When it comes to booking a Disney vacation, there are a multitude of factors to consider, and one of the most important is where to stay. There are two options: on property or off property. Today, we will be discussing the top three reasons to stay on property.
Early Entry
Currently, guests who stay at a Walt Disney resort have access to "early entry," which is typically 30 minutes prior to the parks opening. Each park can have different operating hours, so be sure to check the Disney My Experience app for updated times. This early entry can be used every day of your stay at a Disney hotel or a "good neighbor" hotel. Although early entry is also afforded to guests who stay at a good neighbor hotel, it remains one of the best reasons to stay on property, especially when combined with the other reasons we will discuss. The benefits of early entry when staying on property allow you to get to the park prior to opening, not just to the entrance, but into the "lands" at the parks, such as Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, etc. Once early entry starts, you have the chance to ride some of the most popular rides first with very little wait time. If you plan your early entry right, you can knock out some top rides quickly first thing in the morning, which will allow you to set the cruise control on your park day. There's nothing like being stress-free walking around the park knowing you don't have to wait 90-plus minutes for Mine Train because you already rode it! This strategy will definitely help when we discuss our next reason.
Lightning Lane Booking
If you are not familiar with Lightning Lanes, it is Disney's old "Fast Pass" or "Genie Plus" system. It is a paid system that guests can use to book Lightning Lanes. Lightning Lanes are ride bookings that provide a time to return to the ride and skip the standby line. Guests staying on property are allowed to book their Lightning Lanes 7 days prior to their first park reservation. Not only do you get to book your first park day reservations, but you can book your whole length of stay, up to 10 days. For example, if you are going to the parks for 4 days in a row, when you are 7 days out from the first day, you can book Lightning Lanes for all 4 park days! The benefit of this is that guests who are not staying on property can only book theirs 3 days out, giving you a 4-day head start! Remember earlier when we discussed early entry? Well, if you plan accordingly, or if for some reason the ride you want to book with Lightning Lane is sold out or the time doesn't work for you, you can use early entry to ride those rides. Combining early entry and Lightning Lanes is a great way to experience the most coveted rides while visiting the parks. When we first used Lightning Lanes, we were pretty skeptical because we were used to Genie Plus and were not fans of it. However, when it came to booking our rides, we were actually able to get the rides and times we were hoping for. Another unforeseen benefit we noticed was the lack of stress we were so used to; trying to hurry to rides that had low waits or waiting in long lines for rides that we typically wouldn't wait for. Lightning Lanes have been great, and we recommend using them in parks if you can budget them in. One thing I didn't mention is that after tapping into your first Lightning Lane, you can immediately book another one. You are allowed to carry up to 3 Lightning Lanes at once. I know I only scratched the surface of using Lightning Lanes, but I think being able to book them 7 days out is a major benefit of staying on property.
The Disney Bubble
Most people who have visited Disney a couple of times have probably heard the phrase, "The Disney Bubble." What exactly is the Disney Bubble? The best way I can explain it is that it's a feeling, a feeling of magic and inclusion in all things Disney. Being inside the Disney Bubble is the term used when staying on property. Being on property allows you to always be surrounded by the Disney magic. Whether it's the theming of the resorts, the bus transportation, the restaurants, or the pools, you are always immersed in all things Disney. When you are surrounded by the subtle Disney touches at all times, it just takes your Disney vacation to a whole new level. From being in your resort room watching the park information screen on