When you first go to Disney World, it’s normal to be met with that “first trip feeling”. Everything is so magical, exciting, and new. For those who take reoccurring trips, the magic and excitement may linger, but the newness does not. Even though Disney World is constantly evolving and changing, those who visit regularly tend to pick up on skills, tips, tricks, and an overall knowledge of how things work.
Rookie mistakes happen to all of us. However, the last thing that us “Disney experts” want to see is another Guest having a bad experience simply because they were unaware of things.
In this article, I’m going to specifically focus on mistakes to avoid when staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel.
Is your travel party too large for a single room? When that’s the case, it’s natural to think that you need to book multiple rooms. However, Disney has another option that may be more convenient and possibly save you money!
At Walt Disney World, there are multiple resorts that have Family Suites available. These suites allow up to 6 Guests to stay together rather than being split into multiple rooms. This can be extremely convenient for multiple reasons.
First, it’s never guaranteed that your rooms will be next to each other when you book more than one. Upon booking, you can request that your rooms be close together. However, even though Disney will do their best to accommodate your request, it’s never something that they can promise to Guests. When your party is split up across separate rooms that are not close by, it can not only quickly become inconvenient, it can also result in time lost with each other.
Booking separate rooms can also result in a higher cost. Many times, you can book a Family Suite for less than it would cost you to book multiple rooms.
Family Suites are equipped with a Queen bed, sofa bed, pull down bed, two bathrooms, a living room area, dining area, and kitchenette. I have stayed in a Family Suite on many of my Disney World vacations. My family and I love them. With four adults and two children, we have plenty of space to sleep and live comfortably together during our time there.
Besides the Family Suites, there are other Disney World hotel options for large groups.
READ MORE – Unlisted Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel Perk You Have to Try
When booking your vacation to Walt Disney World, you’ll have the opportunity to add things onto your vacation package. While these things may be beneficial to some, for others, they may not be necessary at all and end up being a waste of money.
Guests who stay at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel have the option to select one of two dining plans – the Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan or the Disney Dining Plan. Each dining plan includes a select number of meals, refillable mugs and snacks.
Normally, when someone purchases a dining plan, they do so in order to save on food costs. However, the Disney Dining Plans don’t actually work out to be financially beneficial. At least not for adults. For children ages 3-9, you do have the chance to save money, but it depends on what food your child orders.
While you may not necessarily be saving by adding a Disney Dining Plan to your vacation package, it does add an extra level of convenience to your trip. By having your food already paid for, that’s one less thing that you have to budget for during your vacation.
However, even though the Disney Dining Plan may add convenience and possibly save you some money, make sure that it’s a right fit for you. Don’t simply get it because it’s offered. Consider what food you were already planning on purchasing from Disney. Maybe you’d rather pack your food. Perhaps you’re traveling with picky eaters. Are you staying at a resort where you have a full kitchen and could cook meals instead? If the dining plans aren’t a good fit for you and your eating style, it can end up being an unnecessary expense and a waste of money.
Another add-on that you can select is Memory Maker. When you purchase Memory Maker, you will receive every picture that is taken by a Disney PhotoPass Photographer or on an attraction during your vacation. You will have access to your photos for a total of 45 days after the date they were taken. During this time, you can download them an unlimited amount of times.
For some, Memory Maker is a must. However, for others, they can’t justify the cost. Memory Maker will set you back $185 when you purchase it before your trip. While some may deem Memory Maker worth it, others do not. Especially since you can have the same pictures taken on your own personal device. Anytime you have your picture taken by a Disney PhotoPass Photographer, they will not only take your pictures on their Disney camera, but they will also take them on your camera or phone if you ask them to. Therefore, you can technically get all of your pictures for free as opposed to paying $185 for them. This of course would not include your attraction photos.
A MagicBand is a band that has multiple uses around Walt Disney World Resort. You can use them for entry into the parks, as your room key, and to make purchases. The new MagicBand+ also has additional features such as lights and haptic vibrations that are activated throughout the parks and during nighttime spectaculars.
Almost immediately after booking your vacation package, you’ll be encouraged to purchase a MagicBand. The price of a MagicBand+ is around $35-$45. When you’re purchasing for multiple people or an entire family, this price can add up quickly.
When it comes to MagicBands, there are a couple mistakes that can be made. The first is feeling the need to purchase one.
There's actually no need to purchase one at all. MagicBands are NOT necessary. You can easily use your mobile device or a physical card for all of your Disney World needs. Just as you would use your MagicBand, you can use your phone or card to get into your room and the theme parks.
Before you dish out the money for MagicBands, consider your travel party and who will be using them. Are you traveling with little kids? It’s not uncommon for children to have no interest in wearing their MagicBand. Whether they take it off and hand it to you, lose it, or throw it out of their stroller without you noticing, you’ll most likely end up having to scan in for them when you enter the parks and go to different attractions.
