New Winter/Early Spring Room-Only Discount Release for Walt Disney World-1/5-4/12/2014

A new room-only discount was released for January 5 thru April 12, 2014 for the Walt Disney World Resort!  Booking is available for Disney VISA Cardholders from October 3-7, then the discount will be released to the general public on October 8th.  Those of you headed to WDW for Marathon Weekend or Princess Half Marathon Weekend, this discount covers those dates...and since the Epcot Flower & Garden Festival normally starts in March, at least a portion of the Festival dates will be covered as well.  Here's the details:

Save 15%-Art of Animation Resort-Family Suites

Save 20%-All-Star Sports, All-Star Music and Pop Century Resorts

Save 25%-Coronado Springs, Caribbean Beach, Port Orleans-Riverside, Fort Wilderness Cabins, Animal Kingdom Lodge-Savannah View/Club Level/Jambo House/Kidani Village, Wilderness Lodge-Courtyard View/Club Level and The Villas at Wilderness Lodge

Save 35%-Yacht & Beach Club, Boardwalk Inn, Polynesian, Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Animal Kingdom Lodge-Standard or Pool View, Contemporary Resort, Wilderness Lodge-Standard or Woods View, Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, Old Key West, Boardwalk Villas and Beach Club Villas

The fine print: The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited; savings is based on the non-discounted price of the same room.  Length-of-stay requirements may apply.  Excludes 3-bedroom villas, campsites and villas at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, and is not valid at Disney's Art of Animation Resort-Little Mermaid standard rooms.  Deposit must be made at the time of booking with your Disney Visa Card or Disney Rewards Redemption Card.

From March 6-March 13, a slightly reduced discount will be available due to that week being the main Spring Break week in Florida.

Need a quote or to book?  Just send me a message or use the quote form here to contact me for more info.

Don't forget, the giveaway for $600 worth of Disney Gift Cards is still going on, be sure to get your entries in for your chance to win!

Tuesday Tip-Staying at a Walt Disney World Resort

Want to totally immerse yourselves in the Disney experience?  Staying on Disney property is one of the best ways to keep yourselves in that "Disney bubble".  While staying off property might be cheaper, a Disney resort will make you feel like you're still in the magic.

Disney offers resorts in the Value, Moderate and Deluxe categories so there is a price range for everyone.  While you won't find a free continental breakfast in the lobby (though if you stay club level at a Deluxe resort, there are munchies available to you), all Disney resorts now have at least a mini-fridge, plus Moderate and Deluxe resorts have coffee makers...so if you want to buy your own snacks and drinks to have in the room, you'll have a place to put them.  All rooms now also have free Wi-Fi Internet access.

Staying at a Disney resort means you also have multiple free transportation options to get from your hotel to the parks and/or Downtown Disney.  Every resort will have at least bus transportation, and some also have boats (I highly recommend taking boats during your trip-a very relaxing option).  If you decide to splurge on the Contemporary, Polynesian or Grand Floridian resorts, you'll also have the monorail available to take you right from your hotel directly to the Magic Kingdom or Epcot.  Plus, if you did drive to WDW and stay at an on-property resort, you'll get a parking pass which lets you park at all four theme parks at no cost.

Stay on the monorail line for easy access to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot

Need to take a break in the middle of your day?  Staying on property means it's a quick trip back to your room for a nap or a nice, cool swimming pool break.  And speaking of those pools, Moderate and Deluxe resorts even have a water slide with their pools.  Many of the on-property hotels also show Disney movies at the main pools at night, as well as games by the pools during the day.

Staying for several days or more?  Refillable mugs are for sale at the resorts (about $15)...purchase one and you can use it at your hotel for the length of your stay.  *Note, if you are using the Dining Plan, one of these mugs will come with your plan*

You can also have any items you purchase in the parks or at Downtown Disney delivered to your hotel for free.  So, no lugging heavy packages around all day!

The best thing about the Disney hotels is their theming.  The Value resorts are a favorite for the kids, with enormous figures like 3-story footballs, Rubik's cubes, musical instruments and characters from Disney movies.  The Moderate and Deluxe resorts have themes like the Victorian era, American Southwest, the beach or Frontier America.  The smallest of details are not forgotten, making you feel like you've stepped into a different time period or geographic location just by returning to your hotel room.

While you may save on your hotel room by staying off property, splurge just a bit for just one WDW trip to see what you're missing.  The convenience, atmosphere and legendary Disney guest service really makes staying on property a great value.

