![]() There is no on-site advantage in booking Lightning Lane reservations via Genie+ (a colossal oversight, if you ask us). Genie+ and Lightning Lanes make it easier to justify spending less money to stay off-site. By the 30 day mark when off-site guests could book, all of the best options were gone that would save considerable time, leaving mostly the “consolation prize” FastPasses that were often pointless. Previously, the on-site booking window for FastPass+ meant that anyone not booking ~60 days in advance got shut out of the most popular ride reservations unless they devoted significant time to constantly refreshing in search of cancellations. However, one key thing that’s frequently overlooked is the positive impact for off-site guests. (See our Guide to Genie+ at Walt Disney World & Lightning Lane FAQfor everything you need to know.) This is particularly understandable among Deluxe Resort guests and Disney Vacation Club members, who now may be wondering what, exactly, they’re getting for the exorbitant amounts of money they’re spending to stay at Walt Disney World. Ride Reservation Booking Windows – There has been a lot of outrage about the paid Genie+ line-skipping service, which is Walt Disney World’s paid replacement to free FastPass+. Mears Connect also offers service to select off-site hotels in addition to on-site ones. Alternatively, the Sunshine Flyer and Mears Connect are our top recommendations for shared shuttle services. ![]() The other upside is that you can use them to get from MCO to any hotel in Central Florida. These services are our recommendation for anyone who values their time and doesn’t want to break the bank with a private transfer. We have used Uber and Lyft on a number of occasions in the last year-plus for getting between Walt Disney World and MCO. Guests now need to find their own ground transportation from the airport to their hotel–we cover the range of options in our Guide to Airport Transportation for Walt Disney World. As such, it probably makes the most sense to start with irrelevant considerations–things that used to factor into the off-site versus on-site calculus, but are no longer benefits or drawbacks… “Extinct” Benefits & DrawbacksĪirport Transportation – One of Walt Disney World’s many controversial decisions in the last two years was ending Disney’s Magical Express, the shuttle service between MCO and Walt Disney World resorts that was an included perk for guests saying on-site. When it comes to this topic, a lot has changed in the last 3 years. In the process, we’ve also added some specific off-site hotel recommendations. We’ve revised this post several times to reflect how those off-site stays have changed our perspective. We’ve stayed at numerous off-site and third party hotels near Walt Disney World, including every single Bonnet Creek, Disney Springs, and Universal Orlando Resorts–among many others. Those with small vacation budgets might be surprised to find that, in some circumstances, it’s better to stay on-site, and those with large vacation budgets might be better served by staying off-site. ![]() However, this isn’t always the case, and there are other factors to consider before booking. If you already know whether you want to stay on-site or off-site, you should skip this article and go directly to our Walt Disney World Hotel Reviews index page to determine which hotel is right for you.įor many people considering where to stay at Walt Disney World, price will be the determining factor, as it can be cheaper to do a Walt Disney World on a tighter budget while staying off-site. Walt Disney World resort hotels have a lot of great benefits and are a compelling choice for many guests, but the hundreds of local off-site hotels offer many equally compelling reasons as to why guests should stay off-site. To that end, we’ll try to fairly address the benefits and downsides to each option. In fact, it’s arguable that the top 5 hotels in Central Florida do not have “Disney” in the name. While there are certainly some sketchy places in Orlando where we’d never consider staying, there are also some exceptional, 5-star hotels. The mental picture of non-Disney hotels is shady dives that are unclean and even unsafe. We stress the “unbiased” aspect because it seems like there’s a stigma around off-site hotels for many Disney fans. Disney resorts, and other options near the parks around Orlando, Florida. ![]() This weighs the pros & cons, with an unbiased look at third party accommodations, Universal v. Whether to stay in an on-site or off-site hotel is a big, important decision when planning your Walt Disney World vacation. ![]()
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