Adults can also have similar issues. If they already wear a watch, they may not want to have another band to wear. MagicBands can also be easily forgotten in the room. While wearing a MagicBand may be a new thing for people to get used to, carrying their phone around most likely isn’t. Your Disney needs can just as easily be handled with your phone or card as opposed to using MagicBands.
Another mistake that is commonly made with MagicBands is repeat purchases. Purchasing a MagicBand can be fun. It feels like an additional way to prep you for your trip and the purchase helps amp up your excitement. However, if you start going to the parks frequently, it can become a habit to purchase a new MagicBand for each vacation.
However, MagicBands can be reused. If you’re someone who enjoys using MagicBands, it’s not necessary to keep purchasing them over and over. You can simply use one that you’ve previously bought.
One hotel option that Guests may not know about is Shades of Green. Shades of Green is a resort that’s located on Disney World property. This resort is specifically reserved for members of the U.S. Military and their family and friends.
Shade of Green is set up similarly to a Disney World resort hotel. There’s a variety of rooms that you can choose from, dining locations, pools, a spa, and fitness center. There is also complimentary bus transportation that takes Guests to and from the Disney World theme parks.
Through Shades of Green, Military Members are able to purchase discounted Disney World tickets as well as get discounted rates on their room. If you’re a U.S. Military Member, it’s a good idea to compare the price of a vacation booked through Shades of Green to one booked through Disney. Keep in mind, Disney also offers Military discounts! Make sure you check out all of your options to ensure that you’re getting the best deal possible.
At Disney World, advanced reservations are able to be made for dining as well as Enchanting Extras. Disney World Hotel Guests have advanced opportunities to make their reservations. 60 days prior to their arrival day, Disney World Hotel Guests are able to make reservations for the entire length of their stay (for up to a 10-night stay). All other Guests must wait until 60 days prior to each reservation date in order to make those reservations.
It’s important that you make your reservations as early as possible. Some advanced reservations are highly sought after and extremely hard to get. Make sure that you don’t miss your prioritized window to make your reservations.
From my own personal experience, I don’t often recommend staying off property for a Disney World vacation. However, if price is a factor, then it may be something that you want to consider. There are many hotels near Walt Disney World that offer low nightly rates and other perks such as free breakfast. It doesn’t hurt to look around and see what options are available.
The size of the Walt Disney World property is what causes the biggest issue for off property stays. Everything is so spread out at Disney World. Even though an off property hotel may be “close to Disney World”, that doesn’t mean it will be a short trip to and from the parks.
You will most likely be responsible for your own transportation to and from the parks. Some nearby hotels offer a shuttle service, but the times are very strict and limited. If you choose to drive yourself, you will have to pay to park at the theme parks each day. Disney World Theme Park parking costs $30/day for standard parking, $45, $50, or $55/day for preferred parking, and $35/day for oversized vehicles.
Besides the price to park, driving yourself can easily become an inconvenience. When you have to drive and park your own vehicle, it takes longer to get into the parks. Especially at Magic Kingdom. When it’s time to leave the park, usually at the end of the day when everyone is tired and exhausted, getting back to your car, dealing with the traffic exiting the park, and then driving back to your hotel is not ideal.
If price is a factor, keep in mind that Disney does have affordable hotels in their Value Resort category. Staying on property is much more convenient than staying off property. Plus, you’ll receive all of the perks and benefits that are offered to Walt Disney World Resort Hotel Guests!
Disney World has complimentary transportation that takes you from your hotel to the theme parks, Disney Springs, and the water parks. The most common form of transportation at Disney World is the buses.
Complimentary transportation is always appreciated. However, sometimes the buses can get cramped and take a long time. Especially after a long day at the parks.
While some Disney World hotels only have bus transportation, others have other transportation options as well! These options may include water taxis, the monorail, and Skyliner. By utilizing these other forms of transportation, you can experience a more comfortable ride to and from your desired destination.
When booking your Disney World hotel, consider what transportation options that you’d like to have available to you. If you think that you’d like to have other options besides the buses, make sure you book a hotel that provides more options to you.
Disney has a variety of rules in place for the safety and happiness of its guests, and if guests break these rules, there can be consequences—even for celebrities. See the celebrities who have been banned from Disney Parks and what they did!
Disneyland has changed and evolved quite a lot since its opening in 1955. With the park's history comes an interesting past, including some things that we look back on today and find really weird…from real alligators in the Jungle Cruise to live mermaids in the lagoon of Submarine Voyage. See the 11 weird things we can't believe were once at Disneyland!
Planning a Disney World Vacation?
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Disney World Hotel Rookie Mistakes to Avoid
1. Overspending on Disney World Hotels
2. Booking Multiple Rooms
Is your travel party too large for a single room? When that’s the case, it’s natural to think that you need to book multiple rooms. However, Disney has another option that may be more convenient and possibly save you money!
