Disney Resorts 101

One of the most common questions I get from potential clients is whether it's better to stay off-property or at a Disney resort hotel when visiting Walt Disney World. My answer is the same every time: it depends! Every family's needs and desires are different, so it really is a matter of looking at your individual situation to find the best fit for you. But, if the "on-property or off-property" question is one that you've found yourself asking as you consider a Disney World vacation, let me give you a crash course on Disney resorts that might help you better weigh your options for accommodations. Let's dive into Disney Resorts 101!

The Grand Floridian is Disney's iconic resort right on the Magic Kingdom monorail line. 

The first thing you need to know about Disney resorts are the perks that come with staying at a Disney property. The first and probably biggest perk for a lot of people is the fact that, if you stay in a Disney resort hotel, you get to book your advance fastpasses 60 days before you travel (a full 30 days before the folks staying off-property). That's a huge deal, particularly for hard-to-get fastpasses such as Flight of Passage, Slinky Dog Dash, Frozen Ever After, and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. It's not at all uncommon for those high-demand fastpasses to be all booked up by the time the off-property booking window opens. Another perk is that Disney hotel guests get to book their dining reservations 180 days out from their date of check-in, whereas those staying off-property have to book their dining one day at a time 180 days out from each day of their vacation. Not only does that mean waking up early for several days in a row to book dining reservations (unless you have a travel agent who will do this for you), but it also means that many of the high-demand dining reservations might be gone by the time your booking window opens. To help this make sense, let me give you a hypothetical scenario. Family 1 is going to Disney World and staying off-property. They are staying for 5 days and on their 5th day they want to book Cinderella's Royal Table: the most in-demand dining reservation at Walt Disney World. They have to book their dining reservations a day at a time 180 days out for each day of their vacation. So, they can't try for that Cinderella's Royal Table reservation until 180 days out from the 5th day of their vacation. Family 2 is going to be at Disney World the same time as Family 1, but they are staying on-property at a Disney resort hotel. They also want to book Cinderella's Royal Table for the 5th day of their vacation. Since they get to book dining 180 days out from their date of check-in, they can actually try for that Cinderella's Royal Table reservation 185 days in advance. For a highly-coveted reservation like Cinderella's Royal Table, those extra 5 days might be the difference between having that iconic dining experience inside Cinderella Castle, and missing out. Another perk of staying on-property at Disney World is that you get to take advantage of Extra Magic Hours. Extra Magic Hours allow Disney resort guests time in a park either before or after the regular park hours. This special access lets you do more in the parks and maximize your time there. Another on-property perk is the free transportation system you get to take advantage of. The specific options available vary by resort, but every resort offers free transportation to the theme parks, water parks, and Disney Springs. You can literally park your car the day you arrive and not get in it again until the day you leave! Or, if you're flying into Orlando International Airport, you don't have to get in a car at all, as transportation to and from the airport (Disney's Magical Express) is complimentary for Disney resort guests. The last perk I'll mention is that staying on property allows you the option to book a Magic Your Way package. These packages come with great extras such a complimentary activities, discounts at select dining and shopping locations, and the option to add the Disney Dining Plan.

Now that we've discussed the perks that come with staying on property, let's talk about the options that you have when it comes to price and amenities at Disney World resort hotels. Disney resorts are divided into three categories: value, moderate, and deluxe. There are also villas available at most deluxe resorts.

Value Resort: All Star Music

Moderate Resort: Port Orleans Riverside

Deluxe Resort: Wilderness Lodge

Value Resorts
Value resorts are the least expensive hotel option and they are fairly basic in terms of amenities, but they are elaborately themed and offer conveniences such as on-site food courts, themed pools, guest laundry facilities, games and activities for kids, and other Disney touches you can't get off-property. There are currently 5 value resorts to choose from: All Star Sports, All Star Movies, All Star Music, Pop Century, and Art of Animation. Art of Animation and All Star Music both offer the option of family suites which sleep up to 6 and have a kitchenette, 2 bathrooms, and 2 sleeping areas. Of the value resorts, my favorite is Pop Century because it has been recently renovated and I enjoy the retro 20th century theme. However, many people report Art of Animation as being their favorite because it is themed after popular Disney movies such as Cars, The Lion King, Finding Nemo, and The Little Mermaid. The good thing about Art of Animation and Pop Century is that they are actually within walking distance of each other, so staying at one of them means that you can still walk over and check out the other. Also, these two resorts will eventually benefit from the Disney Skyliner system, offering another transportation option to Epcot and Hollywood Studios.

