Walt Disney World (WDW) in Orlando, Florida, is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the world. Between parks with great and fun attractions, beautiful places filled with magic, a perfect entertainment center to end the day and much more. But when planning your trip, one of the most important decisions is choosing where to stay. Although there are many options nearby, and perhaps much cheaper, staying at one of the Walt Disney World resorts offers a number of advantages that can significantly improve your experience there. Here I share why staying at one of the resorts at Walt Disney World could be a great option.
Again, I clarify, perhaps staying at one of the many Resorts at Disney World is not the best option for many since you have to think about tickets to the parks, food and drinks, among other options that are not free today as they were a few years ago (like the Fast Pass+ there is now the Lightning Lane which you have to pay if you don’t want to wait a long time to get on the attractions). But, on the other hand, some resorts can offer you more than the budget hotels that you will find outside the entire complex. It all depends on tastes and budget.
And no, this is not a paid post to talk how amazing and fun Disney World is 🙂 I am a simple girl who loves to enjoy the parks from time to time, especially now living in Orlando. When I didn’t live so close to the parks, I tried to stay at WDW even if it was the cheapest one just to enjoy the advantages.
First, let me start with a list of all the resorts at WDW and their classifications. From ‘Value’ which are the cheapest to the ‘Villas’.
Value Resort:
- All-Star Movies Resort
- All-Star Music Resort
- All-Star Sports Resort
- Art of Animation Resort
- Pop Century Resort
- The Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort (Yes, you can bring your tent, whatever you need for camping and the place has restrooms/showers, a store, a pool and more…)
Moderate Resorts:
- Caribbean Beach Resort
- Coronado Springs Resort
- Port Orleans Resort- French Quarter
- Port Orleans Resort -Riverside
- The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort (the same location for camping but cabins for more comfort).
Deluxe Resort:
- Wilderness Lodge
- Contemporary Resort
- Grand Floridian Resort
- Polynesian Village Resort
- Animal Kingdom Lodge
- Beach Club Resort
- Yacht Club Resort
- BoardWalk Inn
Deluxe Villas:
- The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian
- Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- Boulder Ridge Villas & Copper Creek Villas at Wilderness Lodge
- Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House & Kidani Village
- Beach Club Villas
- BoardWalk Villas
- Old Key West Resort villas
- Polynesian Villas & Bungalows
- Riviera Resort Villas
- Saratoga Springs Villas
Transportation Options
One of the biggest advantages of staying at one of the resorts at Walt Disney World is the ease of getting around Walt Disney World, in case you don’t want to drive and just relax. Disney offers multiple free transportation options, including buses, monorails, boats, and the Disney Skyliner. These transportation options are available from early in the morning to late at night, making it easy to get between theme parks, water parks, and Disney Springs without worrying about traffic or parking.
The routes are as follows:
- Buses go to/from resorts to the parks (including water parks) and Disney Springs.
- The monorail connects 3 of the Magic Kingdom resorts (Contemporary, Polynesian and Grand Floridian) and the park itself, but once you arrive at the TTC (Transportation and Ticket Center – the MK parking lot and where you can buy tickets for the parks) you can get to the other monorail and visit Epcot.
- There are boat options, from the TTC to Magic Kingdom. From MK to MK resorts (Fort Wilderness, Wilderness Lodge, Polynesian, Contemporary and Grand Floridian). From Disney Springs to Port Orleans Resorts, Old Key West Resort and Saratoga Springs. And from Hollywood Studios or Epcot to Boardwalk, Yacht Club, Beach Club, Swan and Dolphin (those last 2 are on Disney property and offer transportation services, but are not owned by Disney).
- The Skyliner between the Resorts: Caribbean, Riviera, Boardwalk, Yacht Club, Beach Club, Swan, Dolphin, Pop Century and Art of Animation. Also towards Hollywood Studios and Epcot.
- And all the parks offer buses to go to other parks within Disney.
So if you are staying at a Disney resort and want to grab something to eat or explore other WDW hotels, don’t hesitate to take advantage of the free transportation and a nice ride (my favorites being the boats and the Skyliner).
Here’s a link to a page that has an unofficial map of WDW transportation. It is perfect!