At Walt Disney World, there are multiple resorts that have Family Suites available. These suites allow up to 6 Guests to stay together rather than being split into multiple rooms. This can be extremely convenient for multiple reasons.
First, it’s never guaranteed that your rooms will be next to each other when you book more than one. Upon booking, you can request that your rooms be close together. However, even though Disney will do their best to accommodate your request, it’s never something that they can promise to Guests. When your party is split up across separate rooms that are not close by, it can not only quickly become inconvenient, it can also result in time lost with each other.
Booking separate rooms can also result in a higher cost. Many times, you can book a Family Suite for less than it would cost you to book multiple rooms.
Family Suites are equipped with a Queen bed, sofa bed, pull down bed, two bathrooms, a living room area, dining area, and kitchenette. I have stayed in a Family Suite on many of my Disney World vacations. My family and I love them. With four adults and two children, we have plenty of space to sleep and live comfortably together during our time there.
Besides the Family Suites, there are other Disney World hotel options for large groups.
READ MORE – Unlisted Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel Perk You Have to Try
3. Purchasing Unnecessary Add-Ons
When booking your vacation to Walt Disney World, you’ll have the opportunity to add things onto your vacation package. While these things may be beneficial to some, for others, they may not be necessary at all and end up being a waste of money.
Guests who stay at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel have the option to select one of two dining plans – the Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan or the Disney Dining Plan. Each dining plan includes a select number of meals, refillable mugs and snacks.
Normally, when someone purchases a dining plan, they do so in order to save on food costs. However, the Disney Dining Plans don’t actually work out to be financially beneficial. At least not for adults. For children ages 3-9, you do have the chance to save money, but it depends on what food your child orders.
While you may not necessarily be saving by adding a Disney Dining Plan to your vacation package, it does add an extra level of convenience to your trip. By having your food already paid for, that’s one less thing that you have to budget for during your vacation.
However, even though the Disney Dining Plan may add convenience and possibly save you some money, make sure that it’s a right fit for you. Don’t simply get it because it’s offered. Consider what food you were already planning on purchasing from Disney. Maybe you’d rather pack your food. Perhaps you’re traveling with picky eaters. Are you staying at a resort where you have a full kitchen and could cook meals instead? If the dining plans aren’t a good fit for you and your eating style, it can end up being an unnecessary expense and a waste of money.
Memory Maker Is Another Unnecessary Purchase
Another add-on that you can select is Memory Maker. When you purchase Memory Maker, you will receive every picture that is taken by a Disney PhotoPass Photographer or on an attraction during your vacation. You will have access to your photos for a total of 45 days after the date they were taken. During this time, you can download them an unlimited amount of times.
For some, Memory Maker is a must. However, for others, they can’t justify the cost. Memory Maker will set you back $185 when you purchase it before your trip. While some may deem Memory Maker worth it, others do not. Especially since you can have the same pictures taken on your own personal device. Anytime you have your picture taken by a Disney PhotoPass Photographer, they will not only take your pictures on their Disney camera, but they will also take them on your camera or phone if you ask them to. Therefore, you can technically get all of your pictures for free as opposed to paying $185 for them. This of course would not include your attraction photos.
You Don't Need a Magic Band
A MagicBand is a band that has multiple uses around Walt Disney World Resort. You can use them for entry into the parks, as your room key, and to make purchases. The new MagicBand+ also has additional features such as lights and haptic vibrations that are activated throughout the parks and during nighttime spectaculars.
Almost immediately after booking your vacation package, you’ll be encouraged to purchase a MagicBand. The price of a MagicBand+ is around $35-$45. When you’re purchasing for multiple people or an entire family, this price can add up quickly.
When it comes to MagicBands, there are a couple mistakes that can be made. The first is feeling the need to purchase one.
There's actually no need to purchase one at all. MagicBands are NOT necessary. You can easily use your mobile device or a physical card for all of your Disney World needs. Just as you would use your MagicBand, you can use your phone or card to get into your room and the theme parks.
Before you dish out the money for MagicBands, consider your travel party and who will be using them. Are you traveling with little kids? It’s not uncommon for children to have no interest in wearing their MagicBand. Whether they take it off and hand it to you, lose it, or throw it out of their stroller without you noticing, you’ll most likely end up having to scan in for them when you enter the parks and go to different attractions.
Adults can also have similar issues. If they already wear a watch, they may not want to have another band to wear. MagicBands can also be easily forgotten in the room. While wearing a MagicBand may be a new thing for people to get used to, carrying their phone around most likely isn’t. Your Disney needs can just as easily be handled with your phone or card as opposed to using MagicBands.
