Trip Planning 101: Deciding Whether to Stay On Disney Property or Off-Property

This is probably one of the most controversial decisions that many guests make and discuss.  Deciding to stay on Disney property or at a location off-property is a tough one.  I have put together a whole checklist of questions to ask yourself.  I recommend that you use your answers as guidelines to help you make the best decision.  Rank the importance of each of the items so that you stay somewhere that meets your most desired and important needs for your vacation:

11 – Will you be driving?

If you will be driving for your vacation, then you have a vehicle to get you where you need to go on property with ease.  Disney resorts no longer charge an overnight parking fee, so keep that in mind when choosing a resort. You’ll also have access to all kinds of restaurants, grocery stores, and more without worrying about getting around or taking shuttles and taxis.  In all fairness, many off-property resorts also have bus services that you will take you to many of the theme parks around the area for no charge, including Universal, Sea World, etc., but you will have to research this as they may not go to all locations or have limited time available that will still result in paying for the transportation.

If you fly, you will have to pay for an airport transfer to and from your hotel. Disney no longer offers Disney’s Magical Express service for airport transportation. There is one popular option: Mears Connect Driven by Sunshine. Click here for more information. 

10 – What kind of accommodations do you prefer?

Do you prefer nice, roomy accommodations but have a tighter budget?  If you stay off property you can usually find houses, condos, and suites that are cheaper than many Disney resort stays.  With these types of accommodations, you can get a whole lot more room for the money.  These stays also usually include a kitchen or other features, too.  You can also get these accommodations at Disney, but they usually run $400+ per night and only sleep 4-5, people.  Larger groups can be accommodated, but the price tag starts going up.  You can usually get a lot more when it comes to the value of the room when you stay off-property as opposed to on property.  If you prefer accommodations that are surrounded by Disney nostalgia, history, and magic but can give a little on the actual value of the size and amenities of the room, then you definitely don’t want to stay off property.  The value resorts on property can meet just about any budget.

9 – Do you plan to visit locations outside of Disney property?

If you plan to spend your entire vacation on Disney property, it would likely make a lot of sense to go ahead and stay on property so that you are right in the middle of everything. If you only plan to spend part of your time on property, then it may make more sense to try to stay centrally located between all of your activities to make it easier to get from place to place as you enjoy all of the different parks and locations.

8 – Will you be traveling with a large group?

If you are traveling with a large group of people, it can get very costly to stay on property.  You would either have to stay in several different rooms or stay in one of the deluxe villas, which are on the expensive side.  A large party would likely be better off renting a house or a large condo where there is a full kitchen, laundry services, multiple bedrooms, and room for everyone to spread out.  You can have a lot of these amenities at the deluxe villas on property if budget isn’t an option.  Your budget will likely be the deciding factor for this one.

7 – Do you like to be immersed in the Disney magic and experience?

Are you a Disney junkie?  Is it really important for you to be surrounded by all things Disney and get the full Disney experience?  If so, then there is no question that you need to stay on property.  When you stay on property you are surrounded by all Disney all the time and it is an amazing experience.  If this isn’t as important to you as some of the other things we have discussed then this definitely won’t be the deciding factor for you to help make your final decision.

6 – Do you plan to use the Disney Dining Plan?

If you are a fan of the Disney Dining Plan or think that it will be of great value to your family based on your planned eating habits on vacation, then you will definitely need to stay on property.  The Disney Dining Plan is only available to Walt Disney World resort guests, so if you aren’t staying on property you won’t be eligible to get it.  Be sure to do the math and weigh out the benefits to help make your decision and determine if this is valuable enough to help weigh your decision.  It is really nice to have an all-inclusive vacation feel and to be able to budget and pay for your meals in advance.

5 -Are you on a tight budget?

It is very likely that your budget is going to weigh heavily on the decision that you will make.  If you are on a tight budget but have high standards for your room and accommodations, then you should definitely look into options off-property to see how they stack up to the Disney rates and rooms.  I believe that Disney stays work within most budgets, especially with the value resorts, so weigh out the must-haves for your stay and then map out which options give you the most of them within your budget.  This will definitely help you make the final decision.

4 – How early do you make your dining reservations?

Do you care a great deal about getting your desired dining locations?  Resort guests get to start making dining reservations for their entire stay 60 days prior to the date of their arrival.  Non-resort guests can also make dining reservations 60 days prior but can’t make them for the entire stay.  They have to wait each day to make the reservations, which could mean the difference between getting a desired location and time. Popular reservations like Space 220 go extremely fast, and the resort guests have a big leg up on getting them ahead of other guests. If securing dining reservations is important to you, then you definitely want to consider a stay on property.

3 – Is the ability to book Individual Lightning Lanes important to you?

The Lightning Lanes at Walt Disney World allow guests to “skip the line” by purchasing access. One of the options for purchasing Lightning Lane is the a la carte method. The most popular attractions below are NOT included with your Genie+ purchase and must be purchased separately. Lightning Lane selections for the top-tier individual attractions are made on the same day of your visit and can be made across multiple theme parks (great for those who have the Park Hopper Option). Access to purchase Lightning Lane for the individual top-tier attractions is available to all guests at park opening. However, guests staying on Disney World property receive the benefit of early access to top-tier reservations and can make their purchases at 7:00 am on the day of their visit. During especially busy periods such as holidays, many non-resort guests never have the chance to purchase these because they’ve sold out. So you need to decide how important being able to purchase Individual Lightning Lanes are to you. 

Editor’s Note: Beginning July 24, 2024, Individual Lightning Lanes will be renamed Lightning Lane Single Pass, and guests can book their Single Pass (and Multi Pass) selections in advance, no longer at 7:00 am the same day as your park visit. Resort guests will still get an advantage with the new system. Resort guests will be able to book their selections seven days in advance for their entire length of stay. Other guests will only be able to book three days in advance. We expect it will be difficult for non-resort guests to book popular rides under the new service. 

2 – How early do you plan to get to the park?

Disney Resort guests have the benefit of Early Entry to the theme parks. Each morning, resort guests get an extra thirty minutes of park time. That might not sound like a lot, but it does allow you to get a jump on other guests and get a few rides in before it gets really busy. It means getting in line right when Early Entry begins for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance or for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, so you have a shorter wait and, more importantly, skip paying for the Individual Lightning Lanes. If you’re not a Disney Resort guest, expect wait times to be already above thirty minutes and sometimes already 1 to 2 hours for the more popular attractions at the official park opening. That can make a huge difference in what you can get done in the parks.

1 – Are the additional perks that resort guests receive of value to you?

Resort guests get various other perks.  Resort guests also get booklets of freebies with discounts at restaurants on property, arcade time, miniature golf discounts, and more.  These little perks can add up to a little bit of savings, especially if they were activities that you already planned to participate in.  These perks are definitely worth consideration when you make your final decision.

If you decide to stay on Disney property, we highly recommend speaking with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner to ensure you are well taken care of and get all the discounts available to you. We personally book all our Disney trips (and we do Disney a lot) with Magical Vacation Planners because they are the best and we trust them. For more details and help booking your vacation, call 407-442-0227 (407-442-0215 for Spanish). You can also get a no-obligation, FREE vacation quote by clicking here.  Their services are free to you and they can answer any questions you may have.