Have you stayed at an on-property Disney resort?  Which is your favorite?  Do you think it increases the overall value of your vacation?

Don't forget-today's the last day to enter the giveaway for the Buzz and Woody Vinylmation figures!  The winner will receive both Buzz and Woody Color Block Vinylmations...whether you're a Toy Story fanatic, Vinylmation collector, or just love all things Disney, be sure to enter the giveaway and share it with others...the more the merrier-after all, the more you share, the more giveaways I can do.  And stay tuned for the August giveaway-lots of fun stuff for TDWF readers!        

Tuesday Tip-Wake-Up Calls at Walt Disney World Resorts

For a much more fun start to your day when staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel, request a wake-up call instead of using an alarm clock or your cell phone.  When the call comes, it will be a Disney character on the other end of the line!

Late Summer/Early Fall 2013 WDW Offers: FREE Disney Dining, Late Summer/Early Fall Room Only Discount

Just in time for those of you who have already started thinking about your Late Summer/Early Fall trips, Walt Disney World just released two promotions today.  They are available right now for Disney VISA cardholders (debit or credit) for advanced booking, but both promotions will be released to the general public on May 9th.  Here’s the details:

FREE Dining Offer

“You can treat your family to a special offer: a great Disney vacation complete with meals!  Get a FREE dining plan when you purchase a non-discounted 5-night/6-day Magic Your Way room and ticket package at select Walt Disney World® Resort hotels valid for arrival most nights September 2 - September 25, 2013.”

Guests staying at select Disney Value Resorts will get the Quick Service Dining Plan for free.  The Quick Service plan will get you two Quick Service Meals and one snack per person, per night of your stay.  Staying at select Moderate, Deluxe or Deluxe Villa Resorts and you’ll get the regular Disney Dining Plan for free.  The regular plan includes one Quick Service Meal, one Table Service Meal and one snack per person, per night of your stay plus each person gets one Resort refillable drink mug.

Want a higher dining plan?  You can always upgrade for an additional charge.

Remember, this is part of a package with room and tickets so you only need a deposit of $200 to book it with the final payment due 45 days before your check-in date (and you can make smaller payments along the way if you don’t want one lump payment at the due date).

Late Summer/Early Fall Room-Only Discount Offer

Don’t need the dining plan?  Not to worry, a room-only discount was also released today.  “Be close to the heart of all the magic, from the Theme Parks and entertainment to exciting nightlife, shopping and more. Save up to 30% when you stay at a select Walt Disney World® Resort hotel for stays most nights 8/15 - 9/28/2013.”  Room-only bookings only need a deposit equal to your first night's stay and you pay the balance when you check in...though you can always make smaller payments along the way for this type of booking as well.

Here’s the breakdown:

Value Resorts-Family Suites-save 15%

Art of Animation

Value Resorts-save 20%

All-Star Sports

All-Star Music

Pop Century

Moderate Resorts-save 25%

Coronado Springs

Caribbean Beach

Port Orleans-Riverside

Fort Wilderness Cabins

Deluxe Resorts-save 20%

Polynesian

Grand Floridian

Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts-save 30%

Yacht & Beach Club

BoardWalk Inn

Animal Kingdom Lodge (standard/pool view rooms)

Contemporary (standard/lake view rooms)

Wilderness Lodge

Saratoga Springs 

Old Key West

BoardWalk Villas

The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

Beach Club Villas

The FREE Dining discount and the Room-Only discount are not available for stays in the 3-bedroom villas, campsites or Art of Animation-Little Mermaid standard rooms; the room-only discount must be booked by 7/31/2013.  Both discounts are available to Disney VISA cardholders for advanced booking thru May 8th, then on May 9th the discounts will be released to the general public.

So, which is the better way to go?  That all depends on how you and your family eat on vacation.  If you’ll use all the meal credits and don’t want to go off property to eat, the FREE Dining offer may work better for you.  If you’re like me and do go off property for some meals or use reward certificates for those on-property restaurants that take them-like Rainforest Cafe (I use my MyPoints to get gift cards here) or House of Blues (they have certificates on restaurant.com from time to time), the room-only offer could be the better option (for more about why I don’t use the Disney Dining Plan, click here).  You’ll need to sit down and figure out the math each way to see what will work better...or just contact me and I can quote your vacation both ways for you.  Don’t worry, there’s no extra charge for my services-and if your package is $2500 or higher, I’ll  even throw in a $25 Disney gift card for your trip.

