Planning to go to Walt Disney World? I have 5 cost-savings tips for adults who like a low key kind of Disney vacation. One of the biggest ways you can save money is by staying in an affordable hotel room.
As you may know, you have lots of options in Orlando. These include on-property hotel rooms in Value, Moderate and Deluxe categories and the on-property Fort Wilderness campground for people with RVs or those who don’t mind roughing it in a tent.
For off-property stays, you have a variety of hotels that are not official Disney hotels, but are on Disney property, like the Holiday Inn Disney Springs and the Swan and Dolphin Hotels near the Boardwalk. You also have well-reviewed, off-property hotels that are a only a bit farther away, such as the Residence Inn at Flamingo Crossings and the Embassy Suites in Kissimmee.
To save money at all hotels, keep these tips in mind:
#1 Check in on Monday and check out on Thursday
In some cases, Sunday check-in is also a value option. Three to four-night stays between Sunday and Thursday usually have the lowest rates.
#2 Avoid the Holidays and Stay During Value Periods
The easiest way to think about this is when kids and college students are in school, hotel prices are lower.
The most expensive rates are usually on New Year’s Eve and the lowest rates tend to be the Tuesday after Labor Day.
The highest prices for hotel rooms will be Thanksgiving week, December 18-30; December 31 – January 4; Spring Break (early March through mid-April) and mid-Summer (late June through early August.
You will see lower prices in mid January to early February and mid-August through September (although the weather is not great then). Late April through May, right before Memorial Day, is another good time to get low rates.
#3 When Staying On Property, Pick Value Resorts
Value Resorts deliver exactly what you need in a hotel room: beds, a bathroom, swimming pools, laundry facilities, eateries, bar, gift shop, free parking and free transportation to the parks and Disney Springs.
Prices can be as low as $99/night for All Stars Sports but generally range from $150 to $205/night for the All Stars Resorts. These resorts are very well run and the pools are immaculate.
Moderate and Deluxe resorts are nice, it’s true. I have stayed at a few of both moderate and deluxe hotels. However, they are much more expensive.
Hear me on this: you can enjoy almost everything a moderate or deluxe resort has to offer you — decor, restaurants, bars, shops, entertainment, activities, transportation access and beautiful grounds — while staying at a much lower priced, Value resort hotel. The only thing you cannot enjoy are the swimming pools and fitness centers.
Yes, the rooms are prettier and a little larger. The beds are a bit more comfortable. But after a long day at the parks, you won’t really notice the difference, as you’ll be asleep in minutes.
A note: the Value rooms at Pop Century are not more special than the All Stars rooms — you’re paying a premium for proximity to the Skyliner. If you are good with taking the bus from your resort (you can still ride the Skyliner), you can save as much as $200/night by choosing All Stars.
If you are wealthy, of course, you can stay anywhere you like. But if you are on a budget, I’d recommend staying at a value resort and visiting the moderate and deluxe resorts for their amenities, as many do.
#4 When Staying Off Property, Choose Value and Convenience
In general, I recommend staying at or near Disney Springs if you are a solo traveler, part of a couple or do not have a car. I feel the Disney Springs hotels are a good value for short stays and for people who want to spend substantial time at Disney Springs.
If you have a big family, a large group or are staying for seven days or more, I recommend you try a hotel at Flamingo Crossings. These rooms typically offer kitchens and an included breakfast and they are close to affordable restaurants and a Target.
Off property hotels have distinct advantages and disadvantages. In addition to being farther from the parks, most charge parking fees and resort fees on top of the room rate. Another disadvantage is you can no longer take the bus from Disney Springs to other resorts if you are staying at an off-property hotel.
However, most off-property hotels offer free shuttle service to the four Disney theme parks (as well as Universal Studios). You can take a Disney bus, boat or skyliner from a theme park to a resort, even if you are staying off-property. For example, you could take your hotel bus to Magic Kingdom or Hollywood Studios to see the Christmas gingerbread displays at the monorail and boardwalk resorts.
