Resort-only trip: How long?

[HopperFan]

If I were doing this, I would look seriously at a non-Disney place to stay. Disney hotels have a fairly significant location premium built into the price, and you aren't really taking advantage of that location.

In my experience going to Orlando, it is pretty easy to get a home with a private pool in the Orlando area, plus a rental car, all for about the cost of a stay at a Disney Moderate. And the former is going to be a lot more comfortable than the latter.

For the same price one could stay at a real deluxe resort with a wide range of amenities and activities.

And for me, I couldn't possibly be sleeping in Orlando and not going to Disney parks, let alone a Disney hotel. I would be twitching every minute wanting to go to the parks.

 

[Mouse Tracker]

Only reason I do resort days at Disney is my AP and even then I always find myself still slipping into a park at night as boredom/fomo sets in.

What cost value does having the AP play in resort cost?

I don't understand the reasoning behind having an AP and not going to a park at all if on Disney property. It's been paid for - any use of it would be considered 'free' just like using any Disney transportation or free activity.

 

[tzolkin]

We did a 5 night resort only trip and I would not hesitate to go again for about the same amount of time. Maybe 3-5nights depending on flight times. We stayed at the Polynesian using DVC points so we spent a lot of time at that resort (went to Trader Sam's twice, watched fireworks a few nights), but we also used the Disney transportation to do some other things. We went to Disney Springs several times, rode the monorail to other resorts, did a Skyliner crawl, had dinner at AKL, etc.

It was a nice change of pace from a parks trip. It was a bit odd to be relaxing while watching everyone else rush around trying to get to the parks in the morning. We spent most of the trip hanging out at various lounges enjoying appetizers and drinks. It was so nice to just do whatever we felt like at that particular moment and not have a touring strategy/reservations/etc that we had to stick to.

If I were doing this, I would look seriously at a non-Disney place to stay. Disney hotels have a fairly significant location premium built into the price, and you aren't really taking advantage of that location.

This really depends on what you're looking to do on the trip. To me, the location was the focus, so being onsite was important. If you aren't going to the parks and are also planning to stay offsite, I'm not really sure why you would even bother traveling to Disney. You could just do a vacation somewhere else in the US.

 

[jo-jo]

I couldn't go to disney and not go into a park at all.
But last year due to health issues. we did park one day, rest one day. On rest day, we did minor resort activities. DH said he really enjoyed the trip doing this method.

When you plan to go, maybe there will be a party or after hours event. So yes, more money for one day, but get a small taste of a park.

 

[gottalovepluto]

What cost value does having the AP play in resort cost?

I don't understand the reasoning behind having an AP and not going to a park at all if on Disney property. It's been paid for - any use of it would be considered 'free' just like using any Disney transportation or free activity.

It’s not Cost Value so much as feelings. So, prior to having an AP I felt all the effort to get to WDW necessitated visiting the park every day. I would buy tickets for the whole time I was there and once there felt I needed to get my dollars worth and do full days. Not everyone feels this way but I did.

Once I started going often enough for an AP to math out the combination of more frequent visiting and realization that pushing myself even exhausted wasn’t fun I tried a “resort day”. I no longer felt I was wasting my ticket money. I mostly enjoyed it but cannot do more than one and even then often end up in a park by night lol. BUT I don’t feel like I’m wasting ticket money when I take that day for myself at the pool or whatever & the amount of days I do visit using my AP definitely still maths out cheaper than buying park tickets.

 

[Mouse Tracker]

Gotcha. I was just curious if there were good resort discounts for AP holders.

 

[rwdavis2]

Due to the current prices of hotels I can't imagine wanting to spend time at WDW without going to the parks. There are better hotels with better service.

 

[WDW_Michael]

One good perk for Resort-Only stays in 2025 is that they will include free admission into the Disney water parks on your check in day. So if you get in early enough, you can go to one of the 2 water parks (whichever in open), and can spend the day there free of cost..so long as it is your arrival day.

One hack you could use is split your stay into 2 separate resort reservations (even if they are both for the same resorts), this way you get 2 free days at the water parks (one for each resort check in day)

 

[GrumpyBLT]

Aulani is the only Disney resort I think I could stay at and guarantee not going into the parks.

 

[dopeynme]

Thanks for all the responses. We will be in FL anyway for a baseball spring training trip. We have DVC, so only using points for the resort, not cash. We love being on property and have several favorites among the resort restaurants. We hope to do a spa, window shop at DS, pool time, etc. It will be nice after a few days in Clearwater Beach in a less deluxe hotel!

