Staying at a Disney Resort? Don’t Miss These 6 Time-Saving Tips

Although I’m usually a Disneyland Resort visitor (I live on the West Coast), I just recently had the opportunity to visit Walt Disney World. It wasn’t my first trip — not by a long shot — but it reminded me how nice it is to vacation somewhere fully immersive.

During my trip I enjoyed a 3-night stay at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, a Deluxe resort on Disney property. But did you know there’s so much more to staying at a Disney resort than great theming?

And it’s not just early entry and priority reservations. Let’s talk about my top 6 tips for staying at a Walt Disney World Resort so you can make the most of your time.

1. Book Your Lightning Lanes Early

Unlike Disneyland, Walt Disney World allows you to purchase Lightning Lane passes (which skip the standard queue) and make ride reservations in advance of your visit.

While this is similar to the old FastPass system, I didn’t realize quite how popular Lightning Lane would be. I arrived day-of and bought Lightning Lanes, much like I do at Disneyland, only to find that some rides were already sold out and many had return times for much later in the day.

To combat this, those staying at a Walt Disney World resort should buy their Lightning Lane passes far in advance. Regular guests can do so 3 days ahead of their arrival, while resort guests get a full 7-day window. That’s a huge advantage, especially for popular rides.

2. Take Advantage of Early Theme Park Entry

I didn’t manage to enjoy early theme park entry during this trip since I was working, but it’s something I wish I’d done.

Guests of select Walt Disney World resorts (and even some partners) get access to all the theme parks 30 minutes before the park opens. This includes Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios.

Now, it’s important to note that not all rides will be open at the time you enter. Tron Lightcycle Run, for example, isn’t available during early entry. However, most rides are — and Disney maintains a list of all available attractions (plus the resorts that are able to take advantage of early entry) on their website.

Whether it’s your first or 15th time at Walt Disney World, you probably already know about the crowds. And while quite a few guests are milling around during early entry, those extra 30 minutes give you enough time to get in, get on your favorite ride, and get off before the park truly opens. That’s a huge benefit.

3. Use Resort Transportation

Heading to Walt Disney World is a journey in and of itself. Depending on which theme park you’re visiting, you may end up spending an extra hour commuting to and from the park each day simply because you’re not staying at a Walt Disney World resort.

This is especially pertinent when you’re wanting to visit Magic Kingdom. Resort guests can enjoy various modes of transportation, including monorail, bus, and even boat. All of these drop you directly at the front entrance to the theme park.

Everyone else? They have to park at the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC) and then take either the ferry or the monorail over. It doesn’t seem like much, but combine this with the crowds you’re facing — especially at the end of the day — and it quickly becomes miserable.

It’s enough of a difference that I waited for my bus back to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge rather than try to grab a ride-sharing service. Although the wait for the bus was longer, it ended up taking me less time overall since I was able to avoid the TTC.

4. Stay for Extended Evening Theme Park Hours

Speaking of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, did you know that guests staying at Deluxe-level resorts get to stay later than other guests? This includes Deluxe resorts and Deluxe villas, as well as select other hotels.

There are only specific dates when this benefit is available, and it rotates from park to park, but it’s the absolute best way to explore the theme parks. During our visit, both EPCOT and Magic Kingdom featured extended evening hours, which last for 2 hours after the theme park closes.

While we didn’t take full advantage of this, we did get the opportunity to hop on some rides and take some photos. It was definitely a little eerie (and exciting) to see the theme park without many people inside!

Be aware that after the park closes, you need to show proof that you’re a guest staying at an eligible resort. This can be a MagicBand, MagicMobile pass, or room key card. At every ride, they’ll scan you and register how many guests are in your party. Only then are you allowed to enter.

5. Enjoy the Disney Bubble

You’ve probably heard of the “Disney Bubble,” the feeling you get when you’re able to forget about the outside world. This isn’t really possible at Disneyland, as you’re right in the middle of the city and there are just 3 on-site hotels compared to the over 20 available at Walt Disney World.

But in Florida, you really can just let the outside melt away. Sure, it costs you (unless you have groceries delivered to your room, which many do), but there’s nowhere else in the world where every moment of your day is carefully curated to make you feel joyous, excited, and carefree. From rope drop to the moment you fall asleep each night, you can eat, drink, and breathe all things Disney.

You won’t find that outside of a Walt Disney World resort, where the real world intrudes with its honking horns, shabby lobbies, and rush-hour traffic.

6. Consider a Disney^® Visa^® Card for 0% Interest

We never recommend keeping a balance on a credit card. After all, if you can’t afford it, why spend it? But trips to Walt Disney World are expensive, and oftentimes a little breathing room is all you need.

While the best 0% APR credit cards offer upward of 15 months on purchases without charging you interest, this is usually only valid when you first open your credit card.

The Disney Visa card, meanwhile, allows you to finance a Disney vacation with a 0% promo APR for 6 months on select Disney vacation packages from the date of purchase, after that a variable APR of 18.24% - 27.24%. You can do this as many times as you’d like. As an added bonus, those who hold the Disney Visa card also get a 10% discount on merchandise and dining at many locations throughout Walt Disney World.

Although there are 2 Disney credit cards available, the Disney^® Premier Visa^® card charges a $49 annual fee.

The Disney Visa card does not ($0 annual fee). If you’re the kind of person who likes to shop or enjoy table service meals, this can save you tons of money. And since the card doesn’t charge an annual fee, it’s all money back in your pocket.

Final Thoughts

I loved staying on property at Walt Disney World and can’t wait to return. Resort guests get so many benefits compared to those who are just visiting for the day, and although I missed out on a few, I’m better prepared for next time. Hopefully, you are too.