What do you consider to be the greatest onsite perk?

[klacey1]

Transportation! From ME to the buses/monorails/boats/walking...I absolutely hate to drive and enjoy having a few drinks. There is absolutely nothing like walking from Epcot to the Boardwalk back to your room at the Beach Club for an amazing night!

FP+ at 60 days out is pretty great, too.

 

[Napoleon Dynamite]

Mine would be the ability to skip the TTC while going to the MK. Parking, taking the tram, then boat or monorail, sets me over the edge.

 

[WEDWDW]

"Disney Bubble" trumps everything for me.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

We stay onsite because of the CMs/customer service and the “Disney feeling.” Convenience is a factor too but it’s mostly the service and “Disney feeling.” We have always stayed onsite and are DVC now.

I also did my CP working at one of the deluxes. I worked with so many CMs who truly cared about their jobs and making trips special for guests. After staying in the resorts my whole life and then seeing how one of them is run from the inside, I won’t stay anywhere else but a Disney resort. And it would also be dumb since we are DVC now We are ALL IN on onsite stays!

This isn’t limited to WDW and Disneyland. We have stayed at Vero Beach, Hilton Head and Aulani. We just love Disney resorts.

 

[Tksolomom]

Transportation, we hate driving on vacation. I would also say 60 day fast passes and magic bands. I don’t care at all about the dining plan, it isn’t the value it used to be and we aren’t huge dessert eaters.

 

[Disneylover99]

Transportation

 

[Tattylou]

"Disney Bubble" trumps everything for me.

Same ^^^

 

[amylevan]

Location and Transportation are really it for us. Even when we have our truck at the campground, we park it and use Disney's transportation.

We use the 60 day FP+ window, but that is now a perk of DS Hotels, so it's not really an on-site perk anymore.

We fly into Sanford (or drive our camper) so DME is of no use to us.

The dining plan makes no financial sense to us no matter how many times I run the numbers.

We don't really use EMH - the morning is too early and the evening ones are too late for my kids. Although I can see using the evening ones in the future when my kids are able to stay up.

 

[Helene_C]

Transportation - primarily the hotel/park transportation but also ME. Two (soon 3) of my trips have been solo with a kid and I have no interest in driving us around.
Having one MagicBand instead of separate hotel room key, park ticket, cash, and credit card. I do carry one credit card and a $20 as back-up but this way I can stash those in a zipped pocket.

 

[danielocha30]

Free Parking both at the hotel and the parks
Transportation to a from the airport Nd to the parks

 

[IWRBIE]

Proximity to the parks. We always stay at the Boardwalk and nothing can beat being able to walk over to Epcot every night.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I'm loving all the replies.

Amazed by how many folks rate transportation so highly.

I think a lot of people who don't like Disney transportation usually don't use or have a lot of public transportation in their area. I'm in NJ/Philly area and we have every mode of transportation here. I don't mind waiting for the Disney busses even if it's 15-20 minute wait, although I've only waited that long maybe once. I'm usually on a bus within 5-10 minutes.

 

[GreatLakes]

Proximity and easy transportation back to your resort.

 

[married2mm]

Mine would be the ability to skip the TTC while going to the MK. Parking, taking the tram, then boat or monorail, sets me over the edge.

I had not considered this one-it is a bit of an ordeal!!

 

[married2mm]

1. Safety (I don't take unnecessary risks and try to make smart decisions, but I always feel safe at Disney- and I don't think it is just a false sense of security. While things can go wrong anywhere, the extra security measures Disney takes- like all of the cameras and CMs and security guards really ease my natural tendency to worry. Disney spends a mass of money on security and it shows).
2. Magic Bands. Efficiency and convenience are two of the things I appreciate most- and Disney does them right.
3. Cleanliness and Beauty (I love being surrounded by fresh smells and beautiful surroundings and foliage. The resorts are outstanding in these areas. One of my favorite things is to take a morning or evening walk around the resorts. So relaxing).
4. Customer Service (Disney may have made some cuts, but they still do it better than others).
5. Transportation (we even ride the monorail and the boats just for fun)
6. Theming. Where else can I listen to jazz music and eat beignets in the mornings, have African food and visit giraffes and zebras in the afternoon, and finish my evening with an old fashioned country sing along and a campfire at night? The variety and immersion in various cultures is awesome. I don't even need the parks. Give me the resorts.
7. Pools (So beautifully themed, and the lifeguards are just phenomenal).
8. Resort activities (Love talking with the guides at AKL and taking drum lessons and getting my face painted- love the campfires and the pool games and outdoor movies and bike riding).
9. Resort Quickservice- Love the selection and convenience- especially at the values and moderates. And the restaurant hours are awesome. Love coming back from the parks late at night and being able to get a late night snack.
10. Resort Refillable Mugs- How many ounces of soda can one girl drink in a day? I like to try and find out.


