Updated November 27, 2023
Walt Disney World has soooooo many hotels to choose from.
Quite unlike the Disneyland Resort – which has only three Disney properties – WDW has many. They’re all unique and exciting to explore while on your trip.
Let’s take a look at what all you should know prior to booking your WDW hotel.
Who to Book Your Trip With
Park reservations, dining reservations, MagicBand+, changes since Covid, Disney Genie, etc etc all require a decent amount of familiarity to get it right.
I can help you with many parts of planning, but I recommend booking your trip with an experienced agent who can handle some of these things for you and advise on all of them. Commission is built into every Disney package purchased, regardless of who you book with. So, you do not pay a penny more than if you book with Disney directly.
I recommend booking with Love of the Magic Vacations for many, many reasons. I share all about this agency in this post. And, you can get a free quote from them at this link.
Basic Info
Disney World differs from Disneyland in that many guests stay at a WDW Resort Hotel because there are so many options for a variety of budgets.
Those include:
- Deluxe Villas
- Deluxe Resort Hotels
- Moderate Resort Hotels
- Value Resort Hotels
- Campgrounds
Disneyland fans: For reference, the Grand Californian Hotel and the Disneyland Hotel are “Deluxe”.
Many properties on Harbor Blvd and Katella would be comparable to a “Value” resort at WDW. But, the great thing about “Value” at WDW is that you pay a low rate for the room but still get the Disney service and perks we all love.
Perks of Staying Onsite at WDW
- Expected awesome Disney service.
- Resort transportation. (Buses to each park and Disney Springs)
- Early Entry privileges are included.
- Resort Package delivery is included.
- Resort room charging privileges are included.
- Dining reservations can be made 60 days out rather than 30.
Hotel Stays
I’ve been lucky enough to stay at some awesome properties at WDW.
They include….
On-Site
- Almost all of them! I’m nearly finished.
Off-Site
- Rosen Shingle Creek
- Hyatt Regency Orlando (formerly The Peabody)
In-Between
- Swan Resorts
Favorite Resorts
My favorite WDW Resorts are The Contemporary and The BoardWalk Inn.
Here’s why:
- The Contemporary is Walt Disney World perfection for me. Love that it’s close to Magic Kingdom. And, the monorail goes through the hotel. THROUGH THE HOTEL. Everything about it is fun, yet, it’s still a high end WDW option. The building itself epitomizes Walt Disney World, in my opinion. This resort has magic for everyone.
- The BoardWalk Inn has the best location, as it’s set in the middle of The BoardWalk, which is my favorite area outside of the parks. The whole area feels nostalgic and charming with shops, restaurants, a bakery, bars, an ice cream shop and more. Live entertainment pops up here and there. And, there are carnival games! My kids LOVED these. The design of this hotel – inside and out – speaks to me. I also love the close proximity to Epcot World Showcase.
New Favorite
Yacht Club is quickly becoming a favorite for me. Beach Club, the resort next door, usually gets the most attention in this area.
Beach Club is closer to Epcot and includes fan favorite, Beaches and Cream Soda Shop. Guests (especially families) tend to choose Beach Club over Yacht Club.
That certainly doesn’t hurt my new love for Yacht Club. I also like the overall style of the resort and rooms.
Yachtsman Steakhouse is on site, too, and is my favorite steakhouse in all of Walt Disney World.
Notes
- Also ‘on property’, but not exactly Disney Hotels? The Swan, Dolphin and Swan Reserve fill this category. Fun fact: The lobby bar at The Dolphin is my favorite late night hang out. All three of these properties are centrally located and in walking distance to both Epcot and Disney Hollywood Studios.
- Keep checking back with this post as I add more reviews with each of my WDW trips.
Port Orleans Riverside review is where? My daughter has an opportunity to do Dance the World 2024 and that is the hotel so would love to see your inside scoop.
Coming asap! Sorry for the delay.
So so so grateful for all your posts for my big (two week) and FIRST! Wdw trip ? I’m staying at the Rosen for a work trip – do you think it’s good enough proximity to figure out a sneak away for a day or part of the day? Hoping maybe the sky liner bar crawl you posted about might be a good option as opposed to a park full day
Hi Katie. There are a lot of Rosen properties, but you should be able to take an Uber to one of the resorts or the Skyliner. Have so much fun!!!