While the thought of visiting the four theme parks at Walt Disney World already sounds magical, staying at one of Disney's on-property resort hotels can add even more magic to your vacation! With 30 different hotels and accommodations to choose from, there's something for each and every family to enjoy. But having that amount of lodging to choose from can get intimidating, and just how do you choose?
When looking at where to stay during your Walt Disney World vacation, there are multiple factors to consider, but the most important thing to look at is your budget. Your budget will be the ultimate factor in choosing your hotel. Disney classifies their resort hotels by category: Value Resort Hotels, Moderate Resort Hotels, Deluxe Resort Hotels, and Deluxe Villas. The accommodations are grouped into these categories by average price per night, with the Deluxe Villas costing the most. The Value Resort Hotels are great for families with younger children, guests on a tighter budget, and the all-day theme park goers. Why is that? Well all of the Value Resort Hotels are designed with bright colors , larger-than-life icons, and offer food court-style dining that's perfect for kids of all ages to get a quick bite before heading out to the parks for the day. They feature a main hall for check-in, shopping, and dining, and the rooms are grouped into different buildings usually separated by a theme. At Disney's Pop Century Resort, the rooms are grouped into different buildings themed to a iconic decade. At Disney's All Star Movies Resort, the buildings are identified by a Disney animated classic film. The Value Resort Hotels offer the lowest rates and the rooms are all fairly standard. So for the family who's looking to spend the majority of their days in the parks and just want a place to rest their heads, the Value Resorts make the most sense. The Moderate Resort Hotels have higher average nightly rates than the Value Resorts and boast more elaborate themes, recreation offerings, and dining options. This type of resort hotel is perfect for families still trying to adhere to a budget but maybe want to include pool days amidst their time in the parks, sleep in a little later each morning, or want those extra recreation options. Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort has six different pools on site (one for each "village" of rooms), Disney's Coronado Springs Resort has the 24-hour fitness facility La Vida Health Club that is perfect for adults who want to get a workout in each day, and Disney's Port Orleans Resort-Riverside offers "Royal Guest Rooms" that are perfect for families with Princesses in tow. The Deluxe Resort Hotels and Deluxe Villas are the most expensive places to stay at Walt Disney World and are good options for the seasoned Disney veterans and families with older guests or without children. These are the most opulent hotels that offer even more recreation options, specialty dining opportunities, and spa offerings. Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge is famous for sweeping Savannah views in which you can see animals right from your hotel room balcony, and Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa houses the famed Victoria & Albert's Restaurant, which is a AAA Five Diamond Award recipient. The guests who are looking for a luxurious, elegant hotel experience, fine dining options, and plush accommodations should consider the Deluxe Resort Hotels and Deluxe Villas. WDW is also home to a campground at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort, which is a great option for guests who prefer to travel via RV or sleep under the stars. Rates are low as you're paying for a place to camp without beds, TV, room service, etc. Now you might be thinking, "What about staying off-property?" Well, I am fairly one-sided on the argument of staying off vs. on Disney property. I think it pays to stay on-property, by far! While the nightly rates are almost always higher at a Disney Resort Hotel, you're getting other amenities that off-property hotels simply cannot compete with. The biggest amenity being free transportation from your Disney Resort Hotel to all four theme parks, both water parks, and Downtown Disney. Each hotel has its own bus station(s) that can conveniently get you to any place on property you may want to visit. So no need to rent a car or hail a taxi at all during your stay! Another perk of staying on property is the opportunity to take advantage of Extra Magic Hours at the parks during your stay. Every day, one of the four theme parks either opens an hour early or stays open an hour later that only Disney Resort Hotel guests can take part in. This means early access to your favorite attractions, not having to rush to exit the park at the end of the day, etc. It's definitely a nice bonus when planning out your theme park days! WDW hotels on property also include countless other amenities (which vary by hotel of course), including free WiFi, free resort and theme park parking, 24-hour ATM services, and laundry services, among others. Plus all Disney Resort Hotel guests are eligible to take advantage of Disney's Magical Express bus service to and from Orlando International airport. Check back later for a post entirely dedicated to Disney's Magical Express and its benefits! All in all, Walt Disney World offers too many lodging options to count, but there's something for everyone. The most important thing to consider is your budget and then exactly how you're planning to spend your WDW vacation days. Be sure to check out https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/ for complete hotel listings and overviews, and don't forget to check out sites like TripAdvisor and Expedia for guest reviews and ratings. Whether you choose to stay at a Value Resort Hotel or Deluxe Villa, on vs. off-property, or camping in your RV, you'll have a place to rest and recharge at the end of the day, spend time with your family and friends, and create magical memories that will last a lifetime! Until the next post, see ya real soon!
