Staying at a Disney World hotel can have loads of benefits!
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort
Some people prefer to stay on Disney property for all the services that are provided. Some of these services are provided at other hotels in the area, but there are also a ton of magical extras. We’re breaking down everything that your Disney World hotel can do for you!
The amenities range from onsite laundry rooms to having a private Concierge. Some of them cost a fee and others are included in your room rate. There are A LOT of things that a Disney World resort provides and some people don’t know everything they have to offer. We’re here to list some of our favorites so you can take full advantage of your stay!
Hold Your Luggage
Bell Services will hold your luggage if you’re waiting to check in or have already checked out. This will take loads off your mind if you’re plane arrives before your room is ready or you need to check out but want to hit the parks for the day. You don’t have to sit in the lobby and wait for your check-in or check-out time!
Mickey Luggage Collection
Just drop off your bags with Bell Services located at the front or exterior of each resort and they’ll keep them safe while you’re out! Take the whole day and go to the theme parks or stop into Disney Springs! Be sure to save a couple of bucks to tip your Cast Member for retrieving your bags, if you’re so inclined!
Deliver Your Luggage
After holding your luggage, Bell Services can deliver your luggage straight to your room! This is especially convenient if you’ve left your bags at Bell Services before check-in and hit the parks for the day.
Norway Luggage Tag
You don’t have to wait at the desk and lug up your bags after a long day. Simply call Bell Services from your room and wait for them to drop off your bags! Again, having a few bucks handy for a tip is a nice gesture, if you’re so inclined.
Transfer Your Luggage for Split Stays
A “split stay” is when you stay at one resort and then transfer to another during the same vacation. Some guests like to experience more than one hotel so they split their time between multiple hotels. This gives guests a chance to experience two totally different hotel experiences in one trip! You don’t need to struggle to get your luggage to your second resort — your resort will transfer your luggage to your next resort when it’s time to check out!
Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
All you have to do is head to Bell Services and tell them you’re moving to another hotel. They will have you fill out a form and take care of the rest. This way, you don’t have to lug your bags around all day! The Bell Service Cast Members can give you a rough idea of when you can expect your bags at the second hotel. Your luggage will make its way to the next resort and you can call Bell Services to deliver your luggage when you’ve arrived at your room.
Mail Your Stuff Home
Go a little overboard on the Disney souvenirs and stressing how to get them home? No worries! Disney can send your enormous crystal Cinderella Castle home to you. It costs a fee (and can get expensive) that goes up depending on the size of the package being mailed (it typically starts around $10 and goes up from there), but the option is there in case you need it.
Mailbox in Hollywood Studios
If you plan in advance, you can ship pre-packed and pre-labeled packages at the Front Desk or Concierge desks at most of the Disney World resorts. Some resorts have onsite business centers and any resort with a convention center, like Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Disney’s Grand Floridian, will be able to ship packages without a pre-printed label (at your cost, of course). These locations typically have some packing materials on hand as well.
Receive Your Mail
Likewise, Disney resorts can receive your mail and packages. You might not always have room in your luggage for everything or have something important that needs to be sent to you while on vacation. You can have it sent to your resort at any time!
Yacht Club Front Desk
To send a package, have the label include the mailing address of the hotel. It should also feature the word “Guest” on the front and have the date of your arrival. This will better assure that it is kept safe. Also, you should know that Disney charges a $6 fee for handling packages sent to the resort, REGARDLESS of size, so consider packing everything in as few boxes as possible.
Check out our WHOLE breakdown on how to send and receive packages at Disney World here!
Bring Small Items to Your Room for Free
Your resort will often be able to provide you with small items that you may have forgotten to pack. This can be a life-saver if you’ve forgotten your toothbrush and just spent the day eating sugary Dole Whips. Usually, the resort will have items like band-aids, toothpaste, deodorant, disposable razors, and more.
