I am a firm believer that if you are going to Disney World, you must stay on Disney property. Every time I go to Disney I stay on Disney property and I tell all my friends that are thinking about going to Disney to stay on Disney property as well. I have heard it said that it is cheaper to stay outside of Disney, but then you are missing out on a lot of great perks. If you stay on Disney property, you are staying in the middle of the Magic.
One perk of staying on Disney property is that you don’t need a car. You can reserve Disney’s Magical Express to pick you up at Orlando Airport and take you to your resort. While at your resort, you can use the Disney buses, monorails, boats and now Disney’s Skyliners to go to the different parks and resorts. If you are at the park and you want to go to the resort and rest a bit, you can. You can also park hop and resort hop using Disney transportation. Once your vacation is over, Disney’s Magical Express will pick you up from your resort and take you back to the airport. Disney’s Magical Express is a complimentary service, but it must be reserved.
Disney has resorts at all price points, so there is a resort to fit your budget. All of Disney’s resorts are beautiful and they each have a different theme. The resorts have heated pools, restaurants, and stores. At each resort you can find a calendar of events and fun activities like making Mickey tie dye T-shirts or pillow cases, watching movies under the stars, etc. On certain holidays, you can meet the characters at the resorts. There is always something fun to do at the Disney resorts. If you want to get to the parks early but are afraid you might oversleep, just request a wake up call and a Disney character will call your room. If you are at the parks and you buy something, you can have it sent to your resort so you don’t have to carry it around the park all day. I was even able to see the fireworks from my resort!
Another perk of staying on Disney property is the dining plan. Disney has three dining plans for you to choose from. They are the Disney Quick Service Dining Plan which gives you 2 quick service meals plus 2 snacks per person per day, the Disney Dining Plan which gives you 1 quick service meal, 1 table service meal and 2 snack credits per person per day and the Disney Deluxe Dining Plan which gives you 3 meal (table or quick) plus 2 snack credits per person per day. Each dining plan gives you a refillable mug per person that you could use at your resort. Character dining is considered table service and most signature dining takes 2 table credits. With so many options, there is a meal plan to satisfy any appetite.
Still another perk of staying on Disney property is Extra Magic Hours. Extra Magic Hours are certain hours reserved for guests staying on Disney property to enjoy the parks. Each day, a different park has Extra Magic Hours. Sometimes a park will open earlier for Disney resort guests while other times the park stays open later for Disney resort guests. It is fun to be at the parks, so staying there longer is always a great idea!
In addition to the Extra Magic Hours, Disney resort guests can reserve FastPasses up to 60 days before their trip. You get first pick for the rides you want to go on and the characters you wish to meet! It is great to have a plan when you go to Disney and reserving your FastPasses early helps you know that you will go on the rides you really want to go on, you will meet the characters you really want to meet and you will know which park you are going to each day.
From Extra Magic Hours to reserving your FastPasses early to using Disney transportation and getting a Dining Plan, to having your purchases delivered to your resort and fun resort activities, staying at a Disney resort is truly a magical experience.