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Once you’ve decided to take a trip to Disney World, one of the biggest decisions you must make is whether to stay at an on-site Disney Resort or stay at an off-site non-Disney hotel. My family has stayed both on-site and off-site on our Disney World trips. While staying on-site is very convenient, staying at off-site hotels can save you a bundle of money, especially if you can use hotel points to stay for free.
This year, the seven non-Disney hotels located in the Disney Springs area started offering some on-site Disney Resort perks, namely Fast Pass + reservations at 60 days out and Extra Magic Hours. Initially offered as a test, these benefits have been extended through the end of 2019. Let’s take a look at the ins and outs of staying at these Disney Springs Resort Area Hotels.
What are the Disney Springs Resort Area Hotels?
Hilton Buena Vista Palace: My family stayed here in June and loved it! You can read my review here. Two words: lazy river! Price for a Saturday in June before tax: $206 or 50,000 Hilton Honors points. Use points from the Amex Hilton Ascend (Nancy’s referral link here, Leana’s referral link here).
DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando-Disney Springs Area: This is the only all-suite hotel at Disney Springs and is perfect for larger families. A room with two queen beds and a sofa bed for up to six people on a Saturday in June is $158 or 47,000 Hilton Honors points.
Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista-Disney Springs Area: This hotel has seven on-site restaurants, including Benihana! Cost for a Saturday in June is $130 or 41,000 Hilton Honors points.
Wyndham Lake Buena Vista and Wyndham Gardens Lake Buena Vista: Technically two hotels that share many of the same amenities, Wyndham has a waterfall and an aquatic playground. A room for a Saturday in June runs $189 or 15,000 Wyndham Rewards Points. You can get points through the Barclaycard Wyndham Rewards Visa.
Holiday Inn Orlando-Disney Springs Area: Kids 11 and under eat free! Some rooms have bunk beds. Rates in June are $142 or 35,000 IHG points. Use points from your Chase IHG card or various IHG promotions.
Best Western Lake Buena Vista Resort: Most rooms have balconies. Rates for a Saturday in June start at $150 or 20,000 points, which you can earn from a Best Western Rewards Premium Mastercard.
B Resort and Spa: This resort is unique for the area because it has its own spa. Room prices for a Saturday in June start at $193. This resort does not have loyalty points, but you can always use points from travel rewards cards like the Barclaycard Arrival Plus or the Capital One Venture Rewards card.
As a point of comparison, the cost of a room in the least expensive Disney Value Resort, All-Star Sports, for a Saturday in June is $175.
Pros of Staying at Disney Springs Resort Area Hotels
Hotel Points for Free Stays: The most obvious advantage to staying in these hotels is that you can use points from this “miles and points credit card hobby” to stay for free. On-site Disney resort hotels aren’t cheap. Depending on the length of your Disney World vacation, you can save hundreds or thousands of dollars by using hotel points earned from credit card rewards.
Fast Pass +: Another big perk of staying specifically at one of these seven Disney Springs Resort Area Hotels is that you can book Fast Pass + reservations at 60 days in advance, the same as on-site resorts. This could make the difference in whether or not you get a Fast Pass + for the most popular rides, like Slinky Dog Dash and Avatar Flight of Passage.
Extra Magic Hours: Guests at these seven Disney Springs Resort Area Hotels can enter the parks early and stay later along with on-site guests during special Extra Magic Hours. My kids and I entered Animal Kingdom an hour before the official park opening last summer and got on seven rides with no wait!
Free Bus Transportation: All of the Disney Springs Resort Area Hotels have free bus transportation to the Disney parks. They run every 30 minutes. Many non-Disney hotels don’t have this benefit.
Better Dinner Options: These hotels are all within walking distance of Disney Springs via a pedestrian bridge. This opens up a plethora of dining options for when you return from the parks. While most on-site Disney resorts only have a couple of dining options, the variety and quality of restaurants at Disney Springs will satisfy everyone.
Better Rooms: While the cash price of these hotels is similar to Disney Value Resort Hotels, Disney Springs Resort Area Hotels are not as basic as Disney Value Resorts. Some hotel rooms have balconies, and all of the Disney Springs hotels offer rooms with queen-size beds instead of the full-size beds that are in the Disney Value Resorts. I don’t know about you, but sharing full-size beds is really hard for my family. They feel so small!
