Besides the park tickets, lodging can be one of, if not the most expensive parts of your visit to the Walt Disney World Resort.

The first decision that you need to make is whether to stay on-site at one of the Disney World Resort Hotels or off-site at one of the numerous Orlando area hotels.

We have done both over the years and now we stay almost exclusively on-site. We do that because the resorts have a lot to offer and we can save money doing it.

Here’s how:

1. If you fly into the Orlando International (MCO) airport and stay on-site you can take advantage of Disney’s Magical Express service that transports you and your bags directly to and from your resort at no extra charge. This is a huge savings versus paying for a shuttle, towncar, or rental car. We have tried all of the options over the years and we are thrilled that Disney offers this free service. For a family this saves you close to $200 per trip.
2. No parking fees for on-site guests. Even if you choose to drive to the theme parks, you get free parking privileges saving $14/day. This can really add up versus staying off-site and driving to Disney World Theme Parks each day and paying to to park.
3. They have resorts for every budget. By segregating their resorts into Value, Moderate, and Deluxe, they offer solutions to meet everyone’s needs. Whether you want the lowest price or you wish to be pampered, they have options for you.  Besides you can't beat the incredible theming that you will find at a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel. 
4. Take advantage of frequent discount codes for Disney World Hotel room discounts on-site.  These codes can save you hundreds of dollars per trip. These are codes issued by Disney for use by the general public. They can be used for making reservations directly with Disney or through your favorite Disney Specialized Travel Agent.
5. Time is money. By staying on-site you save on travel time and can enjoy more of your vacation. Mid-day breaks are also possible. This is a big plus when travelling with children.
6. The Disney Theming extends to the resorts, so they are like a part of the parks. This allows another free benefit that you get more of that Disney Magic during your vacation.

When you visit Disney World, no matter how many times you have been there before, you should always try to do something new.

People are creatures of habit and this is no different when they take their Walt Disney World Vacations. They have their favorite hotels, favorite parks, favorite attractions, favorite places to eat, and favorite things to eat. When you are away from Disney World you look forward to experiencing these favorites again, so when you are actually there it becomes hard to try anything else.

Try Something New At Disney World
As hard as it may be, you should always try to do some things that are new on each Disney World Vacation. Still do most of your favorites, but find a way to work in a couple of new things every trip.  This keeps each vacation unique and special.


3 New Restaurant Experiences
For a recent visit to Disney World, I found not one, but three new restaurants that I visited this trip: Narcoossee’s , San Angel Inn, and Via Napoli.

Via Napoli is brand new, but Narcoossee’s and San Angel Inn have eluded me as I continued to visit and revisit a group of Disney World Restaurants that I really enjoy. This trip it was decided up front to break out of the mold and pick new restaurants to try.  You would think it would be hard to keep finding new restaurants to try until you realize that there are over 60 Table Service Restaurants alone within the confines of the Walt Disney World Resort.


It is always hard to break habits and try something new, but if you do not take advantage of the new at Disney World you are missing out.  There are more things to do, experience, and eat at Disney World than anyone can do in one trip.  The only way to even approach experiencing all that the Walt Disney World Resort has to offer is by adding new things every vacation.

The Disney World Challenge
The real challenge at Disney World is to experience everything.  I don't know that a person exists that has experienced ALL that Disney World has to offer in terms of Resorts, Restaurants, Park Attractions, Food, Recreation, and Entertainment.

Regardless, take comfort that no matter how many times you visit Disney World it is nearly impossible to experience all that Disney World has to offer.  There are 24 Disney Resorts to try and over 475 places to eat, counting Table Service, Quick Service, Snack Cats, and Kiosks.  Besides all of the traditional attractions in the 4 theme parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, & Disney's Animal Kingdom) and 2 water parks (Typhoon Lagoon & Blizzard Beach), there are countless live entertainment acts and performances each day.

New is not hard to find at Disney World.  This makes it very easy to have each vacation be unique, with special memories and experiences whether you visit once every 10 years or four times a year.


