With over 25 hotels and resorts on Walt Disney World property and dozens of local hotels in the nearby area, are the benefits of staying at a Disney resort actually worth it? Below, we share the perks of staying at a Disney Resort Collection hotel and additional benefits you can experience based on your selected resort tier.
Here are the benefits all Disney resort guests receive for staying on Disney property:
Best Deals and Discounts
Booking a Walt Disney World Vacation Package (which includes theme park tickets and a Disney Resort stay) through a travel agency like Wishing On A Star Travel® provides the best pricing compared to booking your resort and theme park tickets separately. You’ll also get access to limited-time perks, such as free waterpark admission on your check-in day, which was offered for all Disney resort guests in 2025 and is currently available for guests who book vacation packages for summer 2026. We’ll monitor promotions for you and apply ones you’re eligible for even after booking. It’s one of the benefits of using a travel agent to book your trip!
Immersive Theming
Disney Resort hotels truly excel in their theming, extending the magical Disney experience throughout your entire stay. From rooms inspired by The Incredibles at the Contemporary Resort, Little Mermaid-themed family suites at The Art of Animation resort, and over-the-water bungalows at Disney’s Polynesian Resort that evoke the spirit of Moana, these accommodations are filled with delightful references to Disney movies and characters.
Early Park Entry
Disney resort guests get to enter the theme parks 30 minutes before regular day guests. This allows you to get a head start on rope-dropping that popular, must-do attraction and significantly decreases your wait time for attractions with long waits. Not a fan of the thrill coasters or have young children who want to ride the teacups five times? You’ll be amazed at how many attractions you can jump on in 30 minutes when the park is nearly empty and attractions have little to no wait times.
Prepay for Meals with a Dining Plan
As a Disney resort guest, you have the option to add on a Disney Dining Plan to your vacation. With a dining plan, you can prepay for meals, allowing you to properly budget for food ahead of your vacation and giving you peace of mind when you arrive. Each dining plan offers a specific number of quick-service or table service meals, snacks, drinks, and a refillable mug. With over 200 dining options across Walt Disney World property, there are plenty of places to redeem your dining plan credits (including many sought-after signature dining locations and character dining experiences).
Perk alert for 2026: Kids dine free! Get a free dining plan for each child (ages 3—9) in your party when you purchase an adult dining plan as part of your vacation package. This benefit is valid for most stays throughout 2026. Contact us for more information!
Free Transportation
Getting around Walt Disney World is easy when you’re a Disney Resort guest. With options like boats, monorails, a Skyliner gondola system, walking trails, and an intricate network of bus loops, there are tons of ways to get around. With so many unique transportation options, getting to the park is an attraction all on its own!
Early Access to Reservations
Another significant benefit of staying at a Disney resort hotel is getting priority access to booking dining reservations and enchanting extras, like backstage tours, dessert parties, and experiences like the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. Dining reservations and enchanting extras can be booked 60 days in advance of your check-in date, and you can book up to 10 days at once. You also get first dibs on booking Lightning Lane passes, allowing you to skip attraction lines and drastically cut down your wait times. These passes can be booked seven days in advance, while non-resort guests can only book them three days ahead.
Free Parking
If you decide to drive or rent a car, Disney resort guests get free overnight parking at their resort, as well as free parking at the theme parks. This saves drivers $35-40 each day compared to non-resort guests who must pay a daily parking fee.
Charging Privileges
You can make purchases to your room during your vacation when you stay on property. You can add your credit card to a MagicBand, so all you have to do is tap your band when making purchases. Not having to worry about where your wallet is all the time is a great benefit and saves space when packing your park bag!
Additional Benefits of Staying at a Disney Resort By Tier
You may get access to additional perks and benefits depending on your selected resort tier. Here’s an overview of the perks each resort level offers:
Value Resorts
Included resorts: All-Star Movies, All-Star Music, All-Star Sports, Art of Animation, Pop Century
Value resorts are the most affordable on-site hotel options at Walt Disney World and allow you to access all of the resort benefits mentioned above. Most value resorts offer bus transportation to and from the theme parks, water parks, and Disney Springs area. However, Pop Century offers Skyliner access to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. Every Value resort provides at least one quick-service dining location and/or a food court. There is also at least one large, family-sized pool at value resorts.