And don't forget-Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party dates start in September so you can add tickets for the party to your trip as well for a lot of extra fun.

So, which offer would you choose?

Miscellaneous Walt Disney World Tips & Tricks Part 1-General Tips

This is the first part of a multiple part series of tips and tricks for your Walt Disney World Resort visit.

-All Walt Disney World Resorts now offer free Wi-Fi access and at least a beverage cooler (kind of like a mini-fridge but with no freezer compartment and not quite as cold).

-Want to stay connected but don’t want to lug your laptop on your WDW vacation?  Bring your iPad or other tablet instead.  Since all WDW Resorts now have free Wi-Fi, you can stay connected without all the extra stuff to bring.  Plus, your tablet will fit in the free in-room wall safe with room to spare for other valuables you may have brought.

-Are you flying in to WDW?  Getting from the airport to your WDW Resort and back again is a snap when you use Disney’s Magical Express service.  They’ll even take care of getting your luggage to your room for you (even if your room isn’t ready when you arrive).  The best part?  The service is complimentary so there’s no extra strain on your vacation budget!

-Don’t feel like lugging all those souvenirs you’ve purchased around the parks or while you check out Downtown Disney?  Just have them all sent back to your resort and you can pick them up at your resort’s gift shop or front desk.  Not staying on property?  No problem- park purchases can be sent to a package pickup point at the front of the park, then on your way out for the day you can just pick them up.  The cost for this service?  Nothing-another helpful freebie Disney provides.  Don’t think you’ll have space to take everything on your trip home?  No problem-you can arrange to have your packages shipped home instead, however there will be a fee for the shipping.

-Not interested in parades or fireworks?  Use that time to get in a lot of ride time.  With so many people watching the parades (especially the Main Street Electrical Parade) and fireworks shows, the lines for the rides during those times are much shorter.

-Have you ever parked your car at one of the WDW theme parks, then at the end of the night forgot the lot name and row number?  After you park, take a picture of the lot name/row number with your phone or digital camera (if your camera has a picture viewing screen) and you can just check it at the end of the day.

-WDW Resort Guests have the perk of Extra Magic Hours where they can either get into one of the parks earlier than guests staying off-property or staying at one of the parks later.  Once you find out which parks have those Extra Magic Hours, plan your days around that.  If you stay off-property you’ll want to avoid the Extra Magic Hours park(s) since they are normally the busiest park(s) of the day.  If you are staying on-property, you may want to take advantage of the Extra Magic Hours until an hour or so after the park opens, then hop over to a different park (if your tickets are park hoppers) for the rest of the day.  For evening Extra Magic Hours, take advantage of one of the other parks during the day, then you can hop over to enjoy the extra hours after the off-site guests have left.  I’ve found that taking advantage of the morning Extra Magic Hours is usually more productive than the evening ones.

-Want to relax for more than just one trip around Tomorrowland on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority (the Peoplemover)?  If there is not a huge line of guests waiting to board when you get back to the station, ask the cast member at the exit station if you can remain on... but DO NOT get out of the car until you ask. Once you exit the car, you’ll have to exit the attraction and then go thru the entrance again to get back on.  Usually if it’s not too busy, when you ask they’ll shut the door of your car and you can go back around again.

Stay tuned for the next installment...

Transportation while at Walt Disney World

So your trip’s finally here and you’re ready to enjoy the theme parks, Downtown Disney, water parks and more.  You’re all checked in to your hotel, whether on or off Disney property.  How are you going to get to all of those places from your hotel?  The answer will be very different depending on where you are staying and how you got to the Walt Disney World Resort in the first place.  This post looks at how to get around after you’ve arrived and checked in to your hotel.

If you decided to make the drive from home in your own car (or a rental), you certainly could just drive from your hotel to wherever you’d like to go.  This is the route we personally go, even if we stay on Disney property as it really is the fastest way to get where you are going.  You also don’t have to be on anyone else’s timetable for drop off/pick up.  Having your own car also lets you explore other places in the Orlando area and can be a time and money saver over taking a taxi, bus or hiring a car service.  If you are staying on Disney property there’s a bonus-you get a parking pass that lets you park at any of the four Disney theme parks for free.  Considering that parking costs $14 per day, that’s a nice savings.

