Should You Stay On- or Off-Property at Walt Disney World?
Where to stay: that’s one of the biggest decisions you’ll have to make while planning your Walt Disney World trip.
You can either stay on-property at one of the Disney-owned hotels, or you can book a room off-property at one of the many hotels elsewhere in the Orlando area.
But, which one is better?
And, how do you know which option is worth the money?
As someone who's visited Walt Disney World more times than I can count—and as someone who's stayed all over Orlando--I’m here to demystify the process of choosing just the right hotel for your visit to see Mickey Mouse.
In the guide below, I’m breaking down the pros and cons of staying on- and off-property, so you can choose the best fit for your family’s budget, itinerary, and vacation focus.
The Basics of Hotels on and near Walt Disney World
Before I dive into my breakdown of on- and off-property hotels at Walt Disney World, let’s talk logistics.
We all know that a hotel isn’t just a hotel.
It’s your home away from home, and your place for fun and relaxation when you’re not in the theme parks.
So, choosing the right hotel for your family goes a long way to ensuring you’ll have an excellent vacation overall at Disney World.
But what does “on-property” and “off-property” even mean?
You might think the answer is pretty obvious: on-property means you’re staying at Walt Disney World, and off-property means you’re not.
As with a lot of things at Disney World, it’s a bit more complicated than that.
“On-property” means that you’re staying at one of the official Walt Disney World hotels that are residing somewhere on the larger Disney property.
There are three main categories of hotels on-property: value, moderate, and deluxe, which range from least expensive to most expensive.
However, that’s not all that’s on-site. You can also stay at the Fort Wilderness campground or in one of the Disney Vacation Club properties.
Then, off-site, you have a wide range of options.
Literally steps away from Disney Springs or EPCOT are non-Disney hotels that still function as almost on-property hotels.
These, in fact, are so close to Disney property that they are considered Disney Gateway hotels, and they often have perks like theme park shuttles, official character dining, and Magic Band access.
The 19 Gateway hotels include:
the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
TownePlace Suites by Marriott at the Western Entrance
Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace
the Holiday Inn Orlando, and
Homewood Suites by Hilton at the Western Entrance
Beyond those, you have hundreds of options in the wider Orlando area for hotels, though the closest ones to the park are going to be in Celebration and Kissimmee.
Some of my favorite true off-property sites for families include:
Floridays Orlando (all 2 and 3 bedroom suites)
Staying at an On-Property Hotel at Walt Disney World: Pros and Cons
Pros to Staying on Property
Disney hotels are extremely convenient to everything else on the Disney property.
Walt Disney World is the size of Manhattan, so it’s big, but not so big that you’re ever more than 20 minutes or so from anything on the property.
When you stay at an official Disney hotel you're just a few minutes from all four parks and the two water parks.
Disney Springs, which is the shopping and entertainment hub for Walt Disney World, is also a short bus ride or drive away.
If you want to see the other Disney resort hotels, those are also a 5-10 minute bus ride. Exploring the other resorts, each of which have their own on-site dining, entertainment, shopping, and unique decor, is one of my favorite things to do at Walt Disney World without park tickets.
Because of their proximity to the fun stuff, you'll spend more time on vacation and less time stuck in traffic along I-4.
Transportation to and from the parks is free.
When I'm at Disney World, I prefer to park my car and immerse myself in the magic.
By staying on Disney property, you've got complimentary access to the fleet of Disney buses.
The buses are (in general) timely and arrive every 20 minutes at each hotel.
Through the bus system, you can make your way to the parks, the other hotels, the water parks, and Disney Springs.
Keep in mind that this is one of those areas where you can clearly see the benefits of the moderate and deluxe on-site hotels over the value hotels.
While all of the Disney World hotels offer free bus transportation around the property, the moderate and deluxe hotels also have a second form of transportation.
At places like Caribbean Beach Resort, that means you have access to the Skyliner. Over at Port Orleans, you have a free boat shuttle to Disney Springs, and the Yacht Club residents can hop on a boat shuttle to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios.
Magic Kingdom area hotels like the Polynesian, Contemporary, and Grand Floridian can make use of the monorail, too.
Each hotel is sprinkled with the trademark Disney magic.
The Disney World hotel decor is incredible.
Stepping into the Grand Floridian feels like stepping back into a Victorian tea garden, complete with rose bushes, delicately patterned carpets, and live piano music.
Over at Port Orleans, you’ve transported yourself into Louisiana’s famed river district with its many plantations and the beautiful French Quarter area of New Orleans.
The stunning Animal Kingdom Lodge takes you to the edge of the savanna, quite literally, as giraffes might pop over the fence at any moment to say hello.
If you really want the most bold Disney theming opt for a room at one of the value resorts, which are Pop Century, All-Star Music, All-Star Sports, All-Star Movies, and Art of Animation.
All of these feature larger-than-life statues, bright paint colors, and epic moments from pop culture.
If you’d like something more subtle, opt for the well done, but decidedly more tasteful, decor at the moderate or deluxe resorts.
Hotels guests get to take advantage of the Extra Magic Hours.
All of the guests at any of the Disney resorts can go to the daily selected park 30 minutes before non-park guests.
As an added benefit, if you’re staying on-property at one of the deluxe hotels or villas, you are eligible for an extra 2 hours in the park after it closes to the general public.
Given how crowded Walt Disney World is these days, those extra hours provide assurance that your little one will be able to hop onto rides that might otherwise come with super long lines.