Moderate Resorts
Included resorts: Caribbean Beach, Coronado Springs, Port Orleans: Riverside, Port Orleans: French Quarter, the Cabins at Fort Wilderness Resort
Moderate resorts offer elevated theming and more inclusive experiences compared to value resorts. Most moderate resorts have at least one table-service dining location as well as a food court or quick-service dining. They also have at least one smaller pool in addition to the large, family pool at the center of the resort. The family pools typically have a water slide, also. There are also more transportation options available at moderate resorts. For example, Caribbean Beach Resort is on the Skyliner route, providing access to other Skyliner resorts, EPCOT, and Hollywood Studios. Port Orleans guests can enjoy a boat ride to Disney Springs. In addition to bus transportation to and from the theme parks, guests at resorts like Port Orleans and Fort Wilderness can take advantage of bus loops within the resort to get to the resort’s primary facilities quickly.
Deluxe Resorts & Villas
Included resorts: Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, Contemporary Resort, Polynesian Village, Yacht Club, Beach Club, BoardWalk Inn, Animal Kingdom Lodge, Wilderness Lodge, Riviera Resort.
Deluxe villa resorts: Bay Lake Tower, Boulder Ridge Villas, Saratoga Springs.
As Disney’s highest resort tier, deluxe resorts offer luxury accommodations and the biggest perks. Deluxe resorts are the closest resorts to any of the theme parks, with several of them being within walking distance of a theme park. For example, the BoardWalk Inn and Yacht and Beach Clubs are within walking distance of EPCOT. The Contemporary, Polynesian, and Grand Floridian are within walking distance of Magic Kingdom. These resorts also offer the most variety of transportation options to and from the parks. In addition to walking to EPCOT, guests at the BoardWalk Inn and Yacht and Beach Clubs can take a boat ride to EPCOT or Hollywood Studios. Guests staying in the Magic Kingdom resort area can get to Magic Kingdom by walking, taking the monorail, or hopping on a shuttle boat across the Seven Seas Lagoon. They can also get to EPCOT using the monorail, along with bus service to Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, and Disney Springs. There are also the most dining options at Deluxe resorts. Most Deluxe esorts offer several different types of dining, including at least one quick-service eatery, a table-service dining location, and sometimes a signature dining location (including Michelin-rated restaurants like Victoria and Albert’s at the Grand Floridian). They also offer several pools, with a mix of family-friendly zones and more secluded spots.
Deluxe resort guests also get Extended Evening Entry. This perk allows Deluxe resort guests to remain in a select theme park for up to two hours after it closes to regular day guests on select nights. Extended Evening parks rotate regularly, so check the theme park calendar when you arrive to see when Extended Evening hours will be.
Other Resorts with Disney Perks
Some on-site, non-Disney operated hotels include select benefits like early park entry and dedicated transportation. These resorts include Shades of Green, The Swan and Dolphin, Swan Reserve, The Four Seasons at Walt Disney World, and Disney Springs area resort hotels. Perks at these resorts vary based on individual resorts, so check with your travel agent to see what you may be able to access as an on-site resort guest.
Book Your Walt Disney World Vacation with Wishing On A Star Travel®
With perks like early park entry, immersive theming, priority reservation booking, and complimentary transportation during your stay, there are many reasons to stay at a Disney Resort. It’s the best way to stay close to the magic and experience the Disney storytelling you know and love throughout your vacation.
With over 25 Disney Resort locations to choose from, selecting the right resort for you can be a challenge. That’s where our expert agents at Wishing On A Star Travel come in! We’ll get to know you and your family’s travel preferences to select the best resort for your next vacation. Need a rundown of all your options to help you decide? Subscribe to our newsletter and download our Disney resort guide. Then, get your free vacation quote or call us at 1-888-678-TRIP to book your next Disney vacation.
