A Pocketful of Pixie Dust

Photo by ninjapoodles

I feel the need to apologise for my extended hiatus from posting updates to this site - I’ve been suffering from vertigo and spending time in front of a computer is enough to make my head spin… but I’m feeling a little better today so here goes with a new post.

One of the decisions you’ll need to make when planning a trip to Disney World is whether to stay in a Disney Hotel (on property) or in a hotel/villa in one of the neighbouring areas (off property). In the first of a two-part update I’ll run through the pros and cons of staying *on property* to help you make the decision.

Pros of staying in a Disney World resort

• Free Magical Express transfer from the airport to your hotel - and they even bring your luggage so you don’t have to hand around the carousel waiting for it
• Free transport from your resort to the parks - bus, boat or monorail depending on your hotel and destination
• Extra Magic Hours - on certain days resort guests can arrive early to certain parks, or stay after official park closing
• Immerse yourself in Disney magic - Disney resorts are more than just a hotel, they each have their own back stories and little touches of Disney magic to make you stay even more memorable
• Babysitting and childcare options - if you are travelling with young children but want some adult time you can take advantage of the in-room babysitting service
• Easier to split up if travelling with teens - the multitude of transport options will offer your older children a sense of independence
• Free parking - resort guests can park fro free at the theme parks - saving around $10 per day
• Guaranteed theme park admission - if you are travelling at a particularly busy time - Christmas or Thanksgiving - then you may find the parks reach capacity early in the day - resort guests are given precedence over those staying off site in these instances

Cons of staying in a Disney World resort

• Cost - there’s no two ways about it - even if you stay at a value resort you will stay for the privileges mentioned above in the price of your room. Cheaper accommodation is available *off property*
• Transport - I know I mentioned free transport as a pro - but if it encourages to go car-less then it can become a con. With the exception of the Magic Kingdom I firmly believe you can travel between resorts and parks more quickly by car. Besides who wants to wait in line and stand on a bus full of sweaty people at the end of the day - you’re supposed to be on holiday right?? Having a car will also allow you to visit supermarkets/malls/other theme parks more easily.
• Food - while you will find some world class restaurants on property - and plenty of choice (it’s not just hot dogs and fries honestly!) you will pay more than if you ate at some of the chains off property.

So there you have it - while it looks like the pros outnumber the cons the biggest decider will be budget - and you can find perfectly reasonable accommodation within a 10 minute drive for a lot less $$.

Be sure to check back for part two - where I’ll run through the pros and cons of the *off property* options - you can subscribe here to have it delivered directly to your inbox.

Tags: WaltDisney World Resorts

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