Planning a trip to Disney World can be quite the challenge when it comes to where you’re going to stay.

Let’s just say that you have plenty of options to choose from (there are more than 25 hotels). For sake of argument, let’s pretend that you’ve already booked your Disney World hotel. Now what? So glad you asked. We want to try and help you out by bringing you a whole list of Disney World hotel hacks for your viewing (and planning) pleasure!

Let’s get right into our 12 Disney World hotel hacks!

Find The BEST Hotel Rooms, Resort-Wide

Booking a Disney World hotel is a no-brainer especially if you’re after those perks like convenient transportation and being super close to the parks. But even at resorts that promise these perks, you might end up in a room that’s quite a hike away from actually being able to use them.

But don’t worry because we’ve got your back. We’ve done the legwork (literally) to find the most convenient rooms across all the Disney World resorts. We hit the ground running to locate the best rooms that maximize those perks, and I mean we counted the steps to these rooms so you don’t have to.

Skyliner Resorts

• Art of Animation: Nemo Buildings are where it’s at. Rooms 5514, 5513, 4540, and 4539 are about 127 steps from the Skyliner.
• Pop Century: The 60s buildings are prime. Specifically, rooms 5111, 5112, 4161, and 4162 are just 130 steps away.
• Caribbean Beach: Rooms 4104 and 4102 (Jamaica buildings) are 194 steps via the pathway, but cut through the grass, and rooms 4130 and 4131 are only 130 steps away. Aruba’s rooms 5509 and 5510 are 164 steps from the Riviera Skyliner.
• Riviera Resort: Rooms 5509 and 5510 are a quick 94 steps from the entrance to the Hollywood Studios side of the Skyliner.

If EPCOT is your main destination, Disney’s Beach Club Resort is practically on top of it (no Skyliner needed). The closest room, 1501, is just 245 steps from the International Gateway.

The Monorail Resorts

If you’re all about Magic Kingdom, the closest rooms are at Bay Lake Tower (part of the Contemporary Resort). Rooms 7111, 7109, 7132, and 7134 are about 1,006 steps from the gates, with 7132 and 7134 also being close to the main building and elevators. Also, they have an exterior exit door nearby that can give you access to the bus station walking path.

Get Party Tickets EARLY

As you know, Disney’s got a number of parties throughout the year. Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is happening right now (on select nights from August 9th to October 31st, 2024) and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party will be coming on select nights from November 8th to December 20th, 2024.

Disney loves rewarding their resort guests with early access to party tickets. So, if you want first dibs, especially at lower prices, you’re going to want to book your Disney hotel stay before those early ticket release dates.

In addition to those staying a Disney Resort, those staying at the Swan, Dolphin, or Shades of Green also get early ticket access.

Find the CHEAPEST Food Options for Your Family

All of the Disney World resorts have a ton of dining options, but if you’re hunting for the cheapest eats  on the property that still taste great and feed the whole crew, we’ve got you covered.

The best bang for your buck at most Disney resort over the quick services are going to be the family-sized pizzas. They run about $20+ and can easily feed a family of four.

If you’re looking for something other than pizza, at Fort Wilderness, Trail’s End offers family meal deals like a full slab of BBQ ribs with sides for $32, or an 8-piece fried chicken meal for $29. These meals can stretch to feed 3-4 people, especially if you’ve got kiddos who zero in on the mac and cheese.

Also, Sebastian’s Bistro at Caribbean Beach has stepped up its game and now offers the cheapest all-you-can-eat meal on property for $38 per adult and $20 per child.

If you’re really looking to save, you might want to consider ordering food via delivery apps like Grubhub, Uber Eats, or DoorDash. They’ll bring your food straight to your resort, but remember to factor in delivery fees, service fees, and tips to see if it’s really a better deal.

If you need groceries, try Kroger Delivery through their app. They’ve got a distribution center near Disney, which means that you can stock up without leaving your hotel. Just be sure to stay around the hotel when your order’s expected, or you can have it dropped off at the front desk (though Disney charges $6 for this service).

