How to Plan (and Budget!) for Amenities That Still Have Not Returned to Walt Disney World

Walt Disney World has reopened the majority of attractions and restaurants that had closed sometime over the past two years, but a number of very helpful services and amenities are still missing.

Some of these former “perks” have replacements (that may or may not be pricier than their original forms) while others are still unavailable altogether.

If it has been a couple of years since your last Disney vacation, here are some unavailable amenities you might want to be aware of as you plan your visit.

Package Pickup

Package pickup was a major perk for Guests who like to do some shopping in Disney World, as it allowed them to either send their items to the front of each theme park to grab on their way out. For Guests staying at Walt Disney World Resort hotels, they also had the option of sending purchases right back to their resorts.

This perk has not yet returned to Walt Disney World and we have not received any updates on if or when it might happen. In the meantime, here are a few suggestions for how you can limit how much shopping you’ll be carrying around the parks:

Shipping is still available at most merchandise locations, and while this has always been a convenient option for larger purchases that could be challenging to pack for a flight, we do have to point out that this is quite the expensive alternative to the former, complimentary, package pickup.

Another option, albeit at an added fee as well, would be to rent a locker at the Disney Park you are shopping at. It would still be an added cost over the former service, but it would save you from carrying purchases all day.

In-room Dining

Most Walt Disney World Resort hotels have never offered “room service,” with the exception of Disney deluxe resorts and pizza delivery at value and moderate resorts. In-room dining has not yet returned to any Disney Resort with the exception of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.

Meals from quick service restaurants can always be brought back to your hotel room, and select resorts also offer takeout from table service restaurants (like Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, where Guests can pick up items from Kona Cafe to-go at Kona Island.)

If room service remains a top priority for you, you may want to consider a non-Disney operated resort that is still located on-property, like the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort, which does still offer room service.

Resort Airline Check-in

Prior to the events of 2020, resort airline check-in was an extremely helpful service that allowed Guests to pay any baggage fees and actually check their bags hours before their flights right at their Disney Resorts.

The process was very easy, had no additional fees over what would have been paid at the airport anyway, and it saved loads of time waiting in line at the airport to do the same thing while also saving the hassle of carrying around extra bags.

This service was closely tied to the now defunct Disney’s Magical Express for many Guests, who knew that on the last day of their trips they would wake up and drop off their luggage then return to the bus pickup usually located close to check-in to board the bus to the airport.

Without airline check-in, the only alternative unfortunatly is to bring your bags to the airport yourself. You may want to consider departing earlier in case there are long lines to check baggae at the Orlando International Airport, or you may opt to simply use a carry-on bag instead.

As for when these missing services will come back, we cannot be sure until Disney shares updated information on them. Each one of these amenities is likely impacted by staffing shortages, but it is also too soon to know if these services will disappear altogether if they have been gone this long.

We hope these tips help you make the most of your trip without these extra perks we’ve all enjoyed in the past, and we will be back here on DisneyTips whenever there are updates to share.