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Why Should I Stay at a Disney Resort?

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 Discounts!

There are many reasons to choose a Disney Resort for your upcoming Disney vacation! It is true that there are tons of resorts in the Orlando area. It is true that you might find one that is cheaper, though I would double check that that is true because you can sometimes get some super good deals at Disney. 

Probably one of the biggest reasons to pick a WDW Resort is the discounts. If you book last minute, you might not be able to find a discount, but if you plan ahead when the deals are first coming out, the savings can be anywhere from a little to a lot! To find out how to make sure you are getting the discount you think you are getting, click here.

What kind of discounts can you get? Most often they have room discounts from 15-35% depending on when and where you book your stay. Some of the bigger discounts are attached to having an Annual Pass or a Chase Disney Visa or sometimes even having Disney+. What else? Occasionally, you might find a ticket discount, especially if you are a Florida resident or a member of the US military. In the past there have even been Free Dining offers. Recently, WDW offered tiered dining gift cards for booking a room and ticket package. Much like the Free Disney Dining of the past, you had to book a Disney resort and purchase tickets as a package to get the Free Dining Card. Speaking of food, Disney Resorts serve Mickey Waffles for breakfast! You can't get that at the hotel down the road!


Magic Bands!

Alright, it is true that you can buy a magic band at a gift shop or online and attach your ticket to it. What you may not have realized though, is that you can get a discount on that magic band if you purchase it by clicking through your booked vacation on your app. Also, the fact that you have a Disney Resort booked means that magic band will be extra magical! You can attach a payment method to it for your purchases at your hotel, in the parks, the water parks, and at Disney Springs, but only if you stay at a Disney Resort! Purchasing Genie+ or Lightning Lanes or maybe you have a ticket to an after hours party?  All of these things attach to your band! And don't forget about Photopass! Simply allow the Photopass photographer to scan your band and your pictures will show up on your MDE app!  Oh yeah! You can also open your hotel room with your magic band! All of this is only possible if you stay at a WDW Resort!

Early Access to Genie+ and More!

The general public may begin reserving attractions on Genie+ when the park opens. But, did you know that guests in a Disney Resort can do that at 7am? Why is that important? Earlier access means a better chance that you will be able to reserve what you were hoping to get! 

What else do you get early access to? How about entering the parks 30 minutes before guests that do not stay on property? Pretty awesome! AND you can even get Extra Magic Hours after the parks close if you stay at a Deluxe Disney Resort or Villa! That's basically free time in the parks! Talk about magic!

Here's another secret: WDW Resort Guests have early access to Dining Reservations. The general public can book a restaurant 60 days out, but if they want to book reservations for dinner for 7 nights, they will have to do each reservation independently 60 days before the date they are reserving. If you're a Disney Resort guest, you can make all of your reservations 60 days before the first day of your trip. Why is that a big deal? More access to more reservations sooner! That means you have a better chance to get some of the most coveted reservations!

Free Parking and Free Transportation!

Disney does not charge for you to park your car at your resort! That hotel down the road likely has a parking fee, as well as a resort fee. Not Disney! Those things are complimentary!

Plan to drive to the parks? If you're not staying at a Disney Resort that will cot you $25 a day! If you stay at a Disney resort, parking at the parks is free! If your trip is 4 days long that's a savings of $100! Money in your pocket for food and souvenirs!

Many hotels in the Orlando  offer transportation to the parks, but it isn't exactly free because you need to tip the driver. Also, they only offer these shuttles at specific times. If you miss the shuttle, you are out of luck and you will have to spend extra money on an alternate form of transportation. Disney Transportation, whether it is a bus, boat, monorail, or skyliner begins before the park opens and doesn't end until  about an hour after park closes. During these hours, the transportation runs continuously and no one is asking for a tip!

Proximity and Immersion!

Still not convinced? Consider that when you stay at a Disney Resort you never leave the magic! From check-in to checkout you are in 100% Disney immersion! Each Disney Resort offers special resort theming as well as specially themed activities and amenities that are sure to be a highlight of your Disney vacation!




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