Some guests feel like staying at a Disney resort is the better choice when on vacation at Disney World. It is true there is a lot that you receive when staying on-property that you can’t get anywhere else.

But we found that besides the price difference, there aren’t a lot of cons that people discuss when comparing Disney resorts to other, non-Disney hotels in Orlando. It’s important to consider EVERY aspect, especially when your hard-earned cash is on the line!

Even the least-expensive Disney World hotels, called Value Resorts, can cost as much as $400 per night. Before you commit, make sure you do your research so you know what you’re getting into. Just because something has a high price tag doesn’t mean that it’s going to be without its flaws. Sure, many of the issues we are going over are relatively small, but they could be a deal breaker for you! And by knowing what is coming ahead of time you can better prepare, or even find a solution. Keep reading for Disney hotel problems you may not know about!

No More H2O Products (We’ll Always Remember You!)

If you’re a long-time Disney resort guest, you may remember the unique line of toiletries from the hotels. This brand, known as H2O, was beloved by Disney guests. The scent of these products instantly reminded them of their last trip (because of course we use them at home after throwing them ALL in our bags).

Unfortunately, last year H2O announced they were closing up shop, and therefore the familiar blue products in your resort bathroom were no more. While you can still get complimentary toiletries in your room, it just isn’t the same! Disney fans promptly snatched up all the H2O products for sale online, too — there’s nary a product left on Amazon at this point. If that isn’t a testament to how popular they were, we don’t know what is!

Lack of Late Night Dining

Something that Disney resorts offer you would be hard-pressed to find at other hotels are a variety of dining options. Many hotel chains have their own bar and maybe a restaurant, but at Disney resorts you can often find several different food service locations across a variety of styles, including quick service spots with takeaway to table service restaurants for a nice sit down meal.

You might be spoiled for choice, but only until the sun goes down! Most of the food service locations at Disney resorts are only open until around 11:00PM at the latest. Most of us probably don’t eat that late on the regular, but when you’re on vacation sometimes your eating schedule changes. On those days when you stay in the parks until closing you might be hankering for something to eat once you get back to your hotel — and that might be past closing time for all of your dining options.

You could always order delivery, but wouldn’t it be nicer to just run downstairs and grab something quick instead of having to wait 40 minutes or more for your Doordash or Uber Eats? If you know you’ll be needing something to munch on at the end of the day, make sure to stock up on snacks, either in the parks or from a nearby grocery store. We like to use Instacart to get a delivery of any groceries we need at the start of our trip so we can spend the time we would have been shopping by the pool!

Limited TV Options

This may seem like a minor gripe, especially for those who spend most of their trip in the parks and basically use their hotel rooms to sleep in. But for those who do prefer to spend their evenings in their hotel rooms this can be an unforeseen inconvenience. The TVs in Disney resorts have pretty limited choices when it comes to watch options, and the most frustrating part is that many of these TVs don’t allow for casting!

Casting allows you to share a video from one of your personal devices onto the TV screen so you can watch from your favorite streaming services without having to stare at a tiny tablet or laptop screen. This is probably more important for parents with younger kids. They tend to have earlier bedtimes and parents may want the option of winding down in the evening with their favorite movie or show, and these may not be available on the TVs in your hotel room.

Most Of The Resorts Are MASSIVE

Despite the size of the individual rooms (which some people find to be much smaller than your standard hotel room), most of the Disney resorts are huge. Some, like the Polynesian Resort, have a separate lobby that is detached from the buildings that house the actual rooms. Others are so huge they have their own internal bus transportation, like the Caribbean Beach Resort.

When you’ve just spent 10+ hours pounding the pavement in the parks you just want to get back to your bed as soon as possible. The last thing you want to be doing is waiting for a bus to get from the park to your resort, only to have to wait even longer while the next bus makes its rounds across the resort! Worse yet, you could be at a resort without a bus system and just have to hoof it to your room. And if it’s raining? Hopefully you have your poncho!

This can be a big shock to those who have never stayed in a Disney resort before who are expecting a traditional hotel! If all the walking is going to be a problem for you, we suggest requesting a room as close to the lobby as possible. It isn’t guaranteed, but there’s no harm in asking kindly! This can be especially helpful for guests with mobility issues.

Housekeeping May Still Be Limited

UPDATE: Disney announced on February 6th that, by the end of February, “full housekeeping room cleanings will once again be available at all of our Resort hotel rooms.” This will include replenishing amenities, changing and restocking linens, vacuuming, cleaning the bathrooms, making the beds — the WORKS. Learn more here.

The Disney parks closed in 2020 during the initial outbreak of the pandemic. During their phased reopening, housekeeping was brought back, but with a modified schedule. Each room is thoroughly cleaned and sanitized between guests, but instead of a daily clean resort guests received a “light cleaning service” every other day (or every 4th and 8th day for Disney Vacation Club members). Guests also have the option to decline this service.

This modified cleaning service included the removal of trash, the cleaning of vanities and other surfaces, replenishment of towels and other amenities, and a vacuum if needed. Recently, daily housekeeping returned to some of the Disney resorts! Deluxe Resorts are now receiving daily visits from housekeeping, although we are unsure if the level of cleaning is the same as prior to the pandemic.

If you are planning on staying at a Deluxe Resort you can expect a daily housekeeping service. But for other guests, you will still be receiving the modified service! All of the Moderate and Value Resorts are operating on an every-other-day schedule. If you ever need anything or have questions, you can call your resort’s Guest Services. For example, if you end up with a bunch of crushed crackers on the floor, you can request a vacuum sooner than you would receive it. Likewise, if you run out of towels or toiletries you can ask for more (and now, if your room has the new Hey, Disney device, you can even make those requests from it!).

Does this mean that Disney resorts are terrible and you should never stay at one? Of course not! Just be sure to do your research so you know what to expect and can pick the best place for you and your family. Stay tuned to our site for more information you can use on your next trip to the parks!

Check out the links below for more information on Disney Resorts:

• A Definitive Ranking of EVERY Disney World Hotel!
• What to Do If You Can’t Get the Disney World Hotel Reservation You Wanted
• The BEST Hurricane-Ready Hotels in Disney World!
• The BEST 31 Disney World Snacks You’ll ONLY Find at the HOTELS!

Check Out The Best Disney World Hotels for 2023

If you could change one thing about Disney resorts (besides the price!) what would it be? Comment you choices below!