The 70's section at Pop Century features a giant Big Wheel and some other larger-than-life elements!

The 60's section features giant Yo-Yo replicas covering the stairwells. 

The family suite buildings at Art of Animation are themed after Cars, The Lion King, and Finding Nemo. The standard rooms are themed after The Little Mermaid. 

Moderate Resorts
Moderate resorts are a nice middle ground between value and deluxe resorts. The value resorts typically only feature double beds (some resorts have a queen option) and they only offer one sink in the bathroom. Moderate resorts come standard with queen-size beds and double sinks in the bathrooms, and some moderate resorts have rooms with pull-down beds that allow them to sleep 5 people. Moderate resorts are also a bit more sophisticated in terms of theming. The value resorts are eye-catching and playful, whereas the moderates are more subtle and immersive. Also, some of the moderate resorts have table-service restaurants onsite verses the values which have only quick-service options. Disney currently has 5 moderate resorts: Coronado Springs, Caribbean Beach Resort, Port Orleans Riverside, Port Orleans French Quarter, and the Cabins at Fort Wilderness. My personal favorite is Port Orleans Riverside because of its beauty and tranquility, as well as its boat access to Disney Springs!

Port Orleans Riverside features the Magnolia Bend section themed after southern mansions and the Alligator Bayou section, which looks like rural Louisiana. 

Port Orleans French Quarter feels like walking through New Orleans. And the beignets they serve in the food court are out-of-this-world incredible.

Deluxe Resorts and Villas
Deluxe resorts are the most expensive Disney hotels, but along with that higher price tag come the best amenities and the best locations. Several deluxe resorts are within walking distance to at least one of the theme parks. The Epcot area resorts, comprised of Yacht Club, Beach Club, and the BoardWalk Inn, are within walking distance to both Epcot and Hollywood Studios (the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin are deluxe resorts in this area as well, but are not owned by Disney even though they get some of the same on-property perks). The Magic Kingdom area deluxe resorts with the exception of Wilderness Lodge are on the monorail line with direct access to Magic Kingdom (and Wilderness Lodge has boat access to Magic Kingdom). The deluxe resorts also have absolutely amazing theming. From the sophisticated Victorian style of the Grand Floridian, to the relaxed island vibe of the Polynesian Village Resort, to the vibrant Contemporary Resort, these resorts are a destination unto themselves. Many of the deluxe resorts also have marinas onsite where guests can rent boats and other watersport equipment, and many of them also offer character meals onsite. Animal Kingdom Lodge even has its own savanna with exotic animals that can be seen from the resort grounds and even some of the rooms and restaurants. Most of the deluxe resorts offer the option of villa style accommodations with a full kitchen, living area, and the ability to sleep larger parties. Two resorts--Old Key West and Saratoga Springs--feature exclusively studio and villa-style accommodation. It's hard for me to pick a favorite of the deluxe resorts because they are all so beautiful, but I'm going to go with the Polynesian as my favorite deluxe resort: actually I think the Polynesian is my favorite resort overall. Just walking on the property relaxes me, the view of Cinderella Castle is beautiful, and it is home to my favorite character meal. These hotels definitely offer great amenities for the higher price tag.

The Lobby of the Polynesian Village Resort is my happy place. 

The Beach Club in the Epcot resort area is absolutely stunning and the lobby smells like happiness. 

Having learned about all the great things about staying on-property at Disney World, you might wonder why anyone would ever choose not to. But, in all honesty, staying on-property isn't for everyone. If you are wanting to explore more of Orlando than just Disney World, then staying in the Disney bubble may not be as important to you. Or, if you are staying with a very large party, you might prefer renting a house off-site rather than staying in separate hotel rooms on-property. As I said earlier, every family's needs and wishes are different and you have to weigh the options to see what is best for you. The good news is that, at Marvelous Mouse Travels, we can help you plan your Disney vacation whether you stay on-property or off-property. We work with multiple vendors and we can book everything from a Disney value resort, to a Disney villa, to hotels and houses off-site. We tailor our recommendations to your specific situation and work with you to plan the vacation that you want: and we do all of this for FREE!