With that extra time you’ll be able to enjoy the parks without as many guests, giving you a few extra hours to accomplish the 4 Parks/1 Day Challenge, ride that favorite ride again, or linger along the shops on Main Street in Magic Kingdom.
Cons of Staying On-Property
Disney hotels aren't the most cost-effective options.
Though there are multiple tiers of Disney hotels (Value, Moderate, and Deluxe), even the lowest tier can top $200 a night for a basic room with two double beds, a small bath, and mini-fridge at peak times.
If you're just looking for a simple room without any Disney frills, you're better off looking elsewhere for a room.
Plus, Walt Disney World has taken a lot of the extra perks away from their hotels that made the higher prices seemingly worth it.
The free Magical Express from the Orlando International Airport is gone, as are the extended Extra Magic Hours for any guest staying at any hotel on-property. That experience has been downgraded to just 30 minutes in the morning for all guests and an extra 2 evening hours only for deluxe hotel guests.
WDW actually took away free hotel parking for guests of the hotels for a while, which made no sense. If you’re staying on-property, which is already more expensive than any of the other Orlando area options, adding in a parking fee feels like a rip off.
That caused a big uproar, and, thankfully, they walked that decision back. For the time being, hotel parking is still free for on-site hotel guests.
Only a handful of the on-property rooms offer a kitchenette and suites.
Yes, they do exist—in the new Art of Animation hotel, the Treehouse Villas, some of the Disney Vacation Club properties, and the new Polynesian villas, among others—but they come with a price tag that outpaces what I would consider reasonable.
If you want the ability to cook meals and prepare snacks while you’re on vacation, you can find much more affordable suite and apartment-style properties offsite through a vacation rental company, AirBnB, VRBO, or an all-suites hotel.
When you go off property, you can rent a cute little apartment or condo, like:
this incredible 4 bedroom house with Marvel and Disney theming or
this 5 bedroom house with Mandalorian and Finding Nemo theming, a private pool and movie theatre room
Not only will you have more room, which is ideal for larger families or multi-generational travel, but you’ll have the ability to cook your own meals, which can really help with an overall budget.
Especially if you're traveling with multiple families or friends, it's far more economical to rent one of the suites or vacation homes off-site.
Staying at an Off-Property Hotel: Pros and Cons
Pros to Staying Off-Property at Walt Disney World
You can find a much wider range of hotel prices.
If you watch Travelzoo and Groupon Getaways like a super nerd (ahem, like myself), you'll find that there are always great deals on hotels and resorts throughout the Orlando area.
These deals always beat out the standard price on Disney hotels when you compare the amenities and room sizes.
If you’re on a budget and you’re looking for ways to save money at Walt Disney World, this is the best way to start trimming fat from your vacation costs.
No, these hotels don’t have the same pizzazz to them when it comes to decorating, but that seems a small price to pay for a cheaper and yet more spacious place to rest my head.
There are more centrally located options if you're not just going to Disney World.
Not everyone goes to Orlando to just go to Disney World. In fact, that’s just the start of what this area has to offer families.
Beyond Walt Disney World, you’ll find:
historical attractions,
the Crayola Experience and much, much more.
If you're planning to pack more into your central Florida vacation than just Disney, it might be a good idea to consider staying somewhere off-property.
While the “Disney bubble” is fun if you’re just planning to hang out within the larger Walt Disney World space, it adds more travel time if Disney is just one stop on your Orlando vacation.
There are some non-Disney hotels that are still close to Disney World.
If you're looking for a deal, but aren't sold on any of the Disney properties, there's a happy medium: the Downtown Disney area hotels.
These are just a few minutes walk to the restaurants and shops of Downtown Disney, but usually offer great deals since they're not Disney owned.
Some, like the Buena Vista Palace and the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista, even have character breakfasts onsite.
The Swan and Dolphin Hotels, which are run by Marriott but partner with Disney, are so close to the parks that you can easily walk from both Hollywood Studios and Epcot. The kids and I stayed there on one of our more recent trips, and it was more convenient to stay there than at Pop Century or Port Orleans on-property!
You can also get onto the Skyway from the back door of the Swan and Dolphin, which will carry you to multiple areas around the great Walt Disney World resort.
Cons to Staying Off-Property
Off-property guests have to pay for parking at the Disney parks.
While paid parking isn't a huge expense, it can add up over the course of your vacation.
Each day, you can expect to pay upwards of $30 per car to park at the theme parks if you choose to take your car instead of the provided hotel bus, if it’s an option.
Add that to the daily parking fee at your hotel (which can easily top $20 in some places), and you're looking at $50 per day in parking alone.
Staying off-property means you're at the mercy of the Orlando traffic.
Sometimes it's okay, but most of the time, it's awful.
The stretch of I-4 between International Boulevard and the Disney exits is home to a ton of restaurants and hotels, parks, a convention center, and apartment buildings.
Traffic is guaranteed, and who wants to spend more time battling other park goers on the interstate?
You lose the Disney magic illusion.
Personally, if I'm going on a Disney vacation, I want to stay in the magic for as long as I can.
I've stayed elsewhere in Orlando when I’m visiting Universal Studios Orlando, SeaWorld, Legoland, and other experiences before or after my visit to Disney World.
I'm fine with an off-property hotel in those cases since I'm indulging in a mixture of park experiences.
However, if I'm only going to Disney World on a trip, staying off property means there's a clear division between the magic and where I'm sleeping, which is a killjoy for a Disney nerd like me.
But if you’re not quite as committed to the Disney bubble as I tend to be, an off-property hotel might be just the thing your vacation needs.