 

[Cybertruck]

Thanks for all the responses. We will be in FL anyway for a baseball spring training trip. We have DVC, so only using points for the resort, not cash. We love being on property and have several favorites among the resort restaurants. We hope to do a spa, window shop at DS, pool time, etc. It will be nice after a few days in Clearwater Beach in a less deluxe hotel!

Sounds like a perfect strategy. We moved to Florida 4 years ago (in August) and stayed at Saratoga for a few days after the drive from PA. It allowed us to decompress before the final walkthrough and signing all those closing documents.

 

[Brian Noble]

I'm not really sure why you would even bother traveling to Disney. You could just do a vacation somewhere else in the US.

Because Orlando (a) is reasonably pleasant in the winter and early spring, (b) not particularly difficult to get to, and (c) has LOTS of inexpensive but decent quality vacation lodging.

My uncle owned a vacation home there for snowbirding, and I don't think he went to the theme parks more than once in a blue moon.

 

[jo-jo]

Ok, since you’re going to be in fla anyway, that’s a different story. I thought you were traveling just to be in a resort. But I could see doing a short resort trip after the spring training thing before heading home.

 

[tzolkin]

Because Orlando (a) is reasonably pleasant in the winter and early spring, (b) not particularly difficult to get to, and (c) has LOTS of inexpensive but decent quality vacation lodging.

Perhaps my post was not clear. I meant that if you are looking for a Disney experience (which the OP seems to be), staying offsite if you're not going to the parks would not give you the same immersive "Disney-bubble" experience that staying onsite would.

I certainly was not implying that no one would want to vacation in Orlando/Central FL or that there's nothing else the area has to offer. Orlando might be a lovely trip, but it would not be the same thing as a "resort-only Disney trip". To me, an Orlando vacation would be the same as a vacation to another city in the US and much different than a Disney trip (whether resort only or parks).

 

[Brian Noble]

Yes I did misread what you’d written. Thanks!

 

[Anthony1971]

Was going to say…. DVC is huge changing point for parks. We in general go 2-3 days to the parks. We have met a lot of DVC people who go 0 days. There is lot to do other then the parks although many not free but easily $ compared outside hotels but here you get fairly easy free transportation. Years ago Disney had everything from driving a race car to parasailing to horse back riding and all in between but still plenty to spend 2 weeks without setting foot in a park.

 

[Miffy]

I can barely stand it when I can't go to a park on departure day because my flight's so early, which, lately, it has been. So, for me, I wouldn't last a day. To be that close to the parks and not go in? Ack!

Sometimes my sister--my WDW traveling companion--needs a rest day in the middle of a trip and she's perfectly happy staying at the resort. I've tried hanging with her but after a couple of hours I go nuts and end up going to at least one park, often 2.

Thank you, AP.

 

[mrsap]

Hi, all! DH and I are thinking about a resort only stay next spring. For those who have done this before, how long did you stay?

We are skipping the parks to save money, so I don’t want to stay too long and tempt ourselves with wanting to go to the parks.

Because we go 3 times a year, we designate one trip to a resort stay, just to enjoy the things we don’t have much time for during the other 2. We usually do about 10 days. We start by staying a few days (or longer) in Club Level. We are DVC too, but will do cash days at the beginning and then I try to pick up a couple more CL days at AKL. The rest of the time we swim, enjoy the activities & movies, go shopping, arcade, Disney Springs, tandem bikes on the boardwalk, go to dinner every night, go get dessert somewhere, visit other resorts, play mini-golf, etc. We stay at a resort that has a fireworks view, so we can enjoy them as well. If the kids want, we will go into the park for a day or 2, but that’s decided then. As much as we love the parks, it’s nice to get up and not have to rush to be anywhere, a nice change of pace. Enjoy!

 

[scrappinginontario]

We did 3 nights when my daughter was a baby but honestly, it was tough! I love the parks so found it difficult to be so close yet not go. It was constantly on my mind how close we were yet unable to go. Not sure I would do it again.

Another ‘no park’ (kinda) trip we stayed for 4 nights and bought water park APs. It was a great trip!! We did scratch our park itch by going to MNSSHP. Great trip!!!

 

[ZerasPride]

We are DVC too! My girlfriend and I do a yearly girls trip and during our week long stay this past May we only went to parks for two half days. DH and I will be a staying at the Grand Floridian Villas in September with 0 park days.

We are renting a cabana at the pool one day, doing some resort hopping, lots of nice meals and adult beverages plus lots of pool/relaxation time! I just bought a new swimsuit! It should be super hot, humid and sticky in early September I have no desire to be inside crowded theme parks but will enjoy the fireworks shows from a distance. Will I miss the parks - probably a little but with DVC there is always next time. Can’t wait!