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9 Reasons To Stay At A Walt Disney World Resort

9. Theme Park Complimentary Parking

If you are taking a car to Walt Disney World, staying on site allows you to skip the parking fee at the parks, which is currently up to $25. Free parking is only available to annual pass holders and Disney resort guests, making this a savings that could add up if you’re staying off site paying $25 per day to park. Keep in mind, Disney charges overnight parking fees for their resort guests, so if you bring a car along, you’ll want to work this fee into your budget.

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8. Extra Magic Hours

Extra Magic Hours is a benefit that is exclusive for guests staying at Disney resorts, where the parks either open earlier or stay open later for resort guests only. Extra Magic Hours can be the best time to ride some of your favorite attractions with little to no wait. These extra hours also allow you to get a greater value for the money you spent on park tickets, as you’ll be in the park even longer than other day guests.

7. Excellent guest service

It’s no surprise that Disney is the leader in the guest service industry, meaning it should not come as a surprise to you that Disney’s resorts offer exceptional guest service. From the friendly service you receive upon check in, to the little things like making towel animals in your room, or having products purchased in the parks delivered to your resort for free, Disney is truly a step above other resorts in guest service.

6. Top notch entertainment

By staying at a Disney resort, you’re also opting in to enjoy some of the best entertainment around. Be it at Jellyrolls, the dueling piano bar at the Boardwalk Inn, or the Spirit of Aloha dinner show at the Polynesian Village Resort, staying at a Disney resort gives you easier access to some of the best entertainment offerings in Walt Disney World.

5. Unique and elaborate theming

The theming and designs of Disney resorts cannot be compared with any of the other resorts in the Orlando area. Each Disney resort tells a story, just like each area of each park does, and by staying at the resorts, you are truly stepping into another time or place, and experiencing the story firsthand. Disney is a company that was started on storytelling, which is why the level of detail placed in resorts to fully immerse guests into a specific story is a huge step above the feel of staying anywhere else.

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4. Close proximity to the parks

If you’re looking to be close to the parks, staying at a Disney resort is likely the right choice for you. Some resorts are so close that you can even walk to the parks (like the Contemporary/Magic Kingdom, or Beach Club/Epcot.)

3. Dining plan

The Disney dining plan is only offered to resort guests as it must be booked as part of a package. If you’ve done your research on the dining plan and feel that it would work well for you and your family, you’ll want to consider staying at a Disney resort. Whether or not the dining plan is worth it to you is entirely dependent on your eating habits while at Disney, however it has the potential to save you 30% off of your meals. If this potential 30% food savings sounds appealing, staying onsite might work best for you. If the price of offsite hotels is what’s keeping you away, consider staying at a Disney value or moderate resort. The lower tier of resort combined with the dining plan might turn out to be cheaper, or at the very least you’ll break even.

2. Magical Express

The Magical Express is a complimentary service where Disney picks up resort guests from the Orlando International Airport and delivers them and their luggage to their resorts. If you participate in the Magical Express service, you do not even need to wait around at baggage claim for your luggage after your flight, as Disney will deliver it to your hotel room later in the evening.

1. Surrounded by the magic

This point might sound super cheesy, but deep down I’m sure you’d agree that it’s true. By staying at a Disney resort, you’ll be surrounded by the magic 24/7. There just isn’t the same sort of feeling that goes along with taking a taxi to your non-Disney hotel up the highway in Orlando after an eventful day at the Magic Kingdom. For this reason, my own desire to be surrounded by the magic on a Walt Disney World vacation tops the list of reasons why you should be staying at a Disney resort.

About Brittany DiCologero

Brittany is a New England-based writer focused on the history of the Walt Disney World Resort. She is the author of "Red, White, and Disney: The Myths and Reality of American History at the Walt Disney World Resort," and "Brittany Earns Her Ears."