People come to Disney World for the parks, but the Disney hotels are an attraction in themselves!

Each one has a theme throughout, from the entrance to the lobby to the rooms, and it keeps you immersed in the Disney magic on your vacation. But what if we told you staying at a Disney World hotel may not be the best option (*cue gasps*)? Depending on your priorities and needs from your Disney trip, here are 6 reasons why you shouldn’t stay at a Disney World hotel in 2023!

1. You Want to Experience the Full Resort

There are lots of things to do at Disney World hotels — the activities, the unique pools, the food, enjoying the atmosphere — but sometimes aspects of the hotel need to be refurbished.

That’s what is happening to several hotels in the early months of 2023 that we know of so far. Staying at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort in January? You won’t be able to ride the iconic Lava Pool slide. Visiting Disney’s Contemporary Resort? The Feature Pool is closing for a few months.

We cover all of the closures happening at each hotel and depending on your priorities, these may be a dealbreaker when staying on a Disney World hotel. Also, hotels may have construction going on like Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort which you may hear during your stay. Check out any closures or construction that may be happening at your hotel and then decide if you want to spend the money to stay there.

2. You Want Free Transportation From the Airport

Magical Express was a free transportation service to and from the Orlando International Airport to your Disney World hotel. The service was discontinued at the beginning of 2022 and it remains one of Disney’s most controversial changes according to fans.

There are paid options now including Mears Connect and Sunshine Flyer, but it can add up depending on how many people are in your party. A popular option is to take a rideshare but we recommend pricing out each option before choosing.

Some hotels in the Orlando area have free transportation from the airport to the hotel, so if that is a big perk for you, it may be worth skipping a stay at a Disney World hotel.

3. You Want the Old Disney Hotel Perks

Over the past couple of years, some Disney World hotel perks have disappeared. This includes things like a free MagicBand with your stay, free airport transportation via the Magical Express, and an hour’s worth of early entry time.

Now, MagicBands are no longer free for any guests but Annual Passholders can order some at a discount. Also, the free Magical Express has been replaced by the paid services we talked about above.

Early Theme Park Entry is still around but it has been shortened to 30 minutes instead of a full hour. Evening Extra Magic Hours (which are now called Extended Evening Hours) used to be included for all Disney World hotel guests, but now these 2 extra hours in the park are reserved for deluxe hotel guests only and only happen at 2 of the 4 theme parks.

If you’re used to the old Disney World perks, you might be a bit shocked by how different the perks are now. This may be enough to change your mind about staying on property.

4. You Want Free Breakfast

Even though there are still a few things you can get for free in Disney World, free breakfast is not one of them. However, there are many hotels that DO offer free breakfast which can save you a chunk of money on your vacation.

If you want to have breakfast at places like Chef Mickey’s or you know you want to try a new pastry in the parks as your first meal of the day, then this may not be a big deal to you. But if you aren’t too picky about breakfast, staying at a different hotel may be the way to go!

5. You Are On a Tight Budget

Although there are several tiers of hotels for different budgets, the value hotel prices have gone up over the past few years. For example, Pop Century Resort, which is a value resort, costs about $200 per night during the slow season and about $316 around Christmastime. This is one of the cheapest hotels at Disney World, but these prices are too high for some families on a tight budget.

So if you are on a tight budget, you may want to look at hotels surrounding Disney World. You may be able to find a better deal at a hotel nearby — you can save money here to spend on food or Genie+ in the parks.

Another option to consider is using hotel points towards a room. You can use Marriott or Hilton points at nearby hotels (or Disney Springs hotels that get perks like Early Entry) to get the best hotel deal possible.

6. You Avoid Disney Transportation

For anyone who drives to Disney World and plans to drive to the parks, you may not want to stay at a Disney hotel. Free transportation to and from the Disney parks is a big perk of staying at the hotels, but if you don’t need that service, it might be worth it to stay off-property!

You may find a better deal at a hotel around Disney World and you won’t lose that transportation factor if you are driving yourself or prefer to take a rideshare.

If you’re taking a trip to Disney World in 2023, consider these factors when deciding where to stay. It can be a really important decision as it is your home away from home while you’re on vacation!

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Are you planning to stay at a Disney World hotel in 2023? Let us know in the comments.