Toiletries at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
Call down to the Front Desk and see if they have what you’re missing! It doesn’t hurt to check and they might have just what you need. If not, they can direct you to the nearest gift shop where you can purchase these items.
Receive Your Grocery Deliveries (And Keep Them Fresh!)
Some guests love to stock up on groceries and have them delivered to the resorts. The groceries can help you save a few dollars on food and you don’t waste time shopping when you arrive. Bell Services has a refrigerator just for this occasion! They will store your perishables in the fridge or freezer and you can pick them up when you get back to your hotel.
Mickey Ice Cream Bar from the Grocery Store
Your resort will charge a flat fee of $6 (as opposed to that $6 per package fee for package deliveries!). You can choose to retrieve your own groceries from Bell Services or have them sent up to your room for free (again, we’re sure to have a tip on hand to thank our friendly Bellhop for their services!).
Get a step by step guide to Instacart delivery here.
Childcare Services
Back in the day, certain Disney resorts offered on-site childcare facilities that were essentially super-fun communal babysitting services for your kids. Many of those have gone away, but there IS a late-night option available at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort — Camp Dolphin. This runs from 5-12 nightly and costs $12 per hour per child.
Disney’s Swan and Dolphin Resort
Another option available to parents is a childcare provider from the independent company Kid’s Nite Out, who comes to your resort and watches your kids! The one-on-one babysitting service can be provided for kids ages 6 months to 12 years old and starts at $20 per hour. (Prices increase depending on the number of children and for hours after 9:00PM.)
Arts and Crafts Table
The childcare provider will entertain your little ones with crafts, books, games, and activities in your room. Call the Kids Nite Out hotline provided on the Disney World website to make an appointment.
Accommodate a Room Preference
You can make room requests depending on your location and amenity preferences. Some room preferences are considered upgrades and will cause a price increase. Upgrades usually include rooms that are close to amenities like the pool, restaurants, and transportation. You can also request an upgrade with a better view. (We highly suggest getting that Savanna View room in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge!)
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Savannah
You can also make requests that don’t affect the cost of your room rate. These requests can include certain floors and buildings that are still within your room level. You sometimes have the option to make these requests while booking your room online. We also suggest calling the Disney World resort reservation hotline to make sure they know your preferences! Do your research beforehand and look up your ideal room in the category you’ve selected so you can let Disney know exactly where you’d like to be.
Learn about other upgrades worth splurging on at your hotel here!
Virtually Check You In and Out
There’s no need to wait in those long, tedious lines at the Front Desk to get checked in anymore! You can use the My Disney Experience app to take advantage of the virtual check-in option. You’ll be sent a notification when your room is ready without dealing with a hectic lobby.
Mobile Check-In at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
That’s one less line you have to worry about! You can always call from your room if you need to talk to the Front Desk or return when the lobby is less busy.
Click here to see our experience with online check-in!
Virtual Room Entry
This is the future! Everything is virtual. You may be thinking to yourself, “I can check in on my phone, but how do I get into my room??” There’s an app for that! Well, it’s the same app you’ll use for most things on your Disney trip. The My Disney Experience app can act as your room key too!
MagicBand+
Navigate to your Disney World hotel reservation on the app then hit “Unlock Door.” Hold your phone to the door lock and it will magically unlock. Your MagicBand will also work once you’ve checked into your room as long as it’s linked to your Disney account. Keep in mind, Disney is no longer issuing hotel guests complimentary MagicBands, so if you don’t feel like buying a MagicBand (or using an old one from a past trip) this service will be useful to you.
Provide Concierge Services
There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to planning a Disney World vacation. You might miss a few steps along the way. That’s where a trusty Concierge will come in handy! The Lobby Concierge can help you book Advance Dining Reservations, assist with Disney transportation, buy tickets, and give you loads of vacation suggestions.