What if you’re not staying on Disney property and don’t have your own car?  Many hotels in the Orlando/Kissimmee area offer shuttles-usually free-to Disney’s four theme parks as well as Universal Studios and Sea World.  These usually run on a set schedule and can vary from one drop off in the morning/one pick up in the evening to every hour.  If you use your hotel’s shuttle make sure you check the schedule beforehand and just be sure of one thing-don’t miss the last one at the end of the night or you’ll be forking over some of your vacation money for a taxi to get back to your room.  Which is also another option when staying off property-you can take a taxi to and from the parks and other places you’d like to go.  While taking taxis can be a bit more costly, you do have a lot more freedom in your schedule to go where you want when you want.  Another option is the local bus service.  In Orlando, that is the Lynx bus system.  The Walt Disney World Resort is currently accessible through Links 50, 56 and 111; Universal Studios is on Links 21, 37 and 40.  Check out the Lynx website for schedules, maps and a trip planner.

If you are staying on Disney property, you have many different options available to you.  Of course if you have your own car, you can drive everywhere and it will be the fastest way to get to and from most places on Disney property (depending on what resort you are staying at).  You can also take a taxi, though again it is an added expense.  Another option is the Disney bus system which is complimentary for guests staying at a Disney resort.  Every Disney hotel has bus service to all four theme parks, both water parks and Downtown Disney.  Most of the time you shouldn’t have to wait more than 15 minutes for a bus.  It is advisable if you are going to use the bus system to build some extra time into your schedule to account for any delays, especially if you are trying to be on time for a dining reservation.  Some resorts, like the three All-Star Resorts, sometimes share bus lines so you may have extra stops to wait until you reach your resort.

If you are staying at Disney’s Port Orleans (French Quarter or Riverside), Old Key West or Saratoga Springs Resorts, these offer ferryboat service to and from the Downtown Disney area.  Even if you did drive a car, I’d recommend taking the boat at least once for a relaxing, scenic ride-especially since sometimes the parking at Downtown Disney can get a little crazy, particularly on the weekends and during peak seasons.  At Downtown Disney, there is also a boat that will take you from the far end of the West Side (near the House of Blues) to the heart of the Marketplace side and back again.

If you are staying at Disney’s Boardwalk Inn and Villas, Beach Club, Yacht Club, Swan or Dolphin, boats are available to and from both Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  Epcot is also within walking distance from these resorts.  Hollywood Studios is as well, though the walk is a bit farther...but it is along a waterway and can be a nice way to de-stress after some time in the park if your feet aren’t too tired.

Staying at Disney’s Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Wilderness Lodge or Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground?  Water launches are available to and from the Magic Kingdom from these resorts.  The last way to travel by boat in Walt Disney World is from the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC) to/from the Magic Kingdom using the ferryboats.  

Disney also has a monorail system with three separate lines.  The first is the Resort Monorail line which travels around the Seven Seas Lagoon stopping at the Grand Floridian Resort, Polynesian Resort, Transportation and Ticket Center, Contemporary Resort and the Magic Kingdom theme park.  If you’re lucky enough to be staying at one of these Deluxe resorts on the monorail line, it makes getting to and from the park easy and quick (great for those mid-afternoon breaks for a relaxed lunch back at the resort or at the hotel pool!).  You could also walk from the Contemporary (and Bay Lake Tower) to and from the Magic Kingdom, and quite often it may even be faster than taking the monorail.

The second monorail line is the Express line which only goes between the Transportation and Ticket Center and the Magic Kingdom around the loop that encircles the Seven Seas Lagoon.  If you are driving in to the Magic Kingdom, once you park you can take either the Resort line or the Express line, though the Express of course will be much faster.  While Disney usually tells you it will take the same amount of time to get from the TTC to the Magic Kingdom whether you take the ferryboat or the monorail, the Express monorail is normally faster.

The third monorail line offers round-trip service from the Transportation and Ticket Center to Epcot.  If you are planning to visit both Magic Kingdom and Epcot the same day, you could park your vehicle at either theme park and use the monorail to go between the two.  If you are staying at the Grand Floridian, Polynesian or Contemporary Resorts, you could take the Resort monorail to the TTC (or walk to the TTC if you’re close enough), then switch to the Epcot line.

All three lines of the monorail system are free, regardless if you are staying on or off Disney property.  All complimentary Disney transportation is available from one hour before theme park opening times up to one hour after those parks close.  Buses to and from the Downtown Disney area continue to run until 2am.

