This week's posts focus on Walt Disney World vacations in Orlando, Florida. For help planning your Disney vacation, start here. If you have questions, leave a comment or send me an email. Please let me know if I have permission to quote you in upcoming posts. Thanks and happy travels.
Disney offers a wide variety of resort options on property for visiting guests. The value resorts (All Star Movies, Sports and Music) cost $77-$159 per night depending on season. Peak season includes Christmas week, Thanksgiving week, Spring Break (March-April), while the best value season and best prices are offered in September. Luxury resorts such as the Animal Kingdom Lodge begin around $260/night and can run up to $400/night or more. These resorts offer more space, more extravagant amenities and nicer views than value properties.
Advantages of staying on property include:
- Convenience. Because the resorts and parks are part of the same system, guests who stay on property experience the convenience of free Disney transportation by bus, boat or monorail to and from the parks. Also, room keys can be used to charge purchases of food and souvenirs, no wallet needed.
- Complimentary airport transfers through Disney's Magical Express. Guests tag their luggage at home, check it in at the departure airport and it's delivered directly to the room.
- Disney Dining Plan savings and convenience. Amusement park dining can be expensive, and Disney is no exception. The Disney Dining Plan, available only to those staying on property offers prepaid, discounted dining options. The quick service dining plan, offering two quick meals and a snack each day, offers a 10% savings over regular prices. The deluxe dining plan, offering up to three meals and two snacks per day, offers up to a 35% savings over regular prices.
- Guaranteed park entry. Disney hotel guests have access to the parks, even when the parks close due to full parking lots. During peak season, this is an important factor to consider.
- Extra Magic Hours. Disney hotel guests have more time to play, because parks offer early entry and late nights to resort guests. Especially important during summer heat and peak vacation seasons, resort guests can visit the parks before they get crowded, head back to the resort to take a nap or play in the pool, and return to the parks in the evening when they're less crowded.
- Vacation package discounts. Guests staying on property get the "best" Disney vacation package offers, including tickets, meal plans and extras. Off property hotels might include theme park tickets, but they do not include meal plans and other extras.
The greater Orlando area, second only to Las Vegas in the number of hotel rooms available, offers a wide variety of hotel options to guests, many less expensive than Disney hotels. Why stay off property?
- Planning to visit other places in Orlando. If your itinerary includes Sea World, Universal Studios or other Orlando sites, why pay the premium price for the convenience of staying on Disney property? Instead, book a hotel convenient to everything planned. Many resort hotels offer free shuttles to Universal, Sea World, the outlet malls and more.
- Suites for less. While Disney offers vacation villas, suites with bedrooms, living area, kitchen and laundry, they are pricey (can run more than $400/night). All suite hotels offer similar space at lower prices off property. For instance, Buena Vista Suites offers two rooms (living room with sleeper sofa and bedroom with two queen beds sleeping six) with complimentary breakfast and hotel shuttle to the parks for as little as $79/night. Prices can run higher. The Residence Inn by Marriott offers two room suites for about $119/night, and Marriott rewards members earn points for stays.
Those guests arriving by car in Orlando during evening hours might consider staying off property at a standard hotel the first night and staying on property the rest of the trip. Why pay the premium price for an on property stay without being able to appreciate the benefits? Consider using Groupon or other hotel discount sites to book a room for arrival night.
Additional information on lodging options is available at these sites:
- Mousesavers.com. This site includes an extensive list of off property hotel options with links to their sites for easy booking.
- Allears.net. This site includes information for all categories of on property Disney lodging options, including rates at Fort Wilderness Campground, as well as information for popular off property options.
- AOL Travel. This article "crunches the numbers," showing the true costs of staying on property and off property. Factoring in location, convenience and package deals, readers can better assess which option is really their best value choice.
With so many lodging options in and around Disney World, everyone can find the perfect accommodations to meet their needs.
Still have questions? Please leave me a comment or contact me by email and I'll help you out the best I can!
Tomorrow's topic is all about food!
For Disney planning basics, read this post: Your "how to" for a fabulous Disney vacation.
Happy travels.
10 comments:
Hi Karen, We always stay off Disney property. We have found amazing deals at Palisades Resort. We usually book a 2 bedroom suite for around $99 per night (includes a full kitchen, dining room, washer and dryer, and large balcony). The best news is it is only 5-10 minutes from Disney depending upon traffic. The kitchen in our room and complimentary breakfast offered by the resort help save on our food budget as well. I haven't found a better deal yet, but would be interested if anyone has information on one. :)
I have never been to Disney, although it has been a dream of mine and would love to visit within the next few years. By reading your post, I would love to stay on property. It does seem pricier, but the perks verse staying off property would be so worth it!
Elizabeth, thank you for the recommendation of Palisades Resort. Here's the property link for those interested: http://www.palisadesresortorlando.com/
Palisades Resort is a WDW Good Neighbor Hotel, so they know how to do things well and are able to assist guests with Disney tickets. Staying at this property does not allow the discount dining plan.
If I were combining Disney and Universal Studios, this hotel would certainly be in the running.
Thanks again,
Karen
Carrie,
Your comment brings up an important point which cannot be stressed enough. Every dream vacation, Disney or anywhere, is going to be different for different people. For the most part, I prefer to stay on property as well. I like the extra magic hours and the food discounts (my sons are 18 and 15). The convenience and perks make our Disney vacations stress free and magical -- even after all these years.
The boys (those same teens) want to visit Universal soon. Combining both parks so that the younger sister gets her Disney princess time means we might book off property next time.
Every vacation, every family, and every trip even by the same family can look different than previous trips, just because the goal or the budget has changed.
I really appreciate your comment!
Happy planning. I hope this week's posts help you. Be sure to sign up for updates so that you don't miss any wonderful vacation planning tips.
Karen
You know we always stay off property. We pack a lunch to eat in the park. Pack frozen water bottles to drink. Pack snacks. We save a ton and end up with a 2 bedroom 2 bath suite for far less than the "discount" resorts on property. :)
Shannon,
Reading my mind again, you are (she gives a nod to Yoda). Tomorrow's post is all about saving money on food! :)
Thanks for your comment.
We've done both, depends on the deals and how much we want to spend on junk.
Those were good tips :)
Well, I told you in the last post, my family lives 45 min. from Disney. BUT, I would LOVE to stay in a Disney resort and do the WHOLE Disney thing. I looked at a couple of the budget ones online before. I think even a budget Disney hotel would be awesome! Thanks for all of the info. I really do hope that I can do this one day.
Michelle,
The best time to stay at a Disney resort is probably September. The resorts are discounted 15-30% through September 27 this year. They offer similar discounts each year. :)
Hope that helps your Disney dream come true one day.
Karen
These are some great tips. We are hoping to visit Disney World next year and was unaware of many of the things you pointed out so thank you very much!
http://www.acresidential.com/
Post a Comment