7 Things Disney Insiders Love About Staying On Property

Staying on Disney property is the difference between a Disney vacation and simply visiting the parks while vacationing in Florida. For Disney insiders, there’s no other place to stay than a Walt Disney World resort and here are 7 reasons why we love staying on property.

7. Mickey Waffles

It’s a good idea to have breakfast before a long day at the parks and there is no better breakfast than a Mickey Waffle. It’s something to look forward to right away and something to motivate those who have a difficult time crawling out of bed in the morning. Rather than waiting until you get to the parks to enjoy this breakfast delight, you simply have to make your way to the restaurants at the resorts – no bus, boat or monorail stands between you and a Mickey Waffle. You know it’s going to be a magical day if the first thing you do is have a fluffy, golden, maple syrup covered Mickey Waffle.

6. Must Do Disney with Stacey

When getting ready for my day at the park, I always have the TV on to the resort channel that constantly plays Must Do Disney with Stacey. Disney Insiders will be familiar with all the attractions and tips that Stacey covers in Must Do Disney, but it’s one of things that reminds you that you’re really in the most magical place on earth, Walt Disney World! It’s fun to see her visit the parks, meet the characters and ride the rides that you’re about to experience during your day at the park.

5. Transportation

One of the biggest perks about staying at Disney World resorts is the transportation that is available to you throughout Disney property. Even if you drove to Disney World for your vacation, you could park your car at the resort and never use it again until you leave. Keep in mind, Disney does now charge resort guests for overnight resort parking but parking at the theme parks is still complimentary to resort guests. There are buses just steps from your resort room that will take you everywhere you need to go. There are also boats at some resorts and if you are staying at a deluxe resort like the Contemporary, you can catch the Monorail right inside the resort. The Disney Skyliner is the newest form of transportation taking taking guests at Skyliner Resort to and from Disney’s Hollywood Studios and EPCOT. The convenience that the transportation system offers guests while staying on property is reason enough to stay at a Disney resort. The Disney Magical Express shuttle from the Orlando airport is another convenience that is available to guests staying on property. As part of this service, your luggage will be picked up from the airport and delivered straight to your room. Why waste your time waiting for your luggage when you could be waiting in line to ride Space Mountain!

4. Character Wake Up Calls

If you’re at Disney, you don’t want to wake up to a boring alarm, you want to get a wake up call from a Disney character. Getting a phone call from a character is definitely a memorable experience for kids and it’s just as much fun for adults too. You can easily arrange for a character wake up call by phoning the front desk at your resort or pressing the wake up call button on the phone in your room. You won’t get a choice of who will call, but that’s part of the surprise in the morning!

3. Mid-day breaks

Days at the parks can be long and hot depending on the time of year. Disney insiders know that it’s a good idea to hit the parks for rope drop, but chances are good that you and your party will need a nap at some point during the day. If you’re staying on property, it’s easy to arrive at the park early and then head back to your resort mid-day for a nap or a refreshing dip in the pool. We’ve all seen those guests catching some shut-eye in The Hall of Presidents, in one of the few shady corners, or kids sound asleep in their stroller. If you’re staying on property taking a break that the whole family needs is so much easier because the bus will easily shuttle you back to your resort and then back to the park for more fun and magic after everyone has recharged. It’s a great feeling to have the freedom to come and go to the parks and your resort throughout your stay at Disney.

2. Extra Magic Hours

Disney extends the hours at certain parks on particular days for guests who are staying on property – they’re called Extra Magic Hours. Sometimes the park opens an hour early for resort guests, or the park will stay open later at night. At times Magic Kingdom is open until 2am for resort guests. Riding Big Thunder Mountain or the Jungle Cruise at night is definitely an experience to have. Shorter lines and a less crowded park are also found during Extra Magic Hours. Magic Kingdom tends to be very busy during the entire day when they have late Extra Magic Hours, so many Disney Insiders like to visit another park during regular hours and then head over to Magic Kingdom later for the Extra Magic Hours. It also makes guests feel a little extra special to be at the parks after it’s ‘closed’.

1. That Disney Magic

Disney Insiders love to be surrounded by Disney magic, it’s a big part of the reason why we continue to vacation and stay on property at Disney. Staying on property means that every part of our stay at Disney is sprinkled with a little bit of pixie dust, whether it’s while swimming in the Fantasia themed pool at the All-Star Movies resort or the Cinderella and Prince Charming floor tiles at the Grand Floridian. No matter which Disney resort you chose to stay at, you’re guaranteed to feel that magic throughout your stay with Disney’s top notch service, their attention to detail and the feeling that the magic follows you wherever you go on Disney property.