Should you stay in a Disney Hotel ?

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Again the answer to this question is very subjective, but most people that have stayed in a hotel on Disney property will almost certainly say that there are so many more benefits to staying on-property that it's not worth staying outside the resort, however if you're planning to spend a reasonable amount of time away from the Disney attractions you should consider splitting your holiday, and only staying on-property for the part of the holiday where you plan to spend time in the Disney parks.

Generally it is more expensive to stay on Disney property than to stay off-site, however if you compary the price of the budget Disney hotels such as the AllStar hotels, to staying in accommodation on International Drive, you may well find that there is little or no price difference, but that the Disney accommodation comes with the obvious benefits of being on-property.

What are some of the benefits of being on property?

• Car parking on Disney property is free to residents, so if you decide to take the car to the park instead of using Disney Transportation you'll save 10 dollars a day.
• Depending on the resort, purchasing a "resort mug" will allow you to get free drinks (excluding alcohol) from the resort for the duration of your stay. This can add up to quite a saving over a period of a couple of weeks, particularly if you're part of a larger group.
• Anything bought in the parks can be charged back to your room, using the resort ID card, and delivered directly to your room for free, saving you from carrying cash or loads of souvinirs around the park with you.
• Free transportation to all of the Disney attractions is provided for residents and whilst some hotels off-property claim to provide a similar service, I've found from experience that the Disney transportation is far more frequent and reliable than off-site transportation.
• Various on-site activities in and around the resorts are available to resort guests only.
• The major theme parks open early for resort guests, often allowing access to the park up to an hour or more before anyone else.
• Booking various activities such as Pony Trekking, or Paragliding is far easier through Guest Services when on property.
• Character breakfasts can be booked allowing you to dine with Disney's most popular characters including Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Donald etc, not only in theme park restaurants, but also in many of the resort restaurants.