To Stay On or Off Property – That is the Question

To Stay On or Off Property - That is the Question

When you’re planning your Walt Disney World vacation, one of the biggest questions is whether or not to stay on property.  There are advantages to both, and many regular visitors have strong opinions either way.

I’ve stayed at and around the WDW Resort numerous times, and still find advantages and disadvantages either way, so hopefully I can help you find the right decision for your next trip!

Some Facts about Staying on Property Include:


  • Airport Transportation Included – The Magical Express
  • Resort Transportation Provided – Buses, Monorail, Walkways, and Boats
  • More Magical experience – wake up calls from Mickey and Friends
  • Package Delivery Service – Purchase anything in the Parks, and they will deliver it to your resort room for free!
  • Extra Magic Hours – Almost every day, different parks have morning and evening hours available to park resort guests ONLY!
  • Resort guests can park for free at any resort or Park on WDW Property.
  • You will pay the premium for staying on WDW Property.  Resorts are not cheap.

Some Facts about Staying off Property Include:

  • Saves money – even only a few miles off property, we payed approximately the same for a week that we paid for 5 days in a Moderate Resort
  • Space!  We loved a 3 bedroom/3 bathroom villa – we all had our own bedrooms and bathrooms, which was wonderful for a week away with a lot of people
  • Full Kitchen – We loved eating breakfast and even a few dinners at our own kitchen table
  • Feel as comfortable as if you’re at home!  We chose a place decorated in a familiar taste and style, and fully relaxed when we weren’t in the parks.
  • Discovering new gems – if you are interested in the resort feeling, there are many world-class resorts located a short distance from the Walt Disney World Resort.
  • Hotels off property offer more affordable hotel rooms and often have shuttles that run on an hourly (or so) basis to the nearby theme parks.
  • You will most likely want/need a rental car.  Make sure to factor that price and parking fees into your budgeting.  However – if you are parking at a resort, for a meal or to explore and shop, you will not be charged parking fees.

How do you decide?

If you have a strict budget and a big family, staying off property can be an excellent option.  If you have never been to the parks before, or visit infrequently, I’d recommended splurging to stay on property for the full experience.  For me?  For future race (Marathon Weekend) vacations, we’ll most likely continue to stay off property, as to not disturb our family as we leave for the race at 3 a.m.  But, our next non-race weekend trip, we will definitely stay on property again.

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