And yet again I am reminded why I keep wanting to be there. Just got back from a week's trip and I'm ready to go back tomorrow.

1. Safety (I don't take unnecessary risks and try to make smart decisions, but I always feel safe at Disney- and I don't think it is just a false sense of security. While things can go wrong anywhere, the extra security measures Disney takes- like all of the cameras and CMs and security guards really ease my natural tendency to worry. Disney spends a mass of money on security and it shows).
2. Magic Bands. Efficiency and convenience are two of the things I appreciate most- and Disney does them right.
3. Cleanliness and Beauty (I love being surrounded by fresh smells and beautiful surroundings and foliage. The resorts are outstanding in these areas. One of my favorite things is to take a morning or evening walk around the resorts. So relaxing).
4. Customer Service (Disney may have made some cuts, but they still do it better than others).
5. Transportation (we even ride the monorail and the boats just for fun)
6. Theming. Where else can I listen to jazz music and eat beignets in the mornings, have African food and visit giraffes and zebras in the afternoon, and finish my evening with an old fashioned country sing along and a campfire at night? The variety and immersion in various cultures is awesome. I don't even need the parks. Give me the resorts.
7. Pools (So beautifully themed, and the lifeguards are just phenomenal).
8. Resort activities (Love talking with the guides at AKL and taking drum lessons and getting my face painted- love the campfires and the pool games and outdoor movies and bike riding).
9. Resort Quickservice- Love the selection and convenience- especially at the values and moderates. And the restaurant hours are awesome. Love coming back from the parks late at night and being able to get a late night snack.
10. Resort Refillable Mugs- How many ounces of soda can one girl drink in a day? I like to try and find out.


And yet again I am reminded why I keep wanting to be there. Just got back from a week's trip and I'm ready to go back tomorrow.

Your post is beautiful.
It truly encapsulates the whole experience and takes me back too.
And I'm so with you on the soda front-unlimited Diet Coke is simply dreamy.

 

[BarbieGal457]

Another vote for transportation! I love making the joyful trek to MDE right from the plane, and being able to have Disney chauffeur me around the entire stay, especially to and from my resort. I take public transit in Philly every day to and from work and let me tell you...I can truly appreciate those Disney buses!

This then plays into my second one: the Disney bubble. Because of transportation I never have to leave "the Bubble" - no stress about driving, I can have that extra drink with dinner, heck I can even doze off! I have horrible anxiety and Disney is truly the only place I have ever found I can let that anxiety go and totally relax.

In a close third: the ability to charge to MB tied with package pickup/delivery. No risking my wallet falling around, and I don't have to lug most items around all day!

 

[soniam]

You should do a poll.

I vote for EMH and 60 day FP+. 60 FP+ probably wins out though. Third perk is 180+ day ADR. I am really seeing how beneficial it is to not have to book dining every day until you have all of your vacation days. DLR still does this

 

[kniquy]

We love the Magical Express pick up from the Airport - once we land in Orlando we don't have to worry about driving at all. I feel like our vacation starts as soon as we step foot on the bus.
The earlier FP booking window is a must for those hard to get rides.
Getting the earlier access to dining reservations is helpful again for those hard to get reservations.
Having the MB so that i don't have to worry about having a credit card with me.
Just being in the disney bubble is something that i didn't understand until i experienced it.
The resort help keep you in the disney feel, even if they are not overly themed.


The EMH are just a small bonus if we happen to take advantage of them. It isn't often that we want to get up early or stay up real late to take advantage of them.

 

[maxiesmom]

Ease of getting to and from the parks. It is also super easy to split up. If some want to go back to the room for a nap they can easily do so, and let those who want to stay in the parks stay in the parks.

 

[married2mm]

Ease of getting to and from the parks. It is also super easy to split up. If some want to go back to the room for a nap they can easily do so, and let those who want to stay in the parks stay in the parks.

This is so true-for both young & old to do their own thing.