When it comes to planning a trip to Disney, you’ll eventually need to choose where to stay. After seeing the park ticket prices, it’s easy to panic and just book the cheapest hotel, apartment, or place you can find—without even checking if the location is good, if there’s transportation, or if you’ll be charged for parking every day, etc. That’s why, my friends, I’m here to tell you why staying at a Disney hotel is totally worth it!
There are so many perks, you won’t believe some of them even exist!
PROS:
EARLY PARK ENTRY
You probably already knew about this one, but wait—there’s so much more. Early Park Entry lets you arrive 30 minutes before the park officially opens and do “Rope Drop,” where you can walk quickly (not run, trust me, they’ll call you out on it 😉 ) to the park’s most popular rides. This way, you avoid the 2-hour lines that form once the non-hotel guests are allowed in.
FREE TRANSPORTATION TO THE PARKS AND DISNEY SPRINGS
Depending on where you’re staying, you can use BUSES, the SKYLINER (gondola), or BOATS to get to all four theme parks, the two water parks, and Disney Springs. A bonus: when you go to Disney Springs, you won’t have to go through the security checks that everyone arriving by car has to endure, which often leads to long, uncomfortable lines. Plus, you won’t have to worry about leaving the parks, walking forever to the parking lot, and trying to find where you parked. The buses are right at the exit, so no extra walking! And after a long day, you don’t have to drive through a city full of highways when you’re already exhausted. TRUST ME, there’s nothing better than being dropped off right at your hotel’s doorstep, without anyone needing to drive after a day of walking 24,000 steps—which is the bare minimum you’ll walk!
FREE PARKING AT HOTELS AND PARKS
If you think this isn’t important, YOU’RE WRONG, my friend—it’s super important! Do you know how much parking at the parks costs? $35 per day. And if you keep adding that up, it’ll take a big chunk out of your budget. If you rented a car, you can park it for free without wasting extra gas or paying for hotel parking, which would be another $35. You’re saving around $70 a day, which you’d definitely have to factor in if you chose to stay elsewhere.
FLEXIBILITY IN PAYMENT METHODS
When you book what’s called a “package,” it means you’re reserving both your tickets and hotel. You can secure this with just $200, locking in your rate before prices go up. You can do this months in advance and pay however you like, with up to 30 days before your trip to finish paying it off. So when it’s time to travel, everything is already paid and ready to go—no need to worry about extra expenses! Plus, when you go through Customs (and we all know how strict they can be), it’s a big advantage to have everything paid for, as they always ask how much money you’re carrying to cover your trip!
RESERVATIONS FOR LIGHTNING LANE, SINGLE RIDER, AND MULTIPASS BEFORE YOUR TRIP
With this new system similar to the old “FastPass,” you can make reservations up to 7 days before your trip if you’re staying at a Disney hotel. You also need to be within the U.S., but for those tips, you can reach out to me later! 😉 If you’re not staying at a Disney hotel, you can book up to 3 days in advance, but by then, the most popular attractions will likely be fully booked.
RESTAURANT RESERVATIONS
If you’re new to the Disney experience, you might think restaurant reservations aren’t that important. You might believe that if you want to have breakfast, lunch, or dinner with Disney characters, you can just walk into the restaurant that day and ask for a table. Well, NO—it’s not that easy. Reservations for these restaurants are always booked up, and you might not even know how to make them. That’s where I come in! If you’re traveling with a Certified Agent, the consultation is free. Yes, FREE! Disney pays me separately, so you’ll pay the same price as you would on the official website, but I make the reservations through Disney’s official system for Agents. And if you book a package, this allows us to link your reservation to the My Disney Experience app, letting you book restaurants UP TO 60 DAYS BEFORE YOUR TRIP! This way, you won’t miss out on a spot and will have a unique experience!
MAGICAL EXTRAS
When you book a package with a Certified Disney Agent, you receive a little gift from the Walt Disney Travel Company. You’ll get beautiful tags featuring various Disney characters for your luggage. Plus, you’ll receive a magical blue card that not many people know how to use, which offers discounts at shops and restaurants in Disney Springs. It also grants you tickets to play mini golf at Disney, a super fun experience—just like those mini golf courses you see in the movies! There are even more benefits included, but I’ll share those with you later!
PACKAGE DELIVERY TO YOUR ROOM
Can you imagine falling in love with a huge plush toy for your child or a beautiful Lounge Fly backpack, but you don’t want to carry it around the park? Well, you don’t have to! Disney will hold onto it for you and deliver it straight to your hotel room. What excellent service, right?
MEAL PLAN
Do you want to travel without having to worry about anything, just like you would at an all-inclusive resort? This way, you can book a package that includes your hotel, park tickets, transportation, and a Dining Plan (an extra you can add if you’re staying at a Disney hotel). You won’t have to think about anything other than relaxing and enjoying yourself since everything will be paid for and sorted out, just like at an all-inclusive!
THE DISNEY MAGIC
Finally, there’s the magic of being in the Disney Zone (the bubble) all the time! Being on Disney property, without having to leave or drive a lot to get to a park or Disney Springs, is just wonderful. Everything is perfect; everything is magical, and this way, the magic never ends. From the moment you arrive to when you leave your hotel, you’re in the magic bubble 24/7. Trust me, once you experience it, you won’t want to stay anywhere else but a Disney hotel!
It’s Disney Time, By Carla.
Certified Disney and Universal Agent
Instagram: @esdinseytime
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