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So you've decided it's time for your family to visit Walt Disney World. Yay! But where to begin? How do you even start planning a Disney vacation? Well, the first choice you have to make is WHEN you should visit Walt Disney World. Deciding what time of year to visit WDW is a very important decision that will influence your entire trip. While tourists and locals alike flock to the resort all year long, certain times of the year do bring in more guests than others. If you're a first-timer or will be traveling with first-timers (your kids, spouse, best friends, etc.), you want to avoid the Summer months and Holiday Season. Why? Because those are the times of the year you will encounter the heaviest crowds, longest lines, and most extreme weather (in the Summer months, anyway). It is extremely overwhelming enough for a first-timer at WDW, so taking them into uncharted territory along with thousands of other guests will only make the trip more stressful and chaotic. For first-timers, stick to the Fall months (mid-September right up until Thanksgiving) and early Spring months (mid-January right up until Easter) for your visit. These times of year see fewer crowds, which means shorter lines, more available hotel rooms, and more temperate weather. The more available hotel rooms will also more than likely bring cheaper room rates that may fit into your budget better. The Fall months and early Spring months also bring some seasonal entertainment offerings that you can't experience all year long, which is a perk to visiting WDW at those times even if you aren't a first-timer. In the Fall, the parks are spectacularly decorated with an autumnal theme, including rich orange and red colors, seasonal vegetation, and the most detailed jack-o-lanterns you will ever see. You can also enjoy Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at the Magic Kingdom, a hard-ticket event held on select nights, which features a specialty parade, fireworks show, and trick-or-treating! The Spring months bring seasonal events including EPCOT's annual International Flower and Garden Festival, and Star Wars weekends at Disney's Hollywood Studios. For more information on special season events and offerings, and to check out others, visit https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/#/events-tours/. Also check out the photo gallery below to see how magical these special events can be! But what if you're a seasoned pro or want to experience a different time of year at Walt Disney World? Well, the Holiday season brings even more magic to the resort! With opulent Christmas decorations, festive music, and special entertainment offerings, the Holiday season at WDW is packed full of extra pixie dust. But like I mentioned, this time of year brings in especially large crowds, so be prepared to wait in longer lines and pay a bit more for your hotel stay (and airfare for that matter, too!). Some Holiday experiences like Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party also require a separate ticket, so be sure to plan accordingly if you want to take in those events. The summertime months also bring in larger crowds as more families with younger children travel to the parks when school lets out. This time of year you're sure to find larger parties traveling together, fewer dining reservation openings, and Fast Passes to your favorite attractions timing out at the beginning of the day. And you can't forget that blazing Florida heat and humidity! It's much better to avoid this time of year if you're a first-timer, because you might not be able to fit everything in you'd like to experience. My family has traveled many times during the Summer, only to come home and realize "We never got a chance to ride Space Mountain!" So be sure to carefully consider the time of year for your Disney vacation, and decide on that first. Various other factors also play into this choice whether it be your number of vacation or personal days, family schedules, or budget, so be sure to look at the big picture. Once you've made your decision, you're ready to choose your hotel and start making special dining reservations. Check back later for more information and tips on choosing the right hotel for your family, the ins and outs of eating at WDW, all of the mentioned seasonal entertainment, and more! Be sure to also check out https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/ for comprehensive Walt Disney World Resort information to start planning your trip, and don't forget to send in any questions or topic ideas you may have. Until the next post, see ya real soon! ![]() Hi friends! Welcome to Haleigh's Once Upon a Blog, my hand-crafted guide to planning your dream Disney Vacation and personal journal of Disney stories and memories. As an alumni of the Disney College Program and frequent Disney vacationer, I often get questions from friends, family, and coworkers about how to put together a magical Disney vacation, what the "must-do's" are at Walt Disney World, and why my family likes Disney so much. Well, I hope to answer all of these questions and more through this blog! Keep checking back for posts about my Disney vacation planning tips and tricks, what to do during your next trip to Walt Disney World, and my family's personal Disney stories and memories. Check out the About Haleigh page to learn more about me and my Disney favorites, and feel free send me an email on the Contact Me page with your topic suggestions and Disney questions. I can't wait to get started helping you plan your magical vacation and share my stories with you. "All it takes is faith, trust, and a little bit of pixie dust!" - Peter Pan |
About MeA twenty-something alumni of the Disney College Program looking to help others plan the Disney vacations of their dreams! Living that Disneyland AP dream in SoCal. Archives
February 2018
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