Stay at a Cheaper Resort but Take Advantage of the Deluxe Offers

For starters, you don’t need to drop $500+ a night to get a taste of the deluxe Disney experience. Even if you book a stay at a value or moderate resort, you can still hop over to one of the deluxe resorts during your trip. Disney’s got you covered with free transportation from their parks or Disney Springs, so you can easily check out the shops, restaurants, and activities at a deluxe resort. You won’t have access to their pools, gyms, or the extended evening hours in the parks, but that’s a small trade-off.

Want to channel your inner Hannah Montana and get the best of both worlds? You can totally experience that Disney deluxe life without the premium price tag by trying one of these three options:

Option 1: Book a room at Gran Destino at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort (a moderate resort).

• Gran Destino brings all the deluxe vibes with its luxurious setup, including awesome pools, two gyms, and table-service dining galore. (Plus, there’s a rooftop fireworks-view lounge, Dahlia Lounge!) It’s also the only moderate resort on Disney property that offers Club-Level stays.
• What’s so great about Club-Level rooms? Along with personalized concierge service, you’ll also get complimentary food and drinks! Many guests even plan a meal or two in the lounge, which can help offset the cost of the upgrade.
• At Gran Destino’s Chronos Lounge, you’ll find continental breakfast in the morning, snacks and beverages in the afternoon, and tapas (aka small bites), wine, beer, and cocktails in the evenings.
  And the best part is that Gran Destino’s Club-Level rooms are often cheaper than a standard room at a deluxe resort.
• The only downside is that since Coronado Springs is still considered a moderate resort, you won’t get those Extended Evening Hours perks.

Option 2: Try a “split stay.”

• A split stay means that you book one Disney resort for the start of your trip and then transfer to another resort during the same vacation.
• This way, you can enjoy a deluxe resort room (and all the perks like Extended Evening Hours) for a day or two, then save money by staying at a more affordable value resort for the rest of your trip.
• The great thing about this is that you don’t have to worry about lugging your stuff around either as Disney will transfer your luggage to your next resort for you! (Just let Bell Services know you’re switching hotels, fill out a quick form, and they’ll handle the rest.)

Option 3: Snag a room at the Swan and Dolphin.

• The Swan and Dolphin hotels are owned by Marriott but partnered with Disney, so you’ll get similar perks to a Disney deluxe resort at a typically lower price.
• If you’re in the Marriott Bonvoy program, you’ll also earn rewards for your stay and can use points to book future stays, saving even more cash.
• Even though it’s not Disney-owned, you’ll still get Early Theme Park Entry (30 minutes before the park opens) and Extended Evening Hours.
• You’ll be staying in the heart of the EPCOT resort area, so you can easily walk to EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and other nearby resorts, or take a Friendship Boat if you’re not feeling the walk.
• Plus, you’ve got access to some fantastic dining spots that a lot of Disney guests don’t even know about, like Rosa Mexicano, Todd English’s Bluezoo, The Fountain, and self-serve Dole Whip at Fuel.

Book a Hotel With Free Food

Just a heads up, this hack is going to take you outside the Disney bubble because, unfortunately, Disney World resorts don’t offer free breakfast. Whether you’re staying at a value, moderate, or deluxe hotel, you’ll have to shell out for your morning bacon and eggs. The only exception is staying Club Level, where breakfast is included with your private lounge access.

But if you’re not about that Club Level price tag and still want a complimentary breakfast, you can score one at some non-Disney hotels nearby. It might take a bit of research, but it’s worth it.

One of our absolute faves is the Drury Plaza Lake Buena Vista, located in the Disney Springs area. Not only do they serve up a free continental breakfast every morning (Mickey waffle station, anyone?), but there’s also more where that came from.

Drury Plaza also offers a complimentary 5:30 PM “kickback” meal with snacks, cold drinks, beer, wine, mixed drinks, and more every night. While the menu changes daily, you can expect options like salad, soup, chili, pasta, baked potatoes, nachos, and sliders. It’s enough to count as a full dinner, meaning you’re saving serious cash on not just one meal, but two!

Find the 24 Hour Refill Stations

If you’re planning on getting a resort refill mug for your Disney World stay? Here’s a hack to make sure you get your money’s worth.

