One of the first steps to planning a Disney vacation is deciding where you and your family will stay. There are over 30 resorts spread across the Walt Disney World property. From the simplicity of the All Star Resorts to the glamour of the Grand Floridian each one has its own personality and unique offerings. The hotel you choose for your Disney vacation can set the vibe for your whole trip and make such a big difference in your vacation experience.
The decision of where to stay can quickly go from fun to frightening. But fear not! There are key questions to ask yourself as you plan your Disney World trip to find the right resort for you, avoid the stress, and get back to dreaming for your big Disney trip!
How much time are you planning on spending at your resort?
Disney World divides their resorts into 3 categories: Value resorts, Moderate resorts, and Deluxe resorts. Each resort category boasts different offerings, amenities, and park transportation options for your stay.
The amount of time that you plan to spend out of the parks and at your resort can be a good indication of what resort would be right for you. If you are looking for a resort where you can enjoy a rest day with your family, eat at more upscale restaurants, and benefit from more amenities; a Moderate or Deluxe resort may be the best option for you.
If you are just looking for a place to sleep at the end of your day in the parks then a value resort may be enough. All resorts offer free transportation to all of the Disney parks and in my experience, all of the resorts are equally clean and comfortable.
Check out my chart here to see what category each resort fits into!
Are you bringing a stroller?
So many of us bring our little ones to Disney World to meet Mickey and enjoy the magic! As much fun as it is to bring your kids to Disney World, navigating your stroller, diaper bag and all the other things that kids need can be a headache on your Disney trip. But did you know that choosing the right Resort can simplify your experience?
DIsney World offers bus, boat, monorail, skyliner, and walking options to get to the Disney parks. All of the resorts offer bus transportation but only some offer the other four. Now here’s the catch, Strollers have to collapse when getting onto a bus.
That might sound like no big deal, especially if you have an easily collapsing stroller. But at the end of a long park day do you really want to wrestle your littles, get all of the stuff out of the bottom of your stroller, collapse it and haul it onto a crowded Disney World bus? Just to do it all in reverse when you get to your resort!? If that sounds awful to you, a resort with skyliner, boat, monorail or walking path access may be best for you. You do not need to collapse your stroller using these four forms of transportation so there’s no stroller wrestling required!
Disney Definitions:
The Skyliner – This is Disney’s sky gondola system that can take guests to Hollywood Studios and Epcot.
The Monorail – this is Disney’s train system that can take guests to Magic Kingdom
Do you plan to visit a specific park multiple times?
Staying at the right resort can make it much easier to get to your Disney World park. Resorts are split up into different park areas. For example, the Yacht and Beach Club resort is in the Epcot resort area while the Wilderness Lodge is in the Magic Kingdom resort area. Knowing what park area a resort is in is a good indicator of what park it is closest too.
If your family knows that they want to visit a park like Epcot multiple times, staying at an Epcot area resort will give you a much quicker journey to Epcot. It’s only about a 10 minute walk from Epcot. As a plus, Epcot area resorts are close to Hollywood Studios as well. The park area of each resort can be found in their description on the Disney website or you can take a look at the map on the MyDisney and see what resorts are close to your favorite Disney World park!
Picking the right resort makes a difference in how quickly you can start your day in the parks, how easily you can pop back to your room in the middle of the day, and how smoothly you can return to your resort at the end of your Disney World day!
What is your budget?
As Rumpelstiltskin used to say on Once Upon a Time “all magic comes at a price”.
It is no secret that visiting Disney World can come at a hefty price. But choosing a resort that’s best for your budget can help cushion the financial blow and save cash for having fun in the parks!
Each resort category comes at different price points, like VERY different. And they can vary even more based on what time of year you come for your trip.
Prices range from $100-$200 per a night at a value resort to over $1000 per night at a Deluxe resort and everywhere in between. Knowing how much you are willing to spend per night can slim down your search to resorts that first within your budget. When I visit Disney World, I love to land right in the middle at a moderate resort. Prices at moderate resorts typically range from $200 to $400 a night with some nicer amenities than a value resort but I’m able to save more cash than at a deluxe resort.
There you have it! 4 questions to help take the stress out of picking your Disney World resort. Once you are able to narrow down what your needs are, finding the right resort becomes way easier.
One last tip: Don’t be afraid to contact the front desk of a Resort if you have a question about it before you book! Disney cast members truly want to help you have the best vacation ever. Happy planning!
Your friend,
Candace