More Recreation Options: Most of the pools at Disney Value Resorts are rather basic. However, the Disney Springs Resort Area Hotels have fancier pools with more amenities. Most have a zero-entry section, some have waterfalls, whirlpools, and even a lazy river. Select hotels also have tennis courts, sand volleyball, basketball courts and even character breakfasts.
Cons of Staying at Disney Springs Resort Area Hotels
No Free Airport Transportation: The Disney Springs hotels don’t have free airport transportation like the on-site Disney resorts have in Disney’s Magical Express. The cheapest way to get to the Disney Springs area is to take Lyft, which costs about $50+ round-trip.
Lackluster Theming: The Disney Value Resorts have over-the-top Disney theming, and you really feel like you are at Disney World. Disney Springs Resort Area Hotels are not themed as loudly in the Disney department. Sure, there are some Disney statues and big Disney gift shops, but many parts of the hotels feel like you could be anywhere, nowhere special. Last summer, my kids did not seem to mind this one bit. They still had a huge Disney fix across the street at Disney Springs and at Animal Kingdom.
Resort Fees: While on-site Disney Resorts do not have daily resort fees, some off-site hotels do. If you’re paying cash for a hotel instead of points, you have to factor in this additional cost.
Lack of Convenience: While the hotels do have free bus transportation, they do not run as often as the on-site Disney resorts. Also, the bus stops at the parks are a little farther away than the on-site Disney resorts, which means more walking. The stop for the Magic Kingdom is at the Ticket and Transportation Center, which then requires a monorail or boat ride to get to the front gate of the Magic Kingdom. Riding the Disney Springs Resort Area Hotels bus is definitely more convenient (and cheaper) than driving to the parks, but it’s not quite as seamless as the on-site bus transportation.
Who Should Stay at Disney Springs Area Hotels Instead of On-site Disney Resorts?
If you only plan to visit Disney World once and this is a once-in-a-lifetime trip, don’t be afraid to stay in a non-Disney hotel at Disney Springs. Your kids will never know the difference, and will have so much fun at the parks regardless of where you stay.
If you are looking for ways to save money on your Disney World vacation and you have hotel points (or you’re able to acquire them through credit card applications), staying at one of these Disney Springs Area Hotels is perfect. You can use the money you save to spend on souvenirs or park tickets.
For larger families or families who must share beds, the off-site Disney Springs hotel rooms are bigger and more comfortable than Disney Value Resorts. Also, if you’re looking to have a relaxing pool day in the middle of your Disney vacation, the pools are better in comparison to Disney Value Resorts.
However, if you have a small child that needs a mid-day nap, I recommend sticking with on-site Disney Resorts and bumping up to a Disney Moderate Resort level. You will be able to get back to your room more quickly on Disney buses. Also, if you have someone in your group who has difficulty walking, I recommend staying on-site in a preferred room.
Are you considering a stay in a Disney Springs Area Hotel? Why or why not?
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Author: Nancy
Nancy lives near Dallas, Texas, with her husband and three kids. Her favorite vacations include the beach, cruising and everything Disney.
I decided to go in January and we are staying at the Park Inn and using up my Radisson points.
There is a resort fee of about $16 a night. We stayed at the Swan two years ago and I am not sure it was worth all those points but now I can compare.
@HML I’ve looked into that Park Inn. We haven’t yet stayed there, but one of my readers said it’s a decent place. Just set your expectations accordingly. Certainly dirt cheap via points, that’s for sure. When primarily visiting Disney, I think it makes sense to not spend too much on lodging.
@HML Enjoy your trip! Let us know how you like the Park Inn.
Random thought… can you make a long term reservation at an off-site hotel (like 15+ days reservation), then make your fastpasses well before everyone else can, and then change your reservation to your actual dates later? Does the system let you make your Fastpasses for your entire trip all at once?
@bc The system does let you make fast passes for your entire trip up to 14 days. However, I’ve read that Disney is cracking down on people abusing the system like that, so to me it’s not worth the risk.