There has been lots of talk amongst Disney locals and Disney guests in general in the past couple of years on the loss of on-property perks. And I have to agree, when Walt Disney Resort reopened after the pandemic in 2020, there were a lot of onsite benefits that had to be paused. But, if you’ve been paying attention, Disney has been quietly changing that little by little and it may surprise you just how many great reasons there are to return to Disney property and enjoy those perks after all this time! I’m going to highlight just a few of these benefits, that may help tip the scales in the favor of an on-property stay the next time you visit the Walt Disney World resort.
Transportation
My indisputable top reason to stay on property is transportation logistics. When you are at Disney, chances are you have saved and planned and want to make the most of your stay. And waiting for a shuttle that has a limited schedule or worse driving and parking is not the way I would want to spend my time. Whether it’s missing that hotel’s first shuttle of the day or worse the last, you will forever be on a schedule depending on the transportation of a resort that is not inside Disney property. And let’s mention those midday breaks you may need. Chances are with the Orlando traffic and the commute time, that is not a real option for your family. And you may be thinking, “so what? I’ll just drive!” Waiting in line to get onto property, paying to park, parking, walking, all not fun. And don’t forget, at the end of the day where you parked and to save the energy to get your travel party back to your vehicle! In my opinion, a value can’t be placed on the property’s transportation and convenience! Not to mention the amazing Disney Skyliner and ferryboats getting you to and fro all over the resort! These are amazing tie savers as well!
Time, time, and more time! While I just touched on the transit time you save being onsite, I cannot express enough how amazing the extra hours for on-property guests are! These are game-changers, especially for you guys that love a rope drop or photos in a nearly empty park or to be the first ones to hit the most popular attractions in the park! Having Disney drive you to your park of choice and being able to walk in before any offsite guest is nothing less than magical…..BUT, if you are staying onsite in a deluxe property, you may get to experience something even more magical….extended after park hours! These extra two hours scheduled in various parks throughout the week are like having the park to yourself! Imagine two whole hours with only a handful of folks in a park and how much you can get accomplished in that time frame! This is the time you really feel like a Disney VIP!
Early Access!
Two words…..Early Access! Being an on-property guest has its advantages both before and during your stay when it comes to being prioritized for scheduling so many things! Did you know that off-property stays cannot schedule their dining or enchanting extras until 30 days prior to their stay BUT on property, guests get access to these activities at the 60-day mark? Most of these books up so quickly that waiting until the 30-day mark can really jeopardize your chance to grab your wishes! And that’s not all, onsite guests also get priority access to Genie+ selection AND Lightning Lanes two hours prior to those not staying at Disney. If 2 extra hours of Genie+ and LL opportunity is not the move then I don’t know what is! Most Genie+ and LL selections are gone before 7:05 am each day so those extra 2 hours are a lifetime in Disney hours!
The last reason that I will talk about this round may not be money-saving or snagging some great value, but allow me to wax cheesy for all you Disney lovers out there……There Is literally nothing like driving under that Walt Disney World Resort Sign and leaving your troubles behind. Real-life and troubles aren’t allowed in this magical place and I am living for it! There’s something about being smack dab in the middle of 47 square miles of Disney magic that melts all your troubles away and really gives you the feeling of escape! That feeling of being a child again is oh so familiar here and in the Disney bubble, there is always magic! I’m of the thought that once I enter the bubble, I don’t want to leave it unless it is absolutely the last minute of my trip! Soaking up and staying in the magic of the Disney bubble is like no other feeling on Earth!
While these are definitely not all my reasons that it is advantageous to stay on-site, these are definitely the highlights of that list in my mind! The value of your time, the access to dining and rides, and of course that unmistakable Disney feeling can’t be beaten when it comes to the investment of a Disney vacation! There are so many elements that make it amazing and these are just a few!
