When it's time to travel to Disney, the moment comes to choose where to stay, and when we see the park ticket prices we get scared and out of desperation we just grab the cheapest hotel, apartment or accommodation we can find, without even knowing if the location is good, if it has transportation, if they charge for parking every day, etc. That's why, my friends, today I'm here to tell you why it IS worth staying at Disney hotels!
More than a thousand benefits, trust me, when you read them you'll wonder how you never knew about them!
PROS:
EARLY PARK ENTRY:
Sure, you probably already knew this one, but wait because there are many more to come. Early entry allows you to arrive 30 minutes before the park opens its doors and do "Rope Drop," where you'll walk quickly (not run, because they'll tell you off, trust me 😉) to the most in-demand attractions in the park, saving yourself a 2-hour line once all the non-guests start pouring in.
FREE TRANSPORTATION TO THE PARKS AND DISNEY SPRINGS:
Depending on where you stay, you can use BUSES, the SKYLINER (gondola) or BOAT to conveniently get to all 4 Theme Parks, the 2 Water Parks, and Disney Springs (not a small detail — when going to Disney Springs, you won't have to go through the security checks that everyone arriving by car must go through, creating uncomfortable lines. Not to mention having to leave the parks, walk a long way to the parking lot, find where you left your car (the buses wait for you at the exit, no walking required) and then drive at night through a city of a thousand highways and arrive exhausted. So TRUST ME, there's nothing better than being taken to your hotel, dropped off at the door, and not having anyone drive after walking 24,000 steps a day, which is the minimum you'll be walking.
FREE PARKING AT HOTELS AND PARKS:
If you think this isn't important, YOU'RE WRONG, DEAR, it's more than important. Do you know how much parking costs at the parks? $35 USD per day, and if you add it up, it adds up to your budget too. That's why if you rented a car, you can leave it parked, without spending extra on gas, without paying for hotel parking which would be another $35 USD, you're saving around $70 USD per day, which you'd otherwise have to add to the bill when choosing other accommodations.
FLEXIBLE PAYMENT OPTIONS:
When you book what's called a "package," it means you're booking Tickets and Hotel together. You can reserve this with just $200 USD, locking in the rate before prices go up, months in advance, and pay it off however you like — you have until 30 days before your trip to finish paying. So by the time your travel date arrives, everything is paid and ready, no worrying about extra expenses! Also, when you go through Customs — and we all know how tricky that can be — arriving with everything already paid is a huge advantage, since they always ask how much money you're carrying to cover your trip!
LIGHTNING LANE, SINGLE PASS AND MULTIPASS BOOKINGS BEFORE YOUR TRIP:
With this new system, similar to the old "fast pass," you can make reservations up to 7 days before your trip if you're staying at a Disney Hotel. If you're not staying at a Disney Hotel, you can only book up to 3 days before, and by then the best and most popular attractions will likely no longer be available.
RESTAURANT RESERVATIONS:
If you're new to the Disney world, you probably think this isn't important, because you might assume that if you want to have breakfast, lunch or dinner with Disney Characters, you just walk into the restaurant that day and ask for a table. Well, NO, if only it were that easy, but the truth is that reservations for these restaurants are always fully booked, and you might not even know how to make them. That's what I'm here for — if you travel with a Certified Agent, the advice is free. Yes, FREE! Disney pays me separately, so you pay the same whether you book through the official website or through me, as I process everything through Disney's official Agent system. And if you book a package, this allows us to link the reservation to the My Disney Experience App right from the moment of booking, and you can reserve restaurants UP TO 60 DAYS BEFORE YOUR TRIP! This way you won't miss out and you'll have a truly unique experience!
MAGICAL EXTRAS:
When you book a package with a Certified Disney Agent, you get a LITTLE GIFT from the Walt Disney Travel Company, which includes beautiful luggage tags featuring different Disney characters. You'll also receive the magical blue card that not many people know how to use, which gives you discounts at both Shops and Restaurants at Disney Springs. It also includes tickets to play Disney's mini golf — a super fun experience, just like those mini golf courses you saw in the movies! And on top of all that, it comes with many more benefits that I'll tell you about later 😉
DINING PLAN:
Do you want to travel feeling like you don't have to worry about anything, like an All Inclusive? This way you travel with Hotel, Park Tickets, Transportation and a Dining Plan (an add-on you can include in your package when staying at a Disney Hotel) and you don't have to worry about anything other than relaxing and enjoying yourself with everything already paid and taken care of, just like an All Inclusive!
THE DISNEY MAGIC:
Last but not least, the Magic of being in the Disney Zone (the bubble) all the time! Being on Disney property at all times, not having to leave or drive a long way to get to a Park or Disney Springs, is wonderful. Everything is perfect, everything is magical, and the magic never ends — not when you arrive nor when you leave your hotel. You're in the magic bubble 24/7. Trust me, once you experience it, you'll never want to stay anywhere other than a Disney hotel again!
CONS
DISTANCE FROM UNIVERSAL PARKS:
But for this, there's a solution and a method that's quite commonly used when traveling to Orlando, which is a split stay — where when you visit Disney parks you stay at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel, and when you visit Universal you stay at Universal Orlando Resort hotels to enjoy very similar benefits to those you get at Disney, but for the Universal parks. So to sum it up, there are basically no cons haha.
It's Disney Time, By Carla.
Certified Disney and Universal Agent
Instagram: @esdinseytime
Experience car rentals with Rentennials and book your vehicle so you can explore Orlando in the best way. Download our app for Android or iOS and find out everything you need to rent your vehicle or become part of the Rentennials family.
Follow us on our social media and be part of our community.
Instagram: @rentennials.app
Facebook: @rentennials.app
