Before you call Walt Disney World and book your vacation, you need to first decide if you even want to stay onsite, or if you would prefer to stay offsite. How to decide?
First, set aside the notion that you are doomed to have a bad trip if you stay offsite. Or that the only way to enjoy the magic is to stay onsite. This simply is not true. Repeat: not true. However, there are benefits of staying onsite while on a Walt Disney World vacation that cannot be denied.
· Walt Disney World touts complementary resort transportation as a benefit to guests staying onsite at one of their resorts. This is a bit misleading though. You are not carded as a resort guest or not when using transportation at Walt Disney World. Any guest may use the busses, monorail or boat system free of charge.
· By staying onsite, you can get packages delivered directly to your hotel. Note: this is only a minor benefit. Packages are not guaranteed to be delivered until 3 PM the next day. If it is something you want sooner, or you are leaving Walt Disney World the next day, this benefit is completely useless. Additionally, packages are not delivered to your room, but to the gift shop of your resort, which might not even be in the same building as your room. Plus, anyone can have packages delivered to the front of the park for pick up at the end of the day. I would not allow this benefit to determine onsite or offsite.
· Another benefit to staying onsite is Magical Express. This is where Walt Disney World will pick you up from the airport and deliver your luggage to your resort. This is a free benefit. If you are not driving, this may save you some money if you decide to stay onsite. Note: You luggage isn’t delivered immediately, even though you are. It might be up to three hours before your luggage arrives at the resort. You will need to take anything you might want (a change of clothes, bathing suit, etc), along with any valuables, with you in a carry-on. Once your luggage is delivered to your resort, you will receive notification and you may call to have it delivered to your room as soon as you are in your room. Be sure to tip whoever handles your bags for you.
This benefit might not matter to you if you are not flying into the Orlando International Airport. Or if you plan on renting a car. You also need to be aware that if you take Magical Express from your Walt Disney World Resort to the airport on your way home, you do have to leave several hours earlier than if you arrange your own transportation. It is also possible to receive a good deal on transportation from the airport to your hotel, although not free (unless offered by your hotel). Walt Disney World Resorts can, however, check you into your flight for certain airlines directly at the resort before your departure for the airport.
· One very real benefit to guests staying onsite at a Walt Disney World Resort is the Disney Dining Plan. While the Disney Dining Plan may or may not be worth it to you, you only have the option if you book a package as an onsite guest at a Walt Disney World Resort. When closely evaluating the Walt Disney World Dining Plans, you may decide that is not a benefit you would want to participate in.
· If you do drive or rent a car for your Walt Disney World vacation, parking is free for onsite resort guests. Day guests, on the other hand, must pay for parking each day. Parking fees are daily, not per park. Of course, if you are an annual pass holder, there are no parking fees for you.
· The most important benefit of staying onsite at Walt Disney World is the Extra Magic Hours benefit. This is where on certain days you get to either get into one of the four theme parks, as determined by Walt Disney World, one hour early or stay at one of the four theme parks, as determined by Walt Disney World, three hours late. Occasionally, a different park will be available both in the morning and the evening giving you lots of extended park time. You must be a guest of a Walt Disney World Resort to take advantage of this perk, with the exception of The Downtown Disney World Hilton Hotel.
For this benefit to matter, you do need to use it. If you are not an early riser or stay up late, this Walt Disney World Resort benefit isn’t much use to you. Also, extra park time might mean a lot during the busier times of year, but during some of the slower times of year it has minimally impact on your vacation.
· Lastly, a benefit for Walt Disney World Resort onsite guests, is during those crowded times of the year, you are able to gain access to the theme parks when offsite guests would be denied. This is only during times when parks start to reach capacity though, and you have to ask yourself, do you really want to be at a theme park, onsite or offsite resort guest, that is at or even near capacity? It might be much more to your advantage to choose a different Walt Disney World theme park or take advantage of activities that the resorts or your offsite hotel have to offer on those days. Of course, if you must be there on days where the theme parks are near capacity, such as Christmas or New Years Eve, just be sure to arrive at the park early, preferably prior to opening, and you’ll be sure to get in anyhow.
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