First, let’s break down the deal with Disney’s refillable mugs. These 16 oz. insulated mugs are sold at Disney hotels’ main counter service spots and come free if you add the Disney Dining Plan to your vacation package. Once you’ve got one, you can enjoy unlimited free refills on fountain drinks, coffee, and tea at participating beverage locations across Disney hotels for up to 14 days.

Keep in mind that this only applies to Disney hotels, not the parks. But feel free to bring your mug along as you explore different resorts because refill stations are scattered across all Disney hotels, so you can grab a drink wherever you are.

Here’s the real kicker, while many drink stations close early with the restaurants, some resort pool bars have refill stations that stay open 24/7. That means you can get your soda fix any time, day or night. A few 24-hour refill stations we’ve found recently include:

• Petals Pool Bar at Pop Century Resort
• Banana Cabana at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
• Drop Off Pool Bar at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort

Use one of these SECRET Hotel Discounts

And we’re back at the Swan and Dolphin because there are even more ways to save on your stay here. Let’s dive into these discounts!

• AAA/CAA Members can save up to 25% on the best available rate at booking. The same discount applies to Law Enforcement, Military Personnel, Government Employees, Teachers, School Support Staff, and senior citizens (62+).
• Healthcare Heroes like Nurses, Doctors, Firefighters, Paramedics, and Medical Personnel get a special appreciation rate, which changes depending on the time of year.
• Florida Residents and Disney World Annual Passholders can save up to 30% off regular rates.
• Anyone can save up to 20% by booking a pre-paid, non-refundable room in 2024. Also if you’re traveling with a crew and need more than one room, you can book a second guest room for up to 25% off a regular rate.

Remember that Disney’s resorts also regularly promote special offers and discounts on their website, so always check the site for deals before booking at full price!

See a Hotel Parade!

A parade at a Disney World resort? Say what? There are actually TWO resort parades you might be able to catch during your Disney stay, depending on when you visit.

The first is at Port Orleans Riverside and French Quarter during their Mardi Gras celebrations.

• During Mardi Gras, these New Orleans-inspired resorts go all out with special events, including the Port Orleans Mardi Gras Pargo Parade.
  • This year, the parade started at 10 AM EST near Building 80 at Port Orleans Riverside and wound through the resort, ending in the French Quarter courtyard.
  • The parade is a blast, featuring jazz bands, character appearances (like Princess Tiana in a horse-drawn carriage), and golf carts decked out as parade floats (made by resort guests!). You can even vote for your favorite float after the parade. And yes, there are plenty of Mardi Gras beads to collect in a family-friendly way.

The second option is at Fort Wilderness, where you could see one of THREE seasonal golf cart parades: Fourth of July, Halloween, or Christmas.

• These parades are guest-led, meaning campground guests started them as a fun vacation tradition, and now they’re a Fort Wilderness staple.
• The parades usually kick off at the hitching area near the front entrance and follow the road through the Meadow section, passing by the judge’s tent where floats are scored based on creativity and theme.
• The top six floats are chosen by the judges, and campground guests vote for the overall winner.
• Want in on the fun? To participate, you have to be staying at Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground.
  • A week before the parade, sign up at the Bike Barn to get your lineup spot and order number. After that, just follow Disney’s rules to ensure everyone’s safety.
• As for spectating, that’s trickier. This parade is super popular, so only guests staying at the campground can watch. No reservation, no parade-viewing for you.

Pack for SUCCESS

Listen, I get it. Keeping your hotel room organized might not be your top priority on a Disney World trip, but there are some super handy items that have made our stays way more convenient and organized by default.

Take compression packing cubes, for example. These things are game-changers! They work like vacuum sealers for your clothes. If you’ve got bulky items or just a ton of stuff to pack, these cubes help you squeeze everything into your suitcase without sacrificing your favorite outfits.

Plus, at the end of your trip (when your stuff somehow magically expands), you can cram everything back into those cubes, avoiding the dreaded vacation Tetris as you try to repack.

Another pro tip? Bring a foldable hamper. It keeps all your dirty laundry in one spot, making packing to go home easier.