Gran Destino Tower Front Desk and Concierge
Just think of the Concierge as your local Disney expert! They will know a lot about the theme parks and will help in any way that they can! Keep in mind Club Level guests (at resorts that offer this) have access to an exclusive Club Level Concierge as well that can help with many of the same things.
Throw a Pool Party!
The resort pools aren’t just for swimming! They’re for dancing, games, and more recreation! You’ll often see a Cast Member break out the Limbo stick and ask guests to join in on the fun. The games are usually accompanied by some groovy music to get the party going.
Uzima Springs Pool at Animal Kingdom Lodge
We’ve seen the impromptu pool parties include trivia, celebrations, crafts, dance parties, and even retrieving rubber duckies. You never know what kind of party you’ll find at the pool!
Give You Free Souvenirs!
You can get a free Disney World button any time you visit! The buttons come in a variety of designs that say things like “Happy Birthday,” “Happily Ever After,” and “I’m Celebrating” for all other occasions. Many guests know that you can pick up these buttons at Guest Services in the theme parks. You can also pick one up from your resort!
Celebration Buttons
Head to the Front Desk and they’ll hook you up with a free souvenir. You can also ask for any theme park map to keep or use while on vacation!
Check out other free Disney World souvenirs here!
Notify You When You’re Laundry is Done
Ah, technology, you make life so much easier! There’s no need to sit around in the laundry room waiting for your clothes to dry anymore while on vacation. An app called LaundryView is connected to the Disney World resorts and tracks the status of each washer and dryer. LaundryView will let you know how many machines are available and you can ask the app to notify you when your clothes are ready!
LaundryView Instructions at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
Think about all the time you’ll get back not sitting in a dreary laundry room! You can finally finish that novel you’ve been working on or watch another episode of The Bachelor in your room. Or even take a dip in the pool while you wait!
Click here to learn more about LaundryView
Do Your Dry Cleaning
Ok, let’s take it one step further. LaundryView is cool and all, but your resort can do all of your dry cleaning for you too! However, this will cost you MUCH more than doing your laundry yourself. It’s still super convenient if you need to clean your fancy suit before your big dinner at Victoria & Albert’s.
Hangers and Dry Cleaning Form
To schedule a pick-up, call Housekeeping on your in-room phone. You can also drop off dry cleaning Laundry bags and full price lists are located in your room closet. Guests at select resorts can drop off their laundry with Bell Services before 9AM as well.
Host Free Outdoor Movie Nights
One of Disney World’s signature recreation offerings at the resorts is Movies Under the Stars. Cast Members will set up a large projector in a designated outdoor area. Naturally, the movies are usually Disney or Pixar films!
Mickey S’mores!
Schedules are typically posted in the lobby or available at the Concierge desk if you want to plan your schedule around the flicks. Grab some food from your resort’s quick-service restaurant and something to sit on. It’s a perfectly cozy way to end your long day in the theme parks!
Immerse You in the Magic
The resorts are pretty magical themselves. Some are more “Disney” than others, like the over-the-top displays at Disney’s All-Star Resorts. You can have even more magic in your life if you upgrade to a themed room at select resorts. Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside offers royal-themed rooms complete with light-up fireworks in the headboards.
Finding Nemo Suite at Art of Animation
And of course, there are the suites at Disney’s Art of Animation. The rooms are inspired by The Lion King, Finding Nemo, and Cars with heavy theming to match the films!
Exchange Your Currency
Traveling from another country and need to get some U.S. Dollars? Don’t fret! Your resort can exchange the cash for you. This may seem like a small benefit, but can it be extremely convenient if you just got into town or run out of cash and need to make purchases.
France Pavilion Gift Shop
You can also exchange currency at Guest Services in any of the theme parks!
Provide Bedtime Stories and LOADS of Info!
Kiddos having a hard time sleeping after all those Mickey ice cream bars? Have Mickey do the work for you! Switch on your resort television and you can tune into a bedtime story given by Mickey and Duffy the Disney Bear each evening. How sweet!
