4 Disney Hotel Hacks To Cut Costs
Written by
Sarah Li Cain
Edited by
Amber Barkley
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Who doesn’t want to save at Disney?
Staying at a hotel at the most magical place on earth can cost you a pretty penny. Luckily, there are plenty of hacks where you can cut costs. AllEars.net, one of the largest websites about all things Disney, offers plenty of hacks, whether you’re off to Orlando or Anaheim.
Check out these four as you’re planning your next Disney vacation.
Rent Disney Vacation Points
Disney Vacation Club (DVC) is a program where members purchase points in order to book stays and select Disney resorts. Think of it like a timeshare program, except there is more flexibility in terms of the properties you can book and when.
Unless you visit Disney often, it may not make sense to become a full-fledged member. Even if you do, membership costs can be extremely high. But you can still stay at these properties by renting points.
How it works is you work with a DVC rental company, like David’s Vacation Club Rentals, to get matched with a DVC member who is unable to use their points. You simply request the dates you want and your preferred resort, and put down a refundable deposit.
It may take a few days to see if your request can be processed. If so, you’ll be able to see a breakdown of costs.
Visit Deluxe Hotels
Sure, it’s nice to be able to stay at one of the nicer Disney hotels, but your wallet is dead set against it. What you can do instead is stay at one of the value hotels, but head over to one of the deluxe resorts to take advantage of amenities.
For example, you can go to Disney’s BoardWalk to watch movies, or go to the Animal Kingdom Lodge and sit by the fire at the savanna. You won’t be able to use all the amenities, like pools, but the ones you can access are still nice.
Rebook for a Better Deal
Yes, you can apply any coupons or special deals for your Disney hotel stay, even if the promotion came out after you booked it.
All you need to do is to log into your My Disney Experience account, and change or modify your reservation. Then, search for the dates when you plan on going, and rebook the stay.
If there are any deals, you should be able to see “special offers” or even “room-only” to see what’s available. Or, you can call and speak to a Cast Member, who can tell you if there are any current specials and rebook your current trip and apply the deals.
Make a Room Request
This hack may not work every time, but it’s worth a try. Simply book a room, and then see if you can make a request for a small upgrade. For example, you can request a nicer room view, like a partial savannah view at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, or a room closer to the pool.
The protocol to make a room request will vary from calling the hotel before you arrive to sending a message through My Disney Experience.
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