Where to Stay

When planning a Disney stay, you generally speaking have two options -- on-property hotels, and off-property options. There are pros and cons to both. Briefly:

On-Property

Pros

  • Free Disney transportation around the resort

  • Free parking at Disney parks

  • Enter all parks 30 minutes before the general public

  • Heavily themed spaces and "The Bubble"

  • Convenience

Cons

  • Cost -- Disney hotels are more expensive than comparable off-site options, sometimes dramatically so

  • Limited options -- there are traditional hotel rooms, and DVC villas that have washer-dryers, kitchens, and separate living areas, but if you want large communal houses, private pools, etc., or true budget options, there is simply nothing on property that fits that need.

Off-Property

Pros

  • Cost -- you can generally find much cheaper rooms, or get a lot more space for the cost of a Disney hotel room

  • Variety -- between hotels, motels and vacation home rentals, you can stay in anything from a no-frills, ultra-budget motel room to a 10 suite complex with a private pool, home theater, game room, large communal areas and luxury finishes.

Cons

  • Lack of immersion

  • Pay to park at Disney

  • Coming and going is inconvenient and time-consuming

Disney Hotel Tiers

If you decide to stay at a Disney hotel, there are three classes of hotel:

  • Deluxe (and Deluxe Villa) hotels are the nicest properties. They have the largest rooms, will typically have multiple dining options, including Table Service places, and will have elaborately themed pools and common areas. The Deluxe Villas are more like condos, in that they have kitchens or kitchenettes, in-room laundry, and separate living rooms, and they usually share their amenities with Deluxe hotels.

  • Value hotels offer the cheapest way (other than camping at Fort Wilderness) to stay at a Disney property. Food options are limited to Quick Service, and pools will not have hot tubs. Rooms are smaller, and the level of finish is pretty basic.

  • Moderate hotels fall between Deluxe and Value both in terms of cost and level of finish. They typically have at least one Table Service restaurant in addition to Quick Service, and have common spaces and theming that are nicer than Value properties, but not as nice as the Deluxe locations.

One quick note about Disney hotels -- they should be viewed in relation to one another, not to hotels outside of Disney. While the common areas are quite nice, the rooms at a Disney "Deluxe" property are not on par with a Four Seasons, Waldorf or even a J.W. Marriott. In terms of amenities, they are probably most comparable to a room at a Hilton, Hyatt or Marriott. For more on this, check out this article I did a while back.