Been There Done That
Don't ever let someone give you a hard time because you want to go to Disney World again.  Kindly inform them of all of the new things that you intend to experience and the countless others that will have to wait for future trips.

Disney World should never be a "Been there.  Done that." vacation destination.  If you think so, then you probably don't realize all that you have missed.  There is a nearly endless supply of new magic to experience just waiting for you.

Although there may not be any truly slow seasons at Disney World there are definitely still some extremely crowded times to visit.  The current Spring Break Season is one of the busiest times of the year.

If you are planning to visit the Walt Disney World Resort is during one of the busy times there are still ways to have a great vacation without spending all of your time waiting in lines.

Disney World Parks: Crowd Beating Tips

• Even if you are not a morning person, arrive at the theme parks approximately 30 minutes prior to opening.  You will get to see the park opening show and you will be treated to approximately 2 hours of the lightest crowds of the day. 
• If you have a must see attraction that you have been looking forward to, do it first.  That way you do not get disappointed if it becomes too busy later in the day. 
• The Magic Kingdom attracts the largest crowds.  This is especially true during the busy seasons.  Consider planning on visiting for the first 3-4 hours after opening and then again for the last 3 hours of the day. 
• The best day to visit the Magic Kingdom is at park opening the morning after they were open late the previous night for Extra Magic Hours.
• During peak season consider investing in the Park Hopper option for your tickets.  This will allow you to change parks if the one you are in becomes too crowded.  Nothing is more frustrating than feeling trapped in a crowded park.
• Make use of the Disney FastPass system.  This free system allows you to avoid long waits in line for the most popular Disney attractions, by giving you a time range later in the day that you can return to a short (usually 10 minutes) line.  This can free up a lot of your day and still enable you to ride your favorite attractions.
• Hit the most popular attractions when the park opens and plan to see the attractions that can handle large numbers of people (example: shows with large theaters) later in the day.  This will significantly reduce your time spent in lines.
• Epcot handles large numbers of people without feeling crowded compared to the other parks.  It is a good place to head to when the park you are visiting is getting overwhelmed.
• Don't forget about the Disney Parades, shows, and live entertainment that happens throughout the parks.  This will entertain your family and you don't have to wait in lines to see ( Visit Epcot For The Live Entertainment ).
• If you don't wish to see the parades, that is often a good time to catch some rides, as large numbers of people do watch the parades.
• BE FLEXIBLE.  If what you have planned is not working out, change your plans.  Don't get frustrated, you are on vacation at Dsney World.

Great Disney Activities Beyond The Theme Parks

• Each Disney World Resort is a destination by itself.  Take the afternoon to check out some of them.  The Animal Kingdom Lodge, the Wilderness Lodge, the Polynesian Resort, Contemporary Resort, and the Grand Floridian are all great places to visit.  Each has unique features to check out, and good places to eat lunch.
• Take advantage of the wonderfully themed Resort Pools.  The Moderate, Deluxe, and Deluxe Villa resorts all have great themed pool areas that make a great break away from the crowded parks.
• Explore Disney's Boardwalk Area.  There are shops, restaurants to check out, as well as, the Boardwalk, Yacht Club, & Beach Club Resorts to explore. 
• Rent a watercraft.  Many of the Disney World Resorts have marinas where you can rent a variety of watercraft.
• Visit Downtown Disney.  There are tons of shops with unique items, including the incredible World of Disney Store.  There are also a large variety of Restaurants featuring all kinds of cuisine to please any palette.

By Planning Ahead You Can Have Great Disney Vacation In Any Season
By doing some research like you are doing right now, you can have a great Disney World Vacation no matter what the season.  Remember that there are tons of activities to do at Disney World that are outside of the main theme parks ( 28 Things To Do At Disney World That Don't Require Park Tickets ).

The single most important tip to remember is to arrive at the parks for opening.  You will be able to accomplish more during this time, than any other time of the day.

Lastly, if you are planning to eat is Disney's Table Service Restaurants make reservations as early as possible ( Disney takes reservations starting 180 days prior to your visit).  It is not uncommon for the on-site restaurants to be completely full and not take any walk-up customers.