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort Room
Your television will also give you all sorts of information about the theme parks. You can find a channel that lists the daily park hours and entertainment schedule. If you’re at a resort where they’re trying out the new “Hey, Disney!” Alexas, you can find loads of entertainment and stories that can help your kids wind down.
Hey, Disney!
Have Mickey Wake You Up!
This one is more fun for the little ones, but adults seem to love it too (Meaning us. We love this!). You can have Mickey Mouse give you a wake-up call in the morning. Hit the wake-up call button on your room phone and follow the prompts to set the time you’d like to receive the call. Your resort phone will ring at that time and Mickey will tell you it’s time to rise and shine!
Mickey and Minnie
This is a super fun way to get the kids excited about their first day at Disney World!
Help You Unwind
Disney World trips are non-stop fun and can get super exhausting. Remember that you’re on vacation and need a little time to rest and relax! Otherwise, you’ll use up all your energy and the magic will run out fast. There a few ways to unwind at your resort. First, you can use one of the many spas located at Disney World. You don’t have to be staying at the resort that has a spa to use them either! The spa treatments will cost extra, but they’re SO nice and relaxing.
Grand Floridian Senses Spa ©Disney
Also, many of the resorts will offer free yoga classes and other activities on select days. The yoga classes are temporarily suspended at the moment, but check the recreation schedule to see what other recreational activities the resorts might offer!
Bus, Boat, Skyliner, and Monorail Transportation
Some guests say their favorite ride of the day is the transportation getting to the theme parks! Disney transportation is included in your room rate, which makes it a huge benefit for staying onsite. There are so many forms of transportation too! Some resorts offer boat transportation to certain parks. Others are located on the monorail line. And a select few get to use the Disney Skyliner to fly into EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Skyliner
The Disney bus isn’t too fun and can get a little crowded. It’s still very much part of the experience and the anticipation of rolling up the Magic Kingdom can make a busy bus ride fun!
Take You on a Free Tour
Disney World resorts also offer a few free walking tours. Many are unavailable at the moment, but when they return, put them on your must-do list! Disney’s Old Key West Resort offers “The Legend of Conch Flats” tour that allows guests to explore the Hospitality House. The tour tells you all about how Walt Disney Imagineers blended historical fact and story building to create the fictional tropical oasis that the resort is set in. Participants even receive an exclusive pin when they finish the tour!
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Savannah
You’ll also find a free culinary tour at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge that gives you an overlook of the three table service restaurants: Jiko, Boma, and Sanaa. Plus, you can learn about Africa from the country’s visiting ambassadors on certain days. While these extras may be unavailable right now, you can still walk around and see the huge amount of authentic art at Animal Kingdom Lodge and the entire savannah full of animals.
Provide Table Service Meals To-Go!
After reopening from the COVID-19 closures, Disney added a Table Service To-Go option at select resorts. The feature is still around and allows you to order a full meal from a sit-down restaurant and pop in to grab your food already packaged in to-go containers. You don’t have to be staying at the resort to use the new dining feature either! All you have to do is order your food on the My Disney Experience app. Then, head into the resort restaurant and pick up your items. You’ll have a full table service meal to enjoy from the comfort of your bed!
Bread Service To-Go!
Note this option is only available at some Disney World hotel restaurants, so be sure to check where it’s available before you order!
Give You the Royal Treatment
Feeling fancy? In the Club Level, you can experience what it’s like to live the life of a Disney Princess. The Club Level rooms are only available at Deluxe Resorts and will cost you extra. (Many guests find this splurge worth it!) At Club Level, you’ll receive access to that Club Level Concierge who can help you make reservations, seek out merchandise, and so much more!
Club Level Breakfast Pastries
Plus…you get tons of food! Club level guests have access to a lounge at their resort that offers food and drinks most of the day. Guests receive access to a continental breakfast, hot samples from the resort restaurant, evening wine and beer, and desserts!