As you can see, there are lots of options.  I personally always recommend staying on property as I find that it is much more convenient whether or not you have a car while there thanks to the multiple transportation options that Disney offers-all included in the cost of your stay.  That’s not to say staying off property is not a viable option-it certainly is and once you have arrived on property those boats and monorails will move you around as well.  If you are staying on property and are not sure of the best way to get from one place to another, check with the concierge desk in the lobby-they’ll be happy to help you map out a route.  

How do you like to get around while at WDW?

If you’d like a quote for your own magical Walt Disney World vacation, check out my Facebook page or website for a free, no obligation quote.  My services are always free, plus I can assist with WDW itinerary planning at no extra cost.

Why I don’t use the Disney Dining Plan

So have you heard about the Disney Dining Plan?  If you are staying at a Disney owned/operated hotel with one of their Vacation Packages (including tickets) OR if you are an Annual Passholder booking either a package or just room only, adding the Disney Dining Plan basically allows you to pre-pay for your meals.  They have a few different plans to choose from ranging from their Quick Service Dining Plan which is just two quick service meals, one snack item and one Resort refillable drink mug per person, to their Platinum Package Plus Dining Plan which has accommodations at  select Disney Deluxe Resort or Deluxe Villa Resort plus the Premium Dining Plan (3 Meals-can be Table Service or Quick Service, 2 snacks plus the refillable mug), a fireworks cruise, reserved seating at Fantasmic!, a select spa treatment and more).  The plan has to be purchased for everyone staying on the reservation.

How much does all this cost?  The simple Quick Service Plan for adults is $37.99 per person, per night--this is in addition to the cost for your vacation package (or room if you are an Annual Passholder doing the room only option).  Pricing goes all the way up to $239.00 per adult per night for the Platinum Package Plus Dining Plan (again, in addition to your regular vacation package).

Now I’m extremely budget-minded (aka CHEAP)...I have to be in order to visit WDW as often as I do.  DH and I do splurge from time to time and go for the moderate resort instead of a value resort...but I have never stayed at a deluxe resort (YET).  I’d rather stay in a less expensive room and be able to stay longer and do more extras (like the behind-the-scenes tours).  Because I watch my money, I am not averse to wandering off-property into the Orlando metro area to eat at a non-Disney (*gasp*) restaurant which as I’m sure you can guess is normally a lot cheaper than eating on-property.  

One of the great things about that is that many of the large chain restaurants (and some of the smaller ones too) offer great rewards programs where you can earn freebies from appetizers/desserts all the way up to a high-end entree or even a whole meal.  There’s also rewards programs like MyPoints where you earn points by reading emails, checking out web sites, shopping online, taking surveys and more...and you can redeem those points for gift cards or even money deposited into your PayPal account (email me at thedisneyworldfiles at gmail dot com if you’d like me to send you a referral invite-it really is a fantastic site!).  

I was just in WDW the first weekend of May for the Expedition Everest Challenge.  I was there from late Friday morning to late Sunday afternoon.  I had a TGI Friday’s certificate for a free steak or ribs entree from their rewards program plus a $25 gift card for Rainforest Cafe that I got from redeeming points on the MyPoints site.  I brought some snacks with me and originally planned on eating breakfast in the room, but wound up having more brunch-like meals instead...mostly due to the fact that Friday and Saturday night were very late nights so Saturday and Sunday mornings I slept late.  How much did I spend out of pocket?  Just over $50 for the whole 3-day weekend.  And that was with two excellent meals (steak at TGI Friday’s and Rainforest Cafe).  If I had added the lowest plan (Quick Service), it would have cost me $75.98 for the plan for the weekend and I would have not had as many meals.  Plus, my roommate would have had to pay for the plan as well since everyone on the room has to have the dining plan.  Another thing-my room rate would have been higher, adding about another $40 to my hotel bill since the room rate would no longer be discounted...so my 3-day weekend trip would have cost me about $65 more if I added on just the Quick Service dining plan.

I try to do this for every trip to WDW.  This means for me...well, the dining plan doesn’t make financial sense.  Granted, I do drive to WDW and so I have a car which makes heading off-property fairly simple (and no, it doesn’t take a long time to get off property-especially when you know the back ways like I’ve learned over these many years).  But even if I didn’t, there’s always the Rainforest Cafe gift cards or PayPal deposits that I can earn from MyPoints...and from time to time some of the restaurants on Disney property have certificates available on Restaurant.com (I was able to score one for the House of Blues at Downtown Disney once...I’ve also seen the restaurants that are in the Swan and Dolphin on there).  Right now, the MyCokeRewards website will let you trade in 750 points for an admission to the House of Blues Gospel Brunch-a buffet brunch with live gospel music on Sundays that normally costs $33.50 per adult!  You can’t beat deals like that!

