse and carriage rides at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Disney’s Port Orleans Resorts (returning soon!) or the excitement of watching the fireworks from the beach at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. 

I even get a thrill just watching the WDW information channel on the TV in my room!  It is just that feeling that you get when setting foot on Disney property that causes me to return year after year.  The memories that I make with my family each Disney vacation is something that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

Jenna Augustine is an agent with our travel partner MousePros Travel Agency. To book a Walt Disney World vacation you can contact Jenna Augustine at jenna@mousepros.com