Also, you can use it to carry your clothes down to the laundry facilities available at every Disney World resort.

Speaking of laundry, one of the best parts about Disney’s laundry facilities is that you don’t have to babysit your clothes! Download the LaundryView app, which notifies you when your laundry is done. So, while your clothes are getting clean, you can go for a swim or grab a Dole Whip instead of watching your laundry spin.

Okay, let’s talk about your nightstand. One of the best ways we’ve found to avoid clutter is by investing in a 3-in-1 charging station, like the one we found on Amazon for Apple users.

This nifty gadget charges your iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods all at once, so no more tangled wires.

Also, you’ll want to consider packing a small, flat power strip with USB ports to plug in your charging station and your MagicBand+ if you’re using one.

This way, all your devices will be fully charged and ready for a day at the parks.

Prioritize Reservations for NEW Resort Restaurants

If you didn’t know, there are some fresh new restaurants popping up at Disney resorts, and even more on the way! In the “new and now open” category, we’ve got the reimagined character dining buffet at 1900 Park Fare in the Grand Floridian Resort.

Coming soon, there’s The Cake Bake Shop, expected to open at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn later this year. (Fingers crossed—it’s been delayed a few times, but we’re hopeful!) So, here’s the deal, “New” in Disney World terms means “popular,” and that means reservations are going to fill up fast. So, make sure you’re on top of booking those advance dining reservations as soon as you can.

Typically, you can start booking Disney dining reservations 60 days before your meal, but if you’re staying at a Disney World hotel, you get a little extra magic. You can book reservations up to 60 days in advance plus the length of your stay (up to 10 days). This means you could snag a table at 1900 Park Fare up to 70 days ahead of time if you’re staying at a Disney resort (again depending on how long your trip is). This gives you a better shot at grabbing those high-demand tables before they’re all gone.

Take a Fireworks Cruise

Some of the Disney World hotels offer a way to make the nighttime fireworks even more magical and private! Now, Fireworks cruises might not be brand new, but they’re a fresh way to see the show from a whole new perspective.

Here’s what you’re in for:

• You’ll board a 25-foot pontoon that comfortably fits up to 10 guests.
• Each cruise comes with a captain, snacks, drinks, piped-in music, and if you’re celebrating something special, you can request banners and balloons at no extra cost. Why not, right?

The fireworks you’ll see depend on where your cruise departs from.

• If your boat leaves from the Contemporary, Polynesian Village, Grand Floridian, Fort Wilderness, or Wilderness Lodge, you’ll catch the Happily Ever After show over Magic Kingdom.
• If you set sail from the Yacht and Beach Club marina, you’ll get to see EPCOT’s latest fireworks spectacular, Luminous: The Symphony of Us, which just debuted this past December as part of Disney’s 100th Anniversary celebration. Expect a mix of fireworks, fountains, lasers, and classic Disney tunes.

Prices for these cruises start at $449 plus tax and vary depending on the day. To book, call (407) 939-7529 before your trip.

Self-Serve Dole Whip

Did you know that the power to control how much Dole Whip you swirl into your bowl is now in your hands?! Can you handle that kind of responsibility?

Over at the Swan and Dolphin’s grab-and-go spot called Fuel (located on the Dolphin side), you’ll find sandwiches, specialty coffees, and other elevated snacks, and they’ve got a DIY froyo bar too.

There are tons of flavors to choose from like dulce de leche, New York Cheesecake, Strawberry and Mango Sunrise. But the real gem is that you can score that classic Pineapple Dole Whip straight from the self-serve machines. You can even mix it up with a Pineapple Dole Whip and Sweet Coconut swirl and then pile on whatever toppings your heart desires!

Dole Whip freedom never tasted so sweet, right? Just keep in mind that Fuel charges by the ounce (68 cents per ounce, to be exact), so if you get a little too swirl-happy, you might end up with quite a pricey treat!

If you want to learn all about the different Disney World hotels and their unique offerings, check out the link below!

Which Disney World Resort Hotel is Best for YOU?

Keep it right here at DFB for all things Disney World!