Staying at a Disney World hotel has its perks.
Grand Floridian Resort
Early Theme Park Entry, free transportation, and soon — access to the Disney Dining Plan! There are a lot of reasons guests choose to stay on property, but unfortunately, not all of Disney’s former perks are still around. The Disney World Magical Express used to provide free transportation from the Orlando International Airport for Disney hotel guests but the service ended in 2021. While that has been a bit of a disappointment for many, at least there is a (paid) replacement service. But, one missing perk has left us in the lurch and we can’t wrap our heads around it.
Once upon a time (early 2020 to be exact) we were still able to buy merchandise in the parks and have it sent back to our Disney hotel room for free. Unfortunately, after the COVID-19 closures of 2020, this complimentary service was paused.
Merchandise
Now, in 2023, it still hasn’t returned. So, if you have your eye on a popular new set of ears in the morning, you might be stuck buying and wearing them all day so you don’t risk them selling out (there are worse problems, we know). But what if it’s a bigger item? This service was a life-saver before, and a big reason guests would stay on property in the first place.
Minnie ears in Magic Kingdom!
While this is a bit of a bummer, there are options for you in case you run into this problem. One, you could get the item and keep it in a rental locker throughout the day so that you’re not stuck carrying it around.
Locker Rentals
Alternatively, Disney does offer a shipping service so you can have the item sent to your home, but it is an added fee. This is a great option if you’re looking for a bulkier item or just don’t have much space left in your suitcase (same). They will even ship your items internationally, with a few exceptions.
Merchandise
So, while there are ways for you to manage merchandise purchases while you’re in the park, we still miss this old perk. Is Disney ever going to bring it back? We’ll let you know if we hear any mention of it, so stay tuned to DFB for more.
I’m Still Getting Asked About This Disney World Hotel Rule; Let’s Set the Record Straight
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Lockers are expensive, especially if you are park hopping and the rental fee doesn’t transfer. (By the way, it used to. Another sadly missed “perk”) Plus, if you are shopping at each of the parks and have to rent a locker every day…. It all adds up. Come on, Disney! Bring pack package delivery!!
I have mentioned this frequently in Disney surveys that I’ve been offered the chance to take since the service was suspended. This is a huge factor for us not just with where we stay, but how much we even spend. The past few years, we have passed up not just larger items, but overall quantities of souvenirs in general, and we drive! We generally aren’t willing to ship things home and risk them being lost, damaged, or stolen while we’re gone. Fortunately, most delivery services have vacation holds now (even if some of them charge) but that still doesn’t address the lost or damaged possibilities. Plus, that process takes quite a while, eating up precious park time! We have definitely cut back a lot, since buying anything much means renting a locker, carrying items around, or making extra trips to the car. Even when they offer in-park merchandise pick-up, those lines can be brutal at the end of the day. Not interested. The reasons to stay on-site are getting fewer and fewer, and we LOVE staying on-site. It’s sad. So many things seem to not be going in the right direction for resort stays.
Disney seems to be so conscious of their bottom line but often they miss the boat! “Penny wise and pound foolish”?? They think they save money without this service but what about the lost revenue from people not wanting to bother with purchases they have to keep up with during the day??
I 1000% agree with Natural comment. Disney has changed so much and seems to be forgetting their guest happiness. Don’t get me wrong I will always love Disney but I am so disappointed in the decisions the past 3 years, I won’t be visiting any time soon. One great perk such as the delivery of items to on site hotel rooms seemed to be such a advantage to their guests. I would think Disney would benefit profit wise greatly as guests purchase more items and larger items.
I didn’t know this! I had hoped to buy a suitcase during my stay this month- that’s going to pose a problem then.
We always used the ‘ship to resort’ perk in previous years- I don’t want to mail stuff home internationally, it will likely get crushed or go missing- and be at an extra cost. 🙁 Disappointing.
Come on Disney. Give us SOMETHING worthwhile.
Thank you for highlighting this DFB. What would we do without you.
Not sending purchases back to a guest resort, is just wonderful. Disney is actually doing them a favor in the long run, by saving the “customer,” untold amounts of wasted money they would otherwise spend on frivolous items that they really don’t need in the first place. Kinda gives the customer a chance to think about their decision making process when it comes to spending!
I actually give Disney ⭐️⭐️⭐️ for this one!
The lockers are awful. If they were free to use, that’d a nice last resort. However, they’re expensive and not in air conditioning. I too loved the merchandise-transfer-to-hotel service, though could only use it at the start of a multi-day stay. It he best is the option to ship merch home! It does not seem to be more expensive than shipping costs outside of WDW, and an awesome cast member does all the work for you!
It’s good to know they will ship internationally. It’s something I’ve been trying to find the answer to.
My favorite Disney stay-on-property perk is the transportation (Skyliner, anyone?). However, Disney needs to bring back all the conveniences they had before COVID. Seriously, bring back the Magical Express and the free delivery to your hotel room. C’mon already!!!
Yes the magical express and the merchandise to your hotel room is what is missed most.I don’t want to carry around new merchandise or try to find a locker to store them .And then remember to go get them at the end of the night.