I’ll say this much – the Disney hotels both in Anaheim and Orlando are never very clean. And the bedspreads and curtains needed to be replaced years ago. The Universal Orlando hotels smell clean, and new. They rooms are spotless, the linens smell fresh. On top of Universal Orlando hotels winning with cleanliness, they’re a fraction of the cost of the Disney properties. And I have to say the worst experience we had was with the cabins at Fort Wildnerness – the dust in those cabins are an inch thick. The windows, the screens, just awful. And the curtains don’t appear to have been laundered or replaced for a very long time. We’ll never go back.
Heck yes, definitely stay at a Disney resort, it’s magical. It’s expensive but worth it. Consider this: I’ve stayed at the 5-star Olympia Hotel in Seattle and the value All Star Music at Disney. If somebody were to offer me a free quarantine stay at either hotel so that I have to stay on hotel grounds, I would choose ASM over Olympia. And ASM is the least magic (and cheapest) hotel in Disney World, and it’s still more magical than Olympia. Don’t get me wrong, the Olympia is very nice and fancy, but it’s not magical.
Disney World is the best place in the world, and the Disney hotels are as much the reason as the parks!
Problem with staying off property is you miss out on the perks of staying on. I stayed off property once and it was cheaper, but it was a pain getting to and from the parks. They only had certain times when they would take you to the parks and sometimes way before the park even closed. I ended up having to take an uber to get back. It’s just so much easier just to stay on property.
If you want to have an immersive experience, it is a must. I’m not saying it is absolutely necessary, but it’s two totally different trips to stay on-site compared to staying off-site. The former is entering a magical world and existing in it for your entire trip. The latter is being a day visiter to a theme park and resetting to the real world every night.
IMHO: #1 Do what you can afford. Disney is NOT so magical anymore and certainly NOT worth you having to dip into precious savings accounts to afford. #2 It is NO longer always worth the cost of the “perks”. Look carefully at what you are ACTUALLY getting and are ACTUALLY going to make use of. The neverending cuts disney is making to the “perks” like transportation, dining plans, etc., is not ALWAYS worth the increased cost they demand for those cuts. #3 If you are having fun, enjoying your family or friends then any vacation is “magical” you only get back what you put in. Don’t buy into the hype or feel like you’ve missed out on an “experience”, trust me you haven’t. It’s just a room you will put your bags in and hopefully get some sleep in. Nothing more. People just love to brag about where they stayed but really unless you are ACTUALLY staying in your room ALL day and ALL night for days on end, what does it matter.
Comments for Staying at a Disney Hotel or Universal Resort Hotel: Is It Worth It?
Brooke
I’ll say this much – the Disney hotels both in Anaheim and Orlando are never very clean. And the bedspreads and curtains needed to be replaced years ago. The Universal Orlando hotels smell clean, and new. They rooms are spotless, the linens smell fresh. On top of Universal Orlando hotels winning with cleanliness, they’re a fraction of the cost of the Disney properties. And I have to say the worst experience we had was with the cabins at Fort Wildnerness – the dust in those cabins are an inch thick. The windows, the screens, just awful. And the curtains don’t appear to have been laundered or replaced for a very long time. We’ll never go back.
I love Disney
Heck yes, definitely stay at a Disney resort, it’s magical. It’s expensive but worth it. Consider this: I’ve stayed at the 5-star Olympia Hotel in Seattle and the value All Star Music at Disney. If somebody were to offer me a free quarantine stay at either hotel so that I have to stay on hotel grounds, I would choose ASM over Olympia. And ASM is the least magic (and cheapest) hotel in Disney World, and it’s still more magical than Olympia. Don’t get me wrong, the Olympia is very nice and fancy, but it’s not magical.
Disney World is the best place in the world, and the Disney hotels are as much the reason as the parks!
Duane
Here is a great tip, stay at a hotel off either property. I did and it was clean friendly, and half the price
Jordan
Problem with staying off property is you miss out on the perks of staying on. I stayed off property once and it was cheaper, but it was a pain getting to and from the parks. They only had certain times when they would take you to the parks and sometimes way before the park even closed. I ended up having to take an uber to get back. It’s just so much easier just to stay on property.
David Campbell
If you want to have an immersive experience, it is a must. I’m not saying it is absolutely necessary, but it’s two totally different trips to stay on-site compared to staying off-site. The former is entering a magical world and existing in it for your entire trip. The latter is being a day visiter to a theme park and resetting to the real world every night.
R
IMHO: #1 Do what you can afford. Disney is NOT so magical anymore and certainly NOT worth you having to dip into precious savings accounts to afford. #2 It is NO longer always worth the cost of the “perks”. Look carefully at what you are ACTUALLY getting and are ACTUALLY going to make use of. The neverending cuts disney is making to the “perks” like transportation, dining plans, etc., is not ALWAYS worth the increased cost they demand for those cuts. #3 If you are having fun, enjoying your family or friends then any vacation is “magical” you only get back what you put in. Don’t buy into the hype or feel like you’ve missed out on an “experience”, trust me you haven’t. It’s just a room you will put your bags in and hopefully get some sleep in. Nothing more. People just love to brag about where they stayed but really unless you are ACTUALLY staying in your room ALL day and ALL night for days on end, what does it matter.
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