3 Times It’s Actually Cheaper To Book the Disney Hotel
Written by
Jake Safane
Edited by
Rebekah Evans
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A Disney vacation is one of the most popular trips for Americans, but it’s also one of the priciest. Disney travel blog Mouse Hacking, for example, estimates that a baseline trip to Disney World for a family of four costs over $7,000 for five nights when you add up flights, hotels, theme park admissions and so on.
So, it’s understandable if you want to save money on this vacation, such as by booking a budget hotel that’s not affiliated with Disney. However, it’s not always cheaper to skip the Disney hotel, not to mention factors such as time and convenience.
Here are three times when you could be better off booking the Disney hotel.
When Hidden Fees Offset Room Rate Differences
Even if a Disney hotel costs more per night based on the advertised price, sometimes the total cost of the Disney hotel ends up being less.
“There can be hidden fees when staying off Disney property,” said Steve Griswold, owner of Pixie Vacations, a travel agency specializing in Disney vacations. For example, he pointed to parking fees, shuttle fees to get to the Disney parks and hotel amenity fees.
Be sure to weigh all of these costs to see which is truly cheaper.
Time Is Money
Staying far away from Disney theme parks just to save a few bucks upfront can cost you more in the long run.
“You can easily get lured in with advertised low rates at hotels off Disney World property. What people end up realizing too late is these low-priced hotels are often not worth it for several reasons,” Griswold said.
“Time is money,” he said and explained that the distance might be further. “Most off-property hotels share a shuttle bus, so that bus might stop at three to four other hotels before even heading to the Magic Kingdom. Also when it does arrive at the Magic Kingdom, it’s parked much farther away from the park than Disney Resort transportation, which drops you off right at the front of the park.”
So, when you look at how much time you have at the parks, you might even find that you can do one less day of admission if staying at a Disney hotel, thereby saving money overall.
Disney Resort guests get 30-minute early entry to the parks and some stays even get you extended evening hours, Griswold explained.
“You can get a lot done in just 30 minutes,” he said.
Package Deals
Lastly, you might be able to save money on your total trip by booking a vacation package through Disney.
“There are amazing deals when you book a Disney Vacation Package,” which includes a room, tickets and dining, Griswold said.
For example, he pointed to a package deal currently available for trips in 2026 where kids ages three to nine get a free dining plan.
Another example, he said is when you stay at a Disney Resorts Collection hotel in 2025 you get free admission to the Disney World water park.
Consider Total Value
At the end of the day, staying at a Disney hotel can also provide better value in terms of total enjoyment of your already-expensive vacation.
“A 45-minute haul back to Kissimmee at 11 p.m., while holding your sleeping kids, becomes very tiresome versus a Resort monorail ride or other quicker options for Disney World Resort guests,” Griswold said.
Plus, staying at a Disney hotel means staying within the “Disney bubble,” he added.
“When you wake up you are in a Disney resort with characters in the lobby and fun resort activities like movie nights under the stars, themed pools and Disney touches all around,” Griswold added.
More From GOBankingRates
Sources
- Mouse Hacking, “How Much Does It Cost To Go To Disney World In 2025?“
- Steve Griswold, Pixie Vacations
