Walt Disney World Resort is the ultimate Disney vacation — They don’t call it the Most Magical Place on Earth for nothing!
The Walt Disney World Resort has over 25 Disney Resort hotels, over 200 dining options, two water parks (Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon and Disney’s Blizzard Beach), four theme parks (Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom), and an enormous outdoor shopping district called Disney Springs.
Keep in mind the Disney Resort is nearly 40 square miles, which is the size of San Francisco! So how do Guests organize a trip of this magnitude? Today we answer all of your questions about the different hotels, tickets, discounted packages, and how to book your first all-inclusive Disney World Resort packages.
Disney World hotels can be the perfect place to start planning your Disney World vacation. From the time Guests enter the lobby, you are immersed in a magical world — From unique rooms to themed dining options, Disney World Resorts offers Guests magic from the minute their vacation begins.
So why stay at a Disney World Resort? What makes them so unique? Here’s what you need to know.
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What does a Disney Resort hotel include?
Walt Disney World Resort hotels offer many benefits to Guests who plan on visiting the parks. For starters, staying in a Disney Resort allows Guests to be up close and within proximity of Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
MagicBands
MagicBands are one of many ways how Disney offers magic and convenience to Resort Guests. These bands, which were previously offered as a complimentary gift, are now available for Guests to purchase if they would like one. So what exactly is a MagicBand?
Well, MagicBands are an easy and convenient way for Guests to carry everything they need within the magical bracelet! MagicBands can be used to access your Disney Room key, theme park or water park tickets, purchasing merchandise and food, and even connecting Disney PhotoPass photos to your Disney account.
Guests staying at Disney Resort hotels now have the option to purchase MagicBands at special pre-arrival prices up to 10 days before arrival. MagicBands can be personalized with different colors, favorite Disney Characters and fun themes—and can even be customized with your name.
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Amenities at Disney World Resort hotels
Many Disney Resorts feature activities and services including:
Themed pools such as the Nemo and Friends Big Blue Pool at Art of Animation
Poolside activities for children
Fitness centers
Unique and themed stores
Animal watching at Animal Kingdom Lodge
Jogging and walking trails
Surrey bikes
Water sports
Dining and themed restaurants
Free parking for theme parks, water parks, and Disney Springs
Complimentary transportation to and from the theme parks, water parks, and Disney Springs
With over 25 Resorts to choose from, families are able to choose what fits their budget best — Disney has different tiers of hotels including Value Resorts, Moderate Resorts and Deluxe Resorts as well as special themes and experiences at each Resort hotel.
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Do you like to sleep under the stars and camp in the wilderness? Check out Disney’s Wilderness Lodge! Have you always wanted to visit Hawaii and need some relaxation? Make a reservation at Disney’s Polynesian Resort. Do you want to be close to the magic? Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort is right next to Magic Kingdom Park!
Did you know that the Disney Resort hotel package also includes more time in the parks? One huge benefit of staying in a Disney hotel is early park entry — coming later this year. Disney Parks Blog shared:
Early Theme Park Entry: We know how much guests enjoy extra park time, so coming later this year as part of our 50th anniversary celebration, Disney Resort hotel guests and guests of other select hotels will be able to enjoy more fun with 30-minute early entry to ANY theme park, EVERY day. It’ll be a great way to get a jump start on your Disney day, no matter the day! As a reminder, the Extra Magic Hours benefit was suspended when Walt Disney World Resort reopened last summer, and as we continue to manage attendance with health and safety top of mind, Extra Magic Hours will not return. The new early theme park entry benefit helps us better spread visitation across all four theme parks, while providing added flexibility by giving guests extra early park time on each day of their vacation and in the park of their choosing. Please note that guests need valid admission and a park reservation made via the Disney Park Pass system to enter a theme park.
Recently and due to the ongoing pandemic, Guests will also need a Park Pass in order to visit one of the theme parks, which you can learn more about here.
Where and how can you book all-inclusive Disney World Resort packages?
