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You’ve decided to book a trip to Walt Disney World and now you have to make the next big decision. Where to stay! While there are literally hundreds of hotels in Orlando, there is definitely something special about staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel. From the top notch cast member service to beautifully themed rooms to the spectacular pools and character dining experiences. These are just a few of the ways you can experience the “Disney Bubble.” Read below for more reasons that might sway your decision.

Staying inside the Magic: The Walt Disney World resorts are a hop, skip and a jump away from the theme parks. The Monorail, the Skyliner, bus and boat system at the Disney Resorts means you never have to drive if you don’t want to. Its also included in your resort stay price. Another pro tip…..staying at a Disney World Resort means you can easily go back for an afternoon swim or nap. Which makes coming back for dinner and fireworks is also a breeze. Convenience like this allows you to make the most of your time.

You get into the theme parks before anyone else: Another huge benefit of staying at a Walt Disney World Resort is Early Entry. Which means guests staying at a Disney property can enter the parks 30 minutes before anyone else. If you don’t mind getting up a little earlier this means you not only beat the rush through the Disney transportation but you can also hit up some of the parks more popular rides (ahem Star Wars: Rise of Resistance and Avatar: Flight of Passage). The lowest wait times are often in the first half hour before they open to the general public. This is especially helpful if you visit Walt Disney World during more popular seasons like Spring Break or a holiday weekend. And again, maximizing all the fun you can have in each park or every day that you are there. One last thing, if you don’t like getting up early, there are some nights that offer Walt Disney World guests extended evening hours. Which means staying at the park after it closes to the general public and getting to ride Seven Dwarfs Mine Train as many times as you want with half the crowd!

Make Disney Dining reservations before anyone else: Staying on property also means you get to make your Disney dining reservations 60 days in advance before everyone else. Perhaps you want to have that character breakfast at the Crystal Palace (Main Street, Magic Kingdom) , a cocktail at Oga’s Cantina (Galaxy’s Edge, Hollywood Studios) or feel like a Polynesian themed buffet at Ohana (Disney’s Polynesian Resort). These are just some of the most popular dining experiences where reservations book up quickly. But you’ll have a leg up on scoring a reservation if you are staying on property as off – site guests can only book one day at a time.

You get to make Lightening Lane selections first: This is one of our favorite things about staying on a Walt Disney World resort. Especially during a peak spring break season or busy holiday weekend. The ability to grab Lightening Lane selections at 7AM through the Disney Genie+ service through the My Disney Experience app is seriously life changing. Because off-site guests can’t book lightening lanes until the park opens. This is so worth it when you have a bucket list of rides you want to get on, are traveling with small children or really just don’t want to wait two hours to ride a popular attraction like Rise of the Resistance of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Securing attractions with lower wait times means more time for more rides!

Staying at a Walt Disney World Resort can be pricey, but there are ways to look for great deals throughout the year. You can always find deals and discounts on the Walt Disney World website where we’ve often found promos on resort stays and dining. There’s also a list of non-Disney hotels that are still situated close to many of the parks. They also offer guests Early Theme Park Entry to guests during their stay. This includes the Walt Disney World Dolphin, Swan and Swan Reserve, which often have discounted prices through Expedia. We’ve also found great deals for the super swanky Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World and Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace and Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista in the Disney Springs neighborhood.