Yes, many hotels outside of WDW offer free transportation to the 4 main WDW parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom), but perhaps not to Disney Springs or the water parks. If you have a car, parking for each park per day is $35 (September 2024) but when staying at the Disney Resorts (in case you don’t want to use the transportation options) you can park for free at the parks (or pay extra if you want “Preferred parking” which puts you closer to the main entrance). If you go by car to the parks, remember to save your receipt in case you want to go to another park that same day (so you don’t pay double) or show your WDW Resort pass when entering the parking lot.
Stay at the Parks Longer at Night
Until 2020 there was “Extra Magic Hours” which helped you enter the parks earlier and every other day stay later at the parks. Today, guests at some of the resorts, can enjoy “Extended Evening Hours,” allowing them to stay after regular closing hours. This is ideal for enjoying the most popular attractions with less wait time.
This option is only for those staying in the Deluxe Resort or Villas. Also for the following hotels: Swan, Dolphin and Shades of Green.
It doesn’t work every night, usually Mondays are for Epcot and Wednesdays are for Magic Kingdom. There are some nights that Animal Kingdom and/or Hollywood Studios are substituted with Epcot or MK. For example, this September 25, 2024, on a Wednesday, instead of being Magic Kingdom it will be Hollywood Studios, from 9pm to 11pm. October 11th option is a Friday for Animal Kingdom, 6pm – 8pm.
Here’s a link for the official site of Walt Disney World, where you can check out the next dates for extended hours.
Activities at Resorts
Disney resorts not only offer accommodations, but also a variety of activities for all ages. Obviously you will find swimming pools, restaurants and ‘quick service’ for a quick bite, but also some arcades, depending on the night you can find bonfires and outdoor movie screenings. There’s always something to so. Some resorts also offer special activities such as bike rentals, boat rentals, and nature trail hikes.
I don’t know if they still do it, but especially at Christmas, when I stayed at a Disney resort, there was always a character greeting guests.
You also have the option of choosing a package that I love, the “Disney Dining Plan” which depends on the package you take, you can take advantage of better prices for breakfast, lunch, dinner and even snacks. But if we talk about food, let’s skip to the next point…
Food and Beverages
Disney resorts feature a wide range of dining options, from fast food to fine dining restaurants. Some of the most popular restaurants are located inside the resorts, such as ‘Ohana at the Polynesian Village Resort and California Grill at the Contemporary Resort. You also will find many bars, from the simple one to fun spots as Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto.
There are many options! At the Boardwalk, for example, you can enjoy an outdoor pizza enjoying the lake view (or maybe at 9pm watching the Epcot fireworks), or a delicious character breakfast at the Grand Floridian at 1900 Park Fare.
Of course, I definitely recommend downloading the My Disney Experience application where you can better review the restaurants and see the menus.
Plus, as I mentioned before, the Disney Dining Plan (or DDP), which is available to resort guests, allows you to pre-pay for your meals and save money during your stay. I think that on two occasions we took advantage of that package with the family (4 adults) and we were able to try several restaurants for the first time and we really saved a little compared to if we went on our own without the package.
With DDP you can enjoy ‘snacks’ such as chocolate bar or an ice cream, at the parks or at the resorts. You will always see the symbol with DDP written in the menu. And yes, this includes many options during the festivals held at Epcot.
And of course, here’s the link to learn more about the Disney Dinning Plan and book it with your trip.
An Immersive Experience
Each Disney resort has its own unique theme and attention to detail that immerses you in the magic of Disney from the moment you arrive. Whether you choose to stay at the luxurious Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, visit New Orleans at the Port Orleans French Quarter, or walk among famous movies at the Art of Animation Resort, you’ll be surrounded by the magical atmosphere of Disney throughout your stay.
Staying at a Walt Disney World resort offers a magical and comfortable experience, full of exclusive benefits that can make your visit even more special.
And if you are celebrating something as a birthday, anniversary or graduation, don’t hesitate to let them know when you check in and you might receive a surprise.
Of course, it all depends on your plan and if you are on a tight budget, you will obviously find very good options outside of Disney. But if you want the full Walt Disney World experience, the resorts won’t let you down.
If you have any questions about Walt Disney World or any other concerns about your trip to Florida, don’t hesitate to contact me and I will happily help you.
Photos are from my previous blog dedicated to WDW, Todo Sobre Disney, I closed the blog to dedicate myself to this one.