There are lots of advantages to staying off-property. The rooms are typically larger and they are often less expensive than Disney resorts. I’ve noticed that the off-property hotels can be very reasonable when you book them two or more months in advance but they become increasingly expensive as your check in date draws near.
These are the off-property hotels I recommend you check out, in order of preference.
Drury Plaza Disney Springs
- Pros: Excellent customer service. Excellent, proprietary bus with frequent runs to the parks and Disney Springs all day. Included buffet breakfast, buffet dinner and three alcoholic drinks per day, which can translate into substantial savings for a group or family. Nice lobby, fitness center, gym, poolside restaurant, gift shop. Fairly comfortable beds and spacious rooms with nice views of Disney Springs. Accepts pets for additional fee. Airport MEARS shuttle stops there.
Photo credit: Drury Plaza - Cons: $25 parking fee. Can be expensive if you do not reserve well in advance. Dated decor. Not all rooms have Smart TVs. Popular and can sell out. The lowest rates are non-refundable, which can be hard if your plans change.
Holiday Inn Disney Springs
- Pros: Can be quite affordable when booked in advance. Frequent bus service but is shared with other resorts, so it can be a longer ride to the parks. Rooms have nice views of Disney Springs. Room rates are displayed on the website calendar.
- Cons: On site restaurant with pricey breakfast. Daily $40 resort fee and daily parking fee.
Rosen Inn Lake Buena Vista
- Pros: Clean, no frills room and pool for a bargain nightly rate (as low as $60 a night with discounts). No resort fee. Parking is only $10/day. Substantial discounts for AAA members, AARP members and 4th night stays. Rooms have real refrigerators, not just beverage coolers. A quick Lyft ride to Disney Springs. All room rates are displayed on the website calendar, making it very easy to plan and compare hotel room rates.
- Cons: Very limited (but free) shared bus service to Hollywood Studios, TTC and Disney Springs; more service to Universal Studios. Limited options for dining. Near a sidewalk but not really walkable to anything (there is a city bus stop). Rooms near the highway can be noisy. Not served by airport MEARS Shuttle.
#5 Use Your Discounts for the Best Rates
For on-property hotels, you can use the promotions Walt Disney World offers, and some of them are quite good. These include discount rates for Annual Pass holders and Disney + subscribers.
Another really good discount is Disney’s Bounce Back discount. The Bounce Back discount applies even if you only spend one night at a Walt Disney resort. From the day you check out, you have seven days to make a reservation on on one of the “bounce back” dates.
2027 Bounce Back Dates
- January 11-14; 18-28
- February 15-18; 21-24
- Mar 1-31
- April 1-14; 18-30
- May 1-27; 31
- June 1 – 30
- July 5-July 31
- August 1 – 31
- September 1; 6-30
- October 1- 3; 25-31
- Likely TBA: November 1-24; December 1–24
To book your reservation, you’ll need to pay for the first night of your stay as a deposit, then pay the rest when you check in. You generally may cancel and receive a full refund if you cancel within 8 days of your check in date. And you can make multiple reservations.
For example, if I stayed at All Star Sports on March 17, I would have until March 23 to make multiple reservations all the way for stays all the way through Christmas Eve. I have even made a bounce back reservation for another hotel when I wanted to extend my trip while already at Disney.
The drawback about these promotional discounts is that they are often limited and sometimes are withdrawn before the official end date. That happened to me once this year. So, if you see a promotion that works with your budget for a time you want to go to Disney World, don’t wait too long to make your reservation.
Conclusion
So, to summarize, the best ways to save money on your next Disney vacation is to select a Value Resort room or an affordable hotel with good bus service near Disney Springs, check in on Sunday or Monday and check out on Thursday, avoid school holidays, book in advance and take advantage of all discount codes and promotions, including AAA and AARP. This can save you hundreds of dollars on your vacation.
What is your favorite hotel when visiting Disney World? Do you have any money-saving tips for hotel stays?
