Is Staying On Property Worth It?

One of the first questions that arises when budget travelers start planning their Walt Disney World vacation is whether or not staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel [also referred to as “on property”] is worth it. Understandably, those who are trying to work with a limited budget can sometimes steer away from staying on property because of the presumed cost. However, things aren’t always what they seem.

Today, we’re going to chat about some of the benefits and perks of staying at one of the Walt Disney World Resort hotels and how they might impact your budget.

Free Transportation To & From Orlando International Airport

If you’re arriving at Orlando via Orlando International Airport, like so many people do, then the perks of staying on Disney property start the moment you land. Guests who are staying at one of the Walt Disney World resort hotels have access to a service called the Magical Express. This service, which must be booked prior to your departure, not only gives guests a free ride to their resort hotel from the airport, they handle the bags too! Then, when your vacation is over, resort hotel guests can board the Magical Express once more for their return trip to the airport.

[IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to health and safety concerns, at this time, the Magical Express has suspended luggage delivery service for both arrivals and departures.]

Free transportation to [and from] the airport is always great, but it’s worth mentioning that the Magical Express is more than just a free ride. We’re talking about a Mickey and friends themed motorcoach here, which not only gets the Disney magic flowing the second you arrive in Orlando, it also gives you and your family plenty of space to travel comfortably while also stowing your luggage.

Fun and convenience aside, the Magical Express is a must mention in our discussion of whether or not staying on Disney property is worth it. With the average cost of a ride from Orlando International Airport to the Walt Disney World Resort area coming in at around $40.00 [each way] that is a total of $80.00 round trip or $20.00 per day for a 4 day stay. Of course, this number can change depending on the size of your family, fluxuations in pricing or other necessities [such as fees associated with adding a car seat].

UPDATE: On January 11th 2021, Walt Disney World announced that the Magical Express will suspend operations starting January 1st 2022. The service will continue to operate until this time, but guests arriving on or after the 1st of the year will no longer have access to this service.

Free Transportation Around The Resort

While we’re on the topic of transportation, it’s worth mentioning that Walt Disney World offers up a whole lot more than the Magical Express. Guests staying on property have complimentary access to busses, boats, monorails and the Skyliner, allowing them to get anywhere on Walt Disney World property without any additional cost.

Though those who are staying off property can utilize the Walt Disney World transportation to get around the resort, there is still the cost associated with getting from your off property accommodations to your starting point on property. There are a few ways to go about doing this, but the most common is to rent a car. Though prices vary depending on a number of factors, the average price for a car rental in Orlando is in the $45.00 per day range. Coupled with the standard parking fee of $25.00 per day, In total, that is an additional $70.00 per day you’ll likely spend staying off property.

Early Access To FastPass+

FastPass+ [also referred to as Fast Pass or simply Fastpass] is a type of electronic reservation system that allows you to enjoy some of Walt Disney World’s most popular attractions without waiting in long lines. Simply decide which ride you’d like to enjoy, select an available time frame and show up during the window. Then, bypass most of the line and enjoy the ride! Though it’s not necessary to use FastPass+ during your vacation, there is no arguing that it’s the best way to ensure you get the most out of your trip.

Guests staying on property can make their FastPass+ selections [choosing which rides and time slots they’d like] 60 days in advance, but those guests who are not staying on property may only make selections 30 days in advance. As there are only a limited number of FastPasses available for each ride per day, this means that there may not be any FastPasses available by the time you’re able to make your selections.

Though it might not seem it at first, having early access to [and properly utilizing] FastPass+ can really change the experience you have at Walt Disney World. You’ve probably heard people say “time is money” before and, quite frankly, it applies to this situation really well. In a place like Walt Disney World, where the price of admission is a pretty penny, spending 2 or 3 hours in a line that could have been only 30 minutes, does more than take a chunk of time out of your day. More time in lines means less time to enjoy other attractions and, as far as I’m concerned, that’s not doing much to add bang to your buck. This is true for everyone, but especially for families that are planning shorter budget friendly stays.

[IMPORTANT: Walt Disney World is currently operating under limited capacity and has suspended the FastPass+ system at this time.]

Extra Magic Hours

Another great perk that you can only enjoy i f you’re staying on property is Extra Magic Hours. These are extended hours, either at the beginning of the day or end of the night, that are only available to guests who are staying at one of the resort hotels. Taking advantage of this extra time in the parks, with the limited capacity, is a great way to get more out of your vacation that you wouldn’t have if you weren’t staying on property. It’s especially beneficial to those who are enjoying shorter stays and working with a limited budget.

Resort Packages & Dining Plan

I’ll be the first person to admit that I don’t have a whole lot of personal experience with booking resort packages or utilizing the Disney Dining Plan; it just doesn’t often fit with the way we travel. However, I’ve kept up with the packages and promotions that are available over the years and WOW are there a lot of opportunities to save if you make the decision to stay at one of the Walt Disney World Resort hotels.

Depending on when you’re traveling and what promotions are running during that time, there is a lot of potential to save considerable amounts of money [on top of what we’ve already talked about] by staying on property. Some of the more recent examples that come to mind are discounted rates on rooms, free dining for the duration of your stay or even free park tickets. Of course, there is no guarantee as to what packages and discounts will be available and when. Though in the past it was easy to see patterns and speculate, recent events have made it more difficult to predict what’s coming and when. Nevertheless, it never hurts to keep an eye out!

As we always say, sometimes so much it can seem like we’re a broken record, not everything we talked about here today will work for everyone or every scenario. But, knowledge is power! Having the information is half the battle in planning an affordable and fun trip to Walt Disney World and I’m hoping I was able to provide you with a little bit here today.

Mortals! Don’t forget to share your thoughts with us about some of these perks, how they worked for you and/or what your opinions are of staying on property. We’d love to hear what you have to say and I’m sure others would too! Stay spooky!