There are THOUSANDS of hotel rooms in Disney World and most of them…well, they’re not that cheap.

Staying on property when visiting Disney World is a luxury that doesn’t always fit with the vacation budget, which leaves many guests looking for places off-site where they can stay for cheaper. Enter Airbnb – the king of the vacation rental industry! Here are 8 reasons why you should skip the Disney World hotel and rent an Airbnb for your next trip.

You Have a Large Party

If you have more than 5 or 6 people in your family, it might be difficult to find budget-friendly accommodations at Disney World. With a bigger group, you’ll have to get multiple hotel rooms or pay for a significantly more expensive villa at one of the DVC resorts, and those options definitely aren’t cost-effective.

At that point, it’s probably better to rent an Airbnb or other vacation home-style accommodations offsite, then you’ll all be able to stay together. And if the point of your trip is spending time with the people you love, it’ll be worth it!

You Like to Cook Your Meals

Some Disney World hotel rooms come with kitchenettes, but you’ll have to stay in a DVC villa or other pricey room to get a full-size kitchen. And even still, that kitchen may not be as large or as fully stocked as you would prefer. 

If you stay off-property, you can probably rent a house or condo with a full-size kitchen, complete with all the appliances and features that you need. Then you can cook to your heart’s content!

You Want a Private Pool

If you’re staying at a hotel or resort, you have to share with other guests, and it can be loud, rowdy, and sometimes uncomfortable. There are typically only a few hours each day when the pools aren’t busy, especially at the big and exciting pools. (Like Stormalong Bay at the Yacht and Beach Club!)

Instead, you might want to rent a house with either a community pool or its own private pool. Some places even have hot tubs! Then you’ll be able to have the luxury experience with a little more privacy.

Everyone Needs Their Own Space

Speaking of privacy…do you have a group where people aren’t keen on sharing beds and rooms, but you don’t want to pay for a bunch of hotel rooms? Airbnb is your friend!

You could get a house or apartment with multiple bedrooms and shared living space. Everyone could even get separate bathrooms. That’s definitely decreasing the likelihood of disagreements and grumpy people throughout your trip!

You’d Like a Better Parking Situation

If you rent a vacation home instead of a condo or villa, you can probably find a spot where you can park right outside your door – no walking through garages or parking lots!

It’ll be much easier to remember where you parked when you’re the only car in front of the building, and it’ll save you time in the morning with getting to the parks. Plus, having a shorter walk back to your room at the end of a long day makes a much bigger difference than you might think.

You’re Driving Yourself to the Parks

Planning on driving to the parks anyway? An Airbnb off-site might be a good choice! You’ll have to pay for parking at the theme parks (unless one of you is an Annual Passholder), but you’ll have the freedom of coming and going whenever you like and not waiting on the bus. No dealing with public transportation!

If you need to keep some belongings in your car, you can always run back out to the parking lot and snag them. And with parking trams available at some of the parks, the trek into the parks isn’t as bad as you might think.

You’re on a Budget

Now it’s time for the obvious reason why you might book non-Disney accommodations — the price! There are definitely options on Airbnb that are cheaper than Disney World hotels. You might spend more on parking and transportation, but you’ll also probably save significantly depending on where you stay.

We’ve been able to frequently find cheaper and more spacious accommodations offsite, and sometimes they’re even nicer than Disney World’s options, with comforts that you wouldn’t find in a hotel. If you’re a budget traveler, we definitely recommend looking into this!

You Want to See More of Orlando Than Just Disney World

If you’re hoping to stop by Universal, SeaWorld, or any other attraction in the area, it might be nice to stay in a more central location at an Airbnb. The theme parks are spread out across Orlando and Lake Buena Vista, and traffic can make your journeys rough between the locales. Finding a centrally located space to stay could make all the difference. 

Also, you won’t have to deal as much with the hassle of coming and going while on Disney property. Driving all around the property and getting to the various resorts can be confusing, but it’s much easier to get to the parks with the obvious signage everywhere.

So there you go – are you convinced yet? The Airbnb life isn’t for everyone. It takes longer to get to the parks, and you’ll miss out on the Disney Resort perks, but it might be right for your family, so do some investigating before you book! Keep in mind that many of these rentals charge extra fees and require guests to do some cleaning tasks before checking out, so there are definitely pros and cons. You will want to really pay attention to the specifics so you aren’t being charged for something you weren’t prepared for! 

Hold up for a sec! Before you plan your next trip to Disney World, you’re going to need this discount code – WDW2022.

Use it to save 25% when you buy our DFB Guide Everything Bundle here. You will get ALL of our best-selling eBooks with details on Disney World Dining, EPCOT Festivals, the BEST snacks in each park, and soooooo many tips and tricks we’ve learned over decades of visiting our happy place.

Click HERE to see some EPIC Airbnbs near Disney World! 

Have you ever stayed in an Airbnb while visiting Disney World? Tell us in the comments!