Time Saver #1: Stay On-Site at a Disney Hotel

One of the first questions most guests ask when planning their Disney World vacation is this: Should we stay on-site or off-site?

There are hundreds of hotels in Orlando and the surrounding communities. And prices can be very competitive. It’s tempting to be lured to an offsite hotel for $50 or less per night.

But for me, there’s no question. The only way to go is onsite at the Disney resort hotel. Let me show you why…

Add An Hour to Your Day

If you’re staying offsite, you have two different ways to get to the theme parks: hotel shuttle or driving. Most hotel shuttles run every 30 minutes in the early morning and late evening. During middle of the day, it can be an hour between shuttle runs. If you happen to miss the shuttle, you could spend 30 minutes or more waiting for the next shuttle. Consider the impact of doing that twice a day!

If you’re driving, you’ll need to allow time to load up the car, drive to the theme park parking lot, then take the tram to the front gates. That can add an extra 15-30 minutes every morning or evening.

If you’re staying onsite, all you need to do is walk from your room to the bus stop at your resort and hop on a Disney bus (or boat or monorail at some resorts). Disney transportation runs every 15-20 minutes, more frequently during the early morning and late evenings.

And you’ll get off the bus (or monorail or boat) right at the park entrance. Another 10-15 minutes saved!

Add it all up ... You’ll save at least an hour each day. That’s time that you could be enjoying the parks!

Take a Midday Break

If you’re staying onsite, it’s easy to go back to your hotel and take a midday break. After a short nap, you — and especially your children — will be energized for an evening in the parks.

By the way, this might be considered a “must-do” if you’re planning to enjoy the Evening Extra Magic Hours…. which reminds me…

Enjoy Extra Magic Hours

Disney offers extended hours at one or two theme parks on selected days. I’ll talk more about that in Guide #10 on Page 22. When you get there, remember that this feature is available only to guests at Disney World hotels.

Easy Access to Dining

Each Disney World hotel has at least one restaurant. Moderate and Deluxe Resorts have two or more restaurants. By staying at the Disney hotel, you won’t have to go out to find something to eat.

Enjoy the Trademark Disney Service

Now, I’m not saying that you won’t have any problems at a Disney hotel. But my experiences have convinced me that staying at a Disney hotel means better service and fewer problems.

The staff — which are called cast members in Disney lingo — is extremely responsive, and the hotels are extraordinarily well maintained. Better service and outstanding quality means that you spend less time dealing with problems. And who wants to deal with hotel problems on vacation?