So the verdict for me personally?  No dining plan.  I may splurge here and there with a character meal once a year, but for now I’m saving as much as I can so I can enjoy being at WDW for more days and try more of the fun extras.  Some day when money is no object, I may try out the dining plan just for the convenience (and the free mug!).  And if I ever win the lottery, count me in for that Platinum Package Plus Dining Plan (read about everything you get here).  For now, my cheap self can’t justify it.

Do you use the Disney Dining Plan?  If you do (and use something other than the basic Quick Service Plan), would you consider lowering your plan to incorporate some of these suggestions to fill out your dining repertoire for your trip?

Staying on Disney property vs staying off property

Up until about 15 years ago (give or take a few years), any time I went to Disney World I would stay off property, usually at a major chain hotel. This was mainly due to the fact that I was traveling with my parents or other adults who were paying for the trip so I didn’t have a choice. Back then, staying at a hotel on Disney property was not something our family (or most of my friends’ families) could consider...or maybe they didn’t know about what was available on property back then, I really don't know.

Once I was out on my own, my DH (boyfriend back then) and I decided for some reason or another to stay on property at one of the Disney All Star Resorts...I think it was Sports but I honestly don’t remember. Since that trip, we never wanted to stay off property again. So for those who want to know the pros and cons of on property vs off property, here we go.......

Probably the biggest pro about staying off property is cost--since the lowest rack rate for a Disney resort is about $84 a night at a Value Resort (All Star Sports/Music/Movies or Pop Century for a minimum of at least $5 more per night), of course you can find many nice, clean hotels off property for a lot less. Even comparing Moderate and Deluxe Disney on-property resorts to their counterparts off property will turn up the same thing. And for some people this is the make-or-break for their trip-after all, if you can’t afford the room, you won’t be able to do the trip (at least not in a fiscally responsible manner). Heck, you can find rooms as cheap as $30 a night, though I can’t vouch for the comfort level of those places. On average, you’re probably looking at about $45-$60 a night for something close to what you’d find on Disney property if you’re willing to shop around and want to stay relatively close to the Disney main gate.

You can even find hotels that offer lots of extra amenities like mini-fridges, coffee makers, continental breakfasts, fancy pools, gyms, activities and such for the same or maybe even less than a Disney Value Resort. Several area hotels also offer shuttles to and from the theme parks at no extra cost which can be a great money saver if you flew in and didn’t rent a car. If you do have a car, you can always drive in to the parks each day...it honestly isn’t too far of a drive, though it will take longer (in most cases) than if you stay on property. BUT-to park at the Disney theme parks costs $14 per day unless you have an Annual Pass to the Disney Parks (a full Annual Pass, not a Seasonal Pass), so you need to factor in that extra cost per day. And what if you want to take a break during the day to rest in your room or at your hotel pool? Now you have a longer drive (usually) to get back to your hotel; if you’re using the hotel shuttles (if provided), you have to plan around the shuttle schedule which may not be convenient for you-especially if you need an unplanned break for whatever reason.

Now, if you are staying on property the biggest drawback again is-cost. Yes, you will pay more per night for a comparable room on Disney property. And no, there is no continental breakfast waiting for you in the lobby-you have to pay for your meals on your own. BUT-Disney has finally installed mini-fridges all the way down thru the Value resorts at no extra cost. Coffee makers come in the Moderate and Deluxe level Disney resorts. And from all recent reports from many guests, Wi-Fi Internet access now appears to be complimentary at all Disney resorts...at least for the time being. We’ll see if it lasts *fingers crossed*

A huge plus for lots of people when staying on property is Disney transportation. First off, if you are flying in and staying at a Disney resort, Disney’s Magical Express is a complimentary service they offer of roundtrip transportation for you and your baggage between the airport and your Disney hotel. Need to get to one of the theme parks? When you stay at a Disney on-property resort, they continually have busses running to all four theme parks, the water parks and Downtown Disney from the hotels. Most of the time the wait is pretty short, though sometimes some Disney hotel locations could see a wait of up to 15-20 minutes depending on how busy it is, what time of year and if other “special events” are going on. So whether you fly or drive, you can leave the driving up to them. If you do want to use your own car, parking is free at all of the theme parks when you stay at an Disney on-property hotel (remember that $14/day cost if you're not on property?).

