Benefits of Staying at Walt Disney World Hotels in 2024 - Pt. 2
Continuing my list from the last entry on the advantages of staying on-property for your next Walt Disney World vacation, let's get right down to business.
7. Free Parking at the Resorts and Theme Parks
As of January 10, 2023, resort guests with a car no longer incur nightly parking charges at their resort. Also, if you’re a resort guest and prefer to drive to the parks in your personal vehicle, there is no additional charge to park at the theme parks. Visitors to any theme park or water park that are staying off-property will have to pay daily parking that ranges from $25 for standard parking and $45 to $50 for preferred parking.
8. The Pools Are Top Notch
All of the resorts at Disney have fun pools, but you might choose to stay at one of the resorts that have a water slide or a hot tub.
Stormalong Bay at Disney’s Beach and Yacht Club is by far the best pool on property. It’s more of a water park than an actual pool. And with a pool bar (Hurricane Hanna's, quick service dining, cabanas available for daily rentals, a zero-entry sand-bottom pool, lazy river, AND 230-foot-long waterslide from atop the mast of a life-sized shipwreck replica, it may be hard to convince the kids to go to a theme park!
Don’t like all the crowds and fuss at a large pool? Well, Disney has you covered. All of the resorts have quiet pools in addition to the feature pool.
9. Resort Activities
Maybe it's because I'm older now, or maybe because I really want to get the most bang for my buck, but I love partaking in the activities at my resort! There are so many fun things to do, like Movies Under The Stars, painting, making s'mores around a campfire, poolside trivia and fun for everyone, the list goes on and on. Activities vary by resort, but in my personal experience, the nicer the resort, the better the activities.
10. Discounted MagicBand+
Disney offers a “pre-arrival” discounted price for MagicBands and MagicBand+ to guests who are staying at their resorts. You have your choice of colors, characters, and you have the option to have your name engraved on the back.
Do you need a MagicBand? With so many people using the app on their phones nowadays, a MagicBand is not a necessity, however, I still purchase a new one every trip. I feel more comfortable using the MagicBand to scan for photos, charging privileges linked to my My Disney Experience account to my room, scanning into the parks, and opening the door to my room. I enjoy the convenience.
11. Dining Options and the Disney Dining Plan
You will have plenty of dining options when you stay at a Disney resort. Fair warning, you are limited to large food courts at the Value resorts, but they do offer a wide variety of menu items. The Tie Dye Cheesecake at Disney's Pop Century Resort pretty much has a cult following.
If you were to stay at a Moderate resort like Disney’s Coronado Springs, you’ll be bombarded with options, including both Quick Service and Table Service venues. This is actually one of my favorite resorts to eat at. I will go out of my way to dine at Three Bridges.
Additionally, the Deluxe resorts have plenty of dining options, both Quick Service and Table Service. And if you want something a little different, you can always take a bus to Disney Springs where you'll have over 50 dining options!
The best thing about dining at Disney is that you do NOT have to be staying at the resort you'd like to dine at! Hop on Disney transportation and hop over to the restaurant of your choice! Reminder that table service meals require an Advance Dining Reservation you can make 60 days prior to your arrival. Luckily for you I would be the one making all of your dining reservations and you don't have to worry about dates and booking windows and timeframes.
Additionally, the Deluxe resorts have plenty of dining options. And if you want something a little different, you can always take a bus to Disney Springs.
The Disney Dining Plan is finally making it's return post-pandemic and will be available to add-on to your room only OR room and ticket packages for arrivals beginning January 9, 2024. Having the option to "pre-pay" for your meals gives your Walt Disney World vacation an all-inclusive feel. One of the commonly asked questions I receive daily is "How much am I going to spend on food"? With two options for the Disney Dining Plan, you are almost eliminating the chance of overspending or going over budget. To find out if a Disney Dining Plan makes financial sense for your family, feel free to send me an email and let's map out a game plan for your trip.
And last, but certainly not least...
12. The Disney Bubble
For those that are new to Disney, the Disney Bubble is the total immersion in the magic of Disney upon arrival at Walt Disney World. Once you enter the Bubble, everything changes. The worries, stresses, and cares of the real world disappear for a few days. The weight of adult responsibilities, your mortgage, bills, car repairs, office politics, kids’ homework, sports schedules, they float away once you're in that Bubble. You feel better, younger, lighter, and happier. If you wonder why "Disney Adults" are the way they are, visit the parks with one. They'll have you in the Bubble in no time.