There's the age old dilemma in the world of Disney holidays, and that's staying on property Vs staying off property. In the Orlando, Disney area there are literally hundreds of hotel options. International Drive runs very close to Walt Disney World so there is plenty of options if you don't want to spend to stay in Disney while you're holiday. I have done both options, i've stayed in multiple Disney Resorts and also in a hotel on International Drive so i've seen both sides. I'm here to give you some advantages of staying on property because, personally, i think it's totally worth the extra cash.
Image sourced from Google Images
Disney Transportation System means no need for a Car
One of the greatest reasons to stay on property is the Disney Transportation. Disney has the best bus system, with transport going to every theme park, every water park, every resort and downtown disney too and it's totally free to Disney resort guests. For starters, this mean no need to rent a car and that's one less thing to deal with at the airport when you land, plus saves a little money too. The buses are really regular, so you never have to wait too long to catch one. If you decide half way through the day that you fancy hopping over to a different park, then no problem! Just walk out the park, the way you came in, and head over to the bus stops and find the sign for the destination you've decided upon. Everything is very well signposted so easy to find, and it's all the same at the resorts too.
Extra Magic Hours
One reason many people choose to stay at a Disney resort and is probably the biggest advantage of staying on property is the extra magic hours. So, if you stay in any of the Disney resorts there's an option to enter a selected theme park either an hour, or two, before or after the parks scheduled time. This means you can hop on some of the most popular attractions with a shorter wait time. It's also really cool to be in the park when there are a lot less people there too. It's pretty simple, all you have to do is queue up in your park of choice and get a wrist band. When you arrive at your Disney resort you'll get a welcome pack including all the park timings and maps, etc, included with this is the magic hours schedule so you'll know which theme parks have magic hours on which days and whether they're early or late.
Image sourced from Google Images
No Need to Pay for Parking
Now this is one for the parents, or at least the drivers of the car. If you decide to rent a car instead and not use the Disney Transportation system then it could mean a serious amount of money on parking. However, Disney have made it so when you check in at your Disney resort you gain a ticket that lives on the dashboard of your car for your trip and when you arrive at a theme park, the attendance check your ticket through your windscreen and wave you through free of charge. This will save you a lot of pennies, because parking is $15 per park, per day. So, if you decide you want to swap parks half way through the day and you're not staying on property then you'd have to pay $15 for each park but staying on property you can hop around as much as you like.
Disney Hotels add to the Magic
I love Disney Resorts. Whether you're staying in a value, moderate or deluxe resort Disney's attention to detail is second to none. Every detail is there to enhance your holiday and increase the magic. I personally stay in either the value or moderate resorts, simply because i find that they're really built for the kids so details are even further enhanced. Everything is bright and colourful, and everything is larger than life. It's simply buckets of fun and you can't help but feel excited when you walk outside your hotel room every morning.
Images sourced from Google Images
RFID Bracelets/Keys to the World
When getting to your resort, you'll be given your 'Key to the World' or something that's newer to Disney is the RFID bracelets, which is the same thing as a Key to the World just in bracelet form. This really is your KTTW; it opens your hotel room door, it lets you enter all the parks and it can be linked to your credit card so you can charge to it while you're in the parks too. Something else that's great with these is if you do use it to purchase something in the park and either it's a large purchase, maybe you buy something early on in the day or perhaps you just can't be bothered to carry it around with you, you can have your purchase sent back to your hotel for you and it can be ready to be collected just the next day. This can really come in handy.
Image sourced from Google Images
Friendly Staff and great Concierge
It kind of goes without saying, but Disney staff are exceptional. They are there to cater to your every wish, if they can and they're just amazing with all the family. They sincerely do care about your holiday and how you feel, so if you ever have any questions don't hesitate to go to them. Something else that really comes in handy, stationed in the receptions of the Disney resorts, is the concierge service. Not only are the staff super friendly and ready to help you out in any way they can, but here you can also plan your holiday while you're on it. They can help you book dining reservations, tickets for attractions and make all sorts of reservations. If you make a spontaneous decision about wanting to eat at one of the many delicious Disney restaurants, then they will do their best to help you out.
Image sourced from Google Images
Downtown Disney Amenities
Last, but not least, is Downtown Disney. Sometimes i feel like DD can get a little over looked in the grand Disney scheme of things, but really it's a great amenity to have on your doorstop. Like i explained earlier, you can easily get here by Disney bus, or by car, and it holds everything you could want. It's like it's own little city; it has a cinema, and a brand new bowling alley, as well as countless restaurants, pubs, bars, Disney Quest, shopping and much more. If you want to do something a little less Disney or just want to chill out then here's the destination for you.
K|xo
Images are my own unless otherwise Stated.
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