Early Access to Individual Lightning Lanes and Advance Dining Reservations
Guests staying at a Disney World resort can book their dining reservations 60 days in advance plus the length of their stay (up to 10 days) prior to their vacation start date. Guests staying off-property can book 60 days in advance. Those extra days are extremely helpful when you want to snag that hard-to-get Be Our Guest Restaurant reservation.
Be Our Guest Restaurant Ballroom
Resort guests are also able to purchase Individual Lightning Lanes for attractions that offer it before anyone else! These open at 7AM for anyone staying at a resort and at park opening for any other guests. Here are the rides that offer Individual Lightning Lanes:
- Rise of the Resistance at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Magic Kingdom
- TRON Lightcycle / Run at Magic Kingdom
- Avatar Flight of Passage at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT
Read all about the extra hours in the park you can get as a resort guest!
Staying onsite at Disney World resort can bring you a world of benefits. Disney does their best to bring in the immersive atmosphere and level of service you may experience in the parks. These are just a few of the things you can do while staying onsite. Now, we wanna hear from you!
What’s a tip or trick that others might not know about when staying at Disney World hotel?
Read our ranking of every single Disney World hotel right here!
Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!
WE KNOW DISNEY.
YOU CAN, TOO.
Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.
Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!
What’s your favorite thing about staying in a Disney World resort? Tell us about it in the comments!
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
All of these ‘little’ tips can really make a big difference in a vacation.
Currently Disney Floral and Gifts is delivering baskets only. None of the cakes and bigger in room celebrations.
We are not currently allowing Guests to send packages to the front of the park to be picked up later or back to their resorts.
Mahalo
Thank you, Mindy!
DVC members can also pre-order groceries that will be in the room when you check in. Not sure if a non member can use this feature when staying at a DVC property. But, we find it really handy to do this. Saves us a trip to the store and maximize our time at the resort.
Except Magical Express is ending, how sad.
Have to say thank you for always letting us know you can get stuff mailed to you. On our Honeymoon I forgot our universal park passes when packing. I packed the magic bands and forgot about passes for the other park. Quick text back to my in laws and they mailed them to our hotel. Luckily I had planed out Universal later in the trip.
We have just learned that there is one downfall to the split stay. If you are visiting parks throughout your entire vacation (during first and second hotel stays), the Advance Reservation window of 60 day +10 for food and enchanting extras does not work the same as it would if you were in the same hotel for the full trip. All guests can book Advance Reservations for food and enchanting extras 60 days out on a day by day basis. The perk of a Disney hotel Guest is that you can make your reservations 60 days in advance of your check-in day, and then also for up to 10 days into your stay…..unless you are changing hotels. That “split” means you now have a second “check-in” day and the 60+10 will not span across the full trip. For the first hotel, you can book for the 60 days prior to the check-in date, and up to 10+ days to the end of your stand at THAT HOTEL (we are staying in our first hotel for 6 days, and then moving to another Disney hotel for another 4 days). We learned that our last 4 days of our trip (although all at a Disney resort and a 10 day trip total) was not available for any reservations at the start of our 60+10 window. We spoke to a Disney cast member and learned that since we are changing hotels we have two check-in days, and therefore the Advance Reservation windows are separate. We can only book advance reservations for the last 4 days of our trip 60 days in advance of that second check-in date. It may not seem like a big deal, but when day one of that second hotel stay is a park day for which you hope to grab a great restaurant reservation or enchanting extra, we are now going to be booking exactly 60 days out with the general public and lost the perk of getting to book for our whole 10+ days when there aren’t quite as many people snagging reservations on that day. If dinning and enchanting extras reservations are really important to you, and split stay can still be awesome, but I would recommend that the day you check into your second hotel not be a park day where you are are hoping to get the really really challenging advance reservations – you want those somewhere in your +10 window for either of your hotels, but not on day one.