Another mistake that is commonly made with MagicBands is repeat purchases. Purchasing a MagicBand can be fun. It feels like an additional way to prep you for your trip and the purchase helps amp up your excitement. However, if you start going to the parks frequently, it can become a habit to purchase a new MagicBand for each vacation.
However, MagicBands can be reused. If you’re someone who enjoys using MagicBands, it’s not necessary to keep purchasing them over and over. You can simply use one that you’ve previously bought.
4. Not Looking Into Shades of Green
One hotel option that Guests may not know about is Shades of Green. Shades of Green is a resort that’s located on Disney World property. This resort is specifically reserved for members of the U.S. Military and their family and friends.
Shade of Green is set up similarly to a Disney World resort hotel. There’s a variety of rooms that you can choose from, dining locations, pools, a spa, and fitness center. There is also complimentary bus transportation that takes Guests to and from the Disney World theme parks.
Through Shades of Green, Military Members are able to purchase discounted Disney World tickets as well as get discounted rates on their room. If you’re a U.S. Military Member, it’s a good idea to compare the price of a vacation booked through Shades of Green to one booked through Disney. Keep in mind, Disney also offers Military discounts! Make sure you check out all of your options to ensure that you’re getting the best deal possible.
5. Missing Reservation Selection Times
At Disney World, advanced reservations are able to be made for dining as well as Enchanting Extras. Disney World Hotel Guests have advanced opportunities to make their reservations. 60 days prior to their arrival day, Disney World Hotel Guests are able to make reservations for the entire length of their stay (for up to a 10-night stay). All other Guests must wait until 60 days prior to each reservation date in order to make those reservations.
It’s important that you make your reservations as early as possible. Some advanced reservations are highly sought after and extremely hard to get. Make sure that you don’t miss your prioritized window to make your reservations.
- Set a reminder for the day you’re able to make your reservations.
- Have a list ready of all the reservations you want to make.
- Prioritize your list and make the hard to get reservations first.
6. Looking at Off Property Hotels
From my own personal experience, I don’t often recommend staying off property for a Disney World vacation. However, if price is a factor, then it may be something that you want to consider. There are many hotels near Walt Disney World that offer low nightly rates and other perks such as free breakfast. It doesn’t hurt to look around and see what options are available.
The size of the Walt Disney World property is what causes the biggest issue for off property stays. Everything is so spread out at Disney World. Even though an off property hotel may be “close to Disney World”, that doesn’t mean it will be a short trip to and from the parks.
You will most likely be responsible for your own transportation to and from the parks. Some nearby hotels offer a shuttle service, but the times are very strict and limited. If you choose to drive yourself, you will have to pay to park at the theme parks each day. Disney World Theme Park parking costs $30/day for standard parking, $45, $50, or $55/day for preferred parking, and $35/day for oversized vehicles.
Besides the price to park, driving yourself can easily become an inconvenience. When you have to drive and park your own vehicle, it takes longer to get into the parks. Especially at Magic Kingdom. When it’s time to leave the park, usually at the end of the day when everyone is tired and exhausted, getting back to your car, dealing with the traffic exiting the park, and then driving back to your hotel is not ideal.
If price is a factor, keep in mind that Disney does have affordable hotels in their Value Resort category. Staying on property is much more convenient than staying off property. Plus, you’ll receive all of the perks and benefits that are offered to Walt Disney World Resort Hotel Guests!
7. Skipping Online Check-In
8. Booking Without a Discount
9. Not Considering the Disney World Transportation
Disney World has complimentary transportation that takes you from your hotel to the theme parks, Disney Springs, and the water parks. The most common form of transportation at Disney World is the buses.
Complimentary transportation is always appreciated. However, sometimes the buses can get cramped and take a long time. Especially after a long day at the parks.
While some Disney World hotels only have bus transportation, others have other transportation options as well! These options may include water taxis, the monorail, and Skyliner. By utilizing these other forms of transportation, you can experience a more comfortable ride to and from your desired destination.
When booking your Disney World hotel, consider what transportation options that you’d like to have available to you. If you think that you’d like to have other options besides the buses, make sure you book a hotel that provides more options to you.
10. Not Taking Advantage of Disney World Hotel Benefits
READ MORE – Disney Bans Guests From Theme Parks. No Exceptions Were Made For These Celebrities That Broke the Rules!
Disney has a variety of rules in place for the safety and happiness of its guests, and if guests break these rules, there can be consequences—even for celebrities. See the celebrities who have been banned from Disney Parks and what they did!
READ MORE – 11 Weird Things We Can’t Believe Were Once at Disneyland
Disneyland has changed and evolved quite a lot since its opening in 1955. With the park's history comes an interesting past, including some things that we look back on today and find really weird…from real alligators in the Jungle Cruise to live mermaids in the lagoon of Submarine Voyage. See the 11 weird things we can't believe were once at Disneyland!
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