Top 5 Reasons to Stay at a Walt Disney World Resort

As you may already know, this past February I was invited by Disney to attend their Disney Creators Celebration with about 100 other bloggers and influential social media content creators. It was a trip of a lifetime and we had the best time. I can’t believe how lucky we were to go on this trip just weeks before the world shut down and everything closed. But now that the parks and many of the resorts are back open, I couldn’t wait to share all about my experience and why you should stay at a Disney resort since more and more people are starting to travel and will be visiting the parks soon!

 

 

Before this past February, the last time I stayed at a Walt Disney World Resort was over 20 years ago. I honestly can’t even tell you which resort I stayed at, so returning for the first time with my family earlier this year felt like the first time and it was a whole new experience. As you know, I am a Southern California local, and am very familiar with Disneyland Parks and Resorts, however, Walt Disney World spans over 25,000 acres and is made up of 4 parks and 25 resorts. The choices on where to stay are endless and can be somewhat overwhelming – especially if you’ve never been there before. I learned a lot on this trip and staying at a WDW resort is definitely the way to go when visiting the area – especially if you will be visiting the parks while you are there!

 

 

First and foremost, there are different hotels around each and every park. If there is a specific park you are visiting more than others, I suggest looking for hotels around that particular park. If you are visiting all of the parks, then pick the best hotel that fits your price point and preference. Each hotel is themed very differently, and there is a hotel for everyone’s budget and style! This link takes you to the entire list of resorts based on value, moderate, deluxe, and deluxe villas accommodations. Some resorts are sports themed, music themed, movie themed, wilderness themed, beach themed, and more!

 

 

We were fortunate enough to stay at the newly opened Disney’s Riviera Resort.  This brand new Disney Vacation Club resort, opened only a few months before we arrived, is European inspired and absolutely gorgeous. The resort offers accommodations from standard rooms to 3-bedroom villas! To give you an idea of our location, we were furthest away from the Magic Kingdom and it took about 20 minutes via bus, but it only took a 7 minute Skyliner ride to Hollywood Studios! We were also really close to Epcot but a little further away to Animal Kingdom. We even had a night at the Grand Floridian, pictured below, which opens September 21, and it was stunning! No matter what Disney resort you stay at, you will have a magical time. We have been dreaming of going back and hope we will have another opportunity again soon. In the meantime, here are my Top 5 reasons why you should stay at a Disney Resort when in Orlando visiting WDW!

 

Reason #1:

You can set up roundtrip transportation transfers from the airport directly to your hotel on the Magical Express for FREE! The airport is approximately 30 minutes away from the park area and is roughly a $40 Uber/Lyft ride, but the Magical Express is Disney’s private complimentary motorcoach transportation service between the Orlando International Airport and the Walt Disney World resorts. They can take your luggage and bring it directly to your hotel room door for you and it is a safe way to travel, especially if you are traveling with small children and aren’t traveling with a car seat. Once you have your flights and hotel reservations, just reserve your spot on the Magical Express by calling (407) 939-1936.

 

Reason #2:

You get FREE shuttle service to all the Disney parks and other Disney hotels via bus, monorail, ferry, or Skyliner depending on the location! I dare you to take a trip on each mode of transportation and visit various hotels around the property! The best part is that most hotels on property have their own bus, so there won’t be multiple stops from the parks to your hotel that will prolong your ride. You can even travel to Disney Springs! We didn’t take the ferry while we were there, but we did take the bus, the monorail, and the Skyliner!

 

 

Reason #3:

You don’t need to bring your own pool floaties! Safety is so important to me and we actually brought our own in our suitcase on our trip only to find out we didn’t need to – which leaves more room in your suitcase for ears and newly bought souvenirs! Every pool at the Riviera had plenty of life jackets for children of all ages. With current extra safety precautions I am not sure if this is still the case, but you can call the hotel in advance before you travel to make sure!

 

Reason #4:

The WDW app connects everything about your stay including your dining reservations and fast passes and your magic band is your room key, your charge card, your ticket into the parks, and more! No need to carry around a room key, a ticket, or even your wallet when traveling around the hotels or parks! Between the app and the magic band, you have it all and everything can be linked on your wrist and on your phone! You can even check into your room via the app the morning of your arrival and they will send you a text when your room is ready. Just swipe the magic band on the door and your door magically opens! It also works to open the pool doors! They make it so convenient and easy and completely safe and hands free!

 

Reason #5:

Everything is magical. From character breakfasts to one of a kind artwork surrounding the hallways, Disney hotels do it right! Everywhere you turn there is a little pixie dust to make your stay that much more enjoyable! Plus, the hotel lobby and rooms are kept so clean. And they have many new safety measures in place like mandatory face masks in common areas for guests 2+ (except the pool and while you are eating), online check-in, distanced luggage services, hand sanitizer stations, physical distancing rules in common areas, continuous cleaning of high-touch public areas and surfaces, and enhanced cleaning protocols and housecleaning policies! You are truly taken care of when staying with Disney! We can’t wait to go back and experience the magic all over again! Just make sure to check this link for all the up to date information on what hotels are open and more about the new safety precautions and guidelines before you make a reservation and travel!