Perks of Staying at a Disney Resort.

One of the main considerations when planning a Disney vacation is deciding where to stay.  While this choice--just like most others--boils down to personal preference, there are quite a few things to keep in mind when selecting a hotel, condo, resort, or vacation home.

The options in the greater Orlando area are vast: large resorts with huge pools, vacation homes & condos that can be secured through sites like VRBO and Airbnb, timeshare properties, and "Good Neighbor" hotels can all be found very close to Disney World.  Additionally, there are currently more than 25 Disney resort hotels that are actually part of the Disney World property, with price points to match most budgets (there are value, moderate, & deluxe resorts from which to choose).

In my opinion, the driving factor for most families choosing to stay "off-property"(in a nearby location) is space.  Believe it or not, the Disney resort prices are comparable (if not, in some cases, cheaper) per night than the non-Disney options.  The difference is that most condos & rental properties simply come equipped with full kitchens and multiple bedrooms, while Disney resorts are most often fashioned after typical hotel rooms (with Disney touches, of course!).

There are, however, many benefits to staying at a Disney resort that, depending on your personal preference, might outweigh the need for so much space:

• Disney resort stays include Magic Bands for all guests in the party.  Magic Bands are personalized bracelets (you choose your color!) that act as your room key & park ticket, allow you to make purchases & charge the expenses to a linked credit card, hold your dining reservation & FastPass selection information, and can be scanned to link pictures to your online account.  And they're free with a Disney resort stay. :)
• Speaking of FastPasses, guests staying at a Disney resort can make their initial FastPass selections (for up to 3 attractions per day) 60 days in advance of their trip.  At this 60 day mark, Disney resort guests can make selections for up to 10 days immediately following their check-in date. Off-property guests must wait until 30 days prior to their trip before making FastPass selections and are only able to make selections for one day at a time.
• While all guests are able to make dining reservations 180 days in advance, guests staying at a Disney resort can make reservations for the 10 days immediately following their check-in date at this point, while those staying in nearby locations can only reserve dining experiences one day at a time.  Dining plans are only available for purchase with a Disney resort stay; guests staying off property are not eligible to purchase these plans.
• Each day, one of the four Disney theme parks is open for "Extra Magic Hours."  Extra Magic Hours are times when a particular park is open only to guests staying on Disney property. These times are offered one hour before a park opens to the public OR two hours after a park closes to the public and are a great way to experience attractions with lower crowd levels.
• Transportation is provided to and from each Disney resort from each of the four theme parks, Disney Springs, & the two water parks.  Free transportation is also provided to and from the Orlando airport for Disney resort guests.  Additionally, should Disney resort guests choose to drive their personal vehicles to the parks, the daily parking fees are waived.  Guests staying off property must pay this daily parking fee, typically around $20/day.
• Additionally, guests staying at a Disney resort can buy theme park tickets as part of a package. This means that room, ticket & dining (if desired) packages can be secured for a $200 deposit, with the remaining balance due 30 days before travel.  Packages can be changed or canceled, with no penalty, up until the 30 day mark.  Guests staying off property must purchase tickets as a stand-alone item, meaning that payment is due in full upon purchase.  Ticket-only purchase are non-refundable.

Disney vacations are magical, and phenomenal memories can be made, regardless of whether families choose to stay at a Disney resort or somewhere in the nearby area.  It is important to consider, however, the benefits of staying on Disney property.  These benefits, along with family priorities and budget, should be considered when choosing where to sleep during your Disney vacation. :)

As always, I would love to talk through these options and help your family select a book a trip that best meets your desires.  Feel free to contact me and let's start planning today!

Questions to Consider When Planning a Disney Trip

I've been having such fun serving my current clients that the blog has been a little neglected lately. Forgive me!  I know I've said it a hundred times, but one of my favorite aspects of my vacation planning role is the opportunity it gives me to help families create custom trips.  I love talking through the wishes & desires of each specific family and then offering suggestions, selecting FastPasses, & making dining reservations that are tailored to that family's dreams (and budget!), and I never grow tired of answering questions and talking through options with guests.  More often than not, I actually feel a sense of loss once each family travels and our communication becomes significantly less than what it was during the planning process.  Call me crazy, but I love it! :)

That being said, I thought I'd share a few of my most essential Disney-related planning questions here on the blog tonight.  In case you're wondering, these are the types of things I help clients work through as part of the quote-building and vacation-booking process.  Whether you're looking to book through a travel agent specializing in Disney destinations (which, by the way, should always be a completely free service) or attempt to handle the planning on your own, below are some important things to consider:

• What is your budget?  (I'm a huge fan of a budget, by the way!)
• It's no secret Disney World is expensive.  There are so many options, though, that really allow for flexible pricing, as well as a variety of ways to save.
• What time of year do you want to visit? 
• Is your schedule flexible?  Do you want to avoid crowds & heat or do you literally have one week that will work for your family this year?  Are you interested in seeing the holiday decorations?  Do you want to travel when it's cheapest?  It's important to prioritize your wants/needs when picking travel dates!
• Where do you want to stay?  
• Do you want to stay "on" or "off" property?  In a value, moderate, or deluxe resort? Do you know the benefits of staying at a Disney hotel?  There is so much to consider here!
• Which parks would you like to visit?
• Did you know that not all characters can be found in every park?  Or that some parks have more shows than rides?  Or that Epcot might actually appeal more to your family than Animal Kingdom?  Have you ever thought about visiting Disney's water parks? Park details can be incredibly overwhelming; it helps to have an idea of what to expect at each place!
• Are you interested in purchasing a dining plan?
• Is a dining plan the best use of your family's money?  Are you interested in dining with characters?  Do you know where to dine with the characters you'd like meet?  Did you know you can bring your own food & drinks into the parks?  How much food do you actually need/want each day?  Disney's food & dining options are vast--and delicious--and it can definitely help to bounce some ideas around!
• What rumors/myths (positive or negative) do you need to verify before you move forward?
• Let's be honest: everyone, everywhere has an opinion about how to "do Disney."  Some information you'll find via google is accurate, some is not.  Some will work for your family, some won't.  It's important to know your options, but to not allow yourself to get overwhelmed in the process, which can be tough!!

I don't want to leave you hanging, so if you're interested in a Disney trip, be sure to check back soon! I'll be blogging more on each of these topics (with details!) over the next few weeks (or even months!). If you have specific questions, please don't hesitate to email me at heather@mmadventures.net or check out my Facebook page for more info!  I'd love to help your family plan a fantastic vacation!!