But busses aren’t the only way to get around...if you’re staying at certain Deluxe resorts, you can take a boat to some of the theme parks instead. Plus some of the Moderate resorts and Disney Vacation Club (DVC) locations have boats to/from Downtown Disney. Then of course there’s always the monorail. If you stay at the Contemporary, Polynesian or Grand Floridian (all Deluxe resorts) you can just hop on the monorail to get to the Magic Kingdom...or switch monorails at the Transportation and Ticket Center and go all the way to Epcot. Pretty convenient, right? Some hotels are also within walking distance of the Magic Kingdom (like the Contemporary or Grand Floridian) or Epcot (like Boardwalk Inn, Beach Club, Yacht Club, Swan and Dolphin). You could even walk to Hollywood Studios from the Epcot area hotels I just mentioned, though it is a bit of a longer walk-but it’s along a waterway and has a decent amount of shade.

Since being on property means you’re right in the middle of everything, it is pretty quick and easy to just pop back to the hotel for an afternoon nap or swim to avoid the heat of most Florida days (or just to relax to recharge for a night of storming the parks again!).

Remember the fancy pools I mentioned as a perk of some off-property hotels? Disney’s got that...some even have water slides. Even the pools at the Value resorts are pretty cool with interesting shapes (like the bowling pin one at Pop Century) and water features.

Several of the Disney resorts (mostly Deluxe or DVC plus Coronado Springs) have spas as well as fitness centers with workout machines and free weights. If you are staying at one of those hotels you can use the fitness center for free; if you’re staying at one of the other Disney resorts there is a per-day charge. Of course the spa treatments have a charge (let’s not get crazy thinking Disney is going to offer free massages, okay?).

You can also watch Disney movies by the main pools for free at many of the on-property hotels, including the Value resorts. They’ll also have other things going on by the main pool like games for the kids.

If you’re staying for more than a couple of days, you may want to purchase a refillable mug--you can use it at your hotel for the length of your stay for one set price (around $15 right now) for soda, coffee, tea (hot or cold), hot cocoa, lemonade and fruit punch. While you can only use it at the hotel you are staying in and not at the parks or other Disney hotels, this could be a real money saver, especially if you drink a lot of those type of beverages.

Planning to do some shopping in the parks or at Downtown Disney? Your purchases can be delivered to your hotel so you don’t have to lug them around the parks all day--and the service is FREE!

Finally, the theming at the Disney hotels is fantastic. The Value resorts have huge figures (we’re talking over 3 stories tall!) depicting the different themes for the hotels-like humongous bowling pins, Rubik’s cubes, cell phones and 8-track tapes at Pop Century; footballs, basketballs, tennis rackets, etc at Sports, bongos, musical instruments, speakers, etc at Music and enormous characters (again, many stories tall) from the different Disney films at Movies. The Moderate and Deluxe resorts are a bit more laid back, but beautifully themed based on things like the beach, tropical paradise, American Southwest, Frontier America, Victorian era and many more. All of the Disney resorts come with those fantastic Disney cast members who go out of their way to make sure you have a magical vacation.

Plus...you’re staying IN Walt Disney World-right in the center of the magic.

Now, you can have a fantastic time regardless of whether you stay on property or off...it’s really a matter of what is most important to you AND what you can afford to do. If staying on property means you couldn’t afford to go at all, you may want to opt for something off-property so you can still take your trip...you’re still going to have a great time-it is Disney World after all!

As for me, I’ve been bitten by the on-property bug and, with the exception of a trip where I stayed with friends who have an off-property timeshare in Orlando, I haven’t stayed off-property since my first on-property trip. I love being right in the middle of everything Disney and keeping the magic going even after I’ve left the parks for the day. Granted, to go as often as I like to go I usually stay at a Value resort but to me it is still a better pick FOR ME than off-property. While I would consider off-property if it was a choice between that and not going at all, on-property is always my preference. Yes, I’m a Disney hotel snob LOL.

Where do you prefer to stay, on or off? Any reasons other than what I outlined here? For the record, my favorite Value resort is Pop Century and Moderate is Coronado Springs. I haven’t had the pleasure of staying at a Deluxe or DVC property yet...but even if I never get to one of them that’s okay...just being in Disney World at all is fine for me!