As of the time of publication, the furthest date to book for Disney World is December 31, 2022. Therefore, Disney visitors can plan far in advance as that is recommended. We highly recommend you speak with your travel agent for more information.
Guests can choose the right Resort according to their needs and budget. Currently, the website offers 33 Resorts with filtering options of the price range, Resort location, Resort category, and Resort characteristics.
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Once Guests have decided on which Resort they want to stay at, the Disney World website will direct you to offer types, room options, and packages. Selecting the packages will allow you to select up to 10 days worth of tickets — with admission to one park per day. Guests may upgrade their base ticket to a Park Hopper, water park and sports, and Park Hopper Plus option.
The last step includes an itinerary and details of your final price with the option to add the Memory Maker, which allows access to all of the photos taken on vacation by Disney PhotoPass, and ground transportation. It is important to keep in mind that come January 1, 2022, Disney’s Magical Express service will no longer be an option for Guests. You can read more about that here.
After Guests get past that page, all that is left to do is fill out the order summary and leave either a deposit or pay in full. If Guests choose to leave a deposit, Disney World’s official website will inform the Guests of a specific date for when the remainder of the package price will be due.
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What do you need to book an all-inclusive Disney World Resort package?
In order to book a Disney World Resort package, Guests must need a credit card. However, if you would like to use another form of payment, we highly suggest calling Walt Disney World or speaking to your travel agent.
There are many credit card options Guests can use in order to purchase a Walt Disney World vacation, including:
Visa
MasterCard
American Express
Discover Card
Diners Club Charge Card
JCB (Japan Credit Bureau)
Disney Gift Card
Disney Rewards Dollars
Disney® Visa® Card
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How far in advance should you book all-inclusive Disney World Resort packages?
It is best to pick your dates and choose your Disney Resort at least six months in advance of your vacation package — or as early as possible to ensure that Resorts are available for you and your family.
At this time, Guests can begin booking their dining reservations up to 60 days in advance.
Typically, Disney always offers multiple rooms, tickets, and all-inclusive package deals including saving a percentage off of rooms (most of the time Disney offers 20% or 30% off), Annual Passholder discounts, U.S. Military discounts, and more.
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How can you save money by getting Disney World Resort hotel packages?
Saving money on your Walt Disney World resort package can be an added bonus and could be the making of another Disney vacation. The following are some recommendations for the most affordable Disney World vacation:
Choose a Value Resort/Moderate Resort
Disney Visa cards and reward points
Skip Park Hopper option/water parks
Buy Disney gift cards
Skip souvenirs
Plan a Resort hopping day (it’s free)
Get groceries delivered or bring food to the parks
Rent Disney vacation points
When is the most affordable time of the year to visit Disney World Resort hotels?
Picking the right season can be a huge plus and give Guests the ultimate Disney experience. Traveling during the off-season or non-peak times can result in lower crowds and most importantly, prices.
Guests should plan a Disney World Resort trip around November (avoiding Thanksgiving) December (avoiding Christmas), January (avoiding New years), February, March, early May, and the entire month of September. For the 2021 crowd calendar, visit our website here.
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Keep in mind that some events like EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival and EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival only occur during certain times of the year so if visiting one of those festivals is a priority, be sure to check the dates before booking your Disney World vacation.
How should you compare Disney World Resort hotel packages?
Guests can easily compare up to four all-inclusive Disney World Resort Packages right on the official Disney World website. After choosing the Resorts of your choice, the website will showcase some important information about the hotel including, room rates, Resort category, location, description, room details, resort amenities, transportation options, dining options, and recreation.
With this easy tool, Guests will be able to decide which Resort and package will be the perfect Disney Dream vacation for their family. Check the link for more information.
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We hope that this insightful information will help ease any insecurities about planning your next Walt Disney World vacation. Follow along Inside the Magic for up-to-date information about the Disney parks and the upcoming events like Walt Disney’s 50th celebration coming this October.
Do you plan your own Disney World vacations or use a travel agent? Let us know in the comments below.
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