statying on-siteat WDW

[Finley White Finley White]

What are the advantages to staying on-site now that early entry is no longer with us?

I'm going to WDW in March2002. I'm not worried about parks reaching capacity and refusing entry. I'm just as happy visiting resorts and shops.

Any comments/suggestions?.....

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

Not sure what you mean by "early entry is no longer with us". Extra magic hours (early entry) still happen and are only available to onsite guests and guests staying in select DS hotels. As far as other perks....Magical Express, transportation, 60 day FP reservations, 180+ 10 ADRs, free magic bands, ability to send packages back to your resort, etc. And some more subjective perks like being in "the bubble".

 

[Denise W]

What are the advantages to staying on-site now that early entry is no longer with us?

I'm going to WDW in March2002. I'm not worried about parks reaching capacity and refusing entry. I'm just as happy visiting resorts and shops.

Any comments/suggestions?.....

Do you mean you are visiting in 2020? (you wrote 2002).
Denise

 

[fab1976]

When we are going to Disney, we go to Disney we don’t stay in a city in Florida. If we wanted to go to Florida we would do that. No perks needed for us to stay on site.

 

[Pmm_]

On-site you get the theming of the resorts. The benefit of WDW transportation (reducing the stress of driving around). You get early magic hours. And like @fab1976 said, you're visiting Disney 100%, not Orlando.

 

[happymommy]

There are so many perks, but the others have touched on most.

Transportation to and from the theme parks is a HUGE one. Also if you fly, transportation to and from the airport is included.

You will receive a magic band, which serves as your room key, theme park ticket, and charging to the room (and dining credits if you have a dining plan). It is so convenient.

If you make a purchase at the theme park, you can opt for it to be delivered to your room (if you are club level) or to the gift shop at your resort otherwise. So no carrying around purchases (it does take time though).

If this is your first trip, I highly recommend considering a DIsney resort. It makes things so much simpler.

 

[AngiTN]

Huh?

 

[AngiTN]

Do you mean you are visiting in 2020? (you wrote 2002).
Denise

Not to mention, since when isn't Early Entry no longer with us?
I think OP is just totally confused

 

[BEASLYBOO]

Well, it's a first post! Finley White I stay on property for early and late hours into the park, I can park my car and use the buses, monorail & boats. And I enjoy the DW resorts and their amenities, I'm a big fan of the Flower & Garden show as well as Food & Wine. Were that not the case, I would save a heck of a lot of money.

 

[Masonmj84]

For me, Extra Magic Hours (EMH) was never an advantage to staying on-site at WDW (different story at DLR). In fact, at WDW, I typically try to avoid parks with EMH.

For me, the advantages to staying on-site are as follows:

1. Have 60 days instead of 30 days to book FPs (this can mean the difference between getting a FP and not getting one at new, popular attractions).

2. Have 180+10 days to make ADRs (this can mean the difference between getting an ADR and not getting one at very popular table service restaurants and/or getting and ADR at a popular restaurant at a decent time).

3. Transportation-related benefits. Specifically, don't have to spend time/effort doing the following: baggage claim, rental car counter, driving, parking, airport baggage check. In fact, one of the reasons we specifically like on-site WDW vacations is that they are almost the only kind of vacation that allows you to skip every one of these.

4. Complimentary magic bands. It's so nice to have one item that acts as a hotel room key, park ticket, fastpass ticket, and credit card that you don't have to dig into your pocket or wallet to retrieve. And you can even wear it in a pool or at a water park.

5. We just enjoy the atmosphere and theming of WDW resorts, at least at the moderate or deluxe level. Along those lines, we are not park commandos and spend at least half of our waking day at our resort (I would much rather be at a resort swimming pool between say 1 and 5 pm than inside a theme park).

 

[BEASLYBOO]

5. We just enjoy the atmosphere and theming of WDW resorts, at least at the moderate or deluxe level. Along those lines, we are not park commandos and spend at least half of our waking day at our resort (I would much rather be at a resort swimming pool between say 1 and 5 pm than inside a theme park).

Ditto-the Florida heat/sun is brutal!

 

[lookame]

I just found out the resorts all have activities such as scavenger hunts and tie dye (for an additional cost) and specialized resort activities specific to that resort and it's theming like AOA has drawing.

Also, if you have a rental car or drive there although parking at your resort is a fee driving to the parks and parking there, you dont have to pay.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

I am not poking fun but seriously asking if you have a time machine. I had hair in 2002 and want to borrow it.

 

[DaisyDuck001]

My favorite thing about staying onsite is that in some of the hotels, the rooms are themed. However, lately they have been de-theming the hotel rooms as each hotel is refurbished, which for me, removes the main incentive to stay at those hotels. If it's going to look like an offsite hotel room, then the actual offsite hotel room is the same thing for a lot cheaper....

 

[darrengs]

My favorite thing about staying onsite is that in some of the hotels, the rooms are themed. However, lately they have been de-theming the hotel rooms as each hotel is refurbished, which for me, removes the main incentive to stay at those hotels. If it's going to look like an offsite hotel room, then the actual offsite hotel room is the same thing for a lot cheaper....

Plus if you stay at a Disney Springs Hotel, you still get EMH, ADR 180 days out, FP at 60 days, and busses to all parks running 30 minutes. So yoh are not really giving anything up an get a nicer room more amenities